In the past I was never one to make resolutions. Sure I might have had the thought of being healthier, quit smoking or working harder to manage my money. The reality though is that it always seemed self defeating. No one ever keeps a New Year’s resolution past about the second of January, right?

Even without any true resolutions I found other forms of motivation to get me where I am and that made it all seem good enough. Over the last decade I have to say I was pretty successful. I completed a bachelors and masters degree. I moved from working as a telephone representative into the role of a database professional. I married my awesome wife, had a beautiful little girl and am expecting a son in the coming months. I even quit smoking almost four years ago and will be running in my first half marathon this weekend. All based on the things I dreamt about that drove me to get where I am today and without ever making a resolution in the conventional sense.

So in that same manner, why start making resolutions now? In the past I had a vision and took many steps. Setbacks came up but I had a great vision and for the most part I made that vision a reality. But once I got to that point it was like climbing a mountain and coming to a shear drop off. No place to go, no plan and no new motivation to push me further.

Back to my question of why? Well, I decided to take a baby step (yes, pun intended) and try out setting a New Year’s resolution. It is to kick off the next journey in my life right by broadening my vision and continually setting goals for myself. Not just for 2011 but on for the rest of the time that I have.

To start down this path I am following the sage advice of so many in the SQL community. I purchased the book “Getting Things Done” by David Allen. So far this book has been nothing but inspiring. The idea of setting a 50,000 foot view that is the rest of my life is scary and overwhelming to say the least but I need (for lack of a better term)…a code to live by. The idea of top down goals always made sense in the business setting and thinking about them in a more personal setting seems to make sense as well.

This vision is still evolving and one that I am not yet fully ready to share. But as a challenge to myself I will be posting it out here in the very near future for all to see. Call it a challenge to make a vision and a life that is realistic, attainable and just might give a little inspiration to others to do the same.