Next Practices

It’s been a few years since I’ve spelled out on this blog specific goals for a new year. I always have goals, of course, both for my professional and personal life, but I don’t always write about them publicly. Like many of you, I’ve had years of achieving some goals while falling short on others. Occasionally, I’ve been too ambitious and found myself burdened by trying to tackle too many personal goals. That ends up being discouraging and counterproductive.

For 2020 I’m trying to be balanced and simple in my goals. My professional goals will be documented at work in the system of record for that. For my personal goals I’ll document here, I like the categories of body, mind and spirit, so I’m coming back to that framework this year. I’m also going to keep it simple by only having one specific goal in each category.

Here they are:

My goal for my body this year is to average at least 10,000 steps per day for all 366 days of this leap year. Ideally, I won’t go any day this year with less than 10,000 steps, but injury and illness can play a part over which I have no control, so I’ll be content with averaging that for a total of 3.66 million steps this year. How I get them doesn’t matter – walking, jogging, treadmill, walking the dog – whatever. I’m writing this on January 25 and so far I haven’t had a day with less than 10,000 steps, so I’m off to a good start.

My goal for my mind this year is to write two blog posts per month – one personal on this blog site and one professional on either LinkedIn or another site. With nearly 700 blog posts under my belt between this site and elsewhere, it should be evident I enjoy writing, but I’ve gotten out of the habit the last few years and haven’t been consistent. I can do better. Writing helps me clarify things in my own mind and reflect on various topics in a way that’s also hopefully of value to a few others. This post counts as the personal post for January, so I have one more to do in the next week on LinkedIn to be on track. I already know what it’ll be about, so I just have to set aside the time to do it.

My goal for my spirit is to spend one hour per day in private Bible study and prayer. For more years than not throughout my teen and adult life I’ve been pretty consistent in my reading and devotional times. Last year was probably my worst, though, in many years and I felt it. I’m in the middle of reading and praying my way through the Reformation Study Bible, so I should be able to complete that this year and start on another study Bible I haven’t yet read when I’m through with this one. There is nothing in my life any more important than spending time with the Lord, learning His Word, and becoming more like Him. If other things on my schedule have to go to make time for this, then it’ll be a good trade. So far I’ve only missed one day in January and that was a Sunday where several hours were spent in study and worship at church and when guests in the home took the remainder of the day and evening, so I won’t feel too bad about that. Still, private time is needed on Sundays as well because the nature of private devotions is very different than public study and worship.

Sharing goals with others helps one be accountable, so I invite any of you to check in with me from time to time and ask how I’m coming on the goals.

What about you? What are your goals for 2020? Leave me a comment.