To improve we must watch ourselves fail and learn from our mistakes.
“One has to hurt, to go through a period of stress, a period of self-doubt, a period of confusion. And then out of that mess can flow the richest tapestries.” — Ed Cooke, Grand Master of Memory, in the book Moonwalking with Einstein
Grad school consumed the first half of 2016.
After graduating, I took a trip to China and then decompressed (read: plummeted into a pit of boredom) for a few weeks.
Now, we return to the surface to start a new chapter and finish 2016 strong. Here’s what I’ll be working on for the next six months.
The Year of the Grind – that’s my title for 2015.
Maybe I’m exaggerating, but I can’t remember another time when I pushed myself harder, piled more on my plate and sustained such a consistently and dangerously close-to-capacity work load than over the past 12 months.
It never let up.
While I may be posting late this year, rest assured, I’ve been cranking away on the Awesome Bucket for these first few months of 2015 and have already made some great headway.
And even though House of Cards Season 3 tanked, and Suns management has returned to their mind-boggling, downward-spiraling old ways, this year is off to a blazing start: work has been crazy with cool projects, big changes and opportunities to stretch myself; and the W.P. Carey MBA program keeps challenging me to my core and surprising me with unforeseen benefits. I’m busier than I can ever remember, but it’s a good-busy and I’m excited to keep it going.
Thanks for following along. Here are my goals for 2015:
Two years ago I decided to get organized, methodical and passionate about my New Year’s resolutions by creating an Awesome Bucket and laying out my goals for the year. That inaugural Awesome Bucket helped make 2013 a wild success by keeping me focused and driven to develop habits, strengthen skills and cross epic finish lines.
And by publishing the list and posting status updates throughout the year, the Awesome Bucket holds me accountable. At the same time, I hope this exercise inspires others to add some Awesome Bucket Sauce to their New Year’s Resolutions. More importantly, I hope this exercise gives you ideas for how to stay motivated and make those dreams realities.
This year, my sophomore Awesome Bucket effort, the goals fell into four categories: Creative, Fitness, Travel and Awesome. In addition, my top priority for the year focused on applying and getting in to grad school at the W.P. Carey School of Business.
I’m happy to report I knocked this bucket out of the park, accomplishing 10 of the 11 goals on the list in another exciting and memorable year. I completed my first semester of grad school (more on that later), fabricated walkability in a city of sprawl, wrote and played guitar every day and hiked to the highest point in Arizona. Plus, I can now do a handstand – nbd – just another drop in the Awesome Bucket.
Here’s a breakdown of my 2014 Awesome Bucket and how I made it happen.
