Mark Watson the Comedian

Ten-Year Self-Improvement Challenge

February 26, 2010 | 268 comments

I mentioned a few days ago that I was toying with the idea of doing something with this blog which would, in some way, recapture the ‘spirit’ of the 24-hour shows. In those shows, as you might remember, we often used to set ourselves enormous challenges, either as a collective or individually, and try to achieve them over the day. To take a few examples of 24-hour show challenges: we transformed someone into a pop star, with a new haircut, MySpace page, agent and single; we successfully sent an audience member to France and back; we lured the Mayor of Melbourne to come and see us after 18 hours of campaigning; we captured Sir Timothy West and Les Dennis; I learned to ride a bike (sort of) and proposed to my girlfriend, now my wife. And that’s just a few examples. In all fairness I did have a lot of time to fill.

The collective achievement of strange, sometimes pointless goals was always my favourite aspect of the 24-hour shows, along with Adam Hills ordering us pizzas, so I’ve been wondering if can somehow recapture some of this, while not actually doing a 24-hour show, since I swore last year’s would be the final instalment, and I don’t want to be one of these tedious buggers who stage a huge farewell and then keep returning to their career like a dog to its own vomit. At least, not yet.

I then thought about a couple of interactive projects I’ve done: the writing-a-novel-together show I did at Edinburgh 2006 (which was fun, but never got finished, because it was a ridiculous thing to attempt), and the environmental blog-project Crap At The Environment from 2007. That, again, was a pretty flawed idea, not at least because it was hosted on MySpace, which dates it to an era when for some reason we all took orders from a man called Tom. But, again, I got a kick out of setting challenges and having people encourage each other to do them, and writing it up. And I did end up making small improvements to my lifestyle as a result of it. And so did about six other people.

Yep. I think I’m a sort of benevolent dictator in the making.

So, given that I’ve (rashly) decided to write this blog for the next ten years, and quite a number of people are kindly bothering to read it every day – for the time being, anyway – I’m going to try to start a new project. I call it the Ten Year Self Improvement Challenge, or TYSIC, which sounds pleasingly like something invented by scientists in a 60s movie.

It’s as simple as this: you nominate something which, over the next ten years, you would like to accomplish in your life. It could be an aspect of your personality you would like to change (mine is – more of that tomorrow). Or it could be something quite specific, like learning to drive. Or it could be something really stupid. But you have to genuinely want to do it.

What I propose to do is invite anyone who wants to, to make some kind of resolution or challenge or goal for themselves, over the next few days. Ideally you should leave it as a comment here, but if you’re not keen to identify yourself you can send me a tweet or something and I’ll give you an assumed name (although you can only use this in the context of the Challenge – not, say, in a court of law).

I’m planning to start TYSIC officially on March 4^th. No particular reason for this date, but it’s a week off, and hey, it’s Patsy Kensit’s birthday. After that date, we will all begin trying to accomplish whatever we set out to do. Every week – or month, depends how well it goes – or year, if nobody gives a shit about this idea – but hopefully week – I will ask everyone to sum up their progress via comments on the blog and then publish a newsletter of the most interesting/bizarre/heroically failed/perverse/illegal achievements. Perhaps I will have a monthly prize and so on. An annual meeting of participants. That kind of thing.

I won’t use anything anyone writes in any of my live shows – unless they want me to – and unlike Crap At The Environment, I very much doubt this will be a Danny Wallace-style book one day. It’s just for the fun of it, and for the experiment, and for the sheer joy of beginning a story which unfolds over an enormously long time. So, again, like the 24-hour shows.

My own resolution, in short, is to become an optimist. I have a two-day-old son and it seems as good a time as any to conquer the essential negativity that has dogged my entire life. I’ll be outlining this in more detail tomorrow. But you don’t have to choose anything so grandiose, or anything that will occupy the entire decade. You could do something very small, cross it off, start something else. You can approach this any way you like. Or you can absolutely ignore this. It won’t be too embarrassing if nobody does it, because I’m still going to do mine. It’s like when you have a party, but have a couple of friends arrive early in the evening in case nobody else does.

The closing date for resolutions is in theory March 3^rd – of course anyone can join in at any time, but as with the marathon shows, the most fun will be had by people who do the whole thing.

And the project will end on March 4^th 2020. On the 5^th we will all go on holiday together. Good.

268 comments

Posted by Being a better Stuart « Stuart and the Blog on June 5, 2010

[...] a better Stuart 5 06 2010 I’ve decided to sign up for the Mark Watson Ten Year Self Improvement Challenge. if you’re not familiar with Mark Watson, well you should be. He’s a bloody great [...]
Posted by Brittany on May 24, 2010

Jumping on the bandwagon even though it’s really.. Almost three months late?
I was recommended this by an… almost friend, should I say, I find it interesting.
I’ve decided to do one of those photo compilations; where I take a photo every day for years on end, and by the end compile it into a five or six minute video. I’ve seen it done before and I find it to be an interesting idea.

I am in my mid teens- I know I’ll change drastically over the years.

I have trouble sticking to resolutions, so this will help me on the path to being able to do that.
Posted by overtiredmum on May 19, 2010

Oh dear – I’ve just read through lots of the posts – I now feel very very old.

I’m rather late at submitting my own challenge – I blame my old aching bones and arthritic fingers (make it hard to do this new fangle computer thing). As the last person said very well – what’s a couple of months in 10 years though?

So here goes –

I will put one foot in front of the other and repeat

What does this mean? Mainly get off my seat and do something less boring instead, go places I’ve never been and meet new people. I won’t stop with the feet moving even if it’s a bit scary or tiring. Hopefully it will get easier and much quicker with practice!

I’ve got a new pair of trainers and now it’s time to start using them xo
Posted by Mary on April 14, 2010

A little -a lot – late to the party, but a month out of ten years is a drop in the ocean, right?

Anyway, here goes: write and publish a novel. Even if I only get a chapter done a month, I’ll have something to do, right? And it might take me less than ten years but I don’t mind completing this in less than ten years to be honest. I have no idea if this will make me a better person, but you know what? It will definitely make me happier. I’ve begun countless stories ever since I was seven – maybe younger – but TYSIC seems like the perfect opportunity.
Posted by Adam on April 1, 2010

hmm 10 years..well lets see…

im 36 and ive gone from one crap job to the next and im fed up with it so ive just started doing a bit of stand-up comedy and want to see what i can do with that. id like to finish my degree and finally finish writing my book ..just as soon as i know how it ends!

i reckon i can do that.maybe.

to be honest i just want to be able to get up in the morning and enjoy my day rather than hate everything about it..
Posted by glamlovinkitty on March 31, 2010

Ooh, I’m the last as usual!

My ten year self improvement challenge is something similar to Mark’s. I want to become a more positive person. I once was, in my younger days (I’m 38) and I think I’ve become ground down and jaded.

No more!!!

I also intend, in ten years or less, to have changed career. I did two business degrees and am now an academic manager, having worked in universities since graduating. But I became interested in psychology, am part of the way through a psychology degree, and want to change my career in that direction.

Following on from the ‘be more positive’ thing, I will do it!
Posted by rvdk on March 25, 2010

Hello,

Am I last in?

I have far too many ideas about what I should do, so first will have to be not trying to follow all the ideas, as that way madness lies. (Really, making decisions could be enough to make the difference on it’s own in my case).

So, having read (ok, mainly skimmed) all the other comments, I’ve blogged about it instead.
The aims are in the same area as the majority here, though I was a little surprised to not be the only one with M.E. to fight. (Or rather the politics, psychiatrists, and meaningless actual diagnosis of ‘CFS’).

Anyway, another writer, and musician.
My initial TYSIC ponderings are here:
http://roystonvanderkerkoff.wordpress.com/2010/03/25/tysic-a-bunch-of-cultists/

And some singing from a former life:
http://www.myspace.com/roystonvanderkerkoff
Posted by Kate on March 19, 2010

Blimey, I go on holiday for abit and when I come back everyone’s improving their lives without me! I want in!

I have TYSICs 1 – to be far less self-conscious and more confident 2 – pay off all my debts (which may well be a 10 year job!)
Posted by phillsacre.me.uk » Blog Archive » Ten Year Self Improvement Challenge on March 12, 2010

[...] his blog, Mark Watson recently started up an idea called the Ten Year Self Improvement Challenge (TYSIC for short). Readers of his blog were asked to submit things which they wanted to accomplish [...]
Posted by theredwitch on March 12, 2010

I should have written and commited to this a long time ago.

Ten years seems like a goodly amount of time.

I have three things on my list.

1 – To find a job I love, that fits in with my life, and pays a reasonable amount of money, with minimal travelling.

2 – To find a partner/husband with whom I can fulfill number three

3 – To have a baby ala Tim Minchin, Mark Watson style.

Any comments, helpful opinions or ideas welcome at http://twitter.com/theredwitch or at http://redwitch.tumblr.com/
Posted by tothesky on March 11, 2010

I’ve only just came back to the country after three weeks, but this TYSIC seems very appealing, so I’ll guess I’ll start a week later. That does still count right?

There a lot of things I want to improve about myself, but I suppose the biggest thing or the one which grieves me most is that I want to stop being so socially awkward.

I have no idea how to stop this but it has to. Asking a stranger for the time should not be an achievement for someone. Not going to a lecture because you’re late and you don’t want people to look at you is a stupid reason. I guess all this stems from low self esteem and self confidence so I need to work on them.

I need to realise that’s alright to not be an extrovert, a social butterfly and it’s ok to be quiet and shy and not like parties. But it’s not ok to lock myself in my room and avoid any type of human contact.

By the time I’m approaching my thirties in ten years time, I want to be more secure with myself and hopefully in a loving realtionship.

I also have to start writing more if I want to be published. Like you, I’ve started writing (but actually writing with a pen and paper) everyday and I’ve kept it going for around three months now. Let’s see if in ten years I’ll also have a record (which currently is full of self-pitying ramblings).

I just have to think positive from now on. But that’s easier said than done. See, I just ruined it…
Posted by The Ten-Year Self-Improvement Challenge « German History & Russian Literature on March 9, 2010

[...] can get involved with Mr Watson’s project here, and I highly recommend you do.) Look here at the things I can [...]
Posted by Kate (@ClariSaxy) on March 9, 2010

I’d like to add to my challenge, if I may.
I have a violin that has been sitting around for a year after I bought it nearly 2 years ago after going to a workshop at a festival. I played it a bit on and off for the 1st year (actually I borrowed an unused one from the school I teach at, then bought my own) then for the last 2 years of actually owning my own I have barely touched it.
My challange addition is therefore to play the violin at least once a week in the hope of improving, if only slightly.
I have a music degree and am quite accomplished (blows own trumpet) on some woodwind instrument, one of which I taught myself, so this shouldn’t be too hard as long as I set aside the time.
Posted by John Howell on March 8, 2010

Really late with the Ten Year Self-Improvement Challenge- but I only found out about it today!

I have 3:

Write a book,
Stop living in a dream world and
To be able to look at myself and be honestly glad I am who I am.

Good luck to all!
Posted by Higgs on March 6, 2010

Rather late thanks to uni, but I’ll join in with:

No more putting things off out of fear / fear of failure. If I want to do it, I’ll try it. If I like it, I’ll go for it. If it needs to be done, it will be done.
Posted by Mazz on March 6, 2010

I have had a goal since I was about 19, which is to produce a comedy series for the BBC. Whilst most of my life up until this point has been to achieve this goal (5 years down the track now), I would like to set some kind of time goal on top of this goal. So, in ten years time, it would be good to have achieved it. Last year I made the major step of actually getting paid work from a major network here in Australia, so who knows what the next ten years hold. I hope to get over to the UK by the time I’m 28 (in 4 years time). Bring it on.
Posted by Hannah on March 5, 2010

I did actually think about and start my TYSIC on the 4th, but have been unable to post an update until now.

My challenge is to become more self-confident. All of my 18 years of life I’ve been the shy/quiet type. I’ve always felt inferior and thought that people judged me based solely on my appearance. This challenge will bring about a change in my views and like you, also bring more optimism. Every three months I will hope to achieve a new goal which will further my self-confidence. That’s the plan anyway.
Posted by Kate on March 4, 2010

I’ve already posted a vague SIC, but I thought of a proper one today.

I want to be for Historical Linguistics what Brian Cox is for Physics.

It might be ambitious for 10 years, but I’ll give it a go. I think it will involve finishing the PhD, writing a book, getting on some kind of comedy show/podcast. And that is how I plan to achieve my vague previous goal of ‘find a career I love’.
Posted by Georgina H on March 4, 2010

This is a brilliant idea. I would have added something earlier but I’ve been writing an essay, so that had to come first.
So, here goes …

My ten-year resolution is to be happy.

Sounds pretty simple, but I’ve no doubt this is going to be a slog for me. I’ve had a long think about this, and I’ve concluded that if I am a happier person, then all the other things I want to do and achieve in my life (so many of which have already been listed by others on here so it seems silly for me to list them again) will be more likely to happen.

The last 15 years of my life have been filled with things and events I would rather forget, that have made me at times an absolute nightmare to be around; that have made me incredibly angry and sad. Only recently have I begun to undo the damage, and I hope to have achieved this completely by the end of these ten years, and be the happy and fulfilled person I should be.

Reading that back it all sounds a bit dramatic, but it’s true.
I shall be 31 on March 4th, 2020. Let’s see what happens …

(ps, I love that I get this in 1 minute before the ‘deadline’. Honestly)
Posted by James W. on March 3, 2010

Brilliant idea, Mark. In the next 10 years, I’d love to get somewhere with my writing, and ultimately, improve it (Mainly writing for TV & radio) I’d also like to improve my confidence, as I currently have close to none.

Also, if my confidence does increase, I’d love to give stand-up a go, much like many other people participating in the TYSIC. I’m unable to do this until I get the whole ‘confidence’ obstacle out of the way. I’m certain I can do that.

Count me in.
Posted by Kirsty on March 3, 2010

My Goals:

1. Get at least one book that I CHOSE to write MYSELF published (not a commissioned thing like the last failure I had).
2. Find a way to make a living doing something I truely enjoy (1&2 might go hand in hand)
3. Have a normal romantic relationship and perhaps a run-of-the-mill breakup. I don’t care if I’m not with anyone exactly 10 years from now, but I don’t want That Guy to still be my one ex.
Posted by perian on March 3, 2010

This is a fabulous idea, Mark. I’ve been stewing over my challenges for the past week and I think I’ve come up with a couple that are challenging but still possible.

1) Start and keep a blog going for the entire 10 years, and post regularly (ie. a couple times a week.) Writing about what’s going on in my head helps me deal with it much better than worrying about it, and a blog is a logical place to do it — don’t have to worry about losing the book you’re writing in!

2) Visit at least 10 different countries in the next 10 years. I’ve finally reached a point where I have the disposable income to do so, so what’s stopping me? I’ve barely left Canada and never really travelled on my own, which is just sad.

3) Do what makes me happy and stop trying to live up to the expectations of other people and society in general.

Good luck with yours! And thanks for starting the blog, it makes me smile or think hard about something every day.
Posted by Lisa on March 3, 2010

Ok … I’m going to try:

(1) Be more confident (don’t panic about talking to people, or posting on the internet – thus (and this took a lot of time/thinking)

(2) Use this increase in confidence to do more with my life:

(a) Talk to people (without to much panic)

(b) Leave my home more often (outside of work or education)

(c) Take my career in the direction I want it to go and don’t feel compelled to stick with the same job for the rest of my life (due to a combination of fear and gratitude that I have a job at all)
[I like my job but I have other plans/hopes - my real ambition is to work in human rights law - either as a lawyer myself or as a cog in the machine of an NGO]

That’s it – all set for 2020!
Posted by Jenny A on March 3, 2010

I’ve attempted to read through peoples comments, everyone is having such brilliant ideas. I figured I might just have to join in.

I’ve only recently admited to myself I want to do this and have taken a few steps allready but I figure its a good thing to put down here. I am aiming to become a stand up. Or a failed standup that gave it a bloody good go.

