Happy New Years! Some 2012 thoughts on resolutions

Back in my military days, I had a small cubby cabinet.  Inside of it was tacked a sheet of paper that I hand wrote my goals, and the cost of those goals.  Somethings written there included renting an airplane ($60), or buying a book ($10).

A friend of mine commented that I was the only person he knew who wrote down his goals.

15 some years later, I’ve found that I don’t write my goals down.  Instead, I make them mentally and then work to achieve them.  In all reality, though, I suspect that I don’t write them down because the goals are much larger and a little more ambiguous.  For example, I have sales goals that are constantly changing with supplier and customer demands.  They’re not as fixed as renting an airplane for an hour.

But also, I have to admit, that I’m as stricken as anyone by the fear of failure.  Not writing these goals down means I’m don’t have to admit failure to myself or publicly.

Not this year.  Resolution one:  Publicly state my goals.
Before that, though, lets look at my personal 2011 achievements – all of which were un-written:

Bought a business (ok, that was in 2010, and we closed on Dec 21st, 2010.  Our first sale was on Jan 5th, 2011).   We increased sales by 20% in 2011, but more importantly we redid the marketing for the company and streamlined the supply chain so that we can target customers and streamline the entire sales process, including after sales support.  We effectively spent the year positioning the company for 2012 sales.  As a result, we just completed a bid that would increase sales by 500% in 2012.
Competed against 50 companies in the Seattle University Business Plan Competition.  Building a team of diverse, yet high performing, individuals we successfully placed third overall.  I walked into a room and gave a three minute elevator pitch to 10 complete strangers, and then stood on stage and presented our company’s business plan to an audience of 250 (one of which was my Dad).
Photographed an amazing wedding at the Newcastle Golf Course
Climbed a mountain with Fred Beckey
Helped my daughter feed a giraffe from her hand
Stood in an Alaskan river of red salmon with my Dad while a grizzly bear not more than 30 yards from us played with his dinner
Watched ice calve from a hanging glacier that won’t be there in 10 years
Climbed one of the most difficult mountains in the Cascades
With the help of three partners, launched a new business that took over 6 months to assemble.
Flew my family in a private plane to a christmas party in Portland.  By flew, I don’t mean I bought them tickets.  I actually organized and flew the plane.
Quit my job as an airline pilot
Finished grad school

I don’t post these as a means of bragging, but as a simple reminder to myself of the things accomplished throughout the year.  As I get older I’ve found that time moves faster, and the lines that delineate years blur.  This is my mental reminder of 2011.

Today, I’m again writing down my 2012 resolutions for the world to see.  I’ve always believed in goals, but now I believe in accountability.  There is no stronger accountability than the public.

So therefore in 2012 I resolve to accomplish:

Learn one complete song on the guitar, as well as speak (or sing) the words to it.
From a private boat with my Dad, watch a whale breach in the state of Alaska
Run 3 miles consistently
Complete a blog entry at least once a month
Meet my internal sales goals for my primary business
Position my family’s financial situation to purchase a toy (boat?  cabin?  airplane?)
Climb Mt Rainier for the 2nd time
Quit giving Starbucks $2 per day (this was originally ‘to limit coffee consumption to 1 cup a day’, but this is an unrealistic resolution)

There’s probably more, but these are the things that have been on my mind lately.

Thanks for reading.  My gift to you is an analytical MBA’esque attempt to research written goals.