Scattered Thoughts

While I was browsing through some RSS feeds, I stumbled upon a post called "101 Goals in 1001 Days" and thought I would give it a try.

The rules for the 101 Goals in 1001 Days are:

The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on your part).

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past — frequently simple goals such as new year’s resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Goal Setting Tips

1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.
2. Stay focussed. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.

3. Welcome failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.
4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.
5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

Here are my goals for the next 1001 days — I'm only at 88 goals right now so this list can grow, but it won't shrink:

Climbing Goals

• Visit the climbing gym at least three times a month (0/99)
• Spend at least one weekend a month in the Red River Gorge climbing when Miguel's is open (roughly April through November — 0/23)
• Climb at Joshua Tree
• Climb in the New River Gorge
• Climb 5.12 sport routes
• Climb 5.10+ trad routes
• Boulder V4 problems
• Put together enough trad climbing gear to take a trad trip to the Red without having to rely on my partner to bring the gear
• Join the RRGCC
• Join the Access Fund
• Slackline once a week when the weather is nice (0)

Cooking Goals

• Learn how to cook more Indian, Greek, and Tahi food
• Stay a vegetarian
• Cook all meals at home one month each year (this includes no instant foods) (0/3)
• Find a way to start an herb garden and keep it away from the cats
• Create my own vegetarian cookbook
• Push the cookbook off onto a publisher
• Cook dinner at home at least twice a week
• Grill at least once a week in the spring, summer, and fall when the weather accomodates

Home Brewing Goals

• Brew one batch of beer a month (average) (0/34)
• Refine 5 recipes to be duplicated at will
• Brew a different holiday beer every year (0/3)
• Purchase more kegging equipment
• Convert the freezer into a keggerator
• Build a wort chiller
• Purchase a turkey fryer and 6 gallon (or more) pot to do single boil batches
• Brew 5 all-grain beers
• Become a BJCP Certified Beer Judge
• Develop a business plan to open a brewery

Education Goals

• Either buy a house or go back to graduate school
• Become fluent in Spanish again
• Learn Japaneese
• Learn Esperanto
• Learn guitar
• Attend CMC Rope Technician I/II
• Attend CMC Rope Technician III

Financial Goals

• Pay off my credit card debt
• Cut my student loan debt in half
• Build a three month cash reserve in my savings account
• Develop an investment plan
• Implement the investment plan
• Stick to my Mint.com budgets from month to month
• Set up an automatic savings plan and don't touch the funds

Fitness Goals

• Be able to do 100 pushups in a row
• Teach myself Yoga
• Become more flexible
• Take time daily to reflect
• Ride my bike around town in the spring, summer, and fall. (i.e. use my truck only to travel more than 10 miles)
• Cut my hookah smoking habit in half within six months
• Cut my hookah smoking habit in half again the next six months
• Lose 35 lbs. healthily through diet and exercise within one year
• Keep the weight off for the remainder of the 1001 days
• Eat raw foods for two meals a day for at least one week a month (0/34)

Leisure Goals

• Weather permitting (temperature and precipitation), play Disc Golf at least twice a week
• Level two characters to end-game level in WoW (0/2)
• Go to Wrigley Field for two Cubs day games (0/2)
• Finish reading ten books (0/10)
• Spend some time playing trumpet each week (0/143)
• Find and join a community band
• Purchase an HDTV at least 42" and 240Hz
• Go Geocaching at least once a week (average) (0/143)
• Establish photography as a hobby
• Learn to Juggle
• Travel to Europe and visit Spain, England, and Ireland

Scouting Goals

• Join and actively participate in a crew or troop
• Develop a COPE/Climbing online community
• Invite everyone from my COPE/Climbing schools
• Each time I'm on the COPE course, try a new game
• Successfully offer the Natural Rock Climbing and Trekking program once every spring and fall
• Develop and implement a Climbing Instructor training program to be offered to adult leaders in the council at large

Social Goals

• Post in the blog at least once a week (average) (1/143)
• Post in the photoblog at least once a week (average) (0/143)
• Reconnect with at least one old friend each year (0/3)
• Visit my sister in Indianapolis at least once a year (0/3)
• Visit my sister in Evansville at least once a year (0/3)
• Talk to my family via telephone at least every other week (0/71)

Work Goals

• Develop two advanced Flash workshops
• Keep the Cascade Server workshops up-to-date
• Develop Cascade Server feature demo videos when required
• Develop a PHP workshop
• Develop an XML curriculum

Miscellaneous Goals

• Upgrade my desktop computer to a new Mac of some sort
• Replace all incandecent lights in the apartment with CFLs (where possible)
• Perform my own auto maintenance for at least one year
• Clean out my old bedroom
• Keep up with regular dentist/optometrist appointments
• Clean the apartment at least once a week (0/143)
• For each goal I don't complete, I will donate $10 to a charity to be determined

List started on January 4, 2010, to be completed on October 1, 2012. When I complete a goal, I'll strike it off the list with strikethrough text.

Wish me luck!