SO far I have done two gigs, got a youtube site and managed (im still not quite sure how) to get one of 22 places on a “comedy writing and performance” university degree. I will be starting this in september and it will take up the first 3 years of this 10 year challenge. I wish everyone luck, the prospect of this challenge excites me. Good luck mark, and congrats my dear xx
Posted by Kim on March 3, 2010

Ok, count me in on this venture of yours. I remembered today that I’d decided that I really needed some new socks and that that was 4 weeks ago. It is a sorry state of affairs when life has become so busy that one can’t find the time to buy socks within a month. So my 10 year challenge to myself is to crack this work/life balance thing. I’m working far too hard and living that little bit harder and that’s great, except that I’m exhausted. Within the next 10 years I hope to start a family but that is a ridiculous notion if I continue to live my life at this ferocious pace. My hope is that if you’ll let me ramble here then over time I’ll see patterns and slowly find ways of balancing my thirst for work and life. Other people have busy lives and remain sane so I should be able to learn to balance things too. Or I’ll realise that the work/life balance thing is a myth and stop beating myself up over it.
Posted by Shell on March 3, 2010

I’ve really considered this TYSIC for a few days and I think my overall challenge should be to procrastinate much less (only slight irony intended). I do tackle most things immediately or pretty quickly. However, the things that worry me the most seem to be the things that I will take absolutely to the wire. The trouble is I have tended to get away with it right from my school days: last minute revision, essays, projects and important forms/correspondence wrestled with in the middle of the night. Now whilst I do seem to do some of my best work under pressure (or maybe I’m kidding myself there) I think I’d be less stressed overall if I tried to tackle the worrying things quickly/first so as not to drag out all the worrying. Despite the fact that I can be confident, there is also my social procrastination due to shyness/awkwardness in certain situations, so there is a confidence element to tackle within the same goal. It’s from the same root – the more important or scary something is to me, the more I’ll lack confidence and put it off, even when I know I’ll have to get to it eventually.

So that’s my main overall ten year goal: to fight my procrastination habit and build my confidence. Hopefully, I’ll find that it helps me to be less stressed, nicer to be around and to go for the important things a bit more readily, whilst enjoying the rest of life without that swirling mist of ‘procrastinator’s guilt’: ”This is brilliant! But I really should be…”

To start me off here are two things I’ve put off long enough already:
I’d really like to find a new and rewarding job that I enjoy and where I make proper use of my skills.
I’d like to re-learn to play the piano with confidence and less rigidity than I was taught as a child.

I’ll also set myself further more specific tasks and some smaller goals during the ten years, but I think they will all fit into moving that overall goal along in some way or another.

Good luck to everyone!
Posted by Shameless and not-so-shameless plugging. « The Uneven Bookshelf on March 3, 2010

[...] that, but I’m sure they were thinking it. That evening coincided with Mr Watson starting his Ten Year Self Improvement Challenge (TYSIC). For which I have decided that my goal will be to pursue this stand-up, writing and general [...]
Posted by Sally.E on March 3, 2010

This is a really inspiring idea. I’m always setting myself goals with unrealistic time constraints on them – “Learn how to play the violin by next Tuesday” and so forth. (If you’re interested, I could just about wrestle a scale of hideous noise out of the thing by that Tuesday. I haven’t touched it since.)

So by the time I’m 33…

1) Stop giving up on things so easily. Violin case in point. See also, knitting, learning german, oil painting and yoga. This all stems to increasing positivity and patience – I suffer from the ‘if I’m not instantly good at something, I’m never going to be’ complex. This needs to stop.

2) I write alot but I have a huge confidence barrier stopping me from letting other people read and critique my work. This also stops me from finishing things – I read it over and have one of those ‘This is terrible, why would anyone need to read this? The world would be much better if I just tore this up immediately’ moments. So confidence about writing, less self critique and editing. I actually let a couple of friends read a short story the other week, which I then entered into a short story competition so I’m already making steps with this one. I haven’t written anything since though in the fear that it will jinx the story I sent away. So I’ve a fair way to go.

3) Be more punctual. Simple one. I’m notorious for being very, very late. All of the time.

That’s it. Good luck everyone.
Posted by kaoru on March 3, 2010

This project is a brilliant idea, Mark.
It may be a little bit late, but I’ll join in. I’ll be 29 by this day in 2010. God I just can’t imagine what it’s gonna be like..

My ten-year resolution is to:
Graduate from university
Learn to read in Czech and Russian languages (and hopefully get involved in some translation work!)
Learn to drive
Get a job I enjoy
and the last one, is to be a bit more confident and relaxed in daily life, because it seems I take things too seriously or worse, negatively when compared to other people. I hope I would be just more comfortable with my life in 2010.

Thanks for TYSIC idea, Mark.
Good luck to all participants.
Posted by Steph Batman on March 3, 2010

In ten years time I resolve to have learnt calligraphy and be pretty bloody good at it. I’ve always been fascinated by it for some reason but after some bad leaking experiences with fountain pens at school i decided i’d be crap at it so never tried. What I really want to be doing in ten years is a job that I actually enjoy, but as I don’t really know what that would be I’ll stick with the hobby. Maybe I could be a professional Calligrapher – do they exist these days? that’s something to find out within the next ten years…
Posted by GaloisGhost on March 3, 2010

I’m in I’m going to achieve something I haven’t in 18 years of trying. Ascension in Nethack.
Posted by James Farrimond on March 3, 2010

I want to score and produce Oceans Eleven the Musical. (As well as my other thing)
Posted by Elizabeth on March 3, 2010

I want to be able to blog daily by 2020, as well have more confidence, especially meeting my heroes.
Posted by Schafe on March 3, 2010

I’m in, I want to get published 10 years seems a long enough window to achieve that goal or disregard it completely.
Posted by Anne on March 3, 2010

Sign me up, Watty.
Posted by Weaselspoon on March 3, 2010

I will for the next ten years write and record an album of original work each year, each having twelve tracks, one for every month.

I will in ten years feel that I am a success. I have spent the last ten years feeling like a failure, so I will change that starting now.
Posted by Alex on March 3, 2010

Ok- I’m in.
In ten years (or preferably by tomorrow, but we’ll see how it goes), I want to stop thinking, or at least stop caring, that noone in the world ever gives a shit about anything I say, wants to speak to me, or thinks anything of me in any way.

At the moment it takes me a significant amount of courage to even add someone on Facebook, and I have a complete crippling fear of actually phoning anyone who isn’t expecting me. It’s actually why it’s taken me until now to post this (actually this is doubly scary- it’s assuming people want to know things about me AND making myself vulnerable).

Which is daft.

I guess when it’s put like that it looks like a self-esteem thing which is odd, because I don’t particularly consider myself to have low self-esteem. Hmmm

Anyway. In ten years I’ll be thirty and if I’m still acting like this I’ll be a completely useless adult human, and of no use to anyone. So there we go.
Posted by Helen on March 2, 2010

Oh this is such a good idea.
My list of goals:

1.Be able to go 7 days straight without asking someone ‘can I borrow a pen?’
2.Meet my idols
3.It would be fun to accidentally bump into someone also doing this. so if your in a public place (such as a train) then perhaps loudly announce your doing this challenge and then maybe I’ll be on the train too and, as far as I’m concerned, the whole event would be extraordinarily exciting.
4.Find a husband. (I don’t mean I wish for some twisted treasure hunt where the final prize is some random man who is married.)
5.I’d like to be living in a city such as London.
6.Be in a job I enjoy.
7.Remain living throughout.
8.Find a goal for number 8.
10. Be comfortable with the number between 8 & 10.
(9. Just kidding. Know when to quit.)
11. Be more positive – stop worrying & convincing myself I shall fail.

Thank You Mark and Good Luck to everyone doing this!
Posted by Emily. P on March 2, 2010

1. Figure out what I want to do with my life
2. Obtain a job doing whatever that is
3. Be financially secure enough to foster/adopt a child

4. Learn Latin (I’ve already started so I’m cheating a bit on this one)
5. Go wingsuit flying. This seems like the closest thing to flying without the aid of a machine, but you need something like 200 freefall skydives in 18 months before you can do it. I’ve never even been skydiving before so that will be a challenge!

6. Short-term goal: actually complete the design projects I plan and then do nothing with

Oh and lose weight….and be less apathetic, it’s becoming annoying.
Posted by Jim on March 2, 2010

In 10 years I’ll be 32, wow. Here’s my list:

1. Complete my degree – Its only a few months until Graduation but its essential i nail it to the best of my ability.

2. Learn to Drive – A must and something I’ve been putting off for the last few years.

3. Travel – after Uni i’m taking a year to slog my guts out working so I can afford to go out to see the world. Aus, NZ and the US mostly.

4. Career – Get myself into a decent job where I’m satisfied and I know I can progress.

5. Learn another language – Ive always been taken with the idea of Spanish, time to do something about it.

There endeth my 10 year goals, good luck to everyone getting involved.
Posted by Carey on March 2, 2010

In ten years time I’ll be 32. 32 is my scary age by which time I hope to have husband, house and childerbeasts. These have always been my goals but I do not think are something I can force. So in order to improve myself over the next ten years and increase my chances of getting these things I will:
1. Not freak out after I havn’t seen my haematology consultant for 12 months – I have been discharged, it will be ok.
2. Keep a diary. Not an emotional kind but a describe what you did and ate today kind. Yes there will be ranting in it, it’s a diary and I am human and thus need to rant.
3. Actively persue a career in journalism. (If anyone has tips on how that would be great.)

4. Not allow my boyfriend (current or otherwise) to infect me with their apathy. I can get out of bed and have productive days many times a week!

5. Stop biting my nails and generally take control of my body (lose bit more weight). It will never as small or perfect as I would like it to be but as long as I can accept that fact I will feel better about it.

6. Earn a distinction in my MA and search for a job that I will enjoy while also working on my journalism.

7. Stop being intimidated by people I don’t know and assuming that they are judging me in a negative way. It’s adolescent and silly.

Thank you Mark for creating this opportunity.
Posted by Jo on March 2, 2010

By 4/3/2020 I will be 37. I will have finished reading Dr Zhivargo and Anna Karenina. I will also have been up in a hot air balloon. And have travelled to South America. Perhaps these could all be combined in one magical adventure…

Thanks Mark. Fun idea which I hope you help all of us to continue.
Posted by Georgie on March 2, 2010

Ok.. I’ve been thinking about this for a few days now, and have come up with a few things to start off my list of 10 year self improvements…

1. Finish my degree and get some kind of animal related job that I enjoy
2. Learn to drive
3. Learn how to ride a bike ( I was never taught as a child and have tried to learn several times and failed!)
4. Become more confident/less shy
5. Travel more. Hopefully return to the UK and go to the Edinburgh fest again (..multiple times) and spend time with all my friends over there

That’ll do for now Will add to it if I think of anything.

You’re doing a great job of improving the world, Mark. xx
Posted by Ruth on March 1, 2010

Hello all

Well I’ll be 40 at the end of this challenge. Which makes me feel unbelievably old compared to most of you. And considering I usually get ID’d when buying wine it’s a shocker! What I would say is I’d imagine most of you have under-estimated what you will actually manage in the next ten years, when I look at how far I’ve come no-one is more shocked than me! So in true low self-esteem high-target setting style here are my challenges:

I will become fluent in another language. I made good headway in French & Spanish then stopped. I will unstop & keep practising!
I will run a marathon. My fitness isn’t bad but this is currently a faraway dream. Leading to my next point…
I will live in New York again. My favourite city in the world. Why should I let my lack of visa encroach on my dream? Isn’t this EXACTLY the reason why we have creative imaginations?
I will achieve drama free conscious love. So easy to imagine. So hard to do.
I will actually like myself
I will forgive my family
I will learn the saxaphone
I will move into a career I actually like, as well as being good at
I will stop being scared of writing. I currently fear it isn’t as good as I expect it to be so have stopped my favourite hobby. I will resume this & write my book, even if it’s only used as a doorstop
I will give myself a break!
I will love myself everyday instead of just occasionally
I will paint & draw when I feel like it instead of stopping myself, fearing that the results look like they were created by a small child with special needs – does that matter?!
I will grow my own veg
I’ll make some of my own clothes

I know this sounds like a lot….but ten years is a huge amount of time & we don’t know how much is left…
Look forward to seeing you all at the teddy bear’s picnic xx
Posted by Nicki on March 1, 2010

In 10 years time I will be just shy off my 46th birthday. I had to give up work 5 years ago due to an ongoing medical condition. So goal number 1 is to be healthy enough to do work of some kind. I am going deaf so goal number 2 would be to learn sign language. I have a 12 year old son now so goal number 3 would be to do everything in my power to enable him to be happy.
Posted by Malinari on March 1, 2010

Hehehe what a great idea Mark. Hope you’re enjoying fatherhood……. Have you noticed that the emotion chip has been activated yet?

Sounds weird but it’s true, After having 2 little un’s, I was no longer able to read my favourite book – as it contains the death of a baby, and due to floods of tears I can’t get past that page….. Am I alone in this….? I should point out that previously I’d read the book about a dozen times
Anyhoo, my self improvement target for the next 10 years, right here goes:

In 2020 I will be keeping bees, and reaping a bumper honey crop.
Bees are cool, and really important to our ecosystem, so I figure I’ll bee doing some good for the environment……..
Posted by Rosie F on March 1, 2010

In ten years, I’ll be thirty-one. That makes me feel incredibly young and incredibly old at the same time.

In the intervening years, I’d like to make my goal becoming a working actor in the UK (currently I’m a student in California). It’s been my ultimate plan for a while now, but slapping a date on it will make it “real” in a way it hasn’t really been before. In many ways, it’s a lot of little goals strung together (reach and maintain a healthy/hire-able weight/”look,” finish my degree, join Equity, raise the money to move, et cetera), but I think it strikes the balance between “ambitious” and “attainable” that I need to keep me motivated.

So, there we are: by 4 March, 2020, I will be living in the UK, and will have had at least one paid acting gig there (with the hope of more to come). Bring it on, world.

Thanks so much for thinking of this, Mark. You’ve made me commit to taking this leap, and I can already tell this is leading to great things.
Posted by Darren on March 1, 2010

So i’ve decided to join in with this, I’m fast approaching the end of my university life and it makes sense. Essentially I’m going to strive to just be better, within that I’m talking the big things, achieve a high grade on my Masters, get a decent job and do well in that job, but also just be a nicer person, be happier and less cynical about things all the way down to smaller things, give money to homeless and be more expressive about how I feel, rather than the standard, Fine and OK. Lets see how it goes…
Posted by Cymruangel on March 1, 2010

Oooh what a good idea. I’ve been writing a list of things that I want to achieve in the next year every January for a while, so I suppose I just need to think a little more long term. Ok, 26-36…
Firstly some specifics:
1. Get married and have children – presuming all continues to go well with current chap
2. Learn Spanish – I dance salsa, and sing along with songs with no clue what they mean – this must be rectified.
3. Learn a useful skill – knitting or something else creative tbc
4. Own a brand new car and my own house – I tried to buy a second hand car this weekend and failed dismally as it appears to be dodgy. This makes me a.) rubbish at assessing used cars and b.) determined to have a shiny new one with about 2 miles on the clock one day I’m also fed up of paying rent and determined to grow up and pay a mortgage instead!
5. Travel more – so far I have been to 8 countries (if you count England, Wales & Scotland separately) and should see more.

And secondly an over-arching theme: stop excessively measuring myself against others.
I tend to give up on things that I can’t be good at (e.g. playing musical instruments when my younger sister surpassed me) so I must learn to be more content with my abilities. This means accepting being a small fish in a big pond, and learning to enjoy whatever it is without competition, not beating myself (e.g. calling myself rubbish) for failures but also celebrating successes, however puny.
Posted by James on March 1, 2010

In ten years I will be 30 wich I suppose is at least a nice round number.

My main aim in the intervening years is to learn how to talk to people and function properly in social situations. I currently completely freeze up when talking to anyone I don’t know well and I even struggle with anything more than superficial conversation around close friends.

I would also like to find a talent for something I’ve never had one and would appreciate having something interesting to talk to people about.

Everyone here are strangers so I guess posting this is my first step.
Posted by Andrew P on March 1, 2010

This is just what I need to get my arse in gear, I’m in Mr Watson.

In 10 years I’ll be 32 and by then I would like to be doing something I’m really passionate about. Getting these pesky ideas out of my head would be lovely. Getting over this stupid anxiety and giving something a go regardless of whether I’m going to fail.
Posted by Kathryn on March 1, 2010

I’m glad I’m not the only one freaking out slightly over the concept of ten years; I’ll be 28. My brain can’t handle this.
I can’t picture my life beyond september 2010 at the moment, just thinking about university feels like staring into a big chasm of fear and insecurity and uncertainty. So maybe I’ll try to get over my fear of the unknown over the next ten years.
I would quite like to stop being so obsessive-compulsive and relax a bit more. I also need to work harder in the hope that in the short-term I make it to Cambridge next year. And I’d quite like to be better at piano, although I’m never going to be Tim Minchin.
Goal for March 2010: be fluent in French, be happy, and not to have developed an English accent.
Thanks Mark, this terrified the hell out of me but it’s a really good idea!
Posted by Helen on March 1, 2010

I’ll be 27 by then
Hopefully I’ll have :

*gone to drama school
*got an acting job
*run a marathon
*learnt to play flute
*not failed french A level – highly unlikely
*learnt Japanese (dunno why)
*figure out how to swim

good luck everyone
Posted by Jo on March 1, 2010

So, I’ve taken a few days to mull this one over, discuss with family etc and here are my three goals:

1. Learn to play piano. I am already 41 and cannot play any instruments. My nine-year-old daughter has been learning piano for one year and my goal is to catch up with, then overtake her and stay better than she is for 10 years. The bad news is that she is already quite good (for 9) and is not a quitter.

