The older I get, the more often people tell me how quickly time passes. They bemoan how fast this year flew by, as if their dreams are slipping away because time is speeding up. They tell me that I will blink and my 6 year old will be 18, as if the things we care most about are already lost to time.
Today I want to talk about intentions. About taking back control of time in order to create the experiences you care most about — to attend to your creative vision.
Intention is how we combat the busyness, overwhelm and distraction that seems to take hold of our lives. As we look ahead to the new year, I encourage you to have a clear intention of what you want to create.
Intention, to me, is the opposite of reaction. For every failed creative project, there are reasons, and too often they are reasons of reaction. We didn’t explore our creative vision because we were too overwhelmed reacting to all the inputs in our lives.
What is your creative intention for next year? What is your vision that you won’t sacrifice so easily to the busyness of time; the overwhelm of responsibilities; the distraction of media and the internet?
What is the creative vision within you that you will fight to protect?
Intention is about caring and attending to the things that matter most to you. That can be normal every day things: a day job, family, health. It can also be things you hope to create: a book, art, music, and ways you hope to affect the world.
I’ll share my intentions for the new year, and would encourage you to consider your own. I have three main goals this year, one personal, one creative, and one business:
- My wife and I are expecting our second child in April. My primary goal above and beyond all else is to care for my wife, our newborn, and our six year old son. Come the spring, my wife and family will need much more of my focus as we welcome Baby Optimus Prime into the world. Yes, I’m still trying to convince my wife of that name. Stay tuned…
- Write and publish books. To be honest, realizing this goal has been a long time coming. While I have written more than 500 email newsletters, 1,000 blog posts, and 24,000 Tweets, I want to write and publish longer-form content.
In March, I will publish my first book. I have been working for months on this, and have recruited an entire team of people to assist. I’ll share more on the process in the coming weeks.
- Grow my company.
WeGrowMedia is now six years old and has been a complete joy every single day. I have a team of four people who work with me, and they are all incredible. This year, I want to move to the next level in terms of how the company works, what we offer, and how we collaborate. As the founder, this moves me outside of my comfort zone — the one where I stand at the center of every process and every decision. That needs to change this year. I need to empower others, and evolve WeGrowMedia in some key ways.
Could there be more on this list? Of course: I could add intentions for physical and mental health, to how I can better serve my community, and so much else. But the three items above are my primary focus, the things I consider every day.
What are your creative intentions for the new year?
Thanks.
-Dan
Congratulations to your growing family!
Over the past three years, being published – and continuing to write for publication – has become something of a full time pursuit. I only spend a couple of hours a day actually putting story words down. If that. I spend a lot more time on everything else that goes into producing a book. The revising and packaging, submitting manuscripts, editing. Promotion – which never stops. Being active on social media – which feels like a job to me, even though I’ve narrowed my focus enough to mostly enjoy what I’m doing there. There’s maintaining websites and a monthly newsletter. Blog posts to write. Email to answer. Networking. It just goes on and on and I couldn’t keep up with any of it if I didn’t keep a task journal or spend time on a regular basis outlining and refining my goals.
What I have noticed is that over the past three years time has slowed down for me. I’m busier than ever, but I’m living more in each hour. The days that pass swiftly are the days I take off to just do nothing – which is absolutely necessary now and again. The days where I sit down and check items off my to do list often seem endless, which is a great thing. Being organized means I can do more. Since I started keeping a task journal I’m not only much more productive, but I have been able to fit more leisure time into each day.
My goals for 2017 are mostly writing related. I have projects I’d like to complete so that I can turn my attention toward a book I’d really like to write – one that doesn’t necessarily fit into my ‘world’ right now. I also think 2017 will be the year where I need to make some decisions about the direction of my writing career. Will I stay where I am, which is very comfortable, or challenge myself? For instance, I’ve resisted the idea of pursuing the representation of an agent. But if I want to go farther, write in new directions, it’s something I believe I will have to seriously consider – and that means more commitment to something that right now I tell myself I do for fun. 🙂
A safe and happy new year to you!
Wow — thank you so much Kelly for sharing your process and reflections for the new year! Happy new year to you as well.
-Dan
Dan, those are meaningful intentions and from getting to know you through your writing, I have complete confidence that you will meet them. As a mom of 3 young adults, I can tell you that #1 will be most challenging because the pull of #2 and #3 will create conflict. #1 is messy and unpredictable. Best to surrender. The only true maxim of parenting is that it goes by very quickly. The best saying I heard sums it up like this: “The days are long but the years are short.” Enjoy every minute.
Thanks Evelyn! Working from home is my way of addressing being there for my family. I see them all day, every day! Happy new year!
-Dan
Congrats on the new baby, Dan! My husband and I are expecting our third baby in May. That’s definitely related to one of my goals for 2017.
I’m also really excited for you regarding your book, especially since I’m an author. I’d be happy to review it for you. I do quite a few book reviews.
And, of course, how thrilling to be growing your business!
My main goal involves finishing 2 to 3 non fiction books that are in progress. I’m also planning to launch a podcast with my friend in Israel who has a child with the same syndrome as my Sarah. And I’m hoping to acquire more speaking engagements, but much of this is contingent upon our adjustment to baby #3.
Ben and I are also celebrating our tenth anniversary in June, so that’s another exciting milestone!
Congratulations on your third child, and your tenth wedding anniversary! I appreciate the kind words on my book (and the offer), and sharing your own goals. Lots of exciting things planned!
-Dan
It isn’t just a coincidence that you put a picture of chocolate cake in the email right after you asked what our intentions are, right? The Sustainable Gardening Library became a reality in 2016, so my primary business and creative intention for the coming year is to continue recruiting content providers and promoting the Library as a resource to people who want to learn how to garden and farm more sustainably. 2017 will see the fulfillment of two primary personal intentions — in January I’ll be five years cancer-free and we’ll be living at Fallingwater for three days of intensive learning and discussion about Frank Lloyd Wright and Fallingwater, led by the curator (our belated 25th anniversary gift to one another).
Lois: congrats on 5 years of cancer free!!!!
Wow — I didn’t realize one could live at Fallingwater for even a single night — how amazing?!?! Thanks for sharing all of this.
congratulation, happy return of the season.
Thank you!
The deaths of my father and my dog within 5 months of one another made this the single worst year of my entire life. My mother’s failing health and trying to get a handle of the family finances only compounded the anxiety. The one truly positive aspect for me this year is the same one that’s always gotten me from point to the next: my writing. Whether it’s my personal journal, my various stories or my blog, literary aspirations have kept me otherwise sane and happy. Reading, regular exercise and a few alcoholic beverages help, too. But, if I somehow lost the ability to write, that would be the end of me.
Congratulations on the new baby and the new book, Dan. I appreciate your efforts and wish you, your family and your company a great 2017!
Alejandro,
My condolences on the loss of your father and Wolfgang. This is a powerful statement: “If I somehow lost the ability to write, that would be the end of me.” Thank you for sharing this, and thank you for the incredibly kind words!
– Dan