5 Monkey Resolutions

It's the last day of the year, and I have to say that 2012 was really good to me. I've done a ton of traveling, landed the job I wanted, made a ton of awesome new friends, and probably have never been happier.

But I'd like to bring in 2013 strongly, do it all again, and make it even better over the next 365 days. Here are a few resolutions that I hope to follow -- hold me to them, monkeys.

1. Be nicer to people

This one is pretty simple. 2012 was entirely focused on "numero uno" -- networking, looking for a job, traveling for personal fulfillment -- all me me me. That's all well and good, but there's always room for extending a helping hand and being a respectful, kind human being. I wasn't actively mean to people -- very few -- during 2012, but I also didn't go out of my way to brighten someone's day.

And with the recent violent events that have been happening in the States, I think we can all agree that being nicer and more respectful towards everyone is a net-positive. Not every kid has someone to sit with at the lunch table -- but every kid should. Bottom line, this year, I hope to strive to include people and help them out when necessary, not look at differences and judge.

2. Get to the damn gym

"Why January Is Most Annoying Time To Go To The Gym"

This is a staple resolution that I've been preaching for the past 4-5 years. January is usually strong for me -- sometimes even February -- but then I give in and switch to a once- or twice-per-week "routine". I don't think many would deny that if they exercise 4-5 times per week that they are physically and mentally healthier.

This is an easy no-brainer, and about the simplest thing you can do to improve your quality of life. Too bad it requires discipline and time!

3. Give it 110% at work

I'll be starting as an Analyst this summer, having previously worked in the tech industry. Frankly speaking, I didn't give a rat's rear-end about my tech job and I was there for the paycheck. It was hard for me to go above and beyond the call of duty because of the amount of red tape at my company, and I was rarely motivated to even attempt to overachieve because I knew the job wasn't getting me anywhere.

All of this will change in IB, whether I like it or not (and after being on the grind for the better part of a year, I'm confident that it's the right fit). I wanted to work a job that was more than just a paycheck -- I wanted to learn every single day and build my career. Now is the chance to give it 110% at work, since opportunities like so many of us on WSO have come up very very rarely.

4. Stay in contact with family

This one will be tricky due to #3, but I have always been weak on maintaining contact with members of my family. This is due in part to the fact that the overwhelming majority of my family does not live in the US, but with internet, that's a pretty piss-poor excuse.

Lots of people in this world don't have families, or if they do, they're thousands of miles away. It's not hard to stay in touch with the people you love, but I feel like it's not a priority for most people in our demographic. Family is key, let's not forget them!

5. Buy a new car

Well, I had to add one that was totally self-centered, right?

I've been driving a beater for as long as I can remember. Some of these beaters were OK -- early-90s 3-series, for example. But, at the end of the day, I've never had a "nice" car -- and that's probably for the better...all of the kids my age (21-23) who have M3s are douche-bags.

Anyway, it's easy to start thinking about all of the things you CAN afford once you have decent cash flow coming in, but you still have to be realistic. I really like the G37 sedan with 6-speed MT -- can be had for about $25K if you buy a 2009. Never driving a BMW again because the repair bill after 60K miles is absolutely astonishing, though that seems to be the most popular suggestion on WSO. Thoughts, folks?

What do you hope to accomplish in 2013? What could you have done better in 2012? Was this a good year for you?

Thanks for reading!