2009 objectives

Having encouraged all and sundry in my business to create goal sheets, I thought it was high time I went past "focus areas..." and "resolutions" and created a clear set of goals for myself too. This is not a strategy document but a time-bound objectives sheet. It is also dynamic though I hope to only add, not delete. These are the explicit objectives and imply many implicit ones.

Work -Move into a new role that's more "happening" and hands on OR move into a new job that's high paying in preferably a different industry - during Sep to Dec

Growth - Continue teaching AND/OR start doing some freelance training - Jan onw

Finances -

• Reduce quarterly average spending on shopping by at least 20% - Jan onw
• Make one more substantial investment amounting to at least Rs. 15000/month, either in property or MFs - by March 09

Health - Get myself in shape. Weight to be kept maintained at 72 kg and at least 12 visits of 30-40 min each to gym per month. - Jan onw

People -

• Focus on Unni, L, D. Regular interactions and take ownership for meeting at least once/fortnight (not being reactive) - Jan onw
• Take responsibility for Bobo pre-school arrangements etc. - Aug
• Complete clarity on direction w/DB. Be on the same page - Feb onw.

Ending the year...

60 kms away from Bangalore, next to an abandoned water reservoir, we pitched our camp at midnight. The night was lit only by the stars above and a torch we carried with us. We set up a tent, lay down the rug and our supplies. A few minutes later, we cut the birthday cake for DB and poured out our drinks. Surrounded by silence and peace, we laughed at silly jokes, sipped our drinks, listened to "jhanak jhanak payal baaje" on the laptop, ate chips-with-dip over candles and exclaimed at the 'surreality' of the experience. It was chilly but not unpleasantly so; it was quiet but not eerily so; it was dark but not scarily so. The company was friendly, but not overly so. It was far, but not too much; we spent quite some time there, but didn't overstay. We laughed, we thought, we felt, we expressed.

Perfect? It came close. Very close.