The title of this post is especially fitting since it's something I didn't do when I first made my new years resolution. The thing is, while it's not a bad idea to have a Minnesota Residential Remodeler's license, I don't need one. In fact, I can't get one without incorporating.
First of all, even if I was incorporated, I wouldn't need a license until my receipts totaled in the tens of thousands. My receipts are currently $0 since I haven't done work for anyone else and received payment.
Secondly, a license is granted to a corporation, not an individual. Since I don't have any intention of incorporating right now, I'm not in a position to apply for a license.
If I would have checked into this before my first blog posts, I would have come up with a completely different resolution. But...live and learn. The next step is to go back and figure out a new resolution. But before I do that, I need to refine my original steps. What I need to do is make a step zero. Step zero is "Do your homework."
Really, you could roll that into step one. Part of coming up with a goal is to determine the legitimacy of what you're trying to attain. While the idea of getting a residential remodeler's license is not necessarily illegitimate; rather, for certain reasons it is simply not doable for me.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
A Goal and a Plan
In the last post, I wrote about what seems to be a good way to break down the elements of a successful new years resolution. It's not enough to just make a vague resolution. You need to start with a well-defined goal, and then set up a plan to get to that goal.
The Goal
My goal for this year is to get my Minnsota residential remodeler's license. Since I've been living here in Corcoran for the last five years, I've done quite a bit of remodeling. I've finished (mostly) the basement, redone two bathrooms and (almost) built an addition. (Should be done soon...) Also, I've helped my Dad finish his basement in his townhome. So over the past five years, I've learned quite a bit about framing, electrical, plumbing, drywall, etc.
The goal has been stated. I think it's clear enough that it doesn't need any additional description. To follow the advice of my first blog post, the next step is to formulate a plan.
Planning to Plan
At this stage, I'll begin to identify incremental steps to get me to the goal. Right now, it seems kind of lame to write all of this down. But since I want to have something I can look back on in retrospect, whether or not I actually accomplish the goal, I'll continue.
Just like you need a well-defined goal, you also need a well-defined plan to get to that goal. Ok, so if your goal is to get out of bed and have a bowl of cereal, you can probably handle that without writing down all of the individual steps (1. set the alarm, 2. don't hit snooze, 3. get out of bed, 4. go into the kitchen, 5. get a bowl out of the cupboard, 6. get a spoon out of the drawer, etc.) It's something you do every day, so it comes naturally. One of the first steps in planning is to understand what the prerequisites for the goal are. If I'm going to have a bowl of cereal, I'm going to need milk, cereal, bowl and spoon, and I'm going to need to get out of bed and gather all of these things together.
I think a good way of understanding the prerequisites is to start at the end result and work backwards. I'm not going to put my plan together tonight, but I'll just review the goal and identify the most notable immediate prerequisite to my goal.
Goal: Obtain MN residential remodelers license
Website: http://www.doli.state.mn.us/rbc_remlic.html
The Goal
My goal for this year is to get my Minnsota residential remodeler's license. Since I've been living here in Corcoran for the last five years, I've done quite a bit of remodeling. I've finished (mostly) the basement, redone two bathrooms and (almost) built an addition. (Should be done soon...) Also, I've helped my Dad finish his basement in his townhome. So over the past five years, I've learned quite a bit about framing, electrical, plumbing, drywall, etc.
The goal has been stated. I think it's clear enough that it doesn't need any additional description. To follow the advice of my first blog post, the next step is to formulate a plan.
Planning to Plan
At this stage, I'll begin to identify incremental steps to get me to the goal. Right now, it seems kind of lame to write all of this down. But since I want to have something I can look back on in retrospect, whether or not I actually accomplish the goal, I'll continue.
Just like you need a well-defined goal, you also need a well-defined plan to get to that goal. Ok, so if your goal is to get out of bed and have a bowl of cereal, you can probably handle that without writing down all of the individual steps (1. set the alarm, 2. don't hit snooze, 3. get out of bed, 4. go into the kitchen, 5. get a bowl out of the cupboard, 6. get a spoon out of the drawer, etc.) It's something you do every day, so it comes naturally. One of the first steps in planning is to understand what the prerequisites for the goal are. If I'm going to have a bowl of cereal, I'm going to need milk, cereal, bowl and spoon, and I'm going to need to get out of bed and gather all of these things together.
I think a good way of understanding the prerequisites is to start at the end result and work backwards. I'm not going to put my plan together tonight, but I'll just review the goal and identify the most notable immediate prerequisite to my goal.
Goal: Obtain MN residential remodelers license
Website: http://www.doli.state.mn.us/rbc_remlic.html
Monday, January 7, 2008
Happy 2008
The new year has been here now for seven days. As with most new year occurrences, I have made an "unofficial" resolution. Last year, I wrote in my MySpace blog that new years resolutions are meant to be broken; they don't really last and therefore are not of much value. So last year my resolution (yes, even after the diatribe I had against them) was to make a daily resolution to forget the past and continue looking forward. (I think that was the gist of it) Of course, looking back over the last 365 days, I can't say I kept that resolution either.
