The post I wrote for today called, “Have you emptied yourself?” accidentally posted yesterday, Christmas Day, instead of today as intended. So here is a bonus post.
New Year’s Resolutions are passé. Many of us tend to make the same ones each December, and find that we have broken and forgotten them before February. We have been frustrated by them and defeated by them. But the idea of starting the year with a list of things we would like to change or improve in 2012 is a good one that intrigues many of us.
Jon Acuff (jonacuff.com), author of Stuff Christians Like and Quitter, is offering a new approach for 2012. He advises we create a “Finish List” – read Jon’s How to build a “Finish List” and surrounding posts to learn more.  A “Finish List” is different than a list of resolutions. We should not include things we will try to do in 2012 (read a great post by Michael Hyatt on this topic called “THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRYING AND DOING“), but things we are committed to finishing in 2012. I like this because it is not results oriented.
For example, I will  not put on my finish list a goal of subscribers to AssociatePastor.org, I cannot control that. Instead, I have put on my list what I can control, the regularity of my posting, which will be every Monday in 2012. I also cannot control how often I will be published, but I am committing to making at least four submissions. Finally, I cannot control how my body will respond in number of pounds to lose, so I put a dedication to diet and exercise on the list instead. My “Finish List” is not about results, but effort.
What are you going to finish in 2012? I’m adding and deleting to mine this week.
I would love to know what you are planning on finishing in 2012. Share your personal/professional “Finish List” ideas in the comments below.