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At last year’s New Year dinner with my family, my mom handed out small scrapbooks to write in 10 things each of us wanted to accomplish in 2009. As you finish off a year of lists of top songs, movies, books, moments and of people who died and made accomplishments, my mom wanted us to make our own for the year to come. I did not write down 10 deciding 5 was more reasonable for myself. My list for 2009 was as follows…

1. Go to Peru and climb Manchu Picchu (Accomplished and much rewarded)

2. Start Law School (After a discussion and understanding I have no desire to practice law, but possibly use it in two areas of career/life advancement. I decided the word “possibly” was not a strong enough push to spend over 100k on schooling quite yet. Not accomplished, but explored.)

3. Be closer to the Mr. (Accomplished as I am in Vegas.)

4. Learn conversational Spanish. (The Mr. just found his Rosetta Stone. I guess I have 3 days left to finish this one!)

5. Get my daughters photo album caught-up. (Accomplished)

My mom went in asking us to put a variety of things from as little as desired to as big. Obviously, the photo album was the least difficult and simply task-orientated, but it was years in the putting off category with the complete turn over to digital photos. Most of the year, I thought I would end up crossing out number 3 to accomplish number 2 or simply because it was not in my story, but the unknown internal reason I wrote it down seemed to resonate. And, the only reason number 1 was accomplished was a 3AM credit card purchase of a few thousand dollars, in which I gave myself the “there is no turning back now” moment.

(Did you accomplish something major you set out to do in 2009?)

Though, putting something in writing isn’t as motivating as already paying for it in my book, seeing the words and/or pictures of something you’ve been mentally eyeing is a great push. I remember reading about an approach to weight loss years ago. The author suggested putting a “X” on your refrigerator just to remind you every time you go to it you have a goal for yourself don’t ruin it. This scrapbook approach is quite similar. As my family knows, I am notorious for telling people, “Either stop talking about it or change it because I don‘t want to hear about it.” (Yeah, I am not too sympathetic.)

Therefore, if you want something in 2010, go get it, write it down if needed, put it on your mirror, frig, dashboard, put it in your words and actions. Everything you have and don’t is because you decide to let it be or not because of your fearlessness or fears because of your laziness or productivity because of your believe in yourself or not…

Now what should my 2010 scrapbook resume read?