2009 Rough Start, but Goals Abound

Happy New Year! My year can only go up from here, the market is still in the tank, my uncle’s mother Judy Martin passed away, a civil engineer I was working with died, we’ve already spent about $700 on unavoidable auto maintenance, my bicycle was stolen…[and my cat from when I was in high school did Sunday, 1/11]... At least I’m gainfully employed.

I don’t do New Year’s Resolutions, but I am recommitting myself to a few goals, such as populating this blog. Here is an item from Seth Godin’s blog concerning goals:

“Having goals is a pain in the neck.

If you don't have a goal (a corporate goal, a market share goal, a personal career goal, an athletic goal...) then you can just do your best. You can take what comes. You can reprioritize on a regular basis. If you don't have a goal, you never have to worry about missing it. If you don't have a goal you don't need nearly as many excuses, either.

Not having a goal lets you make a ruckus, or have more fun, or spend time doing what matters right now, which is, after all, the moment in which you are living.

The thing about goals is that living without them is a lot more fun, in the short run.

It seems to me, though, that the people who get things done, who lead, who grow and who make an impact... those people have goals.”

Goals accomplished in 2008: brought one sales lead into the office, became a Certified Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA), increased my leadership role in the office through the development of InterAdvance, and I achieved a life goal in becoming an architecture firm owner.

Goals for 2009: I plan to spend more time with my wife and boys, increase my office leadership efforts through InterAdvance and in my new role as an owner, and increase my community involvement through the Chamber of Commerce and related activities. Be sure you have goals, otherwise you’ll look back on the year, or lifetime and realize you just had fun with nothing to prove for it.