It may sound wierd, but this time of year, right before the new year is my favorite time of the year. Forget the holidays, the birthdays, the winter, spring, and fall. Right around this time, 12/29 before the drop of the new year is the time when i get to set some personal goals for myself to acheive. I'm not sure why i love this time so much. Maybe it's because i've learned to be a very goal oriented person, or maybe i just like to see myself succeed in whatever i do, but setting goals for the new year is like the cleanest, most fresh breath of air to me.

Now, the hard part, what shall be my top 5? or does this year have the potential to be a big one so should i make it my top 10? Not sure. My main goal for 2003 was to find a job that i can make a career out of, and step into the real world not as a scared boy, but as a mature young man and set myself up for a very successful career. Needless to say, I do believe i accomplished that main goal along with 4 others. What i'm focusing most on this year is making a difference. You hear it everyday by someone whether it be on tv or at your local church by the priest, but making a difference is what i'm focusing on most this coming year. Making a difference i feel has to be multi-dimensional. I have to make a difference in my career, family, and personal life. I pride myself on being a very well rounded person so there is no choice but to "Make a difference" in all facets of my life.

A break down of the 3 dimensions:

1. Career
- The way i was brought up was to work hard and everything else will fall into place. So far my mommy didn't stir me wrong here. I've worked hard and paid my dues and now is my time. I have the beginning stages of the career i want. The company that i am with is bright, and the future is really starting to blossom for us all. So "Making a difference" in this company is very important to me. I truly feel that i have what it takes to make that difference in the company and being the strong willed person that i am i need to achieve my successes so that i can be an integral part to the success of this company. Sounds like a tough goal, but i will definately have to use my strong backbone of hard work to have this goal accomplished.

2. Family
- My family is the single most important thing in my life. I tell ya what, i would be absolutely ***t without the people who have taken a hand in raising me. So this goal basically is the same for each year. Do whatever i can possibly do to help out my family. Hopefully success in the other areas of my life can assist in doing whatever it takes to help out my family.

3. Personal Life
- It's a very scary thought for someone my age of 23 to think of asking for a lady's hand in marriage. So yes, it gives me the willies when i think of it, but that doesn't mean that i don't get excited at the same time. I've been dating the same girl for over 2 years now and i can honestly say that i am a very happy camper. This year i'm not going to set a goal to be engaged or anything like that, but i want to set a goal so that by the end of this year, our relationship will be set up in every way such that anytime that we feel we are ready to take that next step, we are both ready and willing.

Most of us wish we could look into the future and predict things of course. I am no different. I sometimes wish i could tell the future so that i can possibly change my approach(s) to some of my decisions in life, but thats where setting goals comes into play. For me, when i have a set of defined goals, it gives me something to work towards and gives my life the structure it needs in order to move forward in life.

There is a famous quote that i'm not sure who said it, but it is one you can base your life trials with.

"Do or do not, there is no try."

Flyin p.s. What are some of your new years resolutions?