I’m not going to do this or that, or something else from now on. That’s what my usual New Year Resolutions look like. More often than not, by my birthday in mid January, not only have I broken them all, but I’ve forgotten what the heck they were! (That might have something to do with the 60`s – I`m not sure!)
Years ago, (maybe 20,) Lynne and I found ourselves in an Ethiopian restaurant in Washington D.C. That alone has it`s own story but, we`ll leave that for another time. We decided to write down what we thought the year would have produced for us by the time the next New Years Eve rolled around. neither of us can remember today what we`d written. We do recall that they were amazingly close to how the year unfolded for us both.
A few years ago I thought it would be cool to sign up and participate in an Ironman Triathlon. I was 55 years old. I couldn`t swim, didn`t even own running shoes and hadn`t ridden a bike since I was a kid in public school delivering newspapers. I`m not sure if it`s good luck or bad luck, but I can`t stand to fail at anything. If I say I`m going to do something, I`ll kill myself trying not to fail as I attempt whatever crazy thing it is. The only thing worse for me is having to face someone else and admit that I failed.
I got that to work well for me with the Ironman thing by telling EVERYONE I knew, or met, that I was going to do it. 2 years later after ‘God only knows’ how many miles of swimming biking and running, and what seemed like a never-ending string of longer and longer races, I finished that Ironman in 2007. I had a great coach, (thanks Adam) met an amazing number of like-minded Tri-Folks who became friends along the way. There were a number of times that I wanted to quit, but kept going because I couldn`t possible face everyone and say that I`d quit.
I think I`ve tripped over something that works for me! So . . . . . .
2011 – New Years List to be checked in 365 days.
1. We`ll spend another 3.5 months in Mexico. We`ll leave mid April to head `home`, in Newmarket.
2. The Honda Shadow in the garage with 2900k on it will have at least another 6,000k on it before it`s time to winterize it again.
3. Lynne and I will have completed walking the Camino de Santego hike (about 800k) through the top of Spain in the fall.
4. I`ll finish writing my book and have it published, one way or another!
5. I`ll have started on the public speaking tour and will have had at least 4-5 paying gigs with it. (Jeff – looking for your help on this one . . . . . coach!)
6. Christmas will have been spent with all of my kids, and even better, with Mom included, in the Great White North somewhere.
So – there it is! Number 1 is easy! The rest will take some work but – I`ve just told the world. Here`s hoping my theory on `how to accomplish anything`works for me again!
Happy New Year to all!
Love and Peace
G
