All I did this year – and next ~

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This time last year, I posted a blog –

All I Did this Year

In that post, I chided myself for not having done very much in 2014. And I set myself an agenda for what I wanted to achieve in 2015 – this year. Here’s what I wrote last year:

This time next year I want to be able to answer that question – What did I do this year? – by saying:

  • I wrote a new book
  • I walked the Via de Francesca with some wonderful friends
  • I finished my PGS film
  • I finished the first stage of the online course with my university
  • I finished my Indian honour killing film – DEFIANT
  • I wrote a new screenplay

So –

  • I DID write a new book. Photo Camino. In fact I wrote TWO new books, with the recent publication of WHITE WITCH BLACK WITCH: Initiate.
  • I DID walk the Via de Francesca with some wonderful friends, and we had an amazing time. Not only that, but Jennifer and I also hosted the Mother Ganga Tour – being a spiritual tour of India. And we did that with some amazing friends too.
  • I DIDN’T finish my PGS film, but I nearly finished filming. Production took me to the US (twice) Italy, Turkey, Bhutan, and India.
  • I DID finish the first stage of my online course with my University, the Queensland University of Technology. I’ve been working all year with my incredibly talented web designer, and only a few weeks ago we finished and delivered the first stage to QUT.
  • I DIDN’T finish my Indian honour killing film. In fact I didn’t start it. But financing is edging closer.
  • I DID write a new screenplay – and that’s now out to distributors.

So I got through some of my agenda but not all of it.

This time next year, I want to again answer the question: What did I do this year, by saying:

  • I finished my PGS film.
  • I wrote and published the 2nd part of WHITE WITCH BLACK WITCH.
  • I wrote another book on the Camino.
  • I started my Indian honour killing film.
  • I mounted a 2nd Portuguese Camino Tour.
  • I mounted a Wild Atlantic Way Tour on the west coast of Ireland.
  • I mounted a 2nd Mother Ganga Tour.
  • I began the 2nd stage of the online educational resource with QUT.
  • I set up a new film, based on the new screenplay – which in fact is about the Camino.

If I achieve all that, I will be a happy little bunny.

People say – how do you manage to do so much in a day. It’s simple. I set an intention, I focus on that, and then I set myself small achievable goals that cumulatively will allow me to achieve the big goal. Then I go about achieving those small goals.

One thing that I learned on the Camino, and which I talk about in The Way, My Way, is that you can achieve huge things if you do it incrementally. Step by step. You can walk across Spain if you take one step then another then another, and another.

And you don’t give up. That’s the key to it. You persevere, until you get there, no matter the blisters, the aching knee, the rain, how long it takes and whatever obstacles you might face. You keep on going until you get there.

I’ve now stopped thinking about outcomes – about the results of my endeavours. I now only think about the endeavours themselves, and achieving them with the utmost integrity.

I’ve learned to give over the outcomes to the Universe.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if what you do is successful or not. The only thing that matters is that you do it. And do it the best you can…

© Bill Bennett

24 thoughts on “All I did this year – and next ~”

    • A Most Joyous Christmas to you and yours, Pieter! I thoroughly enjoyed reading Bill’s blog post and then found your comment here. Because of yours and Bill’s collaboration on PGS, we got to meet you, Bill and Jennifer – in our own home, no less! Kismet or not, what a wonderful coming together of old friends. I’m enjoying your photographic postings and communications on FB. Looking forward to seeing you again soon, hopefully. In the meantime, may this New Year welcome you whole-heartedly and may the light of truth illuminate your every step and love guide your every choice! All the best to you.

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  3. Another insightful and enjoyable blog, Bill! I agree wholeheartedly about perseverance. With commitment, trust and perseverance, we accomplish all things. Our intuition derives from our certainty in that which knows all, gives all, is all. When we follow our intuitive knowing, each step we take is in complete relationship to that undivided wholeness of life, like in a well-choreographed dance, every step has a purpose. Like a finely directed and edited film. No waste, no irrelevant scenes or dialogue. In filming, I’m sure there are times when the actors are given information on exactly what that particular scene is about, how they are feeling, what they are going through in the context of the story, but, may not know exactly where and how that scene will be edited or used in the end. When we are following our intuition, we are often in the same place as those actors – we’re given information about what we need to be doing next, but, not know exactly how this step fits in with the whole scheme. Like your experience that started your search. You knew you had to put the brakes on. When you heeded that knowing, you were spared being flattened. Yet, at the time, you may not have known that it would lead you to traveling around the world interviewing people to make a film on intuition. Yes, you just took one step, then, another.

    You’re also spot-on about the need to relinquish looking to or expecting a particular outcome. If you had your attention on the result, you wouldn’t be able to use your intuition. With intention, we set our waypoints along our pilgrimage and the direction of our trek. With intuition, we pave the camino. Intention sets our compass-heading. Intuition gives us our navigation. All of that, however, adds up to nothing if not for our commitment. For, without commitment, we wouldn’t take action. Perseverance is a natural consequence of having commitment. With perseverance, we always arrive at our destination. And, the foundation of all commitment is love. Without love, there is no commitment. With love, there is no question of commitment.

    That’s the bottom line, isn’t it? Bill, you have a lot of love to share. That’s why you are committed. No mystery in how you accomplish so much in the time most people take in just thinking about what they might do, maybe.

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    • Dear Michael – you’re spot on with your observations! haha. The analogy with the actors is exactly right. I hadn’t thought about it like that before, but you’re so right! When you come to believe that you are guided, and protected, then everything is possible. And you in fact helped me to believe that. But you have to TRUST, and you have to SURRENDER. And that’s hard. That’s what stops most people. You understand what I’m saying here. And yes, love is all. With love comes generosity of spirit, and fear is dispelled. When fear goes, everything is possible. There are no barriers. Intuition is your soul whispering to you…

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  4. Hi Bill –
    Your achievements this year are amazing and I do believe your strong sense of self-motivation, as well as your intuition and the will to always follow through and not give up, gives you the energy to achieve all that you do.
    This self-motivation is something that we can ALL take into 2016 so that we begin to walk on the path to get to the place where our goals are achieved and our dreams become a reality. With the closing of 2015 it’s a GREAT time to focus on self-motivation; to set our goals for 2016 – and Bill, you inspire me to walk on that path.
    Love and best, best wishes to you and Jen –
    Jenny xo xo

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    • Jenny – you two are self motivated. What you did this year with your work on the Camino was nothing short of amazing. And selfless. You inspire ME!! haha. We should have another long lunch and tell each other how inspirational we are to each other!! 🙂

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  5. … of course, it needs to be noted that Bill, alone in the world, has somehow managed to extend time, so he has at least 28 hours available to him EVERY day!! I know, incredible, but I travelled with the man and saw it happening all the time 🙂 Envious? You bet!!

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  7. Oh Bill, you take the cake. I thought I had an eventful year… it pales beside yours. I think those cosmic rays very much helped you duplicate yourself so you could work in tandem. 😉

    My respect, my dear friend, you are an inspiration and your mate a saint. Light and Love Ingrid

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