My list. Six straightforward items. Written down and time set. Primary goals for this coming year.

1. Put things back where they go when I’m done using them – I’m 36 so I should have had this dialed in at least a decade ago, right? Wrong. So, why now? I lost a few things in 2010 that were valuable to me. I can’t help feel that if I’d just had a specific place for them, I wouldn’t have lost them. Be that true or not, I’ve already saved a lot of time looking for stuff (or rather not having to look for stuff) just by virtue of knowing that the thing I’m looking for is where it is supposed to be.

2. Record all of My Workouts in 2011 – I failed at this last year only making it to the middle of March. I have a new simpler spreadsheet and a better plan for success this year. If you’d like a copy of my spreadsheet you can find it at the bottom of this post.

3. Complete an Olympic Distance Triathlon – The race is October 2nd in Scottsdale, AZ. It’s on!

4. Finish the Swedish Rosetta Stone Course Level 1 – This was another failure for 2010 but it’s getting pushed forward to 2011. I will get this done within the first six months of this year. Count on it!

5. Eliminate all White Foods from my Diet – This is my first dietary resolution. My doctor told me two years ago that I needed to eliminate all white foods from my diet. No, I’m not talking about cauliflower and yogurt. I’m talking about processed foods like bread, rice, and pasta. Making the decision to eliminate fast food, pizza (not made at home), and my weakness, chips and salsa, I have been able to comply 85%. However, this is the year I take that commitment to full compliance.

(Note: When I say diet, I mean “the foods eaten” not “a selection or a limitation on the amount a person eats for reducing weight”. However, I am doing a month-long experiment eliminating all foods that could be white. I view experiments like a trial; testing it out before it becomes a permanent part of my diet. More on that in subsequent posts.)

6. Run a Full Marathon – I am anticipating doing the Tucson Marathon December 12, 2011. We’ll see if this plays out but since the plan is only really half hatched, we’ll have to wait and see. Yet, it will certainly be a significant achievement, so it makes the list.

That’s it. Just six things. Keeping it simple in 2011. Happy New Year!