101 Things and 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 organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:

  1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.
  2. Stay Focused. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.
  3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.
  4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.
  5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

Start Date: Monday January 4th 2015
End Date: Monday October 1st 2018
Number of Items in Progress: 19/101
Number of Items Completed: 25/101

Red Bold Text = Finished with Completion Date
Green Bold Text = In Progress

General

  1. Blog about each of my 101 tasks at least once [10/100]
  2. Introduce the 101 Things in 1001 days project on the blog – 17 Jan 2016

Engaging with the People Around Us

Generosity

  1. Start a giveaway box of goods
  2. Serve at a soup kitchen
  3. Give blood
  4. 25 random acts of kindness [0/25]
  5. Make a gift for someone – Birthday Lettering
  6. Order/buy a book I have read and give it away to someone – 10 Feb 2016
  7. Donate clothes to charity
  8. Shout 12 meals to friends/strangers [1/12]
    1. SFC guys

Sociability

  1. Propose/Organise a big Chinese New Year family gathering – 10 Feb 2018
  2. Go on a girls’ weekend retreat
  3. Go on a walk with a friend
  4. Throw a dinner party for a group of friends
  5. Catch up with a uni friend over a meal [5/5]
    1. Candice
    2. Katy
    3. Joanne
    4. Jianwen
    5. Vi
  6. Arrange a movie date with a friend
  7. Organise a picnic
  8. 12 Double Dates [12/12]
    1. Shirlom x 3
    2. GR.02 x 3
    3. GR x 2
    4. Bash x 2
    5. Bao & Bear x 2

Intimacy

  1. Arrange a mother-daughter date – My Fair Lady (2017)
  2. Arrange a father-daughter date
  3. Take a family trip – January 2017
  4. Arrange 5 surprise dates [0/5]
  5. Buy some cards/writing paper, envelope and stamps (for Task 23) – Jan 2016
  6. Send 10 handwritten letters/cards [0/10]

Engaging with the World Around Us

Beauty

  1. Print out and frame a photograph I took and put it on my desk
  2. *Go to an art exhibition with a friend(s) – 3 April 2016
  3. Send 25 #soulfood photos to friends [1/25]
  4. Watch 4 sunrises or sunsets [0/4]

Equity

  1. Purchase 5 Oxfam gifts for Christmas
  2. Write a post on the work of International Justice Mission or A21
  3. Provide a small business loan to a worker in a developing country

Adversity

  1. Cleaning my room and wardrobe twice a year [0/5]
  2. Short adventure (trekking or sailing) with friend
  3. Go rock climbing
  4. Run a half marathon
  5. Train up a teacher to take over my Sunday School class (end of 2017)

Engaging Our Internal Selves

Clarity

  1. Read through the book of Proverbs and reflect on each chapter [0/31]
  2. Engage with a career mentor
  3. Read 15 minutes before bed for a month
  4. Go on an annual retreat for reflection [1/3]

Serenity

  1. Attend Pilates once a fortnight for 6 months [0/12]
  2. Go out to the Yarra River once a week at lunchtime for 8 weeks [1/8]
  3. Take a bubble bath – 4 Nov 2017 (wedding night
  4. Go to the hot springs

Vitality

  1. Attend 3 PT sessions [1/3]
  2. Exercise 3 times a week for 6 months [0/6]
  3. Go carb free for a month
  4. Pack lunch at least three times a week for a month

Spirituality

  1. Write a list of Scriptures that inspire me on my phone
  2. Fast and pray for 21 days around a particular prayer point – Jan 2016
  3. Complete Fervent with Yen
  4. Intentionally and prayerfully share the gospel with 5 people [0/5]
  5. Have a Sabbath day once a month for 6 months [0/6]
  6. Listen to 20 messages on podcast [3/20]
  7. Attend each Pray, Love, Care in 2016 [11/12]
  8. Go on a mission trip

Engaging Our External Expression

Creativity

  1. Write two songs [0/2]
  2. Record a song
  3. Go to five dance classes [5/5] – 2016/2017
  4. Paint/Draw something
  5. Participate in Project 365; a photo a day for 365 days [12/365]
  6. Try 5 new recipes [5/5]
    1. Pea and Zucchini Fritters
    2. Sago Pudding
    3. Quinoa Salad
    4. Sticky Chicken Wings
    5. Char Sui
  7. Document an entire day through photos
  8. Make macarons from scratch
  9. Bake once a month for 6 months [2/6]
  10. Blog every day for one month

Love

  1. Buy flowers for a friend just because
  2. Write a letter of encouragement to someone who needs it
  3. Keep a thankfulness diary for 2016
  4. Write a letter to my sponsor child once every 3 months

Career/Finance/Independence

  1. Love my job – 2017
  2. Save $20K (and spent for wedding!)
  3. Learn to drive a manual car
  4. Get clarity regarding home church
  5. Buy a house – 2016
  6. Get married – 4 Nov 2017

Fun

  1. Go to the Australian Open – 22 January 2016
  2. Go on a road trip
  3. See a musical – Singing’ in the Rain (23 Jun 2016)
  4. Go to a footy match
  5. Go on a camping trip (with a real tent and squat toilets)
  6. Go on an overseas holiday
  7. Ride in a hot air balloon
  8. Try 20 new restaurants/cafes [10/20]
    1. Elk, QLD (solo)
    2. Hakataya Ramen, QLD (with Brisbane family)
    3. Chilangos, Melb CBD (with Jessie)
    4. Pope Joan, Brunswick (with a big group)
    5. The Brass Coq, Melb CBD (with Eli)
    6. Lawyers, Guns and Money, Melb CBD (with Jo)
    7. Tahini, Melb CBD (with AVC)
    8. Royal Stacks, Melb CBD (with Jun)
    9. Three Williams, Sydney (with Eli)
    10. The Quay, Sydney (with Eli)
    11. Dinner by Hester (with Eli)
    12. Om Nom Nom (with Leong parents + Eli)
    13. Noma Melbourne (with Eli)
  9. Watch 10 movies [10/10] 
    1. Spotlight
    2. Batman vs Superman
    3. Lion
    4. Beauty & The Beast
    5. The Case for Christ
    6. Wonder Woman
    7. The Red Pill,
    8. Star Wars: The First Jedi
    9. The Greatest Showman
    10. Spirited Away
  10. Host a board game night

Gaining Knowledge/Intellectual Pursuits

  1. Read 10 new books [2/10]
    1. Time Poor, Soul Rich by Anne Winkel
    2. The 4 Dimensions of Extraordinary Leadership by Jenni Catron
    3. Without Rival by Lisa Bevere
  2. Blog about each of the 10 books [2/10]
  3. Complete my Suzuki piano teacher training
  4. Draft a prospectus for VHAN
  5. Relaunch VHAN

Self-Improvement/Personal

  1. Get rid of 101 material items [0/101]
  2. Identify and list 101 things that make me happy
  3. Dye my hair
  4. Write a letter to myself to be opened in 5 years (min. 1000 words)
  5. Not log into Facebook for a week
  6. Expand my vocabulary by 50 words [0/50]
  7. Watch and blog about 5 TED video talks [0/5]
  8. Learn to ride a bike

Miscellaneous

  1. Give a $1 for every goal that is not completed by Sept 30, 2018
  2. Every quarter, blog about the progress of this list [1/11]