2. Run a marathon. I am very worried about this one. Oh dear, oh dear. Still, I’ve gone and written it on a blog now, so I’m committed.

3. Save / win / otherwsie acquire enough money for us to go and visit my brother and his family in Melbourne. With our current level of disposable income, I won’t save enough for even me to go in 10 years, let alone husband and 2 kids, so I’m going to have to be inventive.

Bring it on. x
Posted by Kat on March 1, 2010

OK, I have a few things I want to get done by then –

1 – Become fluent in Spanish
2 – Become proficient in one other language
3 – Have read all the books I own (at least the fiction ones, maybe not the dictionaries)
4 – Know a lot about at least one sciencey thing, because I feel all I know anything about is humanities
5 – Be able to play three full songs on some kind of instrument
Posted by Corry Shaw on March 1, 2010

Mid term goal – to read all the unread books on my bookshelf (including the boring ones that I bought when I was pretending I was intelligent)

Long term goal – to convince Mark to do another 24 hour show.
Posted by Rose on March 1, 2010

I’ve written quite an extensive list of things here: http://ihavecake.livejournal.com/582065.html

It pretty much all comes down to two things:
Stop being lazy.
Have more self-esteem.

Thanks Mark.
Posted by Tez on March 1, 2010

It’s taken me a few days to decide whether to participate in this or not… I’m usually more of a lurker than participator – but here goes!

So, in 10 years I’ll be 36.

Ideally I’d like to have found a job which I enjoy, that I havn’t taken simply for the money. Perhaps it will be a lower paying job but at least I won’t want to stick pens in my eyes each day from boredom.

That seems like an easy goal sometimes, but more often than not the lure of money is too strong.
Posted by Mary-Kate on March 1, 2010

I am adding another one to my list which is something it will be slightly easier to give updates on:
6. Finish reading all the books that I currently own. I have a sligth addiction to buying books everytime I’m near a Waterstones and have money. At the moment I own 150 books and have read 89 of them, so I need to get through the rest.
Posted by Amy on March 1, 2010

I am the most hopeful I have ever been at the moment, so this is probably an excellent time to make some plans. I shall be 35 in 2020.

Thing I would like to happen but which I have little control over:
Have bronchiectasis under control, i.e. no more than 2 infections per year and a lung function of 60-70%

Short-term goals:
Own a house
Visit Iceland (the country not the shop)
Learn to drive
Run a 5k

Long-term goals:
Design and build a piece of furniture good enough to use
Adopt some children/a child
Read the top 100 Modern novels (I’ve read about 30 so far)
Run a 10k

Although I won’t be actively trying to change any of my personality traits or anxieties, I do hope to be just as happy, if not happier, and hopefully have a little more confidence. Having said that, after reading through other posts it would seem that there are far more people who share my anxieties than I realised. Perhaps we all assume that everyone else is more confident, more positive and more happy when in fact we’re doing just fine.

Good luck to everybody and thank you Mark for this lovely idea.
Posted by kim on March 1, 2010

hmmm, this is a great incentive, I do like forward planning

In 2020, when I’m 54, I’d like to be able to say;
”I have a healthy relationship with my husband, children and family
am actively helping and giving to the community and people in need
have travelled some of this world (it was 2010 before I left the country for the first time)
am healthy from excercise
have completed the bridge to city marathon/walk
have read more and more books
can play the guitar
can speak Spanish
I understand science and politics
and
see you when I get back from my awesome holiday with everyone from TYSIC, we’re leaving 5 March 2020.”

Thanks for the nudge Mark.
Let’s hope that we are able to deal with whatever life’s circumstances may present to each of us over the next decade with dignity and a sense of achievement and enthusiasm to continue to grow and conquer our personal goals.
I genuinely wish everyone here and your good self good luck in completing this challenge successfully and look forward to following our collective progress here,
kim.
Posted by Kaity on March 1, 2010

My personal challenge comes in the form of a lovely, non-specific Long Term Goal: to be more organised.

Currently (and for as long as I remember) my general chaotic nature leads to untidy rooms, half read books, illegible writing and words that tend not to match up with my thoughts. I am aware of many things I could do to improve in this area. Unfortunately, so far it’s been a case of knowing what to do not being enough to actually make change.

This challenge will end 2 days before my 31st birthday. I look forward to the ride!
Posted by Catherine Bulla Rachide on March 1, 2010

I will be 63 years old in ten years. God that’s depressing. I live in America and just realized lately that I am an Atheist. (Mother would have a coronary if she knew.) I am a divorced mother of 3 grown (or so they think) children. Instead of them leaving home, I packed up and moved away. (I could tell they were never going to move out.) I have recently started working out and have lost my baby weight. (I thought it was time to let go.) I got fired last year from a job I absolutely hated. I receive support from my ex. I mention this because being financially independent has been on my mind ever since I got married many, many years ago. I always wanted my own money, but had no career because I raised the kids (that is actually a career, but not a highly-paid one). I am back in college (again). I am majoring in Spanish. My goal is to be finished before the alimony runs out, start a career that will support me in the manner I’ve always dreamed of, and to live in another country (Europe or South America). This is what I want to do when I grow up. And thank you to Lisa Brunders for giving me the courage to actually participate. Oh, yeah, one other goal: to have
self-esteem that is not dependent on other people’s opinions of me.
Posted by Kate on March 1, 2010

(It having taken me three days to post this tells you everything you need to know about my procrastination….)

I have three challenges for myself and a thought for everybody trying this:
1. Write. Don’t think about doing it, “try” to do it or think about what it would be like if I had done it, just do it. Even if it’s rubbish – at least then I’ll have something to re-write. To be more specific, I want to have one (or preferably more!) scripts actually bought, commissioned or produced by someone by 2020. To actually take it seriously and know I’ve done everything I can realistically do to make that happen, not just written something, talked to one person about it and shrugged my shoulders. So there.
2. Run. For a whole 10K at some point during the next decade, without dying. I’m a total couch potato, which is bad, and I’d like not to be a complete wreck when I’m old. Running’s cheap and given the (awesome) people who run the marathon for the first time every year, it shouldn’t be beyond the bounds of possibility for me to eventually get fit enough for 10K.
3. Sing. Not because I’m any good at it, just because it makes me happy. So I’d like to find some (any) outlet for me to do that, that isn’t my shower.

And a thought for everyone, courtesy of Samuel Beckett: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” I’m assuming I’ll fail in the process of doing this, but I’d like to fail better, then try again.
Posted by Robyn on March 1, 2010

Being 21 is a kind of landmark so i guess there are a couple of things i want to do in the next 10 years…
1. Actually finish my degree with a decent mark and not just scrape through due to procrastination.
2. Properly lose weight and get fit and start taking are of myself rather than spend my life as a lazy student.
3. Live my life the way God wants me to live it – hopefully that will include a decent job, husband, kids, mortage, cat etc but we will see what’s in store!
4. Make sure I still phone my Mum every week because as annoying as she can be sometimes I love her loads and wouldn’t want to lose touch.
Posted by Vekiki on March 1, 2010

Good plan. I’ve never really attempted the whole ’set yourself goals; thing, but it cant hurt, can it?
So, my plan:
In 10 years, I want to work out what I actually want to do with my life career wise, and then start to do it. That’ll involve some experimentation, trying out stuff that appeals… it’ll probrably involve some training or gaining of basic experiance… it’ll involve me getting a job I actually like. Mostly though, it’ll involve me getting off my arse a bit more frequently.
Posted by Zoe on March 1, 2010

At the moment, my main goal is to get into my first choice University and study Stage Management. And then go on to be a Stage Manager, (hopefully or that might be a bit of a waste of three years.)

So, my goals (for the moment at least) are:
1. Get two Bs and a C in August, so I can go to Central.
2. Get my degree.
3. Get a stage management job.
4. Be good at it.

I aim to do other things too, like get a house and start a family, but I feel I need to do this first.
Posted by Mara on March 1, 2010

Great idea.

In the next ten years I would like to:
* Travel. I really haven’t seen enough of the world and I want to widen my horizons. I’d love to look back in 2020 and think about all the amazing places I’ve seen.
* Gain self-confidence. I’m a really quiet, shy person and I need to push myself more to get confident and to not avoid doing a million and one different things. Plus I let people intimidate me far too much which has to stop.
* Find a job I really enjoy. I’m in my first year of my uni degree and I’ve already changed because I realised I wasn’t passionate about what I was studying. I don’t want the same thing to happen with the career that I choose. I have to love whatever I do.
* Read more. I used to read so many books and I’ve just stopped. I have to get back into reading.
Posted by Phil on February 28, 2010

I’m joining in! Because why not?

1. Get a some fiction published. Preferably a novel.
2. Get happy, get fit, and get well.
3. Write something every day (that’ll be the difficult one, but it’ll probably help with the other two).

Good luck, everyone!
Posted by Mary-Kate on February 28, 2010

At 22 I basically need to spend the next ten years becoming an ‘adult’, so my goals are all pretty average:
1. Become more self-confident.
2. Marry and move in with my fiance.
3. Make money from my hobby.
4. Learn to drive.
5. Have a job I actually enjoy, preferably in photography or working in a library.

That took way too much effort to actually write and press submit, so I think confidence is definitely first on my agenda.
Posted by Daniel on February 28, 2010

ok im about to be 20 in about a month so it seems like a good thing to do to improve myself for the next 10 years
i waste a shocking amount of my time (im approaching my 4000th game of minesweeper, I wish I was joking) with things like facebook and watching snog marry avoid so I decided to do something a bit more productive with my time
I want to read more and watch more worthwhile films, I believe that having a large collection of books is always a worthwhile pursuit
I want to learn another language, not sure which yet, but I think you’ve got to give it a shot
I want to go to more gigs, art galleries and museums and spent less time at clubs
I want to see more of the world
I want to be be more outgoing and less held back by social anxiety
There is some much to experience in the world, I guess I just want to make the most of it while im here
Posted by Amy Blencowe on February 28, 2010

Great idea! Here’s hoping we all achieve something awesome!
In the next ten years I want to:

1. The obvious goal- get to the uni I want to go to, get my degree, and get a job I’m happy with.

2. The more difficult one- be more confident. Stop putting myself down, but instead start working on improving the bits of me I don’t like. Learn to love myself.
Posted by James F on February 28, 2010

I think In The Next Ten Years.. Shit I’ll be 27! i wanna record at least 3 albums.
Get some form of work published/ broadcast
Compete as A Professional Dartist.
Maybe Fall In Love.
I think that is all
Posted by Gabi on February 28, 2010

Hello Mark. I would like to join in please.
In the next 10 years I would like to… (bearing in mind I will be 28.. crap.. )
1. Have made a very good go at stand up
2. Get my degree
3. Got a job at the BBC or Chan. 4
4. Watch Star Wars
5. Fall in love
6. Learnt to speak Italian
Posted by Rachel on February 28, 2010

Want to add to my original list:
Try and get to each continent (minus Antartica – I don’t do cold)
Posted by Alice on February 28, 2010

Get a book published. Then get another book published. Then another etc. etc.

Also,

The hardest acrobatic move I could ever do was a full twisting straight front somersault. Last time I did it was 6 years ago. Gave up for no reason other than cowardice. Must perform it one more time before I really am too old to do it.
Posted by Ten Year Self Improvement Challenge « Look Upon My Wonderland on February 28, 2010

[...] Travel, Work) Tags: languages, Mark Watson, music, productivity, resolutions Mark Watson posted this on his blog. I want to take [...]
Posted by Charlotte on February 28, 2010

I’m in!
I think mine will be to get my dream job, teaching in a primary school (or working in some form of childcare). So I guess, for me, that makes the challenge twofold.
First, manage to pass my A levels with some degree of success, survive a University degree and find a job. Second, conquer my phobia of public speaking (or any other situation in which many people’s attention is on me).

Now I have the motivation and incentive, I’d best get to work!
Posted by Emily on February 28, 2010

By March 4th, 2020, I will be 30. By the time that date rolls around, I want to have accomplished these things, some important, and some not so important.

1. Finish my degree. I have a very bad habit of giving up on things that seem too hard. I start my second year tomorrow, so hopefully by 2012 I will have a Bachelor of Arts, and my Dip Ed.

2. A fair few people seem to have chosen this goal, and good for them, but I also would like to have tried stand up comedy. I’ve been told by many people that I should have a go, one of those people being Wil Anderson, so there’s no harm in trying.

3. If by the 4th of March 2020 I am in a job that I hate or do not enjoy doing, I swear I will quit. I don’t really know what I want to do yet, I’m leaning towards politics/teaching/writing. But if it hits the 4th of March 2020 and I am not happy where I am, I will quit on that date. Unless it’s a weekend in which case I will wait until Monday and quit in STYLE.

4. Be happy. Two simple words yet such a massive thing for me to accomplish. I’ve been depressed for years, since I was about 15, and that, obviously, is not good. I’ve recently decided that my goal for this year is to do whatever it takes for me to feel better.

Congratulations on the baby, Mark! I wish you all the best for the next 10 years, and every year after that.
Posted by A big fan on February 28, 2010

I have only one goal in life! that is to be a contestant on We Need Answers, I know I am not famous but should that matter? I’ld also love to have ago at No More Women aswell, am I sad? maybe both are great comical games, obviously thought up by a genius!! well maybe not!
Posted by tom on February 28, 2010

Being 19, it’s the standard uni-related goals…
1) Survive the course (only another 5 years to go)
2) Realise dream of becoming an architect
3) Work for a cool (ideally swiss) firm
4) Build something
5) If that all goes wrong, be doing summat equally exciting
6) Eat more yoghurt
Posted by Anonymous Jones on February 28, 2010

Given that this starts on the 4th March and I have an interview on the 5th, that if successful would see me flit from just working to pay the bills to actually having a career, I’m going to aim to nail the interview and see how I cope with being on the “career ladder”.

I’ll remove anonimity if I’m successful. If not… well I need to keep the current job
Posted by Ben Herring on February 28, 2010

Cool idea dude.

In ten years time I wan to have made a feature film, it doesn’t have to been hugely popular, or even distributed beyond me taking it to festivals, but has to be full length feature.
Posted by Nicola on February 27, 2010

When I was seven we were asked to do a school project on our favourite period from history. I went home and announced that my project was going to be about the ‘History Of The World’. I then cried for three hours when my parents explained to me that even historians couldn’t write the history of the entire world. In the end I went for the Victorians…

Anyway, I have a habit of wanting to bite off more than I can chew, so I think I’m going to set myself little goals every three months in the hope that I keep track of my life and don’t get stuck in a corner somewhere just because I didn’t notice it happening.

So my ‘goals’ for the next couple of months are:

1) Get through my dissertation without dying, killing anyone or completely replacing all of the blood in my body with Red Bull and coffee. And biscuits.

2) Ditto, my dramaturgy project, creative writing portfolio, and essay portfolio.

3) Pull a proper scorpion (I do cheerleading and that’s a cheerleading stretch. It’s not a bizarre perversion) and get photographic proof (mainly for vain facebook profile picture related reasons. Again, not a bizarre perversion.) It’s highly likely this will happen when I slack off from 1 and 2…

4) Try and keep up my blog even after the limericks stop. (That’d make more sense if you were reading it.)

5) Come up with a couple of synonyms for the word ‘goals’ because I think if I do end up having to use just that for the next ten years, it will definitely get on my nerves.
Posted by Lukey on February 27, 2010

I’m 17 years old and have a girlfriend I’ve been with for 2 months, i’d like to marry her within the next 10 years. That is all…
Posted by Jessica on February 27, 2010

This is a great idea! In 10 years I’ll be 35, so hopefully I’ll have my life mostly sorted out by then. I’m starting graduate school in August so a lot of my long-term plans are related to that, but I’ve come up with two goals that should work no matter what else life throws at me.
1) I’ve been trying (albeit not very hard) to learn Spanish for years. I live in an area where the majority of people either speak Spanish or grew up in a Spanish-speaking family, and I feel self-conscious when I constantly mispronounce words – particularly when ordering Mexican food.
2) I’ve moved four times in the last four years, so in the next 10 years I would like to find my dream city and settle down there.
Posted by Lizzie on February 27, 2010

I think this is a really great idea! in 10 years time i’ll be a proper adult which is kinda a scary thought! in that time i’d love to have passed exams/uni and have myself a job and a home.
Smaller things that i want to acheive though are to generally read, write and draw more often instead of procrastinating because i think that overcoming that certain laziness will make me a generally happier person.
Also i want to become a more confident person altogether because right now i usually find it quite difficult and awkward talking to some people and i’d love to be able to be able to hold conversations with them

thanks for offering the motivation for so many people to self improve!
Posted by Jenny on February 27, 2010

Ten years is a hickety-heck of a long time!

