Resolutions for the new decade
I know, I know — New Year’s resolutions are supposedly a waste of time. Each year we start out with great intentions, but by February they’re usually forgotten. And yet, each year I think about the changes I would like to make in my life and I start again on my self-improvement journey.
Of course, this new year is especially momentous because it is also a start of a new decade. (Once again, I know — the new decade doesn’t technically start until January 2021. But I don’t care — it feels new when that third digit flips over.) A friend recently sent me a post from Steve McClatchy’s email campaign about making new decade resolutions.
Now that is a cool idea. My decade resolutions are not going to be about losing those eternal 10 pounds or sending more handwritten notes. Decade resolutions are a big deal. Who do I want to be in 2030? What do I hope to have accomplished? What will I remember with joy and pride? How can I make this the best decade ever?
I have a firm, life-long rule, both for myself and my clients, that we cannot work effectively on more than three development goals at a time. So after some reflection, here are my three resolutions for the upcoming Roaring Twenties:
Stay open to and curious about new ideas. In order to stay productive and relevant I must embrace the innovations that will continue to come thick and fast. I will not let myself turn into a curmudgeon. I’m going to navigate interacting with Artificial Intelligence. I’m going to learn more about gender diversity. And I’m going to embrace new concepts and technologies that I haven’t even heard of yet.
Be kinder. I am very well trained for critical thinking. I can see the faults in a person or an event very quickly, and I like sharing my evaluations with others. Sometimes that’s important and useful, but a lot of the time it’s just negative. I’m going to do less of that.
Find new ways to help others. Maybe I’ll get more politically involved. Maybe I’ll spend more time writing about ideas that can be useful or transformative for others. Or perhaps I’ll partner with colleagues to provide care in ways that utilize some of our amazing new ways to connect with each other.
Developing my decade resolutions was a challenging and meaningful task for me. I recommend that you try it. And if you feel like sharing your resolutions, send them to me at ggolden@gailgoldenconsulting.com.
