Each year I write a blog explaining that I am not really a big fan of New Year resolutions, but then I find myself slipping into using the moment to pivot parts of my life. Of course this is the very definition of a New Years resolution! For many the resolution will be a post Christmas diet or joining a gym or learning a new language and booking the trip of a lifetime.

Sadly the last couple of years with Covid has taught us not to perhaps plan too far ahead.

As you will see from my 4000 Weeks Blog, I have already started to realign my life around the prospect of being fully retired and using my weeks more ‘wisely’

So this means I will be stopping some of the things I do! When I run strategy sessions I am firm at getting Boards to tell me what they are going to stop doing. If you don’t stop your strategy is just a list. But I have never been that good at doing it in my own life.

As always this reflection is more about me being publicly accountable with my time. Where we spend our time and money says everything about our priorities. I try to get others to hold me accountable for the things I take on and how to balance that with a life of service.

So In 2022 I have finally decided to step back from most of the roles at Sajeimpact. I still look after a few clients and will do strategy work but that is it. I won’t be proactively seeking any more work, but instead will use the associates we work with. So I will still be working with Judo, ExtremeSports, Deaf Sport, Sport:80 ,CARE, for some of 2022 but slowly moving away when things come to a natural end.

Being away in Scotland for 2 weeks in October reinforced my desire to make the future look different. The ‘taste’ of just being present in nature with Sarah was the definition of the retired life I expected. Wanting more of this is a big priority. I imagine one week of each month will be ‘away’ exploring and enjoying the joys of the UK with my camera!!

So what will 2022 look like?

I hold a few NED/ advisory roles which I want to keep up - Incus Performance , Sport:80, LRS Active Together, BBL Foundation, Asian Sports Foundation and Sport and Recreation Alliance Vice President

My main focus of volunteering is Chairing the Sport for Development Coalition - about 1.5 days a week at the moment. I seem to have found Myself at the helm of some organisations in sport at a crucial stage in their development, recruit a good team and move on to a new challenge. I’m keen to see the SFDC work completed and look to hand over to somebody to take it to the next level. Covid has disrupted my first two years but I think the team and Board have done a great job. This year I will do all I can to make this a success and then make a decision at the end of 2022 about seeking a second term.

My main local and economic development volunteering is through Leicestershire LEP - leading to chairing the Investment Panel, and vice-chair of the Innovation Board. I have really been enjoying impacting my local community in this way again. Just as importantly it means I am not stuck in the sport bubble. It helps in bringing another perspective to all my other work.

As part of this role I have been appointed to the Loughborough Town Deal Board and the Board of LUSEP.

A few of our investments this year (see LLEP page and photo of Mira and Sport park and Bus station) In a voluntary capacity I have joined with a small group of other Business leaders to run an informal innovation and business support group.

The Sports Think Tank remains a massive interest for me. Although we are closing down the ‘Business’ the group of volunteers who help maintain the site and programme of events will continue. As the DCMS launch their next sports strategy we like to be around to help do the thinking and most effective policies for making change.

I have joined The RFU Task Group on review of its governance - hopefully only until late Summer 2022. As you can imagine quite a hard task to get any NGB governance body to look to the next 10 years. But I will at least try!

For somebody who has spent over 30 years o their life involved in politics at local and national level it has surprised even me how low I have put this as a priority for 2022. I will maintain my policy interests and work through the Fabians, CoL, CiP and Labour Party to work on good government. I do this a little with my role at Cranfield University on the Project Leadership Programme.

Family community and holidays has to be here. The fact that I mention it last is not good is it? The idea of retiring in 2022 is to push this to the top of the list and the rest should flow from the spare time I have from just being. I hope as I write my 2022 summary I can look myself in the eye and say I did make the shift in emphasis.

Hold me to account if I don’t.

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