Regimen

Long Term Goals And How To Reach Them

Early last year, after finally getting motivated enough to start working out, I stumbled upon an idea that refined my focus. Long-term goals require regular, small actions. And for those of us that aren't transactional, it's best to think in two buckets:

1. Where do you want to be in 10 years? (The primary categories below are mine).
2. What daily things must you do to get there? (For me, connecting the "shoulds" to 10-year items strengthens them to "these-are-actually-worth-doings").

Another thing to keep in mind is that like all character, these things require practice. Expect to fail. But through practice, your discipline will increase.

Beware of scope creep. Your list shouldn't be too long to practice. Let it be good and useful, but also let it be realistic.

And finally, make achieveable tasks. As you grow, they should as well.

Love God and Man

The overarching category.

1. Be Wise
   1. Regimen:
      1. 26 minutes scripture (per day)
      2. 30 minutes hard-skills training (per day)
      3. 14 focused minutes praying (pw)
      4. 14 minutes mentally preparing for faithfulness (pw)¹
   2. Weekly review:
      1. This list periodically
      2. Complacency (likely a product of not remembering some 10 year goal or else placing too much importance on present gratification)
      3. Distractions from good (likely some present gratification)
      4. Worrying about not being ideal
2. Be Healthy
   1. Work out (5 days per week or equivalent)
   2. 7+ hours sleep (pd)
   3. Healthy food and enough water (pd)
3. Be Good²
   1. Giftedness service
      1. 4 hours Poindexter Game Co. (pw)
      2. 3 hours writing (pw)
   2. Family time
      1. Regular 1on1 time with everyone (pw)
      2. Daily group time (pd)

Poindexter Game Co. (work in progress)

This is to expand the mid-term goals inherent in this giftedness item, since the immediate motivation of animating and designing rocks can be fleeting. All of these should also support the long-term goals above.

1. Complete Arrrchipelago, our first game
   1. Produce a project that's the way we want it to be (asymptotic with what's ideal)
      1. Novel, nuanced, creative
      2. Subcreates truth and beauty
         1. Cosmos from chaos inherently serves God
         2. Influencing others toward truth and beauty serves them
      3. Polished and, within the scope of the game, comprehensive
      4. Follows criteria of a good game, like being fun
      5. Flirts with profound truths of God's creation and the human experience (things I like thinking about)
   2. Recognizing that we're not skilled enough yet to accomplish these things well, so this is mostly for training
2. Continue to develop friendship and professional relationship with J
3. Get to where we can come up with other novel, interesting project ideas
   1. By first completing this one
   2. By getting better at what we do
4. As a result of training here, be better prepared for other types of projects

Footnotes

1. Specifically faithfulness in certain things that I do not possess values/understanding/belief enough to do otherwise. In other words, mentally preparing to take God at his word (and remembering what that word is), rather than not doing so and only relying on reflexes. ↩

2. I almost put "Be Faithful." But I am too tempted by legalism to name this "Be Faithful." Faithfulness is not something you put on but the necessary product of faith. That said, discipline characterizes many of these actions, and discipline should be a tool of faith. And the idea "Be Good" seems to contain all of this. ↩