For several years now, I guess linked to New Year resolutions, I have made a list of things I want to achieve for the year. Not resolutions as such, but a variety of goals. So I have short term goals, medium terms goals and long term goals, with what I intend to do to make inroads into each of them. Then as I go through the year every month I look at how I'm doing and either tick off the completed ones or revise the others

I ask because several people have said to me they find it surprising that I have an actual list of things I want to achieve, not just a list of general ambitions.

So do you have one? Or am I a bit mental?

I think this is amazing. I've done things like that in the past but now feel I'd have to sit down with my husband for putting some of the things on the list :) I still have my personal ones though I'm finding the phd-life is making me much less ambitious! Thanks for re-invigorating my list (up)

No, but I really admire people who can do that. I change my mind about everything everyday. One of the reasons why I'm doing a PhD... forcing myself to commit to something. I got used to being me, but a character like this isn't very good for relationships. Some days I feel so free because I don't care; some days I feel lost because I don't care... does it make sense?

If you do these lists from your heart, just enjoy it. But if you do them because of anxiety of future then it's worth taking a step back and ask questions to yourself. Nothing is mental, as long as you do it because it makes sense to you.