2021 New Year Message

Happy New Year! I don’t usually post a year end wrap up message or a new year’s resolutions list but this year I felt compelled to write something to mark the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021. 2020 was a rough year. We are glad we are putting that one in the books, get it behind us and move on. Let me share some thoughts on what I’ve learned from 2020 and how it will make me stronger going forward into 2021 and beyond.

I turned 60 in 2020 and, yes, I’m still learning, which brings me to my first point. I always thought I would feel so old at 60. I thought I would feel less relevant, ready to retire. Guess what? 2020 was one of the most focused and productive years I’ve had in a long time. I wrote tens of thousands of lines of code, wrote over a hundred pages of material about leadership and agility, recorded hours of voice over audio, and even created my own graphics (dozens of them), animations and visual effects for my current project.

After 8 years in Hong Kong I also dedicated myself to the task of learning Chinese. I’ve been studying Chinese characters almost every day for a year and I now recognize and can write over 500 characters. Don’t try to have a conversation with me in Chinese, because my ability to speak or listen (at full speed) is poor but I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. I also recognize that it will take years to learn enough characters and combinations of characters to really read and write but I now know it is possible, even at 60, to take this on and accomplish it. By the way, learning Chinese is a personal goal. A brain exercise I’m doing because I’ve studied learning theory and curriculum design and decided I should apply what I learned to myself.

What else do I take away from 2020? I’ve always known that people see things the way they want to see them, but this year has proven that truth and facts are much less reliable than I ever thought before. Watching U.S. politics from overseas has been like watching a horror movie in slow motion. Like watching the stupid girl in the movie run up the stairs when you know she is just trapping herself and it is going to end badly. We watched the country become more and more divided with each side convinced it knows a truth that is completely contradictory to the truth the other side claims. My take away: don’t believe what you hear on the news. Extremist on both sides have managed to control the messaging and it is even more destructive and harmful than the pandemic we faced this year.

2020 has also shown us the best and the worst of people during a crisis. COVID-19 has been a global pandemic, effecting every country on the planet, but the response and reaction to it has been vastly different. We’ve seen absolute heroics from health care workers, first responders and scientists working to develop effective treatment therapies and vaccines. We’ve also seen millions of selfish, rebellious individuals who refuse to wear masks or even believe that the threat is real. I’ve been glad I was living in Hong Kong this year, but fearful for all of my family and friends living in the US.

So, what happens in 2021? I’m extremely anxious to see my children (grown children). They both live on the US west coast and I haven’t been physically with them for 18 months. Of course, I also want to see my Dad in Florida and my brothers. We’ve been doing monthly Zoom calls, but that just doesn’t cut it. If you know me well, you know I’m a hugger. In 2020 we were told not to shake hands, let alone give hugs. I’m so over that!

In 2021, I’m going to stay focused on my project. I’m calling it “my book” but it will be published using a video game engine, as an interactive, animated story that teaches agile leadership. It will be done when it is done. I’m enjoying the work immensely as it gives me a blend of technical (coding) and creative (writing and designing).

I also have to make a shout out to my beautiful, intelligent, and hard working wife, Kitty. She has been a rock throughout our marriage. In fact, we will celebrate 35 years married in 2021. I pray that the pandemic is under control by then and we are free to travel and make up for all the events and milestones we missed in 2020.

To those of you who managed to read this far. Thanks for taking the time to listen and thanks for being my friends, co-workers and LinkedIn contacts. I wish you all the best in 2021. Be healthy, happy and prosperous. I also ask that you share your blessings with those who are not so blessed. I plan to do the same.