Thanks for a great year: 2010 remembered

2010 was a great year. It’s right — the end of 2009 was a little rough — but 2010 was one to remember. I had balance between work and home, tried some new things, kept writing and creating, and visited far-flung family. Can I make that happen?

By thinking about 2010 before it happens and making incremental steps to those goals, I’m setting myself up for the “up-and-stumbling” (or, in Pareto terms, the 80% solution) way to get there.

So without further delay, here are some 80% goals I’ll be working toward in 2010.

Balance: the ability to find the important things in life and focus on those at the time the need attention. In some ways, joining a startup in 2009 was a jolt to my balance but it was more importantly a powerful reminder that doing work you care about matters. My family and friends have seen the difference.

Try New Things: recognize when you’re out of your comfort zone and keep going. I try to learn new things every day. This is a small discipline that helps me when I need to make bigger changes. You know what? It doesn’t get easier to move out of your comfort zone, but it does get easier to know when you’re almost there.

Keep writing and creating: even if it seems inconsequential, keep writing, drawing, singing, or whatever you do. Last year I tried to blog every week: this year I’m going for 2x/week. Drawing? More often.

Finally, make sure you get out and about. Social media is great, but don’t forget to be social. I’ll be visiting far-flung family in 2010, and looking forward to it.