José Antonio Gil Martínez via Compfight
Three weeks in, and I’m just getting around to my intentions for 2014. I quipped on Facebook that #1 would be “Stop Procrastinating.”
Please note I didn’t say “resolutions.” I discovered a long time ago that “resolutions” don’t really work so well. You make unrealistic ones, and then when you fail early on, you pile guilt on top of the necessary changes. So let’s just say I’ve thought about some “intentions” for this year and leave it at that, shall we?
Anyway, these are not the only things I need to do/stop doing/change, but here’s a start…
- Read the books currently on my Kindle. I love books. I consider myself a reader. It’s important! I love to find new books and have others recommend them. But I have plenty of books already on my shelves and my Kindle that are in various stages of unread. I need to finish them. I intend to start with the “almost-finished” ones currently on my Kindle as a launching pad for my reading plan in 2014.
- Learn Adobe Photoshop. I don’t expect to become an expert. I just want to become proficient enough to use this powerful tool for improving our church media, my class materials, and any other digital imagery needs I have.
- Learn Adobe Illustrator. See above.
- Learn Adobe InDesign. See above again.
- Write 300 words every day. I keep talking about wanting to write. And I keep coming up with excuses why I don’t. I know it has to become a habit. The only way it becomes a habit is to do it. Daily. I’m not sure how to estimate 300 words. (This post is currently at 277.) Jeff Goins, Guy Kawasaki, and many others say you have to be brutal about developing the habit. Starting today, I’m putting on my writer’s mask, and going for it! Some of those words will be in the old Moleskine. Others may be here in this space. I hope some will be compelling enough to end up on your must-read list!
- Cultivate my LinkedIn account. I did a workshop on using it and other social media at a university career event last summer. I set up my own account but since then it has languished in disuse. I see the value. I need to take advantage of that and other tools.
That’s about it, so far. I wrote in my Moleskine that I intended to “use my daily time wisely.” I scratched through that line, because I knew it wasn’t specific enough to motivate me toward action. I need to make better use of the days, but I’m not sure how I’m going approach that task yet.
There are other areas I need to take intentional steps toward improvement. I see this year as a pilgrimage of sorts. The journey begins today. Let’s see where we end up! Buen camino!
