2011 In Review

Inspired by Tynan’s excellent 2011 post, I decided to follow suit with my own year-end progress report.

Quick Stats:

2011 was a year of big changes and forward progress on my goals. All year I focused on determining the most important use of my time and energy and then spending them both accordingly. Two major themes this year were paying down my debt (almost debt-free!) and getting healthier/more skilled physically. These two goals will continue in 2012.

Important discoveries this year were:

• Continual improvement of myself is a big unifying theme in my life. Self improvement is my largest desire, and being surrounded by those who are not afraid to progress all the time is highly important to me. (Realized via Tynan’s excellent post on the subject.)
• Personal finance is a solved problem (philisophically.) Once you know what you wish to achieve with your money the focus is clear: get out of debt, spend less, earn more, and use the difference to better yourself and the world!
• I don’t need a late model car.
• While I don’t need many material possessions, some are essential to my creative pursuits. I will probably always own enough things to fill a 1 bedroom apartment. (Living in an RV would seriously hamper my creative process.)
• I don’t like to travel. Travel is necessary sometimes, but (for me) it is not an end unto itself. I rarely grow or progress when I’m on the road, and I’m not interested in merely collecting singular experiences. My attitude towards travel may change once I’ve achieved certain key goals or when I ever get an opportunity to travel with good friends (shared experiences are more valuable than solo experiences.)
• I want to find important friends and spend as much time as possible with them. (Post to follow on this one.)
• It is almost more important to me to have a dream than it is to have it fulfilled. In this way, I always strive to better myself. The trick is learning to enjoy today while still working to achieve my bigger dreams. This balance is one of the hardest to attain, and I still struggle with it.
• It is important to know your most important problem.
• It is important to know your ideal situation. (Post to follow on this.)
• My ideal situation includes bacon, which is delicious.