DAY -41

A friend at work showed me a cool website today - The Day Zero Project (www.dayzeroproject.com). Essentially, the idea is that you make a list of 101 things that you would like to achieve within the timeframe of 1001 days.

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

I've been procrastinating about making one of these lists for many years, and I usually make a small one every New Years Eve in the SMS drafts in my phone. Invariably, it's made up of things that I know I'm definitely going to do that year anyway, and eventually I delete the list, or break the phone and forget what was on it. I'm giving myself 41 days to make the list, starting to tick things off on July 1st, 2009, which will make the end date March 28, 2012. Let's see how it goes...