We all have love hate relationships with new year resolutions. We love making resolutions because new years mark new beginnings. They provide the opportunity to start afresh. Stop doing something; start doing another. We hate them because we’ve all been there before and we know they don’t last. We finish holidays, we go back to our routines and our old habits quickly start again.
goal |gəʊl|
noun
2 the object of a person’s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result
Alas, rather than make resolutions, I’m going to set four goals for 2015. I want to look back on 2015 and know that I’ve achieved something. I want to be outcome focussed.
After challenging my manager to make her resolutions measurable, here are my SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time specific) goals for 2015:
1. Read one book per month
I like reading but like many things we like doing, I don’t read enough. I read about 6 books this year. I have another 6 I never finished – a growing pile on my bedside table.
2. Complete my Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
I started my Duke of Edinburgh’s Award 24 March 2005. I received my Bronze and Silver Awards in successive years and continued on to my Gold Award when I turned 16 in 2007. And, well, I never finished. The Award programme needs to be completed by a participant’s 25th birthday and so I’m running out of time. I have two components outstanding:
- Learn a skill for 12 months, showing regular commitment
- Select one physical activity and train regularly for a minimum of 40 hours spread over at least 12 weeks.
I hope to complete the first component half way through 2015 with the first anniversary of MelaniePennington.com.au. The second I’m now also working towards with my previous goal of losing 5kgs and an ability to run 5km at less than 6min/km now complete. Yay! When the weather begins to cool I’ll restart lunchtime and post-work runs and clock those 40 hours of running!
3. Finish 2015 in a different role to the one I started
I enjoy my workplace, my team and the work that I do, but I’m young, energetic and keen to progress my career. In the interests of sensitivity, I’ll keep the specific cards related to this goal close to my chest. Ask my offline and I’ll be happy to share.
4. Keep a daily prayer schedule
I suck at prayer. I’ve read books on it. I’ve prayed about praying more. I’ve repented about praying infrequently. Unfortunately this one this is probably my least thought through goals in 2015, but I do intend to work out a schedule that will work for me very shortly. But I do want 2015 to be characterised by this:
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. // Colossians 4:2
Finally, help me out would you? Ask me how i’m going, how God’s answered my prayers, what book i’ve read recently etc. I’ll happily do the same for you.
Happy new year friends!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. // 1 Peter 1:3
