This week, I’ve been thinking about my big goals.
Not the big things I’m trying to accomplish right now, or even my one-year goals (though there has been some of that), but the big goals. The things that stretch out over five or ten years. And I’m starting to realize that I don’t really know what those goals are. Or… it’s kind of hard to describe. I can picture exactly what I want my life to look like in that time, what I want it to feel like, but beyond that, it’s a bit of a blur. It makes actually planning for that future difficult, if not impossible. I’m limited to taking steps that feel like they’re going in the right direction, without really knowing what the finish line looks like.
Basically, I’ve realized that I’ve been thinking tactically, rather than strategically. I haven’t defined my goals clearly enough, so I have no way of knowing whether those tactics are, in fact, moving me any closer to where I ultimately want to be.
This is a really good thing.
Not the fact of it, obviously, but that I’m realizing it, and that I’m realizing it now, when I’m already primed to make changes. I’m already taking the steps to improve the day-to-day, and I’m going to keep going with that, but I’m also going to start clarifying the long-term. Once I do that, I’ll be able to fine-tune my day-to-day tactics to support my long-term strategy.
So, other than that, how am I doing with the reboot?
Improve the quality of the art I’m consuming, in order to improve the quality of the art I’m creating.
Not much to report here. This is still going well.
Find a way to structure my time in order to support my bigger goals (creative and otherwise).
I’m definitely starting to see some improvement here. For the past week, I’ve been tracking my focus, motivation and energy, trying to get an idea of when they’re at their peaks, both through the week and through the day. I’m going to keep that up for at least another week before I actually look at the data and start making changes, but in general, this is going well.
Develop workflows for writing and photography. And blogging.
I’ve been thinking about this (and I’m definitely getting ready to make a few real changes, especially with my writing workflow), but this hasn’t really been my priority this week. It does tie in with some of the work I’ve been doing on the next goal, though, so there has been some progress.
Experiment with productivity and journalling systems, and find something that works for me.
I’m still kind of obsessed with todo lists and productivity systems in general. I’m sure it’s still really boring for anyone who isn’t me, but that’s ok. And while some of this is going to evolve as I start to clarify those long-term goals, I’m slowly starting to zero in on the systems that seem to make sense to me, and figuring out how to adapt them to suit me better.
Finish the work on the office.
Again, not much to report beyond basic decluttering and figuring out a filing system.
So, yeah. When I began this project I didn’t exactly expect it to come with a bonus mini existential crisis, but here we are. And it’s good—I really do feel like I’m on the right track with all of this.
And even if I’m wrong, at least I’m getting my calendars and todo lists organized. That’s never a bad thing.
Reghan Skerry 