Last year, 2015, my friend and I sat down at a restaurant in Sterling Heights and we talked about the upcoming year. This wasn’t an uncommon thing for us to do; we had done this several years prior with varying levels of failure.

But this year was different. We sat down and ordered pancakes, omelets, and sausage and we talked about our plans. Again, we had done this several times, to be specific 2009 – 2013 until eventually I stopped doing it thinking that I was cursed. 2015 though. This would be different. We ate, talked, laughed, drank coffee, ate some more, then we got down to business.

I only wrote down 5 or 6 plans; he, 7 to 8. No he’s not an overachiever. Several of those requests had to deal with being a better husband. (A choice I had opted out of). We exchanged the list and then followed up with a timeline that we both agreed on. Mine was to eliminate all debt before June; I forget what his was. We complimented each other on complete lists, shook hands, nodded, got up, hugged and then we were off our separate ways. Him back to the burbs and me back to the city.

We checked in on each other periodically. Asked how each other was doing via Facebook, Text Messages, and phone calls. But we stayed in touch.

I was 28. I accomplished every goal and then some. He did as well. Not to say that we didn’t get into trouble that forced us to create more items to add to the list but the original list of 5 or 6 items was completed.

I look back at that year as a model for what other years should be. I look back on that year now that I’m 3 months into 2016. The goals were created in the same fashion, but they were bigger and grander this year compared to last. With greater goals, come greater stress; with greater stress, come greater rewards.

I think of all this as I decide whether or not following through on my goal of completing the 2016 Tour de Cure Century Ride this year is something obtainable. I looked at the calendar and realized that it is. I guess the difference from last year to this year was the focus. I think I may have been more focused.

Now I have to get back my focus.

D’Marco