What do you plan to achieve in 2012?

It is New Year’s Eve, my thoughts have turned to 2012 and I have set my goals for a year of achievement in both my professional and personal life. This blog deals with the latter and I will document my progress here throughout the year but what about you, do you have a plan?

Projects versus New Year Resolutions

Almost everyone will make some half-hearted resolution today to loose weight, stop smoking or stop gambling away their wealth but only a few of those resolutions will survive past February. Why? Some fail because they did not really want to change their behaviour or it is too hard but every failure is likely to have one common cause, the person did not have a plan, only an idea. Projects require a plan, requirements, milestones and rewards for success, and while a project does not guarantee success, failure can be assessed against the plan to find out why you did not achieve the goals. So I have no resolutions for 2012 but three year long projects to complete and a number of smaller projects that will be completed in shorter periods during the year.

My three major projects are:

Read the books on my Must Read in 2012 list.
Create a self-portrait every week.
Write a memoir.

Project for the Soul

Reading expands our horizons and allows the mind to create a vision from the simple words on the page. I read voraciously before television and computing became all consuming, and I believe IÂ am poorer for the loss of books from my life. My Must Read in 2012 list contains classics like Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and more contemporary tales like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Each book selected to expand my world view or challenge my preconceptions on genre and writing style but more importantly I want to read these books. Through them I will renew my love of the printed word, and open my mind to the possible.

Developing a Skill

Photograph has always been a passion in my life but I have lacked direction to develop my skills beyond the basic level. To remedy this sad situation, my second project is to create 52 self-portraits in 2012, one a week, using different techniques and styles to expand my photographic skills. This one should be fun, and be the first of many photographic projects.

Writing a Memoir

My last major project is to write a memoir, and self-publish it early in 2013. I have played with this goal for a decade but never develop a plan to achieve it. So I have a simple plan to write at least 1000 words every week to document my life, and tell my unique story.