I don't usually make them, because I guess I'm more goal oriented throughout the whole year (at least I try to be) and I just find it unnecessary to make such New Year's resolutions.
I mean, nothing has drastically changed from the December 31st 2007 to January 1st 2008. I think people like to think it has because it's easier to think new year brings new opportunities from the first day of the year but I like to think every day brings a new set of opportunities. Every second in fact.
So why the heck am I writing about my New Year's resolution then?
Because this year something different happened.
Few weeks ago I was reading a blog post about a certain "OM" who has set a goal of earning a million Croatian Kunas this year (that's about $200,000).
It was on a Croatian blog "novac" (money) who's writer apparently wrote about setting such goals being unrealistic and that people should give themselves a bit more time for such goals, so they don't end up being disappointed in themselves if they don't achieve it.
Anyway, there were two comments - one saying he won't achieve it, other trying to give some help. What I basically wanted to say (in reply to the pessimist) is that it doesn't even matter if he fails to achieve this goal if that goal has been driving him in the right direction throughout the year and made him accomplish to get even a bit closer to the goal than he is at the begging of this year. I predicted such thing could also happen but in my view it certainly wouldn't be a disappointment because I'm sure he would have had acquired the means to make it happen sooner, maybe even at the start of the next year.
Then I realized what a bunch of cowards we were. Right there commenting and just staying aside. Naturally, all kinds of thoughts started coming to my mind about me not being able to pull such thing off yet, thus staying aside would be OK for now.
Damn me! How easily I deceive myself! It hit me right then and there: when will the right moment come? Will the right moment ever come?
And whenever I catch myself in that wrong kind of thinking, I say, well, at least I caught myself this time, it's something. And I don't recall how many times I felt I was ready to actually do something about it other than just being content that "I caught myself at it and won't do it any more". Even though I knew I should have done something.
I don't know why but it all came to me that night when I was posting a comment on that blog.
So in the middle of my comment, somehow timidly I also set out a goal for the year 2008, just like that guy "OM" did. And woof! I started thinking how I could actually pull it off. What I am capable of and what I should be doing. It was a good feeling to affect my thinking that way.
I'm telling you, this is much better thinking and even if I can't guarantee it will lead me to a success, I know it will take me far closer to it than the "I can't do this" thinking ever could.
Few weeks after that comment I can say that it's having quite an impact on the things I do -- could it be just an early excitement about my target or will I adopt this "new" and highly desired behavior from now on that will make me who I am, we'll have to see in about a year or so...
Actually, the fact that I'm publicly writing about my goals, err... targets like this is a good indicator something has changed because I never dared to do something like this before -- even though I own my own website. :)
And finally, I have to say this is not ultimately about the money. It's about living to the fullest, it's about living up to your potential, it's about seizing life, the opportunities...
I could have chosen any goal, any target but million Kunas but it really comes down to me choosing to stop postponing some things in my life, waiting for the right moment which I realized is actually right now -- and this is not valid just for me, it's your time too - right now.