I suppose the clich article to start off the year would have to be one on goal-setting. Whether you call them New Years resolutions, prayer, throw of the dice, bones or cowrie shells, the fact remains when you formulate a wish, you are in effect setting a goal at one level or another.
Dreams are free, realisation on the other hand does not always come easy. Is it not worth your while, therefore, to make the time to think your goals through and give yourself a fair crack at them?
I am your normal left-wing individual who would never vote Republican, but I found myself liking Jon Huntsman the more I heard him speak in interviews and in debates.
That is called being objective. After all, Englands Tories did more for Zimbabwe than Labour, but I digress. Huntsman has, of course, suspended his run for the Republican nomination.
I was of the opinion that if Barack Obama lost, I would prefer it to be to him and not to any of the other candidates that I have seen thus far in the Republic race.
I could be overrating the Tea Party movement, but I sense there are quite a few folks waiting to see the back of Obama for reasons we will not get into.
Whoever the final Republican candidate will be, in a toss-up between Romney and Santorum, it is pretty clear what their main goal is for the year: Secure the presidency.
Just looking at the nastiness in the Republican primaries makes me think it will be a vicious race to the White House and I hope the democrats will not play gentlemans rules in a street fight. My money is on Barack.
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In Zimbabwe, we may or may not have elections in 2012. I think it is unlikely, but in case we do, I hope both sides will play gentlemans rules and that it will not be a street fight. Of course, the American version of a street fight is more words and name-calling instead of sticks and bones.
For both Zimbabwean and American politicians, I want to offer a quote from Jeffrey Sachs new book, The Price of Civilisation. He states: At the root of Americas economic crisis lies a moral crisis: the decline of civic virtue among Americas political and economic elite.
A society of markets, laws and elections is not enough if the rich and powerful fail to behave with respect, honesty and compassion toward the rest of society and toward the world.
America has developed the worlds most competitive market society, but has squandered its civic virtue along the way. Without restoring an ethos of social responsibility, there can be no meaningful and sustained economic recovery.
I will write more on this later in the year, but if the US fascinates you this year, I would recommend two books: The Conscience of a Liberal by Paul Krugman and The Price of Civlisation by Sachs.
There are very good lessons on what not to do for Zimbabwe as well as what alternative route to take. We need a new foundation, a new founding brothers era.
But back to you! Have you given any thought to a goal for this year? You will be surprised how many people simply follow the ebb and flow of life like the tides at the coast that do not understand the power they have over the sailing boats that are merrily heading to their destinations. Ask yourself, if there is one thing that you do this year, what would you really like it to be?
Then give some thought to how you think you are going to achieve your goal. I know people who can help you go through this process, if you are willing to put money where your dreams are.
There is no point in saying I want to sail to Majorca without knowing how you are going to hire or buy the boat! I am not just pulling things out of the air here.
A few years ago, friends of ours decided to do the Cape to Cairo drive a few years ago, made their plans, got the Land Cruiser and set off with their friends. They set a goal, broke it down and got on with it! http://jangano2009.blogspot.com/
So whether you want to sail to Majorca or not is not the issue. You might be a councillor, an MP or presidential candidate, what is your plan? You may have just made the first team, got a new job or are thinking of a change, what do you want to do with what you have this year?
So, if there is anything you do this week, I suggest this: Get a blank piece of paper, write out at the top what I want for 2012.
Draw up the list, mull it over, add to it, throw it away, subtract from it or draw up a new one but whatever the case, set a goal for the year and then we can talk about it in Innerzela.
If you send me a paragraph, I might include it in my pieces. Lets start a dialogue. This year, we will talk about you and country.
Those are my Innerzela goals: a dialogue about you and our beloved Zimbabwe. In the meantime, continue to light a candle instead of cursing the darkness.
