Year's End

It rained buckets starting last night. An occasional thunderclap shook the Nick-knacks on the shelves and sent the dogs scurrying for cover. The rain slacked up mid-afternoon and the temperature began to drop. By sunset most of the clouds were off to the north and the few that lingered on the horizon were painted peach by the setting sun.
I got up this morning and worked on my goals. I simplified my goals this year and made them more specific. I've also set up reminders at intervals to remind me of my goal and ask how I'm doing.
What I think would be really effective is to have a group of say five people that shared goals and plans for the coming year. The group of five would then meet monthly to discuss the progress and make any necessary adjustments to help ensure the goals are met. Accountability is big with me. If I think for a moment that someone is going to ask me for a status on a goal, I'm much more likely to trudge forward even if I don't feel like it. That's just the way I'm wired.
I've attended so many meetings at work where people come unprepared that it drives me crazy. I'm amazed that they have the insensitivity to waste everyone's time. As a result, I always make sure I'm prepared.
I've done fairly well this year. One of my goals was to work towards being totally debt free and self sufficient. I reduced my total debt by 15 percent and increased my net worth by almost 20 percent. The larger goal is to be totally debt free with enough residual income to retire by July 3rd 2010. After retirement, it is my goal to write, play music, and travel for a living....along with farming. Jilda has a green thumb and we grow herbs, assorted lettuce, and other seasonal vegetables with ease. Our stuff is mostly organic. I believe there is a market for organic produce.
But goals are tricky things. It's almost like juggling. You can only pay attention to one thing at a time so if you have too many goals you are doomed to fail. The idea is to decide what is REALLY important in your life and focus on those things. So this is what I'm doing this year.
Like most years, this one has been bitter sweet. I lost a brother-in-law and and one of our best friends was diagnosed with breast cancer. But good things have happened too. I finally turned the corner in my web/media business. I had a chance to travel to Colorado Springs, I kept my promise to myself and to you to write daily on this blog. I also paid off Jilda's Volvo and solved several nagging problems that had been causing me grief for some time. We have also met some new friends who are delightful.
So we are going to bring in the new year at home. Jilda has baked potatoes in the oven, steaks marinating in red wine. We have our champagne on ice and we're ready for 2007.
It is my intention to do something remarkable this year. I hope you do too.
Happy New Year.