First rule of setting resolutions: never say never, or
don’t, or you can’t/mustn’t do something. This rarely works in resolutions, no
one likes to be told what to do, even if it is coming from yourself.
** Realistically, I won't have the funds to consider moving until mid-year. I'll still make inquiries and prepare. Who knows, it might happen in 2020. Marry costs need to be factored in too.
1) Pursue multiple professional certifications.
Pursue professional certifications which make you more
valuable to your employer, and to potential future employers*
*No matter how much you love your current position,
nothing is permanent, nothing lasts forever, so it’s prudent to be prepared for
eventualities.
2) Work hard and play hard.
Yes, it is a trite saying. Read it this way:
Be dedicated
and focused in the work you do.
Be dedicated
and focused in maximizing the benefit of your leisure time (life is short.)
3) iPhones & iPods have their uses, just be aware
of their ability to suck you in and waste time without profit.
So much time can be wasted on iPhones and iPads i.e.:
watching endless videos on YouTube, constantly checking for Facebook updates. They
are designed to addict, designed to make you keep coming back for more,
designed to make you dependent. Be aware of the harm they do! Ask yourself “am
I getting/will I get any value from this?”
4) Be focused on customer success.
Every business/role has customers. If you’re a
professional, it is important to remember, you are there to make your customers
successful. Customer success furthers your own success.
5) Be focused on corporate success.
Everyone works for a corporation. You want the
corporation you work for to be successful, since it furthers your own success.
6) Concentration is the key to success.
It’s easy to get distracted by stuff (i.e. iPhones,
iPads, emails, food...) The most successful people are disciplined people who
don’t get distracted/side-tracked and can focus with crystal clear clarity on
the matter-at-hand for an hour or longer at a time.
7) Fitness is as good for the mind as it is for the
body.
Keep fit. Regularly exercise (ideally 3 or more fitness workouts
a week.)
8) You can buy another car (only) if you can afford
it.
Selling cars is a waste of money. Think about it, when
you buy a car it isn’t a waste of money, you’ve bought something hopefully not
far off what it is worth at that time. When you come to sell a car, then you
see wasted money (usually), since you get back less than you paid. It makes
sense to keep a car forever or until it becomes financially uneconomical to
keep anymore. Therefore, I believe in keeping cars forever or until it costs
more to keep running than to let go and buy something else. Certainly, you can
buy another car if you want and if you have the funds to afford it (i.e. don’t use finance.)
9) Move to a house with a garage**
Your house is always (usually) your best financial asset and moving
to a more expensive house - which you can afford - is a good move (a more expensive
house will appreciate more than a less expensive house). I’d love to have a
garage to house my Lotus and so save me ever having to pay storage costs (like
£120 per month) or leaving my Lotus to the elements (even if it is under a car
cover). Hence this one very materialistic resolution pops in. I’ll resolve to
try and make this happen in 2020.
And last-but-not-least...
10) Get married.
No one is an island. There’s nothing wrong in living life
as a bachelor. There’s everything good about sharing your life with a worthy
and suitable person. After 10-years of long-distance relationship, it feels
like time to progress the relationship. Nothing ventured, nothing gained... I’m
resolved to make this happen, even if it is a step into the unknown, and I’m
unsure.
Image: The secret of change is to focus all your
energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new - Happy New Year
** Realistically, I won't have the funds to consider moving until mid-year. I'll still make inquiries and prepare. Who knows, it might happen in 2020. Marry costs need to be factored in too.