I’m saying that because in ten years time I’ll be nearly fourty and that makes me feel a bit sick. I remember ten years ago like it was yesterday….

I think my TYSIC shall be two-fold. First, I am going to learn to maintain eye contact with people on purpose (not in a scary way) and not because they were standing in the way of something that I was gazing at in a daydream. Second, I will write a song and it will be a good song. You’ll like it. And I won’t let it be used in a car advert. Or have the introduction played over and over again on Countryfile so that you can’t bear to listen to it anymore. How old will John Craven be by then, I wonder?

Good luck to everyone else and their challenges, by the way!
Posted by Lisa Brunders on February 27, 2010

Well I hope I’m not the oldest on here. I’ll be 62, in 2020, that’s ancient, 52’s old enough! If I live that long I’ll need the holiday, although I won’t be much fun as I’ll be taking afternoon naps everyday by then – had one today, but being at work prevents me most days!

Anyway I think this is a really great idea, and I want to join the gang, even if I am the oldest.

I’ve already started my journey, but I think this’ll help me keep momentum. And writing it down is a little scary, makes it more real and somehow official.

1. Be positive, banish negativity
2. Stop worry about things, everything really
3. Be more active/lose a little weight
4. Make the most of my parents, hope, but doubt they’ll be alive by 2020
5. Have a loving stable relationship
6. Still be working at the same place
Posted by Sharee on February 27, 2010

Man I am feeling old now! In 10 years time I will be almost 49 (hyperventilates at the prospect), will be coming up to my 20th wedding anniversary and will have an 18 yo and 17yo. If I can survive all that these are my goals…

1: To finally lose the extra 60 odd kgs I have been losing and gaining for the last 20 years

2: To have a proper holiday involving getting on a plane and going somewhere I have never been, Europe would be nice.

3: To remarry my longsuffering hubby in a skinny frock on a beach in Raro (which was my goal for my upcoming 10th anniversary FAIL)

4: To have my mortgage paid off and only have to work 2 days a week.

5: That I have raised my short folk into well adjusted, nice almost grown ups

That’ll do after that I’ll have a wine
Posted by Rachel Winter on February 27, 2010

Usually the thought of committing to anything for 10 years would absolutely terrify me, but I know with you we’re in safe hands, and the project won’t be tedious or worst still abandoned half way through.
From the things you already said so far (and going by the collaborative joiny-inny atmosphere at the 24 hour shows) it sounds like it will be fun.
My main project (and I daresay I’ll come up with other aims soon) is I want to be a writer. There I’ve said it. Though from your blog I’m thinking maybe this isn’t as ludicrous an ambition as I sometimes think.
I’ve already been writing some stuff on and off for a few years, hopefully with the incentive of your 10 year project it could be the rocket I’ve needed.
Posted by deanna on February 27, 2010

A philosophical challenge – improve my self-esteem

A practical challenge – save more money and travel more.
Posted by Jen on February 27, 2010

A lovely idea. And as my birthday is March 4th it seems too perfectly timed to not join in. I have two goals, firstly to just become more brave, to stop turning down oppotunities based on the fear they strike in me, as it gets me no where. My second goal is to read more, a vague notion of a book a month with the the hope that sometimes I will read much much more, and other times I won’t quite make this.
Bring on the next ten years.
Posted by Natalie-Helen on February 27, 2010

I’ve just been reading over these resolutions and begun to hate any one who says that in 10years they will be under 30.
My immediate rection to any one saying they’ll be 27 is “bitch!”

I think I’d like to add two as well

Be able to make my own clothes, furnishings and even furniture.

Grow as many fruit and vegetables as I possibly can, use Tesco (that goes for all supermarkets) as little as possible.
Posted by Helen on February 27, 2010

Like everyone else on here, I really like this idea and would like to join in.
In ten years my 30th birthday will be quickly approaching, and I’d like to be able to think that I’ve achieved some things that I’ll be proud of by then. I have a list of missions….all fairly selfish and self-improvement based, but why not. Maybe if I feel I’ve successfully achieved them a few years early, I might be spurred on to help other people in one way or another. ….Or I might become a professional hermit if I fail – could go either way!
Good luck everyone!!!
Posted by Liz on February 27, 2010

What an amazing idea – I want conventions where we can all meet any the first TYSIC baby can be presented as some kind of messiah child and we shall sway and sing together !!!!!! (have i taken it too far?)

Here’s mine – predictable not funny, but truthful

1. To fall in love and have that love reciprocated
2. To have my own child(ren)

3. (The difficult one) To be content with what i have…

Good Luck Everyone! x
Posted by Louise on February 27, 2010

I’d definitely up for a challenge – it’d be nice to achieve some things in the next 10 years. I just need to work out what I actually want to achieve in that time. I will have to think further on it. Also, I know I’m replying a day late really but that’s not representative of my commitment to the cause!
Posted by sha on February 27, 2010

great idea, in 10 years i will be 38! so here goes
1. like mark i would like to be an optimist, being a glass half empty person is surprisingly tiring.
2. have finally found something i enjoy doing and be doing it
3. seen more of the world
4. be a mum
5. have more faith in myself and generally be more at ease with myself
6. i would also like to be happier, i hope all of the above will help!

fingers crossed!!
Posted by Jamie0S on February 27, 2010

I’m thinking about it. (That isn’t my resolution). I’ll get back to you.
Posted by Katie on February 27, 2010

I am very good at setting goals and not so good at achieving them. I really hope collective positivity can help me write the children’s book I feel I have in my brain, even if it’s never published I want to write stories that my own children will enjoy over the next ten years.

And frankly I resolve to be more damn cheerful overall. If I cant just get some more sleep…
Posted by James Farrimond on February 27, 2010

I would like to meet Ten people who have inspired me most in my life so far. To make it more doable (Challenge like) I’ll set up a points system e.g. 5 points if I meet them briefly, 10 if I have a conversation with them, and 20 if I spend more than fifteen minutes talking to them. I need to work on the actual list of people, but there are a few people I know I could probably learn a lot from talking to. The point thing is also good if I were to die in the middle of the challenge…(Ideally, that won’t happen.)
Posted by Meg on February 27, 2010

Ooh, there’s a lot of comments here… adding my own anyways:

Serious goals:
Get my bachelor’s degree, get master’s degree(s), maybe a phd if I like linguistics enough, live somewhere other than Massachusetts for at least a year, live somewhere other than the US for any amount of time, don’t restrict myself from anything because of practical reasons like money.

Not so serious goals:
Learn Esperanto, and Elvish, and Welsh? And one modern language that’s actually useful. Learn to play more musical instruments. Learn how to interact with the opposite gender (this will probably have to happen when I don’t go to an all-girl’s school).
Posted by Kai on February 27, 2010

I have many, most of which are technically far more important within my own life than the one I’m choosing to share, but this is something that I hope I never lose the will to keep fighting for.

Last October my Aunt died of Necrotizing Fasciitis (a flesh-eating virus) and she really shouldn’t have when she’d seen the doctor twice in perfectly adequate time for them to have treated it.

Since then I’ve been trying to do something about raising awareness of the disease. Everything she had to endure has damaged my family a lot and it seems unfair for anyone else to have to watch someone they love in so much pain.

Here’s to spreading the word and, hopefully, forcing Doctors to pay some attention when the symptoms are presented to them!
Posted by Alice on February 27, 2010

My goal is to get a job to do with music that I enjoy. That way this degree will at least be worth something.
Posted by Sarah on February 27, 2010

Congrats on your new baby!

Now for my own challenge. I’d like to be less cynical,and with this be a better person to my friends and family. I’d like to stop talking behind peoples backs just because their actions are stupid in my opinion. It will probably take 10 years to fix the past 20 ones of snide comments and broken friendships.
Posted by Will on February 27, 2010

Mark, I once gave you a chip in The Glee Club in Cardiff. I feel it’s important that you remember this.

I resolve, that in ten years, I will have written a full play and got it performed in a fairly official capacity (i.e. not just with my friends, in the park one day, after the frisbees been stolen by a dog).
Posted by Toni on February 27, 2010

Wow, just realised I may be the oldest person doing this, by a “bit”…. anyhow onwards and upwards and lets not dwell on that!!! In ten years time I will be 21 plus some and then some…..

My ten year plan has five things:
1. Run three marathons (Dublin, London, San Francisco)
2. Get a tattoo (I’m a bit conservative at the mo’ so its time to rebel!)
3. See a Shakespeare play in the Globe Theatre
4. Build a skyscraper
5. Study at Havard Business School

There you have it, nothing too stressful…..
Posted by Lizzie on February 27, 2010

So maybe this will all go horribly wrong but it sounds like such a lovely idea… oh sod it. In ten years I want to be working in media; writing ideally, say for scripted programmes. Well, that’s if “Aunty” survives long enough.
Posted by Nadine on February 27, 2010

Well, in 10 years time I’ll be 36, so here goes…

1) I’ll hopefully be a qualified midwife (am in training now) and will still be enjoying working in that area of healthcare!

2) I want to be more self-confident and be less afraid of confrontations.

3) I wish to fall in love again (had heart broken by ex-fiancé last year) with someone who truely appreciates me and everything I do for him.

4) Following on from falling in love, I hope to have at least one baby by the time I’m 36…..this of course depends on a suitable candidate from number 3 in my list.

5) At some point I wish to travel the world, perhaps working as a midwife in Australia/New Zealand where I can visit family and friends at the same time.

I think those are a few good things to start with….this is really making me think about what I want out of life, very deep! Thanks Mark!!
Posted by Holly on February 27, 2010

I ten years time, I’ll only be 10 months away from where Mark is now. The idea of being 30 terrifies me. 30 is a grown-up number.

But, in 10 years time, I would like to be less scared.

As part of this:
1. Travel more, and live abroad for a while (which I may have done this time next year, fingers crossed) – it’s all about the challenges.
2. Get a really good classification for my English degree – at least a 2:1, hopefully a 1st.
3. Have a proper adult relationship.
4. Find a job that I love.
5. Worry less.
6. Be less of a perfectionist.
7. Be more spontaneous.

I also hope this happens to me: “The people who were more confident and successful than you at school, and even at university, tend to have peaked already. You’ll meet them at 28 and it will be obvious immediately, to both of you, that you are now winning. This never stops being great.”

It’s an amazingly lovely idea Mark. Thank you.
Posted by Kate (@ClariSaxy) on February 27, 2010

I’d like to manage the whole finding love thing, but I’m realistic and figure I’m set for singledom. So, instead I’ll try for something achievable. I want to eat proper meals and put on a few lbs in the process. Living alone should not mean I eat rubbish meals. To achieve this, I’m going to need to start eating other foods or find new recipes for the limited range of food stuffs I will actually eat. I’m going to need to stop being lazy and not expect food to appear in front of me in 5 minutes.
Here’s to a better, more varied and interesting diet.
Posted by Daniel on February 27, 2010

Great to see you continuing to use your powers for good rather than evil.
For want of a better phrase, I’m going to get stuff done. Never again will I look back on a day and realise that I accomplished nothing
Posted by Rachael on February 27, 2010

When you said that you were doing a blog for 10 years I told my friend that I would comment on every one of these blogs, so that’s one.
I also want to own 3 goats, which I plan to name Tilly, Tom and Tiny.
I’d quite like it if someone wrote a song about me too.
Posted by Simone on February 27, 2010

I’ve always wanted to read more.

I am proposing to read a month and write a short blog about each one.
Posted by Henry on February 27, 2010

In 10 years i’ll be 30. Which is terrifying. I am however about to enter a pretty crucial period of my life. I finish my degree in 3 months. I turn 21 in August. . Then i’m moving back to London and working out what i’m going to do for the rest of my life. So I think i’m going to start a blog and chronice my little existence. I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and i’d like to start writing something which isn’t annoyingly academic. I probably won’t keep it up for 10 years, but it’s worth a shot!

Also, re-learn the piano.
Posted by Lewis on February 27, 2010

Excited to be joining this collective, even with Danny Wallace no where in sight Such a good idea and really nice.

My ambitions for the next ten years:

- Spend a few years living / working abroad (Australia is top of the list)
- Visit various countries in Asia: India, Thailand, Taiwan
- Become a project manager (and get paid for it)
- Finish my band’s album
- Get married – I’ve been engaged to my wonderful girlfriend for about 18 months but we’ve not found the momentum or the money to tie the knot

Congratulations on the new baby too btw!
Posted by Suz on February 27, 2010

Yes, I will play.

I have lots, but I’m going to go for Be Healthy. That sounds more like a crappy NY’s resolution, but I mean healthy in every respect. I want to be fit enough to run a marathon by 2020 (hahaha ahaa ha ah no) and a bit more healthy in the brain. I’m an enormous, enormous worrier; by 2020 I want to be ZEN.

(Also want to have written something proper & be able to speak several languages, but that one ^ is the most important.)
Posted by Ben G on February 27, 2010

I’d love to do something constructive/cool/lame like learn to play the guitar and be able to play Radiohead’s OK Computer from start to finish. And cut down on the computer games and stop focussing on Arsenal (as frustrating as it is!)
Posted by Emmy on February 27, 2010

In 10 years time I will be… 29. Ok, here goes:

1. I want to do something with my life and be happy. I don’t want to do something big or impressive, just something that would make me want to get up in the morning.

2. Building on that thought, I can’t accomplish than unless I break out of my comfort zone. So I will! I want to put myself out there in some way, whether it be writing, acting, stand-up, what have you. It doesn’t matter whether people listen, just that I have done it.

3. This one is the most important one to me. I want to find someone whom I love and who loves me back. This one is also the hardest goal to accomplish. Isn’t this what everyone is looking for? And they say you never find love when you are looking for it. But I will try. I’ve been without love for too long.

Great idea. Thank you. To 2020, onwards and upwards!
Posted by Clare on February 26, 2010

In ten years time I will be fluent in 5 languages.
Current status – fluent in one, conversational in another, can cope on holiday in another two. So, some way to go then…….
Posted by Kate on February 26, 2010

Wow, this is quite a challenge you’ve set here! In 10 years time I will be 25. My self-improvement challenge is to perform in a play in the west end by that time. I know, it’s unlikley to ever be completed but I have decided to find my inner optimism, and the whole point of a challenge is that it’s a challenge… So wish me luck
Posted by louise on February 26, 2010

In 10 years, I’ll be 25. That’s a really scary thought

But anyway, in the next 10 years, I’d like to:
1) Watch more films and read more books. At the minute, the only thing I read properly is Heat magazine.
2) Travel outside of Europe! I’ve never been further than Spain, and I’d love to live in Australia for a year at some point in the next decade (money depending)
3) Go to more gigs and see more live comedy.
4) End up doing something I enjoy career wise (maybe biology-y related), and not let myself be pressured into doing anything else by my parents.
5) Be more outgoing around people I don’t know, and not rely on alcohol to make me more confident at parties.
6) Get better at piano, viola and/or guitar.
6) Be more optimistic!
Posted by Laura on February 26, 2010

Having toyed with the idea of achieving something more practical, I, too, have settled for self-improvement. In the next 10 years I am going to attempt not judging people on a whim and not developing irrational hatred of people based on appearance/fame/poor grammar. My hatred shall be rational from now on!

Oh, and not thinking horrible things when I look at photos of myself.

In the meantime, ‘benevolent dictator in the making’ is going to be my mantra (and Facebook status – it makes a nice change from some drivel about Toy Story 3).
Posted by John on February 26, 2010

Conveniently enough, the day Kit was born I wrote my first article-intended-for-publication.

Yesterday it was accepted by a semi-proper paper

In ten years I’ll be 30, and I want to be making my career from writing. Let’s see what happens! Great idea, Mark.
Posted by Seamus on February 26, 2010

In 10 years time I will have formed a band, recorded an album and played to a venue of more than 500. There. Now if I don’t achieve it, I will be a liar, and I don’t want that to happen. I’ve been working on starting a band for a while, but up until now I have had no success, due to geographical limitations. If all goes to plan, I’ll be heading to Edinburgh to study music and maths/physics in a year or so, so hopefully the change of setting will help with my goal. So this is definetly a long term goal, as I will struggle to get started before 2011. If I do manage it, I will make sure to put a credit to you in the album somewhere. That is, assuming music still comes as albums by then…
Posted by Iona on February 26, 2010

This is a really good idea. In 10 years time I’ll be 26, so all grown up!
My goals by then are:
1) Fall in love. I don’t mean get married and have kids by then, just have fallen in love
2) Decide on a career plan. At the moment I can’t even decide on a university course so it will probably take me a good 10 years to decide on a career I like.
3) Finish a novel. I don’t think it’ll ever be published but I’d like to have written a finished novel and pass it down to my children if they’re at all interested!
4) Read all of Jane Austen’s books. I love her books because I love imagining going round in a dress and living in a mansion. But recently I haven’t been reading as much because of ridiculous amounts of schoolwork so I would like to read more in general.
5) Be able to sing in tune. At the moment when I sing people think a cat is being strangled so I would love to improve that.

