Last updated on May 18th, 2021 at 12:08 pm
To try to do 100 things in a year is an ambitious goal. Not the most novel idea ever, but ambitious! And not the not only is it more things than weeks in the year, as was pointed out to me…
…but it’s one thing every 3 1/2 days. In fact, with me posting this on January 6th, you could argue that I’m already behind. Doomed to failure with goals far loftier than my schedule will allow!
Let’s slow down a sec, though—this mission isn’t as impossible as you might think!
2012 vs. 2013
I’d love 2013 to be a game-changing year. I started sharing some of the ideas I have for the next year with friends, and they often ask: “What makes a game-changing year?” Is having a kid? Changing jobs? Blogging more? Blogging less to plan more? Planning less and doing more?
Trying to limit what will or won’t make a game-changing gear to a specific definition is dangerous business! If we judge whether a year is a good one by whether we make a certain amount of money, or attend a certain party or even carry out a specific goal… we eliminate the possibility for so many other things that we can add to our lives!
2012 was an insanely busy year for me. I pushed myself to fit more into my schedule and be involved in things I’m interested in more than I’d ever done before. But it was one of my best years, too!
But I didn’t enter 2012 with a plan. When I finished 2011, I was worn out from trying to run a daily blog—ready to take a break from writing and blend into the background. On top of that, I got married, travelled, spent a lot of time at tweetups, commuted between my current house and my parents’ home in Mississauga constantly, changed jobs twice—all this may have been a little over-ambitious.
But 2012 brought unexpected wins. Unforeseen opportunities. Reasons to post often. Stronger friendships. Insane adventures.
It also brought daily Man Lessons. More photography sessions. Tighter scheduling. Sarah and I needing to get a little smarter about how we spend our money, effort and time.
So this time, I made a list to keep track of the things I’d like to do, so that I wouldn’t let another year breeze by while blindly trying to figure out what I’m doing!
6 Days Down, 98 Goals to Go.
So back to my point—intentionally or not, I’m right on schedule! In fact, I can say that I’ve already gotten a couple of the items on the list done!
#14—Update my résumé
There’re goals that’re intentional—the ones you need to plan and set some time aside to do—and some that just happen due to forces outside of your control!
For those not in the know, I’ve been in my current day job temporarily—and the time is up. But when word gets out that you’re becoming a free agent, it can really grab others’ attention!
So with updated résumés making the rounds and my LinkedIn up to date, I consider #14 done and done!
#43—Turn My Negatives and Slides Into Digital Images
This one was much easier than I anticipated! I thought I’d need to go to the Toronto Reference Library or hire someone to do it, but turns out that with a little update, my scanner become quite the beast!
Let’s call this one done for now—I got all the negatives I’d liberated from my parents’ over the holidays scanned in; the only things to do now are grab my parents’ and parents-in-law’s negatives; see if I left any more at my parents’ next time I’m there.
But for now? Case closed.
Other Updates
#53—Eat breakfast more often
Don’t know if it’ll be a habit for life, but I’ve been making sure to eat breakfast every day since the start of 2013, and don’t intend to stop anytime soon! If I could pair this up with #9—cook at least one meal, I’d be well on my way to not snacking on ridiculous food anymore!
#91—Transfer all my external storage to an SSD Drobo system
Now that I know that Drobos run on a proprietary software system (which can lock you out from your files if the Drobo starts failing), I’m going to look for at some other solutions for backing my data up.
T0 2013… and Beyond!
So what will 2013 bring?
What I do know is this 2012 taught me that if I really want to pursue the things that I passionately believe in, I need to reshape my life and find the time to work on them. The real question is—what am I willing to do to make that happen?
Good luck to everyone trying to make something happen in 2013 I don’t know about you, but I’ll definitely need it!
10 replies on “2013: The Journey So Far.”
OMG! CUTE pic from 1997! Loves it!
You didn’t eat breakfast every day in 2012? or before? How do you function CASE P? NOW NOW YOUNG MAN! MAKE CHANGES PRONTO!
I stopped eating breakfast every day a LONG time ago. It’s a bad habit that I’m trying to change!
Thanks for the support as always 😉
I’ve been clearly living under a rock because I never saw your “100 things” list… what a great idea, ambitious yes, but I think you can do it! A lot of the items seem like you just need a little push and conquer them within an afternoon or two. 🙂
What I like most is how realistic the items are… it’s not an ambiguous resolution like “lose weight”, haha.
Good luck buddy!
P.S. I think I’ll make my resolution to read more of your blog posts…bahaha
Biggest rock EVER, Anum! But it’s okay — you’re here NOW and that’s what matters!
I wrote the list with the intent that these are things that would improve my life for SURE. A lot of people make resolutions with some notion that once they get to a certain point, they’ll be happier. More accomplished, thinner, richer = happier. For me, I just want to get things done so I can do other things 🙂 It’s a checklist of things I’d like to do so I can close some chapters and move on 🙂
And your resolution trumps all of mine — LOVE IT 😀 !!!
Keep on visiting!
–case p.
Maybe it’s a result of staring down the Achievements list of every new Xbox game (#nerd), but my first thought when looking @ ‘The CP C’ was “how many could be done simultaneously?”
I think some big wins will be the key to blowing the day:item ratio out of the water. You can do it, bro!
Ha, thanks for suggesting the multiple-achievement idea, man. I think that getting the license will help make a lot of other things easier; but you’re right — I’m pretty sure that if some of them can’t be done simultaneously, I can at least pull off several in one day 🙂
The CP C. I like it 🙂 But I’ve already started using The 2013 100 and I think I had enough of Roman numerals in 2011 😉
Stay positive there is so much time left in the year.
View those goals as things you’d like to do rather than set it stone. It may relieve some of the pressure and help you to keep the motivation to complete more of the goals on your list.
Also, enlisting the help of friends and family is a good idea. If there is anything I can do to help you cross something off your list, I’m there for ya.
Good Luck Case! You can do it. We will help.
Thanks, Christine 🙂
I’m really positive that I’ll be able to do a lot of cool things this year. They may not entirely be things that’re on this list, but I’m still convinced that I’ll do a lot 🙂
This list isn’t unattainable — I made it so that it would be in the realm of possibility; not just some wish list, but things that I could see myself doing; things I just haven’t made the time to do so far. Hopefully, given some time and a whole heap of effort, I’ll get there 🙂
But yes, relying on the people we care about is always a good idea, and one I’ll need to remember to do!
Thanks for being in my corner 🙂 I really appreciate it!
Ahhh I love the quality of the pictures! So Instagram but sooo authentic..so hipsta! (But seriously. Love the quality. Cue nostalgia.) Now as a fitness fanatic, keep up the good work with breakfast! People who don’t eat breakfast are by and large, much more overweight than those who do. (Eat a dang donut, even. It’s still something your body can work with!)
Scanning in STRAIGHT from the source is TOTALLY what’s up 🙂 Thanks for the love on the photos — I hope to have a ton more to work with, given some time!
Yeah, I’m getting better at it — grab a quick banana or some toast or something before I leave the house and then start my day. Nothing’s worth wrecking your body, amirite?