2010

It's about time I got back into this journal. I have thought about working on it a couple of times since I stopped writing in it at the end of second semester, but have always put it off. Now I'm getting back into it, and this is why: I have no goals for this year - so far.

One of the best things about keeping a journal is recording your goals at the beginning of a given period and being able to return to them later, to see how you went. And if you really want to, you can even track your progress on those goals through the period. I haven't done this so far, but it still seems valuable to at least have the option.

Normally the first goals that spring to my mind are things like "be on time" and "be organised" and "stop procrastinating; be proactive". These are all very valuable goals and I have set them for myself many times. Normally I fail at them entirely. The problem this time around is that, for the first time, I actually made a huge amount of progress on all of those goals last year. I really was on time more often than I have been before; I really was more organised than I have ever been, and I was also more proactive than I have ever been. This is not to say that there is no room for improvement in all of these areas, because there is, but they're not good goals anymore. It's just a case of sustaining my progress now.

So in the absence of the usual goals, what shall I do? I need to lay some challenges down for myself, otherwise I have nothing to be proactive about, nothing to organise, nothing to be on time for. What do I really want to achieve?

Okay. Goal-setting.

- Be slower to judge, and judge less harshly. Try to like people in a more generous, open-hearted way and accept everyone as a friend.
- Treat this year as the first year of my career. Be professional at all times.
- Enter at least one film festival or competition.
- Demand brilliance from everyone I work with, but do it nicely, through encouragement not pressure.
- Study camera movement rigourously and use it with confidence.
- Be daring enough to come up with new ideas for films and plays of my own, and even attempt to write one or two. Don't be afraid to make mistakes.
- Treat every film as the film that will launch my career.
- Deserve the respect of peers and teachers, and respect them in return.
- Continue to keep a journal.
- Find or create an opportunity to practise acting.
- Exercise regularly. Possibly join a sports team. Lose 5kgs.
- Be gentle to Rayner and never take him for granted, but always demand fair treatment and maintain independence.
- Follow true priorities, even when they are difficult.
- If something is worth doing then it is worth doing well. If I make a commitment I will give 100%, however I also need to learn to say 'no' when there is no room for more.
- Keep in touch with family on a more regular basis.
- Attempt to understand the workings of the film theatre industries, and make contacts within those industries.


Aaahhh... that feels better! Life has a point again. Nice.

That sure is a lot of goals though......