Can’t wait to check back in 10 years and see how much of this has actually happend!
Posted by Elizabeth on February 26, 2010

All right, I’m in. In ten years time my goal is to have at least two plays produced by theater companies that are not headed up by friends of mine trying to encourage me. I would like to be slightly known as a playwright, not “household name” famous–cause that’s an insane goal for a playwright–but perhaps “ten minute profile on public radio” famous. (NPR in the states is a bit like Radio 4 in England)
Posted by Steph on February 26, 2010

Like a lot of people here it seems, I’ll be 27 in a decade. Unlike most of those people, I know what career I want. Goal number one is that in ten years time, I will be a really good doctor (and have chosen a speciality). Of course, first I need to get a place at medical school, and get through the degree.

That’s another goal: to cope with becoming independent and living away from home. Although that will be happening pretty soon whether I’m ready for it or not.

Finally, want to be more outgoing too. I’m sick of being too scared to phone someone, or go and talk to someone who seems nice.
Posted by MrMatt on February 26, 2010

Count me in! Something like this may help me stick to aims.

Well, in ten years time, I will be in my early thirties. Which is in itself a scary enough thought. Thoughts of mortality aside I have numerous aims:
They are, in no particular order of preference (that way they are all treated the same).

1) Learn to drive. I’ve had my provisional license for a while now and all it has been used for is I.D. It’s about time I learned to drive.

2) Become a published author. I’ve always wanted to see my name in print on a bookshelf.

3) Obtain a Masters degree in a museum related topic and do better at it than I did with my actual degree. Perhaps being older will bring some form of work ethic back.

4) Secure a permanent full time job: This will help with aim 1 in particular.
Posted by Ben on February 26, 2010

Mr Watson, i am IN!

it’s been said a few times already, but my goal is to get a novel published.

so my monthly updates will be really interesting… “started Chapter 2 at the beginning of the month. Saw something shiny, and stared at it for a while. Will write chapter next month.”

i’m 22 now, so that will be by 32. the age George Orwell was when he first got published. Relevant and intereting fact, there.
Posted by lizziepalmer on February 26, 2010

great idea! it’s quite difficult to think of something that would take me ten years to achieve, apart from living till i’m 27.
i think mine is to find a career. i’m only 17 and have no idea what i want to do with my life, and i think it will take ten years to find out.
i’d also like to be married by then.
and i would like to go to Japan and wow the natives with my basic gcse level japanese.
and i’d also like to meet Stephen Fry.
Posted by Corey on February 26, 2010

What a good idea!, and what great things people want to do. I can totally understand, i’ve been on about doing this and that for what seems like forever, so I will join in although I’ve kind of started already. I too fancy trying stand up, writing comedy etc and intend on doing something about it this year, i’d love to have something published to leave as a symbol of creation, but I’ve always been intent on making some kind of album as well……..have always put it off…..until now.

Good luck to all
Posted by Louise on February 26, 2010

In 10 years time I will be 32 so I want:

1) Finish my degree with at least a 2:1.
2) Learn to drive.
3) Gain more self confidence.
4) Visit Tokyo and Rome.
5) Stop being so nervous around boys.
Posted by jimtheschoolgirl on February 26, 2010

i intend to travel the length of the trans-siberian railroad, and co-write/record/produce an album in the same space of time.

now that i’ve said it, someone is bound to steal the idea. but our music will be better.

oh, and emenstradies on the child!
Posted by Magnificent Josh on February 26, 2010

In 10 years time I will be considering turning 28, I cannot conceive what my life will possibly be at this point, it’s like thinking about planets orbiting stars you cannot see. However, I would really like for it to be awesome. Not just a good job, good this, good that, I mean actually awesome in some way/ways.

To this end I decree in 10 years I shall have started giving a damn and try for the things I want.
Posted by Olga on February 26, 2010

For those who don’t have enough time to read the whole post this is a brief summary of my goals! :

1. stop procrastinating
2. stop getting annoyed at small things
3. find a job I enjoy
4. get 5 As at Higher level by the end of this year.

How thoughtful am I!
So yeh, I’m going to join in as well, since knowing that all these people are setting goals for themselves, and achieving them, will motivate me more to achive mine!

Well for starters, in 10 years time i will be 27, scary times.

My short term goal will be to stop procrastinating! I keep leaving everything till the last minute and it’s never good and i feel I will not be able to reach my full potential if I don’t do something about it.

My other goal is to stop getting annoyed at little things. Stress is not good!

My long term goal would be to find a job that I enjoy. I want to either be a physics teacher or a rock star haha I’d probably prefer the last one as I’m not a big fan of screaming, running, cheeky kids..

And finally my last goal is to get 5 As in my Higher exams this year. And I will start working towards it tonight by doing my homework! Wish me luck!
Posted by Dan Newman on February 26, 2010

I really didn’t put “Use my first smiley face symbol” on my list. Darn, that acheivment might have mitigated for my feeling a bit dumbed down.

THEY stole my 8.
Posted by Emily on February 26, 2010

I have two aims for the next ten years:

1) To become a published fiction writer. I’m already working on one of many novel ideas I have & not only want to finish them all for my own personal achievement but would also love to be a published writer.

2) To become a mother & have the big family I have always wanted. And hopefully number 1 will provide a great life for them & my family & give them opportunities many never have.

This is a great idea & I will definitely be keeping up my end of the deal!
Posted by Jenny on February 26, 2010

Right, well in 10 years I’ll be 26, and I intend to…
Have passed A-levels and got in to uni
Tried my hand at stand up (like a lot of people here actually, and even though I’ll be rubbish)
Have written something worth reading
Have started an actual proper blog, also worth reading
And possibly marry David Mitchell, although I think that last one will be by far the most improbable, so I’ll settle for developing some form of love life…
Oh, and to have worked in the Dungeons at some point (not some dodgy sexy dungeons thing, just like the ones in York where they all dress as centurians)

Thats quite a lot actually :/ This is a great idea by the way, quite encouraging! and congrats on the whole baby business
Posted by Dan Newman on February 26, 2010

Ten years…ten goals, I think.

Some easily obtainable, others a little more obtuse, but all notions that have been floating around my head these last couple of weeks after a bit of a health scare.

Pick of the Pops:

1) Propose to and marry (might as well go the whole hog-she’d love being described like that) my girlfriend;
2) Complete my PhD AND make the thesis something I’m proud of;
3) Tell my parents and grandparents that I love them. Because I do;
4) Record 1,000 songs in the decade (and stick them up on my blog);
5) Learn to write poetry properly, so that I enjoy what I produce;
6) Be able to speak Welsh fluently;
7) Keep up with drawing cartoon animals, it makes me smile;
Play (simple versions of) my favourite Mozart pieces on the piano;
9) Stop catastrophising and dwelling for the negatives of everything, and;
10) Learn not to care about the panic disorder that, at the moment, is crippling my life.

The two important ones are at the begining and the end. If I get those two things sorted, anything else would be a bonus.

Great idea, this. See you all in 2020 for the wrap party.
Posted by Georgina on February 26, 2010

PS. not sell my OWN underwear what I wear, make stuff and then sell it on. Obviously.
Posted by Georgina on February 26, 2010

I’ve been doing plans like this for a while now and abandoning them, or them not working out, so I think this is a really good opportunity to actually stick to my goals for once. I’ll be 27 in ten years, so I guess it would be good to:

1. Succeed academically (not getting kicked off my courses would be a winner)
2. Find the right person, instead of dating around and getting picky/indecisive.
3. Design, make and sell my own underwear. (IMPORTANT.)
4. Be featured in FRONT magazine in some shape, way or form.

Oh and ps, actually travel in my gap year. I can see myself only journeying as far as the nearest MacDonalds in that year and it’s quite upsetting.
Posted by Emma on February 26, 2010

In ten years time I will be fast approaching the age of 32.

By this time I want to have found the love of my life and be married to him.

I hope you can help me Mark
Posted by Emma on February 26, 2010

Wow, it’s my birthday on March 4th, I shall turn 16. This means I have to do this, just because.

Right so 10 years next thursday I’ll be turning 26. By then I want to:
Live in London.
Be a music/comedy journalist,
Still be writing my blog.
Have written a novel.
Stop being a misanthropist.
Have met Tim Minchin (I’ve ALMOST met him about 5 times and it’s starting to annoy me xD)

I WILL DO IT, Mr Watson.
Posted by Al Kennedy on February 26, 2010

And by “first to” I of course mean “first two”. Clearly, words are my tool.
Posted by Al Kennedy on February 26, 2010

I’ve been having a good think about this, and I’ve decided that there are at least three things I want to do. I am likely to try to do the first two at the same time, or at least work towards them both at the same time, and introduce the third as and when the first to properly get a head of steam up.

1) Be a writer. I’ve probably written half a million words of fiction, poetry and journalism (mostly the latter) in the past ten years and been paid for zero of them. I’ve been commissioned to write a non-fiction book that is proving to be ridiculously hard-going and is taking up an immense amount of my life. I live in perpetual fear that I’ll just let it slide and slide and eventually drop. I have to finish at least this one book, and I have to be paid for it – that’s my first goal. If I accomplish this, the next goal will be having a work of fiction published.

2) I am sick of being 5′7″ and 190lbs. I will be slimmer.

3) I want to play the guitar. If not the guitar, then at least the uke. If I accomplish this, the next goal will be starting a band.

I’m looking forward to this.
Posted by fi milligan on February 26, 2010

YES.
IN.

THINGS:

1. Finish website. I’ve olny had it for 18 months……
2. Run marathon. Have always wanted to do this. Have never actually done ANYTHING about it. Have not been running since 1985 (school running club, and only then because of of a boy I fancied. and not even that much). i was RUBBISH at it then. any attempts since have been quickly abandoned due to a) being surrounded by much fitter people on the meadows making it look easy and therefore lying to me b) needing to wear two bras before quickly realising three would have been a better idea c)not enjoying at all the shin splints/sweating/disdainful looks of aforementioned other runners. a ten year lead in should give me just enough time.
3. Raised the boy right. He’ll be 11 by then…..

Enough to be going on with. Hurrah!
Posted by Madi on February 26, 2010

I am a week short of 17. I was diagnosed with cancer aged 12 and given 5 years to live. My goal for 2020 is to still be around and kicking. I’ve so many things still to do, and I’m not leaving till I’ve done them all. Anyone got 10 years I can borrow?
Posted by Steph on February 26, 2010

I am currently 17 years old. I’m going to university later in the year (providing I get my grades) and so that’s a pretty big step up for me. What do I want to achieve before I’m 27?

I’m not going to say “get a degree” and all that shiz but how about this: I want to be a self-sufficient person, live on my own and learn how to pay bills and the rest of that “grown-up” stuff.

Oh and I also want to be able to appreciate Hazel Irvine. At the moment it’s pretty grim, I genuinely dislike her. I’m going to try and look at the bright side so that I can actually say I like her. Help me Mark?
17>27
Posted by Laurs on February 26, 2010

In ten years time I will be 36 – which is an age that I never thought I would get to…

I have loads of things I would like to do, but I suppose, if I had to narrow it down, in the next ten years I would like to have achieved the following:

1. To have stopped talking about it and actually become a wedding planner.

2. To run a marathon – which doesn’t sound too challenging, but as an overweight, more often than not bone idle git – this idea currently terrifies me. But I will do this.

Fabulous idea Mark, love it. I need a challenge to do things, and what better way than to announce it to readers of a blog.

Love it!
Posted by Danny on February 26, 2010

This is a great idea, liek a new years resolution but 10 times longer to slack off!

My goal: create an artistic computer game which affects people emotionally and intellectually, is aesthetically pleasing and is fun too!
Posted by Emilee on February 26, 2010

Thinking where I’m going to be in ten years, at the ripe old age of 34, puts the fear of God into me. I’ve never been one for five year plans – my life has seemed to be mapped out up to this point: school, university, post-grad, travelling. Now, as I stand teetering on the edge of “real life” and the job market, there’s no map left.
So…

Plan number 1: Get a job doing something I love. The dream is TV production (like quite a few people on here…)

Plan number 2: Learn as many languages as possible. As it stands, I speak 2. Including English. Not too bad, but not too good either. Voglio imparare l’italiano! Looking up how to say that was the first step.

Plan number 3: Do something mental that I never thought I could ever do in a million years. This is going to require some thought.
Posted by Hannah on February 26, 2010

In ten years time I would like to have achieved a few things, but mainly:

- become fluent in another language

- learn to play the piano and, hopefully, sing.

- have more confidence

Ten years should be perfectly adequate.
Posted by Em on February 26, 2010

Well, having spent most of the past 10 years challenging myself to get the perfect job- a challenge you actually tried to help with last year by encouraging 400 people in High Wycombe to employ ‘pint of wine girl’ (thanks for that- I can now tick that one off the list, and come up with a new goal- right.
1. Stop talking about an MA & a PHD and actually go and get them
2. Finish at least one of the half-written novels gathering dust on my laptop
3. Take up playing the drums to annoy my upstairs neighbour who constantly plays the guitar
Posted by Anna Lowman on February 26, 2010

Another wonderful, life-affirming idea from Mr Mark Watson.

I’m 24, so will be 34 when this all comes to an end, and that’s the ten years during which you’re meant to get Stuff Sorted. But I think to set yourself huge goals for your work and family life is slightly perilous. Or, to set myself those sort of goals might be in any case. When I finished uni, I headed straight into a pretty horrible anxious period, and while the causes of that are as yet undetermined and probably myriad, I think it certainly involved the fact that – after 16 years in education knowing exactly what was expected, what I was doing and that I was pretty good at it – I suddenly didn’t know what I was meant to do with myself.

So. I’m going for two things that aren’t huge, but will make me happy, and a more rounded person, I reckon.

First up, I need to get back into reading. (Challenging, I know). As I spend so much consuming visual culture (telly, theatre, comedy) for review and my own entertainment, evenings quickly get swallowed up, and my commute is too short and sardine-ish to allow me to read on the tube. And I’ve just got out of the habit, which is shameful. Who wants to be the sort of person – and an English graduate no less – who doesn’t read much? Not me. So, if there’s some way of charting our challenges on here, I’ll write little reviews of what I read so ya’ll know I’m on top of it.

Then there’s going to live sport. I’m such an armchair sports fan – tennis, football, ice dance, golf, snooker, curling; I will watch, and generally enjoy, pretty much any sport. But, apart from Wimbledon with the lovely Simone last summer, I can’t think of a simple moment of professional sport that I’ve seen live… and that’s such a crime. I want to go to the Ashes with my Dad, watch some basketball with my big bro and take in, well, the entire London Olympics with my mum. Those things will make me very happy indeed, and again I’ll report back.

Oh, and I’ll watch Back To The Future II on the day it’s set, like Dunc says, obviously. That’s genius.
Posted by madnad on February 26, 2010

I have been promising myself that I will learn Welsh. I even downloaded all the lessons and put them on my iPod. I did nothing with them after the first lesson. *hangs head in shame*
I then told all my friends, thinking that there constant ‘oh how are you doing with that learning Welsh thing’ would spur me on, but I am sad to say my friends appear to be as apathetic about my self-improvement as I have of late.
But that will change – because now I have announced this on t’internet. So I will join you & your followers in this TYSIC.
Posted by Laura on February 26, 2010

This is a good idea! Here are my goals:

1. Get my Masters Degree

2. Learn to drive

3. Be published, not sure with what…an illustrated book would be nice!
Posted by Simon Wilkinson on February 26, 2010

One of my plans for this year at least, was to write and record an instrumental album.
Posted by Richie on February 26, 2010

I have written a fair amount of comedy material, and in the next ten years i would like to muster up even the slightest amout of confidence to go up on stage and perform some of it!
Posted by Olanoo on February 26, 2010

I hope to have started my own business within the next couple of years.
Would love to have opened a Deli/Tea Room somewhere.
I might even by the end of the decade be considering using my Neuroscience Msc to make the world a better place by doing a Phd and fixing people with epilepsy.
Also if I get a Phd my mom said she’d buy me a Llama, and then I could rename my deli, ‘The Deli Llama’.

These are but mere dreams. For now I will continue with my studying and get back to the essays/presentations I should be working on.

