Welcome to 2012

Today I want to talk about New Years resolutions. I don’t have any. I do have goals for the year though (totally different), and I thought it might be cool to talk about ‘em with you, and see what goals (or resolutions, if you must) you’ve cooked up for the new year. It might be a tiresome exercise every year to sit around talking about all the things we’re gonna do, but I’ve come to realize that this time of year is really refreshing, and I think it helps each of us iron out not only what we want to focus on, but also how we’re going to do it.

I want to throw a little twist on this post though, because with all the babbling about dreams and hopes and accomplishments and such, I think we often forget to acknowledge the many obstacles and challenges blocking the path to get from where we are to where we want to be. Not that we can know everything or account for every possibility (nor should we waste much time trying to do so), but I mean, knowing what our own personal obstacles are for reaching our goals this year. I know, it’s already the second week of January and we’re supposed to be past the “talking about it” phase, but take two more seconds, or even one more day to think about what challenges or impositions lay in front of you and your goals, and how you can prepare yourself for those challenges right now – it’ll be worth every one of those two seconds, I promise.

Here are a few of my major goals for this year, along with what I know will be a personal challenge in accomplishing each of them. I know you’ll have your own, so I look forward to hearing yours as well.

• This really covers everything from being a better, more consistent blogger, to following through and executing my other creative ideas as well (in business, music, etc.). The underlying mission here, and the challenge, is to overcome my fear of putting myself out there, and just set sail on my ideas, much more often, and much more consistently.

• I realize that the past 4.5 years of my life have been a whirlwind. In fact, that’s led to me really deconstruct and trying to figure out who I am, which has in turn led me to live a pretty reclusive life. I’d rather not say anything at all than put myself out there and risk you misinterpreting me, or seeing a part of me I didn’t want you to see. Consequently, I also don’t risk connecting, encouraging, or sharing my life with others in a meaningful way, and I essentially alienate myself from those around me. But I aim to overcome this obstacle in 2012, and just simply, open up.

• If a single word could describe 2012 for me, I would want it to be “consistency”. I want to be who I am, and do what I do, consistently. Consistency isn’t doing all things right all of the time. Consistency is getting back up when you misstep and fall, and being okay with “the process”. Things don’t happen over night. All of my individual goals that I wont enumerate here (like goals to get through 10-12 Bible studies this year, master a few new styles on guitar, quit drinking sodas permanently, etc.), wont be accomplished by one massive effort at the beginning of the year. They’ll be proven successful by taking steps towards them every single day. I’m the king of calling it quits if I fall, stumble, or “miss a day” – but from here on, I’m going to simply get back up, and keep moving. (By the way, it’s the power of Christ that I must rely on to accomplish anything, but more on that to come).

For 2012, try and remember that you don’t have to have it all figured out. At least, that’s what I need to remind myself. If you’ve got a goal, a passion, an idea, or (sigh) a resolution, just go for it! Stop thinking about what everyone else will say if you fail. Stop thinking about what everyone will say if you succeed. Most importantly, stop thinking about how the obstacles in your life will keep you from reaching your goals, and start thinking about how you’re going to factor those challenges in to help you make it.

What’s one goal and one challenge you’re facing this year? How do you plan to overcome it? Tell me about it here, or email me. I’m also on Facebook and Twitter.

Happy New Year
Ross