Parveen Kaler

New Year’s Resolutions suck.  According to Wikipedia, only 12% of people actually achieve their resolutions.

Setting resolutions is a tempting task.  Everybody is doing it!  Why shouldn’t I?

Other than the fact that setting resolutions is not effective, it can also turn into a big source of procrastination, pain, anguish, stress, and suffering.  In classic Buddhism, this suffering is called Dukkha.  We believe that we will be truly happy in the future when some goal is achieved.

The future never comes.

On one hand, the goal may not be achieved and we feel shitty about ourselves.  On the other hand, we achieve our goal and the happiness associated with it is fleeting.

I am more comfortable following a lifestyle based in Kaizen.  I wake up every morning at 6AM and try to be better.  On some days I suck.  I suck hard.  Most days I do end up doing better.

I leave for India in a couple days and I have been getting my affairs in order.  I thought I would take the time to refocus on being better.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZqnqH9s1jk[/youtube]

Better Friend

People that are too kind for their own good call me driven, ambitious, and passionate.  Most call me arrogant, loud, and abrasive.  It’s tough being my friend.  At times, I am a bad friend and a bad boyfriend.

I am getting better though.

Better Developer

I have been writing code for more than a decade now.  I was completely sick of it a year ago.

Over the last year I have been focusing much more on user experience.  I’ve studied design, classic architecture, literature, typography, and a variety of other disciplines.  I stepped away from the computer so that I would be better when I sat back down.

Better CEO

This is the new role that I took on this year.  It has been a challenge.  I am a newbie again and I am making mistakes every single day.

There have also been great successes.  The business is making much more money than I ever have as a salaried employee.  I am also taking on projects that I can actually believe in.

Better Athlete

I had fallen off of the wagon at the start of 2008.  I was in the worst shape of my life.  I am almost 25 lbs lighter than my heaviest weight.

I played high school basketball and I used to view myself as an athlete.  This momentum remained through 1st year university when I was still in the gym six days each week.  But, slowly that commitment petered away.

I am back now and my commitment and resolve can only increase.