check off all the existing things on this list before adding new ones!

...but I’m cheating. I just added to my list the goal of listing my favorite movies of 2005. I’m so weak, but I can’t resist the chance to pontificate a bit. Thanks, Aleem! Plus, I’m having dinner tomorrow night with a job candidate we’re interviewing, so I’m hoping this will give us the opportunity to have a non-work-related conversation. (Although deep down I worry that I really do evaluate people by their taste in film; I was utterly horrified with other candidates’ lack of interest in film even though they were really, really nice, qualified and professional.)

Now that I’ve accomplished the “Lose 20 pounds” goal, I’m moving on to the next. I’ve been meditating only sporadically. Even though I know taking care of myself-physically, emotionally, spiritually-benefits not only me but everyone around me, I have difficulty matching concept and action. I manage to put meditation aside, much as I do with other things in my life which I have sometimes dismissed as too selfishly me-centered: exercise, reading for pleasure, social activities.

That’s not healthy, especially as we head for the holidays and the dark days of winter. The former creates stress, both in others’ expectations of me and my expectations for myself. The latter tends to depress me. So I see the decision to meditate as more than a goal—it’s going to be a lifesaver!

Similar to my other goals, meditating for 43 days will allow me to mark this goal as done.

New entry, a short-term goal, one I’d like to finish before the holidays kick in: organize my junk drawer and closets. I’ve been working on this goal in fits and starts, but I keep reading bridgefairy’s posts for inspiration. And so this one up will be my next target.

(I should note, though, that I’m also working on some of those 43-thing goals, like postcards, reading, movies, etc. Those are for fun, though, so I’m putting this one as a higher priority.)

I’ve completed the “Write a Living Will” goal, so it’s time to add another. It might seem like a bit of a cheat, but I’m bumping “See the Spam Museum” to the top of the list. I’m headed out of town shortly after I finish these 43T entries, and the Spam Museum is on the itinerary. I’m taking my new camera, so I’ll be working on that one, too.

Wish me a Spamful of luck in checking this one off the list after I get back!

I’ve been thinking about many of my goals. They tend to be a little fuzzy. Like Read for Pleasure, Send More Postcards, or Take More Pictures. Now, fuzzy is great for kittens and wool socks, not-so-great for accomplishing things on my list. I mean, when can I determined when I’ve accomplished “reading for pleasure.”

So I thought it would be a useful thing to establish a general, generic marker that works to tell me when something is ready to be checked off. Predictably enough, I’m choosing 43 as a reasonable number for things that can be quantified (postcards, books, pictures, etc.).

I’m working on establishing other, more concrete goals for things that aren’t so easily quantified while still keeping true to the purpose of the goal.

(And as for those long, long-term goal, like Join the Peace Corps in retirement? I just might keep them on here without worrying about checking them off. Or I might take them off without worrying that I’ve cheated.)

Also, I have to give a big shout-out to persiana, who’s also working on clarifying her goals. And whoo-hoos to Sunya and Pioneerspirit for their goal, track long-term goals here, instead of as individual goals. Very nice.

I tend to be this odd combination of an overachiever and a procrastinator. You can probably tell this my list on 43T. But I’m committing myself to crossing things off my list before I add new ones, so that I can’t avoid addressing those more time-consuming, emotionally painful, or fuzzy goals. It’s a great idea, but I can’t take credit for it. The goal is inspired by persiana’s post, and made more concrete by the kind invitation to become teammates in our efforts!

So, the first two of my goals that I’m going to focus on finishing are: Lose 20 pounds and Write a Living Will. I think those two are united by my interest in health, physical and mental.