Created: February 15, 2020
Modified: February 23, 2020
Modified: February 23, 2020
things I will always do
This page is from my personal notes, and has not been specifically reviewed for public consumption. It might be incomplete, wrong, outdated, or stupid. Caveat lector.- No matter what other priorities or any incredibly important goals arise in my life, whether through work, family, or other circumstances, there are some things that are worth sticking to and not compromising on. That's because failing to do these things would make me less capable of achieving the other goal(s) at hand.
- This list is not aspirational: it's not things I would like to do, that I don't currently do. The presence of an item on this list means something; it is a real commitment. It has to be either:
- Something that I currently do, and commit to lock in forever, or,
- A pledge that my future self will do something at the appropriate life stage (e.g., play catch with my future kid). This needs to be something that I could currently do if the circumstances arose---not just an aspiration. For example, 'Teach my kid Mandarin' would not qualify.
- An aspect of my current personality that is so important that I would resist giving it up, no matter what circumstances
- This list ceases to be valuable if it ceases to mean something. It can only mean something if it is short enough that I can remember it, and so that it is plausible to follow all of the commitments simultaneously. The barrier to adding new items should be high.
- Adding an item to this list will not automatically cause me to keep doing something. It is not a substitute for exercising ongoing effort to actually do the thing.
- Commitments:
- I will keep a diet and exercise routine such that
- my weight is in a window where I feel fit and healthy.
- my heart rate rises (aerobically) several times per week.
- I am keeping my muscles strong enough for heath purposes: avoiding back pain, maintaining mobility, ensuring that it's easy for me to do healthy activities like hiking, climbing, playing sports.
- this is a deliberately vague and low standard: I am doing much more than this now, would like to be doing more still, and do not intend to let events like parenthood or career obligations bring me down to this baseline. But this is a standard I could commit to no matter what else gets in the way.
- I will get enough sleep that I am not regularly tired during the day. A possible exception is that this may not be possible with young children---but I will try.
- I will read books regularly.