It has taken me almost 30 minutes to write this sentence … and it isn’t interesting in the slightest way. Creative funk? No, I think it has more to do with cobwebs and the lethargic tendencies that have settled in blog-wise over the past few weeks. The first blog post of the year is a big deal … right? I hope not – although I do feel like this post will set the tone for the rest of the year.
Me thinks I’m in trouble.
I am not a make a list sort of person, and I don’t believe in making New Year’s resolutions because they never work … you can almost guarantee failure for yourself. Even if you do achieve some progress on a resolution (like losing weight) statistics prove that are unlikely to reach your stated objective [which if you are keeping track, it means you failed]. I recommend being more goal oriented
Here’s how I have defined a “goal oriented” person in the past:
The goal oriented individual does not get distracted by the process but rather stays focused on the big picture – the goal. Determining the big picture is what the best leaders do but you have to go through the process of collecting the skills and abilities to effectively lead. You need to understand the tasks, how they come together in a plan that fulfills the objective, and how all the objectives together achieve a goal. There aren’t any shortcuts, you may have the ability to move through these categories more quickly than others, but make no mistake, you do need to go through the process.
Seems to make sense to me but the trick is to actually put it into action.
January 5th is my first day back in the office since December 19th, 2014 … I have been on holiday for the last 16 days. During that time I did as little as possible, except perhaps set a new personal best for bottles of wine consumed. Normally I’m not all that much of a drinker but there is something about being on holiday that makes me want to sit around and drink. I actually have a slight concern about what’s going to happen to me once I retire – all I think I would do is lay around and drink. I have the same concern if I were to get a hot tub. [we all know that’s the only reason to have a hot tub because without the drinking, it’s just taking a bath.]
So I will admit that I am at a crossroads – and for that I blame one of my friends who also happens to be an architect – Marica McKeel – and I blame her for posting the following picture on her Instagram feed:
Ugh! However …that looks like something I should be doing more of – planning, preparing, general organizing and prioritizing my efforts so that I can have a more effective and productive 2015. I know that every self-help and entrepreneurial book ever written will tell you that planning AND writing down a course of action is an absolute necessity but I really don’t want to do it. [thanks for my first crisis of 2015 Marica!]
I do think I know why I don’t like writing things down – it’s a written acknowledgement of all the things I have agreed to do along with all the things I am obligated to fulfill. Seeing it all in one place would probably send me running for the nearest hot tub!
Case in point of just how much trouble I might be in … here’s a screen shot notification of all the meeting invitations I received in December for things that will take place in 2015 …
368 INVITATIONS!!?! And that’s not even all of them – once I start plugging in all the actual work stuff, conventions, my chair position for the Texas Society of Architects, Playhouse competition organization and fundraising, my advisory position with Architecture for Humanity, writing blog posts, responding to existential life crisis emails from high schoolers that want to be an architect but their parents tell them it’s a terrible field to go into … sigh. Well, it’s too much and it makes me start to think about winning the lottery and getting that hot tub … I’ll probably get a back up hot tub as well, just to be safe.
So no, I don’t make resolutions, I don’t really make plans either. I have my hands full just doing the things that are right in front of me – and for that I am thankful. I’m also thankful that our office is growing – we have a new employee joining the team today, someone I’ve known for a few years who I know is going to be an amazing addition to the firm. The changes to the office, the workload, it’s all very exciting, especially since I am so new at this “having your name on the door” thing.
Actually, I think I am going to make a resolution – to make 2015 an amazing year. I am also going to try and write some funnier blog posts, I miss doing that.
I hope you have an amazing year as well because I’m sure you deserve it.
