As we enter the final days of 2024, I’m reflecting on my goal post from January. Though I managed to accomplish most items I had assigned myself for 2024, I’ve also concluded that setting a specific task list for the year is not always an ideal technique when accounting for a.) the length of an entire year, and b.) the uncertainty within that timespan which demands much more flexibility.
A better practice would be to set a theme for the year—something to act as a guidepost, yet one that remains flexible enough to allow interpretation in how the specifics are planned and executed. For example, if the theme for the year is “Development” one’s actions would be driven by that concept—reading more, enrolling in courses of interest, joining a community centered around a subject of interest to grow more in that domain, etc. This both accounts for flexibility in planning and does not restrict the scope of action (e.g. small daily actions vs. a large, months-long project).
I’m sure I’ll publish something here in January with more on next year’s theme; for this brief retrospective, I claim 2024 as a good, productive year and look forward to even better things in 2025.
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