Take everyday as it comes, enjoy the sunshine and dance in the rain. (Just be sure to dry off properly or else you’ll catch a cold).
Posted by Lauren on February 26, 2010

In 10 years i’ll be 26. I did my first ever comedy gig about a week ago, in 10 years time i want to have a job thats just as creative, exciting, arty and makes me want to get out of bed in the morning!! As part of this, i want a degree in art:]
Posted by rachel on February 26, 2010

this sounds like a good plan.
i have a few things to achieve before i turn 31 –
1. graduate, find a job, and do good things. teach people to walk again, maybe even save a few lives.
2. to lose my fear of parking next to bloody pillars in multi-storey car-parks (i had a bad experience in a tesco once)
3. to care less about what others think. i’d like to be able to do and say whatever i want, without wondering what other people’s views of me are. i don’t think i’m an awful person, so why should i panic that strangers might think i am?
that’ll do, i think. good luck y’all.
Posted by Dean on February 26, 2010

In 10 years time, I would like have got a job in the media industry and ideally have been working in it for a number of years. (In other words, I’d like to get into the media industry ASAP and then continue working in it). Mark, help?
Posted by Cheaps on February 26, 2010

I’m going to keep this short and simple. My aim is to write a song that will be picked up for use on a national TV ad campaign. I intend to do this by writing several generic specific songs. “ooooh tastes good” “its the best way to clean your shirt, it gets out lots of dirt”.

This is largely due to the fact that three times now, count them, THREE, i have been asked if one or other of my songs can be used on the telly only to fall at the final hurdle because my lyrics “didn’t fit”. I found this quite annoying as i didnt ask to be on the adverts anyway.

So im going to reverse it. I’ll start with a advert friendly song and push it on them. 10 years should just be enough.
Posted by Seb on February 26, 2010

Great idea, and some great SIC’s (I hope I’ve coined that acronym so now Self Improvement Challenges are called SIC’s), so let me buck the trend and give you my very small and stupid yet crucial SIC’s.

- Lose some weight. Not hard for most granted, but when you turn to food when thing’s go wrong or you’re feeling down, it’s not the best. This brings me on to…
- Find something to replace food as my comfort. Preferably something productive, like, let’s say productivity.
- Launch my own radio station. I’ve been at the cusp a couple of times but always chickened out or lots motivation (probably to go eat) so this must be done!

There.
Posted by Jamie Cutteridge on February 26, 2010

I’d like to get married and run a marathon
Not necessarily at the same time
Posted by Anna on February 26, 2010

My goal, silly as it sounds, is to learn to make and decorate cakes, with a view to setting up my own business. I’ve been thinking about this for a while- well, since I became a full time stay at home mum, and realised that not having an income of your own is a bit rubbish.
I’m reasonably creative (what I lack in talent I make up for in enthusiasm), I like cake, and it’s something I can do from home.
As extra motivation to succeed- Mark, I promise that, if you want, I will make Baby Watson’s first birthday cake for you. So that gives me, what, 363 days to become proficient? I can do that!

My other target is to have more babies, despite the fact the first one is now 10 months and still won’t sleep through the night….

Oh, to Emma, who posted earlier-Definitely do the Nepal trek, I did one a few years ago and it was fantastic!
Posted by Liam Francis on February 26, 2010

Missed a couple of words out there. I hope *to live* in a foreign country for at least one of the next ten years.
Posted by Liam Francis on February 26, 2010

Great idea and I’ve already got three goals ready to go. I’ve been wanting to write and publish a webcomic for some time now and this project is good motivation to get started on it. I’d also like to qualify as a teacher at some point. Finally, I hope in a foreign country for at least one of the next ten years.
Posted by Ana on February 26, 2010

In ten years times I’ll be 35… Between then and now I’d like to learn to trust my boyfriend. Actually, I’d quite like to do that before ten years time, but I figure it’ll give me a bit of leeway.
Posted by Rachel on February 26, 2010

This is a great idea, I can actually think about where I want to be when I’m 28.

My main one is just to have more confidence, I constantly worry about every little thing, so under this one I want to:
- Be able to talk to people.
- Be more decisive.
- Be able to talk on the phone.
- Be able to go on stage and do more comedy.
- Don’t be scared about failing.

I also want to be happy, at the moment the littlest thing will set me off into depression and it’ll stay with me for a few days where I won’t have any enjoyment in anything I do. So basically I won’t let little set backs effect me too much.

I also want to finish my degree and get into UCL for postgrad so I can move back to London, therefore, next year I need to actually do work and not sleep through deadlines.
Posted by Louise on February 26, 2010

Thanks to Crap at the Environment I still grow veg on my window boxes and am planning tomatoes this year. So that’s 7 other people that do tiny little things
Posted by Megan on February 26, 2010

Finding it oddly hilarious how many are expressing amazement? worry? that in ten years they’ll be nearly 30. I am 32 and feeling vaguely ancient now compared to y’all (though I know I’m not the oldest here).
Posted by Tom Beasley on February 26, 2010

I am going to set two goals for myself.

1. To get the novel that I have written edited and published in some way. I think that this is quite an attainable one as it is all in my own hands.

2. To find love. This one is the kind of thing that I shouldn’t really be bothered about at my age, but I really do detest singledom.
Posted by Someone on February 26, 2010

Genius idea methinks. Motivation in-a-cup for everyone right there; I shall have to make good use of it.
In 10 years i’ll be 30, which is scary.
So i think by then i’d like to be less terrified of people/more able to cope in social situations. Which in turn would hopefully lead to me getting a job that i like (since most jobs seem to inevitably associate with human beings) and make some fun-loving friends who are odd like me – I always meet the normals. And preceding finding said nice job, i’ll have to decide on something I’d be good at/become good at something!
Also i’d like to write a bit. Which will help me indulge in my reclusiveness still, since i don’t think i’d like to give it up altogether. It’s gonna be tough.
That seems like a lot of things, but really it just boils down to coping with society. SHould be easy…
Posted by Al on February 26, 2010

Crikey, now I feel Old what with you young ‘uns and your cray plans

In 10 years time I will be 51 and I’d like to sign up for this scheme with some fairly mundane, but important goals:

1, Make it to 51.
2, Be the weight of a normal human being
3, See My Kids all grown up (currently 10 and 12)
4, For My wife and I to be enjoying life

Simple

Just realise 1 & 3 are the same thing
Posted by Megan on February 26, 2010

Oddly enough, my first two are the same as Max’s. The third would be to get on Radio 4 in any way (except maybe in some scandalous news story involving a murderous rampage or horrifying affair with John Prescott).

I’m worried three goals is too many. Maybe my fourth goal should be not worrying about that.
Posted by Kate on February 26, 2010

Good plan.

I think my goals will be to finish my PhD and to finish it well (although, to be fair, I was already planning to do this, but it’s good to have extra motivation), and to meet new people in Leeds, although I have no idea how to do this…

At some point in the 10 years (because the PhD will only last another year or so) I’ll have to find a career I love. That is my long-term SIC.
Posted by CarlitoBurrito on February 26, 2010

Good Morning Mark, great idea.

I feel I’m one of the ridiculous individuals who has grand plans to do something with his time but needs a kick up the rear to achieve it. And I couldn’t think of a better project to do the kicking.

I’ve always (brace yourself for a pretentious sentence please) wanted to be a writer. I’ve had an idea for a book over the past few years and was even entered for some Uni award, blah blah. But I just don’t have the discipline. SO, I will join this 10 year project and use it as deadlines to hit. Whether my writing is poo and remains purely on my computer, or hits the shelves at all good book stores, I don’t care, it’s something I want to do, just to say I’ve done it.

Looking forward to the adventure.

x
Posted by BeckyMarsh on February 26, 2010

At 21, I dont think your blog could have come at a better time – maybe you can coach me through my twenties! I also hope to acheive a lot in the next ten years and this project seems the perfect oppurtunity to get my goals down on paper. Some of my goals are short term….pass my degree in June, get a job… but most are more long term; Buy a house, get married, have two children (standard 20-30 goals that probably wont be acheived until after 30). Most of these things are likely to happen – they do to most people. My main goal is to become a politician and change lives…Im not sure if this will happen in the next ten years…most 31 year olds dont have enough life experience to represent others in parliament but ambition is important and the next ten years may teach me a lot on my journey…so i shall keep everyone updated on the lessons i learn.
Posted by Hannah on February 26, 2010

I love this idea! In 10 years I’ll be 29, possibly married with children and all sorts of scary things like that.

My aim is to basically be more selfish. Not in a prickish kind of way, but in a ‘I deserve good things’ kind of way. Maybe ‘choosing happiness’ is a better way to put it? I just want to make the right choices for myself. I want to stop worrying about what everyone else might think (from the obvious to the insanely improbable), and get on with my life. I’ve allowed the fear of what others might think to control my decision making for far too long.

So now seemed like a perfect time to change that. I leave for university in September, and it would probably be a good idea if I could be practiced in the art of ‘choosing happiness’ by the time I get there. Otherwise I could see being a mildly independent adult to be quite an issue.

So starting right now, I’m going to strap on a pair, choose happiness and hopefully everything else will fall into place.
Posted by Stuart on February 26, 2010

This is a wonderful idea Mr Watson! Definitely in…

In 10yrs I will be 30, my short term goals are to stop procrastinating and be more productive – getting onto some form of postgraduate study depends on me doing this. Long term is the same as you, persistent negativity is definitely a problem for me, and I swear I’ve inherited it from my parents (although they are wonderful!).
Posted by Rebecca J Payne on February 26, 2010

I’ve been writing in my spare time for a few years now. About a year ago I started to take it more seriously and I’ve had a few short stories published in recent months, which I’m very proud of.

But through all this time I’ve been working on a series of novels – there will be 9 in total, which is an insane thing to attempt, as plotting one book is hard enough, never mind 9 – and right now, all I have is very bad, very rough first drafts of books 1 to 5.

Essentially, I don’t write often enough. If I want to take being a writer seriously, and one day give up my current job for a new career, then I need to write more. All the time. I need to be more disciplined about spending so many nights at gigs, the theatre, the cinema, the pub… because those nights are my writing time going up in smoke. I need to get up early in the morning to write, I need to give up my weekends, I need to take it seriously.

So this is my 10 year challenge. In 10 years time I want to have a publishing deal, and I want the books to be not only finished, but to have some of them in the shops – if there are such things as bookshops 10 years from now!

The first step will be becoming more dedicated to what I’m trying to achieve. To not only work hard to get the books into shape, which is a massive task, but also to work hard on more short stories and novellas in the meantime, and to continue to get those published to build a name for myself before I try to land an agent and a publisher.

And one last thing to say for the posters above who want to set themselves the challenge of starting to write a novel – I would not have begun this journey without taking part in NaNoWriMo. Google it! It is a crazy one-month novel writing challenge that takes place every November. If you live in or near a city you will almost certainly find a local group of people who take part, who meet up for write-ins and pub nights and such, to give each other encouragement. So many of my best friends are people I met through NaNo, and, indeed, that’s how I met my wonderful boyfriend. I would recommend NaNoWriMo to anyone who wants to write a novel but has never quite got around to it. Likewise I recommend Script Frenzy for people who want to write a play or a movie.
Posted by Mark on February 26, 2010

Count me in!

I would like to become an English teacher, as I think it would fulfill my otherwise mundane life . . . and I hate working in IT so need to get out of that job before I go postal!!!
Posted by Ben on February 26, 2010

Write a satirical novel, commentating on modern society, events and religion, via a series of messages from god. (obviously I know they are not really from god).. i may have already started two days ago… but i wish to add it to the project .
Posted by Natalie-Helen on February 26, 2010

More immediately I would like to pull my bloody finger out and do some work.

Hopfully that will lead to the next aim: 2:1 or better in the degree ending this year.

I’d like to be happier in myself, and all the things that go with that, confidence, mental and physical health, better relationships etc.

And I’d quite like to be in a similar position to you Mark, with a tiny scientifically predictable event in my arms.
Posted by Vicky on February 26, 2010

What a fab idea Mark – it’s made me focus for a while on what’s important!
1. I’d like to get back to teaching yoga – I did it full-time about 8 years ago, it’s my first love so why do I keep making excuses to not do it?
2. I will finish the book I began writing about 5 years ago, which is just awaiting the last couple of chapters, for goodness sake.
3. I’d like to earn enough to get my daughter through Uni without her having huge debts at the end of it all.
4. I’d really like to kick this M E once and for all. 2009 was a huge improvement on 2008 but there’s still a way to go.
5. Since I will be nearly 60 (ouch!) when this is all over, I’d really like to be comfortably retired by then.
Good luck with your goals, I look forward to keeping up with your blog.
Posted by Bec on February 26, 2010

I am going to own my own house in 10 years. God knows I’m no good at saving so that will be an effort for me!
Posted by Gemma on February 26, 2010

Love this idea!!
In 10 years time i will be 29 (scary) so short term goals would be to pass my drive test…finally,and to visit London, as I have never had the opportunity to go.
Long term goals…as I have just started university I would like to continue to get my degree for design for digital media and hopefully progress on to a job in that area, also I have always wanted to play guitar so this opportunity would be a good time to learn
Posted by Toni on February 26, 2010

Looking at that last comment I also think I should aim to use less smiley things when leaving comments on blogs (well at least it’s positive! )
Posted by david on February 26, 2010

i want to be funny for a living; so it would be nice, in ten years at the age of 31, if that was happening.
Posted by Toni on February 26, 2010

Fantastic idea I do like a challenge My ambition has always been to work in TV/film…well as a child I really wanted to be on stage but as I’ve got older I’ve realised that the behind the scenes stuff is much more me and…well why not?! 10 years seems long enough to give it a good go!

So that will be my long term 10 year challenge – to have a go at my dream career and see if I can’t get the dream job…who knows maybe I’ll bump into you along the way Mark

I’ve also always done a “bucket list” (a list of things to do before you kick the bucket) I would love to get a couple of those things done in the next 10 years – silly things I’ve never got round to doing like going to Alton towers! I also think I’m too old to have never been abroad (apart from a package holiday when I was too young to remember) so I’m going to do that too! I don’t know where but I’ll take suggestions
Posted by Keshia on February 26, 2010

I’m in! I’ll be 32 in 10 years time. I think I’ll go with a long term 10 year plan and then smaller plans that can gradually be achieved.

So, learning to drive, moving out, stop being so negative can be the smaller ongoing plans. Not sure of what my big plan will be…maybe getting something published? Be it a poem, novella, book?!

Can we change our minds though? My priorities now at 22 may not be the same at halfway through at 27!

Either way, I’m on board!
Posted by Mike Grant on February 26, 2010

Screw the career goals. When I was at school, I used to play the guitar. I’ve always regretted not carrying on with it since then. So in ten years’ time, I’d like to be a passable busker.
Posted by Hannah on February 26, 2010

I usually hate it when people ask me where I see myself in five years time, but this seems a much better idea as something I’m actually trying to achieve for myself, rather than predicting the future.

Ok, I’ll be 37 on 4th March 2020. I would like to have my PhD by then as my long term goal. Of course I need to finish my first degree and get experience before that, but ten years is a long time!

Also, I want to be more proactive in life in general as I have procrastination down to a fine art (hence I’m pottering about on blogs/Twitter etc instead of finishing this toxicology essay).

Are you guys going to keep in touch on here and make sure we all try and keep to our ideas? I’m much better at sticking to things with boot up my arse

Congratulations on the baby front too Mark!
Posted by Gaz on February 26, 2010

Nice idea.
In ten years ill be staring 35 in the face!
My goals to accomplish by then are:

To have edited a feature film that gets a full cinema release (preferably also getting reviewed by Mark Kemode in the process)

To have travelled to every continent (have Asia, South America and Antarctica left – last ones going to be tricky!)

And to have mastered Spanish (the language not the people)
Posted by kelly on February 26, 2010

Ok, so in 10 years I’ll be 32 and by then hopefully i would have,
1) Started my own business
2) Written and illustrated a book of short stories
3) Have created a smaller version of myself (through traditional methods rather than cloning)
4) Finished my sleeve
5) Become a bit more optimistic

Scared just thinking about it!
Posted by max on February 26, 2010

I love ridiculously ambitious projects. Count me in

I have 3 easily quantifiable goals and a huge one that is implicit in all of them:

1) I want to get a PhD.
2) I want to circle Iceland with my bike.
3) I want my newly started blog to actually last for 10 years.

I’m a huge procrastinator: I made my way through primary and secondary school without studying. Made my way through engineering school studying ridiculously little. Worked for a couple of years doing the bare minimum and I’m now about to finish a post-master degree and about to start the doctorate while spending most of my time (you guessed it) doing something else apart from real work.
I promised myself I would change so many times that I lost count. This is a perfect opportunity to finally kick the procrastination habit and do something useful with my time. None of the 3 goals will get done if I keep going trough life as I am now.

I’ll award myself bonus points if (4) I get my photography published by the time I’m 37 and 11 months.
Posted by David on February 26, 2010

It’s probably not surprising that many of Mark Watson’s fans have ambitions to be a bit like him by having a dabble at comedy. I’m skinny, bespectacled and unshaven most of the time too but unfortunately that’s where my similarities to him end. Therefore I’d like to jump on the bandwagon and challenge myself to get something I write on the telly or radio.

I’m going to avoid hitting the wall straight away by not bothering myself with the content initially and just finding out what to do with it when it is actually written (err, help anyone?).

