Impress on 1st Rotation: I want to be a superstar LDP and I need to be better at networking, cultivating mentors, learning in skills and knowledge, and efficiency. Most important, I need to focus on attaining stellar results.
Figure out 2nd Rotation: This includes job function and location. Who knows, I could be in the Bay Area, LA, Dallas, Atlanta, or Chicago by next Fall. I need to do ride days with LDPs, network with managers, and talk to LDPs in other regions.
Travel between Rotations: I should have the opportunity around July/August 2009. My current short list includes: Taiwan Love Boat, Central/Eastern Europe (plus Global MUN in Geneva), South America, southern Africa, and Balkans-to-Middle East. Austin-to-Mexico and Washington DC are also on my list. I’m open to ideas so we’ll see!
Learn to Cook Nutritiously: At the very least, I want to be able to cook healthy meals with enough nutrition on a consistent basis. An additional goal would be to host a small dinner party by the end of the year.
Develop and Maintain an Exercise Habit: Let’s set an attainable goal of 3 days a week in the gym for now. In the spring I also want to improve significantly in golf, and perhaps also play tennis again.
Pursue a full social calendar in the Bay Area: I need to be more proactive to counter the social isolation in the East Bay. There are many places I want to explore in SF, the Bay Area, and in NorCal in general, and I have a list of friends who I have yet to catch up with or don’t see often enough, plus I am sure there are single ladies out there who I have yet to meet, so let’s go!!
Cultivate a good impression: Originally this was intended to be more attractive to girls, but I think this goal is really for my own growth. I need to dress confident, have a good posture, be able to hold an interesting two-way conversation with a stranger, develop some interests & hobbies, be unique, and have a core group of guys or friends to associate with. People that I meet (both guys and girls) need to see me as interesting and valuable.
Interaction with ladies: Build on my progress from 2008 and do it while concurrently cultivating my impression. I need to be more proactive, more positive & confident, more attentive during conversations, less oblivious overall, have less of a ‘friend-ing’ mentality, and continue to be more open rather than put up a barrier. I need to pursue more and better-quality interactions to gain confidence and experience.
MUN initiatives: Work with Ryan and Sarah to build www.bestdelegate.com into a premier MUN advice, resource, and networking website. Run a successful Contra Costa County MUN conference. Hope the union at AT&T doesn’t go on strike into May so I can staff UNA-USA MUN. Perhaps take on other side projects, guest speak at local schools, or see if staffing Global MUN is an opportunity to pursue.
Keep up to date with social media: I still used a LiveJournal to post my 2008 resolutions and realized how irrelevant LJ was to my life; I really need to get with the times. Start with posting notes on Facebook and/or creating a blog. Keep learning about social media from Jun and others. Think how I can use it personally as well as for my job. Develop my personal brand online. Find efficient online tools for offline activities that I am involved in (Model UN, mentoring, traveling, etc.)
Personal finance: Pay closer attention to cash flow, be stricter on my budget, continue saving & investing, and learn and understand different opportunities and tools in personal finance. I want to be fluent enough to be ready to take advantage of an opportunity when it happens.
Other side goals: maintain Chinese language skills, find ways to be involved with UCLA Alumni Association, continue reading books, and be more thoughtful toward and appreciative of my family
11 Resolutions plus some side goals… sounds like a good, comprehensive plan for a new lifestyle in my first full year in the working world. 11 Resolutions is tied for my most ever in the 8 years I’ve been doing this, but I’m ambitious and I’ll tackle all of them with the goal of getting a ‘pass.’ 2008 was a very significant year and I will really miss it, but I’m ready for 2009 to bring it on!!
