The last year is over, and my best achievement is surviving the Covid Scare. The scare is not over. After the numbing second wave, the virus continues mutating with ever-increasing frequency and challenging the current science and infrastructure. This is time to focus. Get the right things in your planning and stop believing the myth of multitasking.
There has been an increased availability, accessibility, and availability of online and OTT entertainment. Along with social media, it has slowly robbed your attention span and time available for other things. Or you have traded time to escape from many other essential but maybe more challenging things. You have been busy as an ant. Watching moving pictures across screens and playing on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
Time To Focus.
Your priority and focus must remain survival. Don’t take things lightly. Continue to diligently follow all the precautions. Mask-up, double mask up, wash your hands frequently and keep a safe distance when you step out. The Omicron or whatever new name the virus will take may be softer and milder with less need to hospitalise. However, that is the only good news. The physical pain and the emotional torture for the patient and the family are still the same horrifying moments of uncertainty. Forget any doubts you may have about vaccination. And on the very first possible window, take your booster shot.
Priority Two.
Second, you should decide what you really want to do in these times of uncertainty. All of us have kept ourselves engaged on multiple fronts. Too many fronts professionally and personally. And recently would have made our own wish list of new year resolutions. Scrap that. Re-evaluate your life and capability, re-think objectives and ambitions, Re-plan and re-establish your priorities- to make yourself future proof. Remember, to be selfish and put self before everything else. It’s for you to decide what new chapters you will write in your life.
Go Public.
Once you have your priorities and plans for 2022, go public with them. Commit to them but let a close group of people know about them. People who will ask you questions, monitor your progress, and maybe help you focus on delivering on your commitments.
Focus On Achievable And Important Milestones.
You only realise your dreams, and hence you must dream big. It sounds so good, but that’s it. You will fail if your dreams are horrendously unachievable. Well, keep a natural stretch to push yourself. Break them into timelines and milestones; that way, they become more achievable. And don’t forget to celebrate the success of reaching these milestones and bearing the pre-decided penalties if you fail.
The Third Priority.
The third is to further enhance your skills in the selected field of current or future possibilities. The era of uncertainty will question everyone in their area of expertise and opportunities. Check out the courses you can take and pick a subject. Read on the internet and read books on it. If you can read just 50 pages every day, you will read 4500 pages in three months. That is equivalent to approximately 12 books- a lot by any standard of knowledge.
Reminder
Remember, in life, what you become is only up to you. Every possibility is open. However, you still need to execute your plan and pick your options. Also, we may have more wants than the time on hand, and resources can help us realise. Be sure of your basic plan and demands on yourself. Rest will be a bonus. Do not lose your focus and concentrate on your priorities.
Personally Speaking.
When I start the new year, I do not see much change in my approach. So, I am re-evaluating, re-thinking, re-planning. In the process, realising that suggesting and recommending is far too easy than execution. Hence, I am now purposefully questioning my thinking and activities.
Going Public With My Plan For 2022.
Focus on Basic ask from self.
In addition to focusing on the Brand and Marketing consultancy and contributing to Aid-et-Action as my part of giving back to society, I have a simple plan.
I am committed to Pahaadi-II. 2022 is the second season of a short story writing contest for writers from Uttarakhand. Plan to make it bigger this year. And yes, I am open to associating with publishing houses or brands focusing on Uttarakhand. The book release (tentatively titled Pahaadi- Bhula Bhuli) is scheduled for the 1st October 2022 launch.
I am all set to end the year with 474 consecutive weeks of Wednesday column ‘Kotmartial’ and blog – Perception adulterated with reality. Will continue as I have set myself a possibly achievable target of 500 weeks on the trot. I am fully aware that past performance is no guarantee for future results.
Having lost some 18 KG weight, plan to monitor and stabilise it, if not to lose more weight.
Last to top it is to read, read and read more. I plan not to buy any new books until I finish my accumulated library on Audible, Kindle, and physical copies. Maybe this will help me push reading more. This time, to borrow a phrase from Suman Srivastava, the author of Don’t beg- Inspire, focus on connecting dots across learnings from different books.
Bonus- if it happens.
Finally, if the time is right, publish a fifth book and my second novel, ‘Enchanting Neeli- First love, Second time’ after ‘Chimera of Lansdowne’, ‘Life Reloaded’, ‘Reflections’ and ‘Pahaadi- The Storytellers’. See how I build up uncertainty in the possibilities. And to have the draft of one of my next books completed by the year-end.
Further, work on monetising my doodles- which is my way to meditate. So, experimental concepts and customised doodles will be my focus. I have already sold one doodle artwork this year, which is a good start. I aim to sell at least 10 pieces in 2022. Maybe an NFT- why not- but that is currently not part of the 2022 plan.
The Toughest Ask From Self- Failure not Guaranteed.
Next on cards is rationing my social media presence and avoiding wasting time on every piece of entertainment. No, entertainment is essential, but I will pick and choose what to watch this year.
Facebook profile is already set to private. I am ruthlessly opting out of unproductive WhatsApp groups and free webinars. To be more productive on Instagram, I am switching to a Business account and counting the time I spend on Twitter. Of course, I can’t stop reading those Anthe twitter stories from Ramki.
Stopping myself from watching endless stories and reels on Facebook and Instagram will test willpower. However, to start with will try not to watch any forwarded video that does not come with a text recommending or explaining why I should watch it.
Having succeeded in weaning away from my erstwhile favourite BiggBoss I am hopeful of doing a decent job of it. I have attended every edition of GoaFest, however, this year I will take a call nearer the date.
BLOG/02/2022.
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