I’m not sure who I’m kidding, really.
I’m not the New Year’s resolution type. I’m of the opinion that you resolve to change things when you’re presented with an epiphany, or when you face the prospect of something terrible with your health, your family or business, and it forces you to change.
Your doctor tells you that you’ll be taking the long, dirt nap if you don’t stop smoking, and you find yourself motivated to change.
You have a child just diagnosed with learning disabilities. You’re most likely going to rework your life to make sure your child gets as much time and attention as he needs to have the best chance at a normal life.
Choosing January 1st seems arbitrary to me, like there isn’t enough on the line to make me really change behaviors that need changing.
Like being organized, for instance. I’d love to be more organized, and every so often I go through these fits of flailing organization where I go through my entire office, our shop, our trucks and our processes to try to be as organized as we can be. It usually happens after someone has to make a run back to the shop for the third straight day because we forgot a $50 tool that we can’t do the job without. Or we forgot the keys to the skidsteer.
Have you ever thought about buying yourself a dozen tape measures, so that no matter what you’d always have one handy? I’ve thought about it.
Hell, I’ve done it. Pictured at right is the tub of tape measures just in the workshop at my house. I have more at our shop. And you know what? Doesn’t matter - I still find myself in spots where I can’t find a tape to measure something.
Hours before this picture was taken my workshop was in a state of disaster; I very literally needed to shove things around just to give myself enough room to solder a loose wire on one of my kid’s toys. At that point a quick survey of the workbench and surrounding area would result in finding one, maybe two tapes.
After cleaning up the workshop and bench, there were twelve.
I’d love to be more organized. But I might need an epiphany or a doctor’s warning to make it happen.
Have a great 2009.
