The promised list

Intentions. Resolutions are just that, no? Intentions to achieve a goal. At Chef Geoff's, we had a great VP who constantly drilled into our heads the concept of Measurable Goals. At each quarterly strategy meeting, our teams would present their initiatives for the next three months, and Chris would always ask - How are you measuring the success of this goal? For me, this was a new way of thinking about accomplishment. It's a presumably intuitive aspect of action management, but it can be much more difficult to integrate than you might think.

While I've done a pretty good job of defining various goals for myself in the next year (and beyond)(, I haven't gotten to the stage of analyzing their measurability and achievability. While I don't think that every goal needs to be measurable, I do think it helps to keep me focused. Some things are naturally intangible, though, although the achievement of those prospects are just as important.

The List.

1. To take better care of myself.

This is most definitively not a resolution to lose weight, dress better or change my physical appearance in any way. It's an effort to do exactly what I said - to take better care of myself mentally, physically, spiritually, and intellectually.

Motherhood means sacrifice, but it doesn't have to mean servitude to your child via neglect of your own self. I forgot a little bit of that this past year. I by no means forgot to embrace my own personhood, but I have started to let go of some of the things that I believe define who I am. I also don't think this change was completely instigated by the birth of Cass - so many things change, all the time. Work, relationships, budgets, family, and so many other imminent obligations can begin to chip away at who you are over time. I have come to realize that we all need to take a few moments each day dedicated to ourselves. Being the best me enables me to be the best mom, wife, friend and professional that I'm capable of being, and this year I intend to re-embrance the passions that make me who I am.

2. To be a better professional.

I have always prided myself on being a great employee. No matter what it was, I always wanted to be the best. The best = successful, right? Wrong. In event planning, that attitude doesn't get you very far. To achieve, you need to be really aggressive; while your toolbox of skills does apply, a huge part of success boils down to determination and the ability to demand what you want. While I'd consider myself a great saleswoman for my company, I've never really had the "go get 'em" attitude that is prevalent in so many successful event planners. It's totally a personality trait. This is why I hate event planners. But, I've also never been fully committed. It took me some time to let go of other interests before I could actually say out load - My Name is Danielle, and I'm Going to Be a Kick Ass Event Planner.

I'm fortunate to have a great boss who lets me take risks and tackle challenges, and who really lets me design my own "curriculum", you might say, for my job. I thought about this job long and hard before accepting it. It could have been 2 steps back, or it could have been 5 steps forward. Right now, I think I'm about breaking even, but the prospects for 2011 are amazing.

I'm making some great steps within the walls of the Mead Center, but I know that I need to push myself and break outside of my comfort bubble. I need to learn to network well, and be a better salesperson for myself. I'll be taking the plunge and finally joining ISES this year. I want to start an event planning blog. I wan to look more into event education; I'd love to be able to teach part-time someday, and the DC area is a great place for both education and teaching.

Along these same lines, I want to make growing Cameron's photography business a bigger priority. Have y'all seen some of his new work lately? His portraits? They are a.m.a.z.i.n.g. I know that the two of us together can be a powerhouse, if only we can harness our energy into maximum productivity. That's really darn difficult with an extremely active one-year old, but he's not getting any younger, and it's not going to get any easier, so we just need to light a fire under our butts and get it done. I know we can, though. CWP's income from iStock doubled in 2010 - how's that for a measurable goal?

Really, this year is about learning to achieve my potential. Nothing teaches you more about yourself, and your relationship with your partner, than pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood. NOTHING. It's so cliche to say that, I know, but it's cliche for a reason - it's nitty-gritty true. Having Cass has made us both want to be better, and to achieve more. We want to be the best role models we can be for our child. We want to give him as much as we can, and not (just) material things - experiences, knowledge, humor, travel - those will shape him more as a young man than toys or clothes or other physical items. And as I said before - when I'm at my best, I'm able to give at my best (or better).

Re-focus. That's my word for 2011. What's yours?