So this year, I'm changing my mind. I don't think new years resolutions are useless. It's just that one shouldn't make some half-hearted determination once a year and then forget about it. Or worse, when it fails give it up until next year.
Define a Goal
I decided that the best way to keep a resolution is to actually have it be something you latch on to by making it a part of your daily life. That would mean to take the abstract idea and make it into something concrete that exists in the real world. An example would be if my resolution was to lose weight. That idea is abstract. How much weight do you want to lose? Twenty pounds? That's at least more defined. The first step into taking the abstract idea and making it a reality is to define it in exact terms; to make it into a goal you can actually determine whether or not you met. "I want to lose 25 pounds by December 31st" is a fully described goal. When you get to December 31st, you will know whether or not you met the goal.
Create a Plan
Once you have your goal, you can start to determine how to make it happen by creating a plan to meet it. For something like weight loss, we all know that the best way to lose weight is diet an exercise. So for this example, a plan would involve changing your diet and starting an exercise routine. Once you have the exact details of the plan in place, you can actually begin implementing the plan in your daily routine.
Stick to the Plan
The thing that matters at that point is sticking to the plan. That is, having the discipline to stick to the routine for the next 365 days. If you got through the first two steps, this is where things get difficult. The problem is that it's not easy to develop a new habit. And in this step, your plan might involve developing several new habits. I'm not going to delve into the details of how to successfully develop new habits, but if you can do it, then you will be on a path to meeting your goal.
Make Adjustments
If you've made it to this point, then the next step is to make adjustments as necessary to meet the goal. It could be that the goal is to easy. Maybe you'll lose the 25 pounds in six months. Then what? Or the goal could be too difficult. Maybe you'll get to June and only have lost five pounds. In either case, you will need to make adjustments. In the first case, you have met your goal early. So you could make a new goal to lose another 25 pounds if you need to. Or your goal could be just to keep the weight off. In the second case, you could modify the plan to include more exercise, or more changes in your diet. You may also need to review the goal to see if it is really reasonable or not. In both cases, the adjustment could simply be to modify the goal. I think this is reasonable because if you were able to define a goal, implement a plan to get there and actually stick to the plan for six months, then I believe you have been successful. Whether or not you are able to lose the full 25 pounds is not as important as the fact that you have stuck to your plan.
My Resolution
So in the end, my resolution to start out with is to carry out the above steps for just one thing. That thing is to get my remodeler's license. This blog is where I will track my progress.
Here's to 2008.
So this year, I'm changing my mind. I don't think new years resolutions are useless. It's just that one shouldn't make some half-hearted determination once a year and then forget about it. Or worse, when it fails give it up until next year.
Define a Goal
I decided that the best way to keep a resolution is to actually have it be something you latch on to by making it a part of your daily life. That would mean to take the abstract idea and make it into something concrete that exists in the real world. An example would be if my resolution was to lose weight. That idea is abstract. How much weight do you want to lose? Twenty pounds? That's at least more defined. The first step into taking the abstract idea and making it a reality is to define it in exact terms; to make it into a goal you can actually determine whether or not you met. "I want to lose 25 pounds by December 31st" is a fully described goal. When you get to December 31st, you will know whether or not you met the goal.
Create a Plan
Once you have your goal, you can start to determine how to make it happen by creating a plan to meet it. For something like weight loss, we all know that the best way to lose weight is diet an exercise. So for this example, a plan would involve changing your diet and starting an exercise routine. Once you have the exact details of the plan in place, you can actually begin implementing the plan in your daily routine.
Stick to the Plan
The thing that matters at that point is sticking to the plan. That is, having the discipline to stick to the routine for the next 365 days. If you got through the first two steps, this is where things get difficult. The problem is that it's not easy to develop a new habit. And in this step, your plan might involve developing several new habits. I'm not going to delve into the details of how to successfully develop new habits, but if you can do it, then you will be on a path to meeting your goal.
Make Adjustments
If you've made it to this point, then the next step is to make adjustments as necessary to meet the goal. It could be that the goal is to easy. Maybe you'll lose the 25 pounds in six months. Then what? Or the goal could be too difficult. Maybe you'll get to June and only have lost five pounds. In either case, you will need to make adjustments. In the first case, you have met your goal early. So you could make a new goal to lose another 25 pounds if you need to. Or your goal could be just to keep the weight off. In the second case, you could modify the plan to include more exercise, or more changes in your diet. You may also need to review the goal to see if it is really reasonable or not. In both cases, the adjustment could simply be to modify the goal. I think this is reasonable because if you were able to define a goal, implement a plan to get there and actually stick to the plan for six months, then I believe you have been successful. Whether or not you are able to lose the full 25 pounds is not as important as the fact that you have stuck to your plan.
My Resolution
So in the end, my resolution to start out with is to carry out the above steps for just one thing. That thing is to get my remodeler's license. This blog is where I will track my progress.
Here's to 2008.
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