101 things in 1001 days

The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

When am I starting? Thursday, May 1, 2008

When will my 1001 days be up? Thursday, January 27, 2011

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.
2. Stay Focused. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.
3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.
4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.
5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

Here's my list. It's in no certain order. Maybe I'll do that later.

1. Take a picture of myself for 365 Days (from 6/29/08 to 6/29/09)
2. Mail in a secret to Post Secret
3. List 100 things that make me happy
4. Lose 50 lbs
5. Learn kickboxing
6. Start running (or at least jogging) and be able to run/jog a mile
7. Learn 5 new dances (1/5)
8. Go somewhere out of the country
9. Study another language
10. Buy a new wardrobe for work
11. Buy a house
12. Stop cussing for 1 week every year (0/3)
13. Go on at least one real date (0/1)
14. Explore the possibility of a new job
15. Stop drinking soda for two weeks a year (0/6)
16. Learn to cook one really great dish
17. Pay off my computer
18. Put $5.00 in a savings account for each goal I accomplish (0/101)
19. Save all my change for a year for vacation
20. Donate at least $100/yr to a good cause of my choosing (0/300)
21. Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity
22. Learn anger management & acquire more patience
23. Read 10 great literary masterpieces a year (0/30)
24. Read all of the New Testament
25. Watch at least 25 of AFI’s Top Films (0/25)
26. Go to at least 2 concerts (0/2)
27. Try doing karaoke
28. Buy a beautiful set of bedding and donate all of my old ones
29. Spend 2 weeks a year without Internet (0/6)
30. Play paintball and laser tag
31. Quit smoking
32. Spend at least 2 hours a week just playing with Bryce
33. Wear sexy underwear
34. Recycle more than just cans
35. Keep a plant alive for at least a year
36. Go to my father’s grave once a year & find a way to forgive him 37. Forgive my mom or let it go
38. Write in my blog 2x a month
39. private
40. Print 250 pictures and put them in albums or frames
41. Do something nice once a month anonymously (1/36)
42. Take my son to see a professional sporting event
43. Keep a log of nice things said to me and refer back to it when I’m upset
44. Let my hair grow for a year
45. Do some kind of exercise for at least 30 minutes, 5x a week
46. Take Bryce to Utah to see Bryce Canyon
47. Get a part-time, second job and use that income to pay off debts
48. Get a new, fuel-efficient car
49. Save 10% of my income and invest it wisely
50. Get a tattoo
51. Keep a dream journal
52. Take Bryce to see a drive-in movie
53. Go to a real aquarium
54. Learn ASL so I can talk to my uncle
55. Find a church for Bryce and me to attend
56. Go on a road trip
57. Attend at least 3 walks for a cause per year (0/9)
58. Get my teeth whitened
59. Go one day each month without my cell phone (0/33)
60. Do not go out to eat for two consecutive weeks per year (0/3)
61. Spend one entire day not saying anything negative
62. Complete the training to become a foster parent
63. Get a pedicure
64. Anonymously pay for someone’s meal or groceries 2 times (0/2)
65. Clean/Organize at least 2 rooms in my house
66. Donate to anysoldier.com
67. Make a family tree for me and my son
68. Get rid of 101 unnecessary material items
69. Get my picture made with Bryce
70. Do some grave rubbings
71. Try a new type of food
72. Get a passport
73. Keep in contact with all my old friends
74. Lose goal weight of 100 lbs
75. Make 5 new friends a year
76. Buy myself one nice piece of jewelry
77. Plan a family reunion for as many family members as possible
78. Learn 3 jokes that always make people laugh
79. Learn and use 1 new word a week
80. Take a multivitamin everyday
81. Volunteer at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen
82. Go to 3 concerts
83. Go to Memphis in May
84. Pray more
85. Post a video on you tube
86. Clean my car inside and out at least once a week
87. Make a cleaning schedule and stick to it
88. Pay off my credit card balance
89. Make a definite decision about going back and getting my Master’s
90. Plant a tree
91. Go bowling with Bryce
92. Donate 1,000,000 grains of rice at freerice.com
93. Go to a play
94. Get a new camera
95. Buy new living room furniture
96. Design my dream home
97. Go camping
98. Go on a float trip
99. Drink more water everyday
100. Learn how to use the telescope or get rid of it
101. Create a new 101 in 1001 list once this one is finished

*those in red are completed blue are ones I'm currently working on
**I reserve the right to change any of my goals if I decide they don't suit me anymore provided I replace them with something else.