Ideally I think I could do with a writing partner whose ideas I can take, change a word or two then submit under both names but with my name in a slightly larger font.
Posted by sharanBEANS on February 26, 2010

In 10 years I will be living in Paris, married to a French man with one adorable bi-lingual baby.

At the moment I am 22 unemployed Londoner…
Posted by Me : ) on February 26, 2010

Oh dear. In 10 years time I will be 43! It’s not quite so fun looking forward these days, as it was in my 20’s – i cant wait till im 30, I’ll be a proper grown up then and people will HAVE to listen/respect/acknowledge/take notice of me! Cool – Hmmm not really how it’s worked out, and I’m imagining that when I’m in my 40’s I’ll have even less chance of being acknowledged or listen too – she’s old, like what does she know about anything to do with anyone ever! – but never mind, setting goals is always a good idea! I think I will endeavour to…

1) Travel – I have been hardly anywhere and seen hardly anything. This is a terrible waste of resources. There are many places to see, that aren’t just a 3 hour drive away. Ive got to get me on a jet plane (Er..whilst offsetting my carbon foot print of course. Go C.A.T.E! Also, keep up my C.A.T.E tasks, still crap but still trying!)

2) Experiences – From day to day life, to previously set challenge of travel, I must experience as many new things as possible. I will never say no to anything again! I will be brave, and try everything, from new food, to new music, to new activities, meeting new people, learning about other cultures/views of the world etc etc. Phew!

3) Er..i think I’ll just start with the first two, bit of an ambitious undertaking in itself, i can always add-on later.

ooh ooh I just thought of another…Learn about Politics! I know a very little about lots and lots of things, but I do not know anything about or understand, politics. Sorry. But I do feel that I should. So thats No 3.

Onwards and Upwards!

(Oh and congrats to mum & dad and welcome to the world Kit)
Posted by theamazingic on February 26, 2010

Interesting. I will be 45 in ten years time. That in itself is rather daunting after looking though everyone elses entries to see the majority will be the age I am now (or younger) in 10 years time.

I don’t usually plan so far ahead. I really want write more music, possibly for choir, small instrumental ensemble or maybe just some folk songs for me to sing. I already sing in folk sessions from time to time but would like to do more of this before my voice gets all warbly. I also used to write quite a bit, maybe I can write the lyrics and music. hmmm?

Think that is a suitably big project, along with spending time with my husband and 2 children.

Look forward to hearing everyone’s progress. I’m off to start right now!
Posted by Benj on February 26, 2010

Right, time to throw my hat in:

I’m about to be 32, which is old – when did celebrities I like start being younger than me? It really isn’t on. And while I’m pretty much unimproveable (or a lost cause), I notice that my surroundings are a dull, uninspiring office, with a boss arbitrarily assigning me bits of work to do. Wasn’t adulthood meant to be about freedom and choices? So in 10 years time I want to be free to do what I want, when I want. This means either changing what I want, quite significantly, or getting into a far stronger position financially (its not like I’m badly off at the moment, but the month world cruise, first class naturally, is still somewhere in the distance)

So yeah, by 5th March 2020, I’ll need to be a multimillionaire (adjusting for inflation), some sort of itinerant monk unconcerned by worldy things (and worldy cruises), or somewhere inbetween.
Posted by Manel on February 26, 2010

Didn’t mean to comment twice and look like a twat, maybe I should add reduce the number of times I look like a twat over the next 10 years :-$
Posted by hmsdebbie on February 26, 2010

In 2010 I’ll be 47. I’m just going to go away and have a little cry. I will be back soon with my resolutions.
Posted by Rosie on February 26, 2010

What a cool idea – interestingly just the other day I was thinking about something similiar. Here are my Things I’d Like To Do Before I’m 36. I’ve got it down to ten things…

Be published (actually, amazingly, not that far off this one)
Be published under my own name (a lot further)
Learn to sail
Learn to juggle and/or other interesting circus skills
Achieve and maintain a ‘healthy’ BMI
… and get and stay happy about it, which is harder
Get better at drawing,
Create and maintain a webcomic for a bit. Have at least one reader.
Host an all-night Oscars party
Celebrate 30th birthday in an awesome fashion
Posted by Hannah T on February 26, 2010

I think this is a truly phenomenal idea, Mark. I was quite disappointed to have missed all the 24 hour shows and have a lot I’d like to achieve in the next few years, I guess.

I turn 19 on monday the 1st, so in a decade I’ll be 29. The one thing I truly want to accomplish is to learn to play piano properly – starting with jazz. I suppose my goal could be successfully completing a music degree at a university somewhere. That’s as brave as I’m willing to be, for now.

I suppose to accomplish that, there are lots of short-term things to do. Like, to start with, get a job so I can afford lessons since I’m largely self-taught and hence, a bit shit; buy a better piano/keyboard, etc. And getting rid of the whole “I can’t do it, I can’t do it” rationale in my head would be good too. Oh, and finish that Arts degree I’m doing.

Reading everyone else’s goals makes me feel a bit warm and fuzzy. Aw.
Posted by Manel on February 26, 2010

As someone who’s just turned 30 I have been wallowing in all the things I haven’t done and I think this is a fantastic way of redirecting all that self pity. Here are some of the things I’m hoping to do over the next 10 years;

1 work my way around the world
2 go skydiving even though it scares the crap out of me
3 get a tattoo
4 get a date with Charlie Brooker
5 run the London Marathon
6 finish my novel
7 climb a mountain

These are just a few. I’m so excited by this. Good luck everyone
Posted by nik on February 26, 2010

I really like your idea and the aspect of collaboration you’ve brought to it. I also think the idea of doing something about oneself (rather than, say, trying to collect a driveway full of ferraris) is much more merit-worthy.

The negativity thing: I think it can be conquered and it would be a joy if you could achieve it. In my case, on the surface, I’m more pessimist than optimist too, but I think it stems from fear of the future; of the unknown. Not a good start for a 10 year challenge? Although perhaps that’s the point – taking control of the future. Mine also stems from ingrained need to achieve, to be best, to somehow gain approval by what one does.

I haven’t cracked it totally – the inner voices are still there – but I have made stunning progress due to life changing events over the last few years. That’s why I believe you can do it too.

With my new-found-belief that you *can* change things and that change *can* be good, my 10 year plan is something like this:

*) get out of working in IT and feeling trapped in an uncreative environment
*) work in something creative and expressive using a broader range of my art/music/writing talents
*) migrate to scotland, hopefully the highlands and take a whole new view and pace on life
*) love & laugh every day

I think it’s all do-able. Just gotta quell those fears…
Posted by Lauren on February 26, 2010

A little over 12 months ago I did my first stand up gig. As a generally awkward and nervous person who has a phobia of people staring at them, this was huge for me. Since then, I’ve managed to do gigs with a few people off community telly and one person off proper telly, and found myself on a podcast put out by a national radio station.

The problem is, I’m always told after gigs that my material is great but my performance needs work. Now I’m really paranoid and self conscious about how my material is great but my performance needs work. This isn’t helping matters.

My challenge is to keep at it. I don’t want to give up on this like I’ve given up on so many other things (e.g. the guitar, a Bachelor of Arts, the TV show “Lost”). 10 years from now I want to be able to walk off a stage knowing that not once while I was up there, did I throw up a little in my mouth.
Posted by Jen on February 26, 2010

I’m scared as I type this but I’m typing anyway. In ten years’ time I’ll be 37. Sh*t. By that time I want to be free of the 9-5 grind, working full time as a freelance artist; perhaps having moved to Scotland, perhaps not. By this time next week I want to have set up my online shop properly to start selling some of my art. This may sound quite vague to some but it’s a big ask of myself and documenting it on here makes it all the more official. Now I actually have to make some effort.
Posted by Katy H on February 26, 2010

Wow, what a fab idea!
In 10 years I will be approaching my 35th birthday, which hopefully will not be as scary as approaching my 25th birthday! I wanted so much to have happened by now and bar qualifying as a nurse and getting a job at a great hospital in London (im from a leetle village up north!) they havent happened!

So in the next 10 years, I would like to
* finally have slimmed down enough so I dont feel like everyone is staring (for the wrong reasons) when i walk down the street
* TRAVEL (i’ve never been outside of Europe)
* carry on seing my fave stand ups, I’ve been going to the live shows for years and I want to carry on doing that!
* get a house of my own that I can decorate as a please and not have to ask a landlord everytime i want to put a picture on the wall!!
* and maybe find myself a nice chap to settle down with and have some bambinos (congrats on your little man by the way, Mark!)

Hopefully that should keep me busy for the next 10 years!
Posted by Dunc on February 26, 2010

I am so on board!

In the next ten years, I hereby promise Mr Mark Watson, formerly of Up The Creek, Greenwich, fame that I will have:

1. Ventured, on foot, to the river at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, AZ (in case there is any confusion over which one I mean);

2. Driven as part of a team to Mongolia from Britain in the Mongol Rally;

3. Made myself part of an actual lasting relationship with a lady. Preferably one that I go for and not the other way round because “it’s easier that way”;

4. Watched Back To the Future Part 2 on the day it is set and laughed at how wrong they were;

5. Made myself an improved version of me, along with happier as a result, due to my participation in the above.

Sweet. Love this idea.
Posted by Tim on February 26, 2010

Good idea. My wife and I have a 2nd baby due any minute now, so the next few years are going to be exciting/horriffic/wonderful, with little time for personel projects. I’ve been trying a bit of play writing recently and would love to get something produced on stage or radio. 10 years seems a good time scale to learn to spell proper and get something done. I’d also like to learn to drive.
Posted by Beth on February 26, 2010

Excellent Idea!

Ill be 33! And at the moment my life should just about be kicking off, ive done uni, done my pointless job for the experience and im ready to start living life in the grown up world!

In short my self improvment challange: Become a proper grown up

This task will involve:
- Moving out
- Getting a job I enjoy
- Travel around South America
- Learn the drums
- Improve and be happy with my photography
- Own a goat/llama/reptile

Looking forward to seeing how we all get on!!
Thanks Mark!
Posted by Maddie on February 26, 2010

What a brilliant idea!

In ten years I shall be 31.
My short(er) term goals are to –
give up smoking
stick with Uni and do well at it
Improve my once fantastic cd collection which has mysteriously shrunk over the years.
Long(er) term goals as follows –
Learn to think before I speak and be less offensive.
Marry my fiance
Spawn said fiance’s children.
Posted by Dani on February 26, 2010

Perhaps this will stop my epic procrastination…I’ve been dreaming of doing stand-up for over 10 years. However I use the excuse that I live in a german speaking country and all my material is in English to stop me from actually acomplishing anything that would bring me closer to my goal of being a comedian. I am sure there is a place were I can perform my stand-up routine in English here in Switzerland, and I challenge myself to find that place and go for it.

The same excuse works well as for why I haven’t written the children’s book that I’ve got laid out in my mind for the past 6 years.

So my second challenge will be to write down those stories and find someone to draw the ilustrations for the children’s book series I want to do.
Posted by Sheri on February 26, 2010

I will begin the extreme challenge of becoming a librarian. This forum is just the place to push me into it. No longer will I use plethora of children (I’m not sure if 2 can actually count as a plethora, but I’m sticking to my statement) and lack of money as an excuse. I know I can do this as I achieved my other big goal in life; moving to England (I successfully completed that nearly ten years ago, so this is probably a good time to start something new and major). Wish me luck, everyone!
Posted by Manel on February 26, 2010

I love this!!! I’ve just turned 30 and I’ve been wallowing in all the things I haven’t acheived but maybe now I can concentrate on what I could do over the next 10 years. Here are a few of the things I’m going/hoping to do;
1 work my way around the world
2 go skydiving
3 get a tattoo
4 finish my novel
5 get a date with Charlie Brooker
6 run the London marathon
I’m so excited by this, good luck everyone
Posted by Keily on February 26, 2010

4th of March is also my birthday and what a great day to start something new – fantastic idea. Seems a few people share my ambition to write a novel. I hav talked about it for a long time.
I love your idea about being more positive – negativity is a trait I share with you and one I’d love to lose/lessen. So maybe I’ll do both!!!
Posted by Simon on February 26, 2010

Nice idea!

I’ll be thirty in March 2020. Urgh. I don’t think I’m disciplined enough to stick to a single, grand goal, so I’ll take the shotgun approach. Here are several of my ambitions for the next ten years:

1) Run the entire length of my favourite tube line, the Central Line. Disclaimer: This is a watered-down version of an existing idea. See http://www.thenextchallenge.org/tube.
2) Learn to play the piano.
3) Get a summer job at an American theme park.
4) Go out and meet loads of interesting new people.
5) Get involved with comedy at some level. A sketch show with some like-minded folk would be brilliant.
6) Grow some facial hair. Preferably a beard like Mark’s (NOT to be confused with “Marx” – I didn’t sign up for that)

I’d be absolutely delighted with 4/6.

Looking forward to the holiday!
Posted by Anji on February 26, 2010

This challenge seems to have arrived at a very fitting time. I need to get my confidence back and so that will be my long term goal. While keeping in mind all the things I have actually acheived during a rather rubbish few years.
Shorther term I WILL learn to drive, I WILL get a job – in order to pay for the learning to drive and I promised I would buy Mark’s book, Dvd and tickets to see him live when I get a job!
Remembering to be happy, things are tough sometimes, but if I only ever focus on that I won’t be happy with where/who I am, and I bloody well should be!
So you lot are keeping me on track right?! I’ll warn you now I can be amazingly stubborn when I want to be!!!
Good luck to us all though, roll on the next 10 years.
Posted by Jackie on February 26, 2010

Okay, this weirdly has come up at same week as I have set myself a challenge to change something about myself, so
maybe joining the tysic club will help me stick to it. I am one of those girls who has always felt fat since being a small child. It’s my big hang up and I desperately don’t want my daughter to be like me. She turns 3 in acouple of weeks so I need to deal with this now!
My aim is not to lose weight, eat less or exercise more. It is to accept me as I am. I am a bang on average size and height, so not massively overweight or unhealthy. I am not restricted by my size in any physical way, I can play with my little girl, run around with her and go for walks, etc. My hubby thinks I’m gorgeous, so why do I continue to torture myself by wishing I was like all those generically thin celebs? So, for me, for my daughter, I am going to stop guilt tripping when I eat yummy things, and most importantly, I am going to learn to love me!
Posted by Emma on February 26, 2010

Wow, 10 years. Well I should be getting pretty close to my 37th birthday, scary stuff.
My major goal at the moment is to do some kind of epic trek in Nepal. However considering I get a bit puffed climbing the stairs at work these days it is quite the challenge. Hoping to do this little stroll in the hills either at the end of this year or early 2011. So there it is documented. It’s happening, and I can’t wait!
Posted by Katie on February 26, 2010

Had a wee think about it, and in 10 years time, I will be 27. By then, I will hopefully have many things; a home, friends, a dog with sad brown eyes, etc.

What I’d really, really like, though, is to have my BSc in Psychology from the University of Stirling, and be well on my way to passing a forensics course.

It seems a tiny bit epic in terms of accomplishments, but hey, I can try, right?
Posted by Tom on February 26, 2010

in 10 years time i will be 28.

at the moment i am a little bit grumpy all the time, so over the next 10 years i would like to swing to either being a positive upbeat person or a complete grouchy old man. its the middle ground that frustrates me
Posted by Katie on February 26, 2010

Hey, I loved Crap at the Environment! Although I never got to see a 24 hour show so it saddens me that they’re over. Oh well.

So, my resolution is going to be to relearn how to speak French properly. And if I do that then maybe one of the other languages I’ve let fall by the wayside too. I have a French degree so the amount of the stuff I can speak now is frankly embarrassing, but as with all things you need to practice a language to keep it up and in the 7 years since I left uni there has been little practicing done. Running by the side of this is the need to conquer my fear of “doing it wrong” and the shyness that can sometimes render me semi-mute in a group of unknown people, thus making conversation classes tricky. Little things. I have a terrible habit of starting things like this and then fading out of them slowly, but I will try to stick with it for the ten years, by which time I will be the grand old age of almost 39. Man, I suppose I should have some sort of goal based around becoming a grown up, but that seems a little bit far-fetched.
Posted by Jimmy on February 26, 2010

Your going to write a blog for 10 years. I’ll therefore pledge to read your blog for 10 years. Anything else seems a bit too hard. Maybe your ever growing optimism will rub off on me.
Posted by Linzy on February 26, 2010

I have a few things I wish to do. The first being to make a living from developing websites, either freelance (click my name for my portfolio; I’m not /too/ bad) or as part of a company. This entails needing to learn Object-Orientated PHP and Javascript properly.

I’ve also recently started a novel online (http://words.angry-feet.com), which I’m posting in installments, just so the story stops plaguing my thoughts. It’s not going too well so far (my commitment to it, not the quality) so I’d like to get that finished.

