Revisiting my 2011 resolutions and my 2012 edition
Since it’s newly 2012, I felt it was time to revisit my 2011 resolutions (found here: http://johanlieu.com/post/2548438695/my-new-years-resolutions-for-2011), see if I kept them and grade myself like I said I would (I said I would do it on a monthly basis, but I didn’t, so you can probably guess how well this going to go for me):
Resolution #1:
1. I am going to commit to writing one long form blog post a week about product management, the web, the Internet industry, or anything else that I might find interesting to write about. I’ve been too lazy about developing a voice for my blog on the web, settling just for small commentary on things I share that I found interesting. It’s time to start creating ideas instead of just rehashing them.
Well, considering I wanted to post once a week and I only, by my count, got to 6 well written posts, resulting in a 11.5% completion rate, I think it’s safe to grade this one a big fat F. I think I set my expectations bar too high with the whole “long form” blog post requirement and then coupled with the once a week mandate, it gave me just long enough to procrastinate and not post anything since I had enough time to talk myself out of posting anything because I didn’t think it met the “long form” requirement. Too much bullshit on my part there. I’m going to post more frequently and not worry about meeting some arbitrary standard. I am just going to post more frequently and keep at it. I think Om Malik and MG Siegler had it right, you just need to do it regularly to actually do it.
Onward to resolution #2:
2. I am going to try and consciously be a nicer/better/positive person. I’ve found my negativity influencing one too many decisions I’ve made previously and need to change that. I normally don’t believe in “intangibles” but I think being a nicer, better person will be meaningful, even if it is on the intangible level.
I know it’s odd to grade this one, especially since I totally and miserably failed the previous resolution, but I believe I followed through on this one. You’re just going to have to trust me on this one; I was way more positive this year than I had been previously. If you want some proof, I guess you’re going to have to talk to my wife, brothers, and my other close friends. For those of you too lazy to check my sources, I got an A.
Now for resolution #3:
3. I will learn the skills needed to develop, launch, and maintain a simple web app this year. It doesn’t matter what technology I will learn, it matters that I just do it. It’s going to suck at first (actually it’s going to suck a lot) but I need to power through and get it done.
This is a two parter. I learned the needed skills, but I didn’t launch or maintain my simple web app. I could use the fact that I quit my job to start my own company as an excuse, but really, that should have been more of a catalyst. I will get my product out soon, so for now, I am going to grade this as an Incomplete.
As for 2012, I have some simple ones:
1. Follow through and release a web app/release my company’s app. Two for one here, but so intertwined that I combined them.
2. Write more and post more on this blog. I’m shooting for at least once a week again, but this time I won’t allow the arbitrary and vague level of quality hinder my flow.
3. Exercise 3 times a week for 52 weeks straight (I actually started this one back in October, but that was for momentum more than anything). This one is personal; this may come as a surprise to some of you (not really) but I was never in organized sports and never really was athletic (other than skateboarding) so this is something I’ve really never done. I’ve never exercised regularly in my life, so I want to see if I can do it. Seems like something I should be able to do, so we’ll see how that goes.
Well, there is nothing quite like calling yourself out on your own blog, but there it is. How did you do in keeping your 2011 resolutions?
P.S. If you talk to me, ask me how it’s coming along. Keep me accountable, I’ll appreciate it.
