Goals 2012

We try to set pretty clear goals around here. The desire to plan and measure achievement has been given to us naturally and pounded into us through training, I think. As a student, the goals were straightforward with built-in time limits and metrics. Now that I stay home with my children, it can be much harder to determine if I've "succeeded" at anything on any given day. So I make lists.

Here's my list for 2012:

Spiritual
Read through the Bible in a year
- print out Bible-in-a-year plan
- check up on my progress monthly
- get up on time to read Bible in the morning, otherwise finish reading at night

Physical
Run a 10K at <10 min mile pace by August
- run 5K at <10 min mile pace consistently
- increase distance to at least one 6 mile run per week

Lose the rest of the baby weight by end of May (20 lbs total, 4 lbs per month)
- track points with WW
- run/swim/exercise video at least 5 days per week

One mile open water swim under 30 minutes by end of September
- swim 1-2 times per week
- increase total distance to 2000 yds
- improve time trials for 1 mile pool swim
- find a place & a plan to swim in open water when it's warmer

Educational/Professional
Teach professionally by the end of the year
- write a resume
- send out resume/apply for 5 teaching/tutoring jobs in January
- look into online teaching/tutoring
- look into childcare options for the kids

Participate in one seminary course per term with Luke
- read 3 books for Pastoral Ministry class in January
- read 1000 pages for Covenant Theology course in Spring
- write a book review/response for after each book I read

Community/Social
Open our home to others at least once per month
- make & follow chore chart
- make & follow kids' chore chart
- set aside 1 evening per month to invite people over

My plan is to break these into smaller goals for each month, and then check up on my progress and post about it here. There's a risk in this, because if I fail to meet a goal, it's in print. On the internet. Where anyone can find it! But if there's no accountability, it isn't really a goal.

There's also a risk that I'll look like a nerd. I remember reading Benjamin Franklin's autobiography and laughing at his attempts to change his behavior and the candid way he tracked his progress. But I guess if I'm blogging about goals and reading Benjamin Franklin, I should probably just take the nerd title and run with it.

Run a 10K at a 10-minute-mile pace, that is.