The end of 2010 is near and with the rush of the holidays January will be here all too soon. Many of us will make a few New Year’s resolutions, and many of us will forget the resolutions not long after, illustrating that we’re all wonderfully human.  I think sometimes our poor luck with resolutions leads us to abandon planning and goal setting altogether – a mistake I’ve made too made times. I do better with a plan. It doesn’t always work out quite according to plan, and I don’t always hit my goals, but just having a plan seems to make a difference.

Sometime between now and the end of the year find a quiet corner and spend 2 hours thinking about what you want to accomplish next year. Reflect on what you’ve accomplished this year, how work is going, whether you’re spending enough time with family, and where you would like to be a year later. Dream a little, and write it all down. Think of it as a ‘State of You’ letter. Write down what you’d like to do and why and how and when. It’s not a contract, it’s not something you’ll read a year from now and cringe at - it’s about making you think about where you want to go.

So make your list, and yes, check it twice. Give yourself the gift of two hours to think about what you’d like to do next year, and I think you’ll find it to be more valuable than you might expect.

Happy Holidays,