Putting the final touches on your 2011 New Year’s Resolutions?
How about following the lead of ‘The Cynical Girl’, Laurie Ruettimann who recently posted a list of the ‘2010 Regets’ (thanks again Dr. Bret). They included writing about an argument with her husband, being a poor friend, picking on Seth Godin (hey, I get you here), auto-following people on Twitter, and wearing certain dresses to a party.
So what are my 2010 Failures?
- More marital understanding. Like any two creatures living in confined quarters for extended periods of time and sharing finite resources (including emotional capital), Lori and I had our moments (as we have through 25 mostly blissful years). In retrospect, I think many of the traumas and stresses could have been averted with a bit more forethought and better chosen words on my behalf.
- Procrastinated house projects. I procrastinated finding someone for our still undone walk (which remains a soggy hole in the ground right at the entry to our house – see above). I also neglected getting a weather stripper around and it’s now the coldest winter in our two decades living here. And I refinished only one of our 8 deck chairs. Fail.
- Dynamic Work blogging. Despite hanging up the Dynamic Work business, I had hoped to stay engaged on the subject manifested by periodic pieces on the blog. Unfortunately, only a few have dribbled out.
- Converting Videos to DVD not computer files. Despite lots of research and trying to communicate properly to the vendor what I wanted, they delivered the conversions in DVD. This now means I have to convert them again, introducing some loss in quality, to computer files so that I can edit them and use them to compile highlights and special productions.
Just as interesting though are the failures that I don’t regret. Yes, I completely and utterly failed…but that’s okay…
- Silver Spectacular. We have a bit of a thing about doing some fun, quirky and big-deal celebrations at various milestones. With our 25th Wedding anniversary upon Lori and me, I naturally had a couple of schemes hatching for months, but both came unglued in the end. Nonetheless, Lori and I still had a great celebration evening in London and a later trip to Bruges. Not every celebration has to outdo the last one.
- Dynamic Work wound up. I’ve already reviewed that one. I’m still 100% content with that move, despite my…
- Piero ambitions. In my new role, I’ve done the right things and the core business has not only strengthened immensely as a result, but it is as well positioned for the future as I could hope for. Nonetheless, the business results are not where I would want them to be. That just leaves some unconquered challenges for 2011.
- Isley introduction to friend’s company. Our daughter Isley took on a role working for a (former) family friend, which ended up being painful. I got caught up in it as well, enduring some nonsense. But the move launched her into London where she has experienced a renaissance in her life, and in the crazy process she learned enormous amounts about business and life.
- Fitness targets. I really thought I might hit 300 lb on the bench press the end of the year given how well my fitness was progressing through the year. I’m not there yet, but I am perhaps the fittest all around that I have been in my adult life (and am almost 50).
Reflecting across both sets I realise what distinguishes the two groups. The first group of failures that I regret are things just I didn’t do. The second group of failures that I don’t regret are things I did do, but I didn’t get the results I had hoped for. You’ve got to be in it to win it…but you don’t always win.
Here’s raising a glass of champagne to celebrate all your Old Years Failure of 2010. Play out 2010, Fail Cat!
Leadership and Management / Turning Adversity to Advantage 
Great job and very honest!!
I would tell myself that I had lots of time and that I would be young for years before I was old. Everyone who is living rich or poor fast or slow and of every color will sometime make a wrong decision or do something stupid that will cause the effect of regret in their minds.