My Goals for 2017
Last year, I started writing my “Letter to Shareholders” as a way to hold myself accountable to what I had done and what I had hope to do in my life. In a previous post, I summarized my 2016 and how I progressed against the goals I set for myself. In this next post, I want to articulate my goals for 2017.
Keep going out of the comfort zone
I made strides to push myself and my comfort zone both personally and professionally in 2016. However, there’s more work I need to do in this department. It’s scary and nerve-wracking but is also where the growth and development comes. I need to develop more of a “tick” to go for it when I get into a choice of pushing my comfort zone or not. To do this, I hope to take my risks and stretch myself more, both personally and professionally. I want to tackle some goals (particularly with writing and blogging) that I’ve been pushing aside for fear of failure. I want to when faced with a choice of taking a safe route or a risky one, not be afraid to take the risky one. And I want to speak with confidence and conviction on beliefs even when I might be scared to do so.
Continue to invest in relationships in San Francisco
I live in SF, and one of the things that I need to do more of is to spend time with my friends here and build new relationships with people who also live in SF. This seems like a simple and intuitive thing to do but doesn’t nearly get done as often as I’d like it to given the nature of my travel schedule. Spending time with friends and building relationships gives me energy and joy. Furthermore, now that I have been in the city for long enough that it feels like home it’s time to really starting to take advantage of all the great things the city has to offer and it would be great to do that in the company of others
Focus on improving the community I live in
It’s a privilege and truly a blessing to live in a great city like SF. There are definitely days when I get up, go outside and have to pinch myself because I can’t believe I get to live here. Everywhere I have lived I have always invested in the community and I want to find ways to enrich the community here. Doing so is not only important to me to represent the place I live, but it’s consistent with my own vision and values around serving others. There are no shortages of challenges in this city, and I want to put my mind and heart towards working to solve one that benefits others.
Inspiring others around me
Over the years, I’ve developed a skill in being able to inspire and motivate others. I’m convinced it’s why I played Point Guard on the basketball court, served in leadership positions in college, and served as a leader in previous communities. I’ve somehow developed a skill in helping people understand what they are capable of doing and helping them use their talents to achieve a goal or outcome, and I want to put that to use this year and proactively go out of my way to inspire others to achieve either A) achieve their goals or B) use their talents to benefit other people and C) solve problems that make the world better for people and society.
In 2017, there is no shortage of problems or challenges in the United States that need smart people to solve. My hope is I can do a little bit to help those around me not only achieve goals and their potential, but also chip away at some of those worldly problems that need solving.
PS – If you get an email or bombardment of text messages from me acting like your parent or sports coach, apologies in advance 🙂
Hone in on Vocation
As a lifelong student of Jesuit Education, I firmly believe in pursuing a vocation and calling, and doing something that brings together your skills, talents, and interests, but that also intersects with the challenges of the world that need help. While these topics have always made sense to me in theory I’ve struggled to make sense of them in the context of my own career. I’ve often struggled with my desire to serve those in need with working a career in Corporate America, and having lots of friends who think like me I know I am not alone.
Now that I’ve worked for a few years and have had time to think and reflect I think I am coming closer to how to translate this belief into practice into my own life. This is an incredible world, but there’s a lot of shit that isn’t right and there are a lot of people who are in need. If you are looking for opportunities why not find one working and serving those in the greatest need? For 2017, I’d like to spend more time thinking about my own vocation and calling and how I can translate more time in my life towards that calling and vocation each and every day. This is going to be a lifelong goal, one that I probably won’t solve this year, but I think this is a great year to start.
So there it is. Let’s see what 2017 has in store!