Hopes and Aspirations for 2007
It’s the new year so its time for new years resolutions, the trouble is with resolutions, I never manage to keep them. So in order to prevent disappointment I am not going to set out any New Year resolutions but just share some of my aspirations for 2007
These are in no order of importance or scale just as I think of them.
1. Post more frequently to this blog
I posted I think 6 times to this blog last year, which by anyone’s standard is completely rubbish. (If your counting I have deleted some posts as they were no longer relevant) So this year I hope to post here at least once a week, which would be quite an impressive 866% increase, which has to be considered good by anyone’s standard
2. Plant a Church
This one may seem strange to many and maybe controversial to others but I have believed for quite a number of years that one of my roles in life is to establish new churches in communities that currently don’t have one. Although I have known this for a while I have never felt it was the right time to leave the leadership of my current church and step out into this part of my life. However sometime in the second half of 2006 we (myself and my wife Mandy) began to feel that now is the time. So sometime during 2007 we will be leaving Stroud and heading to territories not yet decided with the intention of beginning a new church. I’m sure my reasons and progress, trials and joys will make up many of the posts I’ll make this year.
3. Release a Commercial Piece of Software for the Mac.
Unlike the church plant this aspiration probably wont get mentioned here at all, but hopefully will get discussed on my technical blog “The Big Dreams of a Little Mindâ€. Anyway the point is during 2006 I fell in love with the Mac and during 2007 I would like to fulfil my dream of releasing a piece of commercial software under my own name by developing an application for OS X. It wont be a major piece of software like MS Office, just a small utility, but it will still feel good I am sure.
4. Become a disciplined Forex Trader
During 2006 one of the 4 Chaps From Blighty introduced me to the world of trading foreign currency. Now the two main things you need to be a good forex trader are discipline and consistency. Now I was sort of consistent during 2006 as from about May to November I managed to consistently loose money, however in 2007 I would like to develop the discipline and skill of knowing when NOT to trade.
5. Learn how to say NO
To some this may seem like to most simple tasks on my list, however for me it is probably going to be the hardest. I love being involved in things and when I get invited or asked to do things that interest me or I know would help the person asking me to get involved I usually just say yes and deal with the consequences later. So this year if I say NO to you, don’t get upset, just feel blessed that you have just become a very important part in my life improvement plan.
6. Feel that I couldn’t have done any better once Ignition 07 is over.
During 2007 Stroud Churches are holding a large mission called Ignition 07. I am the youth co-ordinator for this and therefore have responsibility for all the youth events going on under the ignition 07 banner during 2007. It would be great at the end of the year just to simply feel that what I achieved and did was my best and I couldn’t have done anymore.
7. To see my Kids grow in confidence and ability at the things they love.
I have 5 kids and they are all very different. Each year they all change and get involved in new and different things. I don’t really care how good they are at anything the do as long as they love doing it but it is always nice for them and me when the do do well. So I hope that in 2007 I can play my part well as dad in helping them move on in their life journey.
8. Implement GTD
I am an unorganised person; with a list of things to do so terrifying I always tend to ignore it. In late 2006 I read a really good book called “Getting Things Done†by David Allen. Basically the simple techniques in this book help you to organise your life and hopefully remove some of the stress of knowing you have to much to do. (See Point 5). So in 2006 I accomplished the easy bit of reading the book, now 2007 is the year of implementation (I hope)