Most of us use calendars as a reminder of deadlines, appointments and special commitments. In this way, they're quite useful. They help us serve others. They remind us what should be done when. But, they fall short in helping us do our best work. We can schedule time at the gym...but come up with reasons not to go. We can establish a schedule to learn...and not show up.
A calendar brings the urgency of something we owe someone to the forefront. It creates enough tension to force action, albeit often at the last minute. But, the hard work we need to do for ourselves, the regimen necessary to get ourselves to the gym, to the computer or to the classroom comes from a different place. It comes from initiative and caring enough about the thing to be persistent and resilient in the face of hardship. Doing the work despite the roadblocks, despite not having enough time is done in the present. Practicing generosity, gratitude, better public speaking, math, writing is something we can do anytime if we choose to. But alas, some of us need a crutch, an organized place to put the practice time. So, perhaps a better calendar would include time for regimens, habits and persistence, and not just the outcomes. Of course, once we've committed to the work and made it a habit, we don't need a schedule anymore. We merely do it because it's what we decided to do.
We don't need a New Year's resolution or any other artificial reminder to set new expectations and try harder. We don't need a calendar. Our best work is done when we decide to do it. And, it's always time to do it.