I'm challenging everyone to do this!

101 things in 1001 days

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as new year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.

2. Stay Focussed. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.

3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.

4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.

5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

Here's my list

  1. Go a week without spending a cent
  2. Buy new carpeting
  3. Buy myself a great fitting chair
  4. Install new vanity sink
  5. Buy headboard
  6. Eat shrimp
  7. Bake a souffle
  8. Host a dinner party for my friends
  9. Learn to use chop sticks
  10. Make curry
  11. Eat home grown fiddleheads
  12. Have a candle lit dinner in the middle of the week
  13. Go out for fancy dessert first!
  14. Eat vegetarian twice a week for a month
  15. Drink water with my meals
  16. Organize our family photos
  17. Trace my Johnston roots
  18. Have a sleepover with the grand kids...no parents
  19. Spend Christmas at home
  20. Watch all the Oscar winning Best Pictures available
  21. Attend an opera
  22. Read the classics
  23. Watch a rugby game
  24. Read The Bible
  25. Go TV free for 2 weeks
  26. Drive the Cabot Trail
  27. Visit the Stratford Festival
  28. Plant a tree for Alex & Jonathan each
  29. Tour a BC winery
  30. Learn basic conversational French
  31. Exercise daily for 6 weeks
  32. Have a pj day just because
  33. Learn to back up the camper
  34. Spend a day in silence
  35. Complete a 10K walk for charity
  36. Complete a 10K walk for me
  37. Pay for someone else's coffee in drive thru
  38. Purge my excess paperwork
  39. Volunteer for spring clean up in my community
  40. Finish Alex's pinwheel quilt
  41. Make Jonathan's quilt
  42. Go caffeine free for 2 weeks - maybe longer
  43. Tole paint my mailbox
  44. Be a secret Santa
  45. Crochet a round tablecloth
  46. Make a copper trellis
  47. Make some hypertufa planters
  48. Get a passport
  49. Learn to sign some basic words -please, thank you, hello, good bye
  50. Sew new living room drapes
  51. Make a roman blind
  52. Cross stitch a Paula Vaughan design
  53. Learn to appreciate scotch
  54. Fly a kite
  55. Build a bird house
  56. Sew a skirt
  57. Grow out my nails
  58. Wear dress shoes
  59. Nap in the afternoon
  60. Star gaze with my telescope
  61. Reduce my garbage output
  62. Use totes & bags, refuse plastic shopping bags
  63. Hand write letters to all my friends
  64. Send someone flowers just because
  65. Wash and detail Joe's truck
  66. Switch to all compact fluorescent light bulbs
  67. Attend a town council meeting
  68. Complete a sudoku puzzle
  69. Listen to a different CD each day until I've gone through them all!
  70. Wear earrings
  71. Write my will & living will
  72. Walk the stairs off Fox Drive
  73. Stay up all night
  74. Golf 6 different courses
  75. Learn to type with all my fingers!
  76. Play cat's cradle
  77. Paint kitchen cupboards
  78. Paint a piece of good wood furniture just because
  79. Roast marshmallows
  80. Learn to cross country ski
  81. Try snow shoeing
  82. Paint my front door
  83. Tour the Royal Tyrell Museum
  84. Visit the Royal Alberta Museum
  85. Go to a U-Pick and pick lots
  86. Camp the May long weekend, snow or shine
  87. Visit the Muttart Conservatory in the dead of winter
  88. Use my SLR camera
  89. Tour the Devonian Gardens
  90. Push mow the lawn for 2 weeks
  91. Hand dig lawn dandelions
  92. Join St Albert library
  93. Write a fan letter to someone I admire
  94. Re-work the front sidewalk
  95. Learn to make a signature cocktail
  96. Learn to dance & then dance
  97. Get a foot rub
  98. Skinny dip
  99. Sleep naked
  100. Ride with Joe
  101. Complete my list and maybe start another one
Today is Thursday March 15, 2007 and it is my intention to complete as many of these if not all by Thursday December 10, 2009.

I will keep you posted as to my progress...and don't be shy about keeping me honest. I'd love to have some company, so feel free to join in!


7 comments:

Lesley said...

Is that really 101 things? I guess that'll give Aaron and I something to work on for the drive tomorrow. Can't wait for the unparented grand kids sleepover! WOOT WOOT! Alex keeps talking about having a baby brother...

Alberta said...

Leave it to my loving family to lend me some support. First Heather calls me in french, Lesley is already planning the kids' sleepover and then Joe sends me info on a 5K walk in June...and the offer of curried shrimp washed down with some of his best scotch. Life is wonderful.

Anonymous said...

Looks like a good list.. and I think I will join you.. no I won't think I will join you. 101 things to do in 1001 days..
Alli

Krista said...

I can help with a few things! I love Sudoku puzzles and can e-mail you some easier ones, I am pretty good with sign language, I use my SLR camera all the time, and I'll ture a BC vineyard with you!
Good luck and let me know if I can be of assistance!
Krista.

Alberta said...

Watch for list updates! Thanks for the support and good luck to those brave enough to give it a try!

Lesley said...

Uggers! Aaron was so proud of himself for posting a comment w/o my transcribing and it didn't work. I think he said he'll gladly help you with stairs or maybe stairmaster?

Anonymous said...

Nathan Can Help you with the signing thing.. He Can Sign the basics and a bit more..
Nathan/Alli