Every January our team at The Potentiality engages in our New Year’s tradition of making public commitments about how we will realize our potential. For 2017, here is how Godfrey, Michael, Kurt, and I are leveraging our talents and stretching ourselves in 2017. Here’s how we will realize our potential in 2017.
John’s reflections and goals
This year was supposed to focus on my slowing down. Instead of focusing on and achieving this goal, I went faster and did more things at the same time at a higher level than ever before. I led a team that delivered a massive piece of the biggest project that Vancity has ever undertaken, bought a home and moved, and supported my wife as she birthed our second son. Achieving focus through listening, solo-tasking and being clear in my communication got better, but I still have a long, long way to go. I shall pursue mastery of focus, but know that I will never achieve it.
In 2017 I will be fully present in the moment as much as possible and I will keep things focused and simple by over-delivering and adding unexpected value on three things:
- Being a parent.
- A work project that isn’t known at this time, but I will learn about in, like, the next three weeks.
- Something that combines friendship with exercise and/or community-service.
Oh, and I will also complete some minor home renovations, which will stretch my handyman abilities, which are very minimal.
Godfrey’s reflections and goals
On the eve of 2016, I pledged to “hit the ground running” at my new job (which I did), “carve out more time for friends” (I did my best), and to be more mindful day-to-day (kinda/sorta.). On balance, I ended the year in a good place. And yet, somehow I’m feeling trepidation regarding what 2017 may have in store for me. According to research presented in this zany and hilarious TED Talk by Shawn Anchor only 10% of our happiness is based on the external factors or professional or personal success – the rest is based on the lens we use to view the world. Right now, I’m a bit uneasy that a fair chunk of my happiness is predicated the inputs of my professional and personal life. What happens if things start going south in ways I can’t control’?
For 2017, my resolution is also clear and simple: continue to build on last year’s goals, while exploring the power of positive psychology to weather any storms the year brings. That’s why each and every evening before I go to sleep, I’m going to “hardwire my happiness” and write down in a journal three things I’m grateful for, a positive experience, and a random act of kindness I’ve carried out that day. It’s an experiment I’m looking forward to!
Michael’s reflections and goals
Last year I committed to pursuing my core passions more deeply. I had some success in making space for my creative pursuits, but definitely didn’t achieve anything near what I hoped. I did take on some great side projects and had an amazing year with my wife raising our three kids, but in reflection I wasn’t deliberate enough in setting aside creative space. I did do well at managing the constant distractions that come with my communication and community-engagement focused role. I was also really happy to get some professional development time in by completing a few more courses while building my professional network through the program.
For 2017 I’m going to do my best to:
- Create space for more active and creative personal time.
- Maintain the list-making process I’ve recently adopted to help me better filter, delegate, and focus on the most important tasks.
- Automate my most frequent business processes to help me focus on higher impact long-term projects.
Kurt’s reflections and goals
Last year I pledged to improve my listening skills and grow my network through lunches (rather than after work dinner or drinks). While I’d say I’ve improved a bit on active listening, I’ve made the most progress on my quest to make solid use of lunch to build relationships. This has been particularly opportune given that as a new dad I rarely have time to go out “on the town” in the evening.
In 2017, my goal is to focus my attention and energy on my newborn son and make every effort to live in the moment and savour the great, the good, the boring, the bad/exhausting/frustrating and the downright messy times when raising him in his first year. By doing so I want to embrace the reinvention of my personal identity – kind of like the protagonist of indie hit About Time (minus the time travel).