Then there are the musical instruments. I used to play piano, clarinet and guitar/bass (none to a particularly high standard) and I’ve recently obtained a ukulele and a mini-accordion. I would quite like to learn or relearn to play at least one of them.

Sure, it sounds like a lot but I’ve got ten years to do it, right?
Posted by Don on February 26, 2010

Right, 2 goals completely separate.
1. Become super fit and strong. Because I’m shallow. This is the boring goal.

2. Learn that bastard jazz flute that’s been untouched on my shelf since I bought it last year. Because jazz flute sounds great and I need to justify all the roll necks I bought in the sale.

In 10 years I will be 32.
Posted by samantha on February 26, 2010

this is a amazing sentiment and plan and something i’d totally like to be a part of. 10 years from now i plan to have a job and a life in which i fully enjoy ever moment. anyway check out http://www.planbig.com its an online community where you right down your goasl and what you aim to achieve and can ask for help from other people to achieve what you need. seriously good. check it out. xx
Posted by Misha on February 26, 2010

In 10 years time I will be nearly 28. I know this because I’ve just written an answer to “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” Else where. As for a 10 year challenge. Hmmm.

Well as one part I think I shall determine to finally try and teach myself to play the guitar. I can read music, and I can read tab. I even have a sllightly crap acoustic guitar. I just need the drive.
And for the other? I’ll try to be more out going.
As it stands I panic for hours if I’m asked to go out or if someone comes round the house; I can’t make phonecalls unless I’m in a very specificly ballsy frame of mind. But when I am in that mood I’ve done amazing things, I’ve approached people I don’t really know and had amazing conversations. (Trying to ask Andrew Maxwell for directions at 3am was one) and fun times. So that’s mine. Over the next 10 years I want to become more outgoing, I want to try to conquer the mild autism that i’ll always have but haven’t yet learnt to live with.
I think i’m pleased with that.
Posted by Richard on February 26, 2010

There are loads of things I’d like to achieve in the next ten years but I think the best way of summing them up would be to able to pour olive oil made from olives that I’ve grown myself over a salad. This will mean that I’ll have jacked in my current, soul-destroying office job, moved overseas to sunnier climes, and enjoyed a simpler life working in the outdoors.

And as my birthday’s on the 5th March it’s going to be good to have that holiday in 2020 to look forward to. (I will be having holidays before then, but they probably won’t have the same sense of achievement).

Good luck to all.
Posted by Madeleine on February 26, 2010

This is a great idea, very exciting and I’ve certainly not heard anything like it before. In ten years I will be 26 (so yes, I am sixteen now, is this too young for a ten year goal?) and I would like to be working in entertainment in some capactiy, either in television or music production or something of that kind. I would also like to be happy with myself achivements, and not dwelling on things that I can’t do or could have done better. Many short term goals will pop up on this road though I’m sure.
Posted by Erin on February 26, 2010

I’d like to be less reserved. Leaving this comment is my big first step.
Posted by John on February 26, 2010

I’ve spent much of my life dreaming of writing a novel (and, on occasion, starting to write a novel). Maybe this is a good time to commit to writing one before I turn 50 (In 10 years time). I don’t care if no one ever reads it, I’d just like to actually finish one.
Posted by Polly on February 26, 2010

Also, ten years sounds a reasonable amount of time to stop doing double posts. sorry!
Posted by Polly on February 26, 2010

Wow ten years is a long time. But by then I hope to be less daydreamy and more focused.
Hang on, isn’t this really dreaming about the future? So to achieve this goal, I’ll have to not think about it. Oh no, maybe daydreaming about being focused and productive is some weird paradox I’ll never escape from. Anyway. I’m in!
Posted by Cat :) on February 26, 2010

Wow, this certainly is a big project. Much more amazing than I thought of. I think as I’d like to go for something more long term. And I have only just started University, I think I should concentrate on getting my dream job as I have many years of study yet. I have dreamed of working with animals since I was a tiny tot and nothing has changed. My kindy teacher says all I used to do was draw pictures of cats. I’d love to eventually work with birds. I think they’re so beautiful. And during Uni I may have some things to write about as I’m going to try a topic called Birds of Australia and other things. I also want to stay happy with my life and choices as this is something that changes all the time. On a slightly different scale to being optimistic as I generally am, I still get upset too easily over things and need to learn to relax! I will get there And I won’t let anything anyone (my dad) tries to change, or tell me I can’t do, get in the way of where I want to be!
Posted by Polly on February 26, 2010

In ten years I’d like to spend less of my time day dreaming, and more time doing.
Actually, isn’t this daydreaming about the future? So should I not be thinking about it? Is daydreaming about being focused and productive some weird paradox that I’ll never escape from? Ahhh.
Anyway, no matter how confusing, I’m in!
Posted by lex on February 26, 2010

Sweet, well.
In ten years I will be 38. By then I want to be more self-disciplined. Someone who not only writes things down but is also able to eke some kind of living out of it.

I love this sort of thing. I write myself ten-year time capsule letters. The first one I wrote when I was twenty, which means I have only two years to wait until I get to open it (exciting). I was meant to write the next one at 25. However, I was a couple of years late for that one and wrote it last year. Which brings me full circle, back to battling the lazy troll that lives in my body.

I think that’s enough to bite off for now.

Oh, by the way, hearty congratulations on the small human.
Posted by h2osarah on February 26, 2010

Well, I’ve had a bit of a think. And I think that the thing that I should attempt to conquer in the next 10 years is my paralyzing fear of failure. It holds me back all the time, because if I fear that I will fail, I don’t bother trying in the first place. I think it’s the fear of failure that has made me unable to research potential future jobs, it’s the reason I’ve been single for four years, it’s the reason I’m doing my MSc degree in neuroscience. It isn’t my passion. It was because in 4th year uni, I was too scared to apply for any jobs and I was already working in a neuroscience lab.
I’m hoping that through facing my fear of failure, I’ll be happier. I won’t always pick the easiest option, but I’ll start picking the best option for me. Plus, this seems like a good way to start, because I know people will be keeping an eye on me, so I can’t just let this slide, because if I do, I will have failed…
Posted by Georgia on February 26, 2010

I think this is a brilliant idea, I’m only 16, and really, just stepping out into the world, as ive only been out of school for almost a year. By the time i finish this i’ll be 26, nearly 27, something that I cant even really imagine at the moment, its far too scary. So, my plan is to finish my last bit of getting the extra GCSE’s i need to get onto my A-Levels, and then start doing things properly. Do my A-Levels (and pass them), and then get to uni to do a Music Journalism BA, thats been the plan for a while and i’m going to stick to it (and start a blog too, it’ll help me achieve things).

Again, thanks for the wicked idea,
Georgia
Posted by Terry Greene on February 26, 2010

This couldn’t have come along at a better time.
My goal is to be a writer, either script, journalism, maybe even a novel, or stand up show (already got a thought in mind) although not really got the confidence for performing so I need a partner to feed my thoughts through.

Well, I started a blog a few days ago, I think it’s going ok although I do think I just come across as an angry angry person,

Please go read it and critique me, abuse me even, i just need some human contact http://soveryconfusing.wordpress.com/

So my goal is, within 10 years, for my writing to be published in some way or another

Thanks Mark, this should be fun and productive
Posted by Shell on February 26, 2010

I like your choice Mark, it’s a nice one – watching how you tackle that will be fun/interesting. Starting this off sounded pretty damn optimistic until you let slip you had it covered even if no-one joined in! As if! – one of your superpowers seems to be infusing people with your enthusiasm for improbably tricky and possibly awkward projects. So I’m in.

I /may/ lean towards something that will take me through the full decade, (in for a penny…) I dunno, maybe to be more decisive…no…I’ll think of something else…to be less annoying? nah, it’s got to be achievable: to use less ‘…’ hmm… oops!

I’ll think about it for a bit.

In addition to whatever I choose for this pretty potty challenge, I’ll aim specially to be still alive in ten years…it’d be rubbish to miss the holiday!

Right then…*thinks*
Posted by Marie on February 26, 2010

This is a fantastic idea, and I am very much in.

I’ve one small goal and one all-encompassing larger one… The small goal is to stay off cigarettes. I’ve smoked on and off for the past seven years, the most recent ‘off’ being from the start of this year. I’ve found it relatively easy to give up, but then again, I’ve said that in the past and ended up going back on them.

The all-encompassing larger one is to improve my self-confidence and self-belief, if you’ll forgive the terminology. Without this starting to bear some resemblance to an open therapy session, I’d like to stop being self-deprecating and stop feeling inferior to other people. I’m actually quite a capable and competent person; I just tend to forget that a lot.
Posted by Gilder on February 26, 2010

I am submitting this timidly as my aim is exactly the same as Sam’s, make headway in stand-up/comedy, to get better and hopefully eventually make a living from it.

Also, change sleeping pattern so I am more like a human and less like an owl. It is 2am.
Posted by Spencer on February 26, 2010

Mark,

I have never heard of you and have absolutely no idea who you are. With that said, I think this is a great idea and I really wish you the best with it.

Also, congrats on having a kid! Well, not having, making I suppose, and fathering, or beginning to father.

Anyhow, when you mentioned your son as being a reason to set this goal to become an optimist, I felt–I don’t know how to express it–but I think that’s a beautiful thing.

Cheers and all the best Mark!
Spencer
Posted by Dean on February 26, 2010

This is a great idea although it does lack free pizza from Adam Hills. Shall have a think and try and come up with something good…
Posted by Cassy on February 26, 2010

I want to join! I want to be less angry. My goal is to be less angry and not snap so much at other people. This will be good, usually I just need some sort of motivation…
Posted by Rich on February 26, 2010

It’s a good idea. I could use some form of motivation.

I had a guitar bought for me for my 18th birthday and have never learnt to play it, i’m now 27. I think giving myself a 10 year timeframe to learn it and play at a gig (either in a band or on my own) would be a cool challenge.
Posted by Bill on February 26, 2010

Now that does sound interesting…

I have all kinds of things that I want to do over the next ten years. Own a house, get married, have my first child, have a career (not a job) and all that usual growing up stuff. But that doesn’t sound so interesting and is stuff I would be aiming to do anyway regardless of this challenge and much of it is outside my control.

Okay. Over the next ten years, regardless of life circumstances, I am going to release six albums of original music which I will write and record and each will be at least one hour long. That’s one for every two years plus an extra one because I think one every two years would be too easy, especially considering that I’ve written songs for the first one which I hope to release this year. In the process I hope to become a better song-writer/musician and perhaps even make it a viable career path.

For the purposes of this challenge, “release” means “get on iTunes” or “get on whatever popular method of getting music to the public exists at the time”.

I’ve got one album on iTunes already, in ten years you can check back with me to see if I’ve got seven. I am currently releasing albums as “Morti” (if anyone wants to check up on me).

Rock on!
Posted by Ally on February 26, 2010

This is a very epic idea. I’m in! Though the decision of what I would like to have achieved in ten years is a difficult one. I think I might go with a progressive plan as opposed to one single goal. I’m not very task-orientated, I get distracted too easily. So, finish Uni degree, get a job, write more and, in a pseudo combination of the three, write something funny and brilliant that might earn me money.

It seems as though I’ve created a three step plan for my final goal of becoming a writer (of some description). I feel like I’m getting somewhere already!
Posted by Daniel on February 26, 2010

10 years is a long way away but having mass self improvement resolution settings sounds far better then a mass suicide, so i’m in!

I want to set some generic goals first like…
1. get married (I am engaged so hopefully that one is a given)
2. own a house and live in said house with would be wife and finally
3. have at least one child, of either sex i’m not fussy really.
Now some specific ones that are too many to mention but I will name a few,
1. watch an Ould Firm Derby at Ibrox (i am a Rangers fan as you probably guessed)
2. experience new year in Times Square
3. be able to keep in contact with important people in my life better. And the fourth and final one I will mention now is – have a job which helps/benefits people who are in need/help.
I think this blog is a great idea anything positive that calls on people to try to improve themselves is an amazing thing.
Hope to achieve what I have set and hope everyone who joins in does as well.
Thanks Mark x
Posted by Sue on February 26, 2010

Good idea Mark. After getting a redundancy package a month ago my short term goal is to find a new job. My long term goal (in hopefully less than ten years) is to eventually not have a job. Does this mean I’ve reached my goal already?
Posted by James on February 26, 2010

Nice idea Mark! I actually started my goal today before reading this blog! I’m going to learn to play guitar sometime in the next 10 years. I also hope to run the London Marathon so I’ve kinda got 2 challeneges set! Best of luck to anyone else attempting this and I’ll be sure to check back regular for updates and stuff!
Posted by Jen on February 26, 2010

I like this immensely. I’ve just come back from dinner with a bunch of friendly mostly strangers. So, my goal: spend less time alone. Eat with other people, invite friends over, do my schoolwork in the dorm lounge, walk through town and look at the other people on the street.
Posted by Alex on February 26, 2010

Sounds like a plan, after writing some stuff for a stand up friend of mine ive been thinking about writing some more (around my full time job and part time PhD) and seeing if anyone is interested in it. Now I have the motivation, im in. Good luck Mr Watson
Posted by Sarah Hazell on February 26, 2010

So many things I would like to achieve… I suppose the starting point would be to complete my degree, from which the main goal is to get into wildlife conservation, so I guess a job I’m happy in would be a great next step. What could I achieve in 10 years? It sounds like such a long time, and yet so short. I don’t even know how to get into my ideal job, let alone actually get there. Ahhh this has really made me think!
Posted by Emily on February 26, 2010

I would like to fully recover from anorexia, physically and mentally. I know it would give me the confidence to return to and finish uni. Its been part of my life for over 7 years, but ive been fighting it for 9 months and want to carry on recovering and enjoy life
Posted by Pete on February 26, 2010

I hereby resolve that within ten years I will have a degree. plain, simple and hopefully attainable. BTW, congrats on the baby
Posted by Vikz on February 26, 2010

That is a brilliant idea!
I have been thinking about where I’d like to be in 10 yrs time when I’ll reach the grand old age of 37. By then I want to have learnt to drive (should happen in a few months *fingers crossed*) have a car, a house that isn’t rented, a husband of some variety and with any luck, a couple of bambinos. That is quite a lot to do in 10 yrs isn’t it?!
Any sexy single readers with a great sense of humour want to go on a date? :-p
Hm maybe I should attempt a less epic task like learn a language or something
Posted by Zoe Fell on February 26, 2010

So. by March 4th, 2020, I will be 29. That sounds absolutely barmy in my head, let alone written down.

I’ve just turned 19 and can’t ride a bike, but I don’t feel that learning to do that is a big enough goal to set. So. I’m going to do a two-parter. A double-header. A menage-a-deux. Ahem.

Part 1: I resolve that by March 4th, 2020 I will have my dream job at a large media company (e.g. the BBC. If it still exists by then of course). This will involve passing my planned University degree and gaining as much work experience as is humanly possible.

Part 2: I resolve that by March 4th, 2020 I will be/ have fallen in love. (A little bit more ambitious, but i am prepared to suffer a fair amount of heartbreak along the way.)

Right. That’s me done. Bring on the TYSIC!

Zoe.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Posted by Sam on February 26, 2010

I’ve just got back from my first stand up slot. ANd it seemed to go superbly well. No one was more surprised at this than me.
Egged on by the incessent undeserved praise of people there I’ve said I will do more, and in my tired dizzy state this seems liek a good idea, and with this blog coming along well who could say no.
So I’m going to try and pursue doing more stand up and writing.
I possibly should go for something that would benefit me or the world more, but lets face it I’m pretty much awesome just the way I am.
(And for anyone wondering that is mock arrogance.)
Posted by Joe Lynch on February 26, 2010

My 10 year resolution is to start running.

It may sound dull, but I want to take it to the next level, I don’t want to just start running for fitness, I want to start running to see places, use it as a form of adventure, instead of following the same few routes every day, I want to just run off down a path and see where it goes, hopefully returning home having discovered something/some-place/somebody new. Running seems to have become an almost circuit based enterprise, several of my peers run daily, but they run the same route, each and every day. As if they fear finding a new route.

Obviously, I’ll have to get in shape first, and yes, this means I might have to ‘conform’ to the daily route system before I can achieve what I want, but that’s part of the fun isn’t it? Slowly working towards your eventual goal and experiencing the satisfaction when you reach it.
Posted by Holly on February 26, 2010

Brilliant idea Mark, absolutely loving this new blog. And also congratulations to you and the wife on the whole baby thing!

Which brings me to my own quest… In ten years time I’d like to have a baby. Ideally a whole lot less than ten years time. This may be hard, I’ve only been with my boyfriend a couple of months. We shall see how it goes!
Posted by Sara on February 26, 2010

This is exciting and scary and rather wonderful and yes, yes, I will join in.
Posted by ilikenoise on February 26, 2010

Done! I just need to construct a list… it may be long.

Ten-Year Self-Improvement Challenge

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