30 by 30 List Postmortem
As I approach my 30th birthday, I wanted to write a postmortem on the 30 by 30 list ... Simply put, it didn't get done. I could make a lot of excuses as to why it didn't get done but the bottom line is still the same. I could say that I was busy with work, being a new Dad, all the stuff you might expect but none of that would really be true. The sad truth is that I knew at a certain time on the list that one of the items (#5) had no chance of being finished, so I kind of stopped trying. #5 was one of my top goals and something I've struggled with my entire adult life - a constant roller coaster of significant up and down changes. Now more than ever, I want to achieve it to be a good example for Molly but I couldn't get it done for the list. That, in and of itself, has proven to be a good wake up call and can hopefully be remedied finally.
The other learning was that trying to cram it all into a few short months defeated the whole purpose of the list - to really examine my life, learn, and build deeper connections and relationships. It became a to-do list and I have plenty of those already. So ...
I've decided to double-down and create a 40 by 40 list to try again and do it the right way. Bigger things with a longer time continuum to do them and items that will meet the goal of building deeper relationships. Some of the old items will reappear and some won't. #5 will reappear in some form, I'm not going to cop out.
I'll release the 40 by 40 on my birthday ... but here is a quick update on how the 30 by 30 fared.
1. Go skydiving - Made plans a few times, but didn't happen
2. Run an entire half marathon, no walking - Not so much3. Photograph daughter's first steps - Best memory of the year, so glad this one got crossed off4. Read the Bible cover-to-cover - A good start, but fell victim to giving up on the list 5. Maintain 180 pounds for 6 months - Already described6. Watch the sunrise and sunset of the same day from two different coasts7. Become a published writer - sort of8. Watch all of the 2012 Best Picture Oscar nominees9. Get a tattoo - Great plans and will certainly be on the 4010. Go on a date once a month (with Kara of course) - For the most part11. Start a Political Blog - yes12. Bake a banana cream pie from scratch - yes13. Do a polar bear plunge14. Go to lunch once a month with a new co-worker - yes15. Volunteer for a local charity - yes16. Find a church home - keep trying17. Visit friends in Colorado/Wyoming - scheduled for this August, so close18. Visit family outside of Indiana - yes19. Go to an Opera20. Start Molly's stock portfolio - yes21. Go to one away IU football and one away IU basketball game - yes22. Learn to waterski23. Take Molly to the zoo - yes24. Read two classic novels - yes25. Go to games at 3 Major League Baseball ballparks - yes26. Take a class on wine27. Take a foreign language course28. Go on a 1-day marathon hike29. Volunteer for a political campaign that isn't my own - yes30. Earn my DMA certification (work) - in progress
The other learning was that trying to cram it all into a few short months defeated the whole purpose of the list - to really examine my life, learn, and build deeper connections and relationships. It became a to-do list and I have plenty of those already. So ...
I've decided to double-down and create a 40 by 40 list to try again and do it the right way. Bigger things with a longer time continuum to do them and items that will meet the goal of building deeper relationships. Some of the old items will reappear and some won't. #5 will reappear in some form, I'm not going to cop out.
I'll release the 40 by 40 on my birthday ... but here is a quick update on how the 30 by 30 fared.
1. Go skydiving - Made plans a few times, but didn't happen
2. Run an entire half marathon, no walking - Not so much3. Photograph daughter's first steps - Best memory of the year, so glad this one got crossed off4. Read the Bible cover-to-cover - A good start, but fell victim to giving up on the list 5. Maintain 180 pounds for 6 months - Already described6. Watch the sunrise and sunset of the same day from two different coasts7. Become a published writer - sort of8. Watch all of the 2012 Best Picture Oscar nominees9. Get a tattoo - Great plans and will certainly be on the 4010. Go on a date once a month (with Kara of course) - For the most part11. Start a Political Blog - yes12. Bake a banana cream pie from scratch - yes13. Do a polar bear plunge14. Go to lunch once a month with a new co-worker - yes15. Volunteer for a local charity - yes16. Find a church home - keep trying17. Visit friends in Colorado/Wyoming - scheduled for this August, so close18. Visit family outside of Indiana - yes19. Go to an Opera20. Start Molly's stock portfolio - yes21. Go to one away IU football and one away IU basketball game - yes22. Learn to waterski23. Take Molly to the zoo - yes24. Read two classic novels - yes25. Go to games at 3 Major League Baseball ballparks - yes26. Take a class on wine27. Take a foreign language course28. Go on a 1-day marathon hike29. Volunteer for a political campaign that isn't my own - yes30. Earn my DMA certification (work) - in progress
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