Do something everyday that scares you.

Ever since that phrase was given as life-altering advice, it’s become an unofficial calling card.

On an abnormally warm early January night in the newly minted year of 2007, a friend and I sat down at a local watering hole to share a few pints. As the night wore on, the conversation evolved into a meditation on New Year’s resolutions.

Inevitably, we self-inventoried our individual lives and came up with solid changes for the next 365 days.

We each devised three extra-solid resolutions.

But then I got back to thinking about the quote that led off this story.

In 2007 I want to live, not just exist. Therefore, I’ve decided three resolutions would be way too few.

So, in no particular order, here are some. I hope they keep you honest with yours:

— I want to watch more soccer. Back when I grew up, there were no “soccer moms.” It was baseball, basketball and football.

But after following the magical season NIU men’s soccer team had, I wonder how I could have turned a blind eye to such an incredible sport for the first 25 or so years of my life.

— Run the Chicago Marathon. All 26.2 miles of it.

— Watch more sporting events live.

— Catch more Cubs games at Wrigley Field, and let the warm summer breeze brush against my face. Forego watching Len and Bob call the game on TV as the rattling air conditioner pumps round after round of cool-stale air into the lonely room.

— Learn the guitar, how to fish and win more ping-pong sets.

— Be a better reporter. My words should jump off the page. Readers should read my words and feel the echoes of fan chatter, the dull clank of shoulder pads, or the swish of the twine from a perfect jump shot.

— Be more positive, especially about sports, and listen instead of just impatiently awaiting my turn to blurt out my thoughts.

— The elimination of Gorillas is also a top priority. Not the strong armed and wonderfully amazing creatures, but the metaphorical enigma of difficult-to-discuss issues.

I’m sure there are hundreds more, but here is my thinking: In life, there is no dry run, no do-over.

My ultimate resolution in 2007 is to not stop making resolutions.

Every day my mind will race to create more, and I’ll see to their proper fulfillment. Being a stay-the-course kind of guy just means I haven’t evolved.

If you catch me slacking, by all means, call me out.