New Year’s Eve is always a good time to reflect on the year that was, and look ahead to the year approaching. Of course, there are lots of great times to do both, but the closing of the calendar particularly lends itself to reflecting and predicting.
2005 was another incredible year, and you may get tired of hearing this, but when I have a truly bad year I promise you’ll know about that too.
Personally I spent it as a married man (new for me), I put on 25 pounds, which was welcomed and fairly well placed, and I’ve permanently lost many more than 25 hairs!
During 2005, I also spent more time with future-oriented thoughts roaming around my brain, everything from family-related issues and ideas, to what do I want to do next at work?
2005 saw me continue to think through how to influence change. I spent a fair bit of time back-burner thinking about how our systems work–business, healthcare, politics. I am still wondering who holds the power to influence change. The only conclusion I’ve made is that it is within the individual that is within a particular system.
The question has then become, “What are the key elements or personal traits that are most successful in influencing change?” I’m sure they vary depending on the “system” or environment, but I feel there has to be a common set of characteristics.
As I think through influencing change, I’ve also considered what change I want to influence. I know the change RealTime Cancer needs to–and will–make, but how about all the other things that need attention?
Call it arrogance; ignorance; youthful enthusiasm or; as I would prefer, confidence; but for some reason or many I believe that I can influence any change that I feel needs to happen. Of course the one key element is my emotional connection to that change.
Granted, I haven’t tested this confidence thousands of times on the scale to which I’m referring, but I have taken it for a spin, and so far so good. I could be better at it and I’m learning all the time–mostly by doing–which is what works best for me.
In 2005, I also acknowledged the resuscitation of my disdain for all things lacking integrity. In the course of my work or my personal life, I have experienced organizations and systems that and people who are suffering from a severe integrity deficit. In those moments I often have this massive urge to expose, “out,” and challenge the organization, system, or person acting without integrity.
I think I’m a pleasant guy and fairly easy to get along with most times, but I do have a side of me that loves confrontation, especially when I’m being confronted or when I feel something is unjust. I’m not sure what this says about me, but I can say when I feel anyone is being wronged, I immediately want to jump to their defense. Fortunately, experience has taught me that I can’t effectively do that all the time, and so I have to pick my battles.
For now the battle I’m picking is for the young adults who have been largely neglected by our healthcare system. But I know at some point, I’ll add to the collection of change I’m working to influence positively.
I don’t know where I’ll go next. I do know that I’ve decided anything I do outside of my involvement with RealTime Cancer has to in some way enhance RealTime Cancer’s work. Not sure where that will lead me at present but I’ve got a few ideas running around my head.
I referenced predictions earlier and I figure I’ll make a few now. Two things I’m extremely confident in are my continued loss of hair and the maintenance of my 25 pounds (keeping it to 25 pounds is the trick). Outside of those two things, I can say that I know ’06 will be full of challenges and triumphs, there will be unexpected obstacles and rewards, and I feel comfortable saying that no matter what happens, if we’re all here this time next year I’ll be saying it was another fantastic one!
Hope 2005 treated you well that you are settled into 2006 and ready to make it your best year yet.
Always…
Live life. Love life.
Geoff
