Project Goals for 2014

Posted: January 3rd, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Earlier this week I wrote about how I fared with my goals for 2013.

Given my low success rate last year (2.5 out of 8), I thought I’d borrow some expert advice in how to set achievable goals that drive me towards a centralized vision, instead of somewhat competing against each other. To this end, I went back to Rand Fishkin’s great post about vision-based frameworks and the Big Hairy Ass Audacious Goal.

 

Vision-Based Framework

Vision-Based Framework | Credit to Rand Fishkin & Moz.com

Thinking back on the times I was most motivated this year, I found that it was mainly the times when I could feel myself really moving towards self-actualization.  (High-five Maslow’s) I knew that I loved learning, and that I loved improving myself.

I presume this is why I like RPGs so much because of the ability to add a new skill that will prove vital during a later chapter in the game/life.

So, working off of that, I decided to set my own BHAG, and strategic initiatives for 2014. The one deviation I made is that these initiatives are things that I was planning to do, or thought I’d want to do anyways, so hopefully that increases the success rate compared to some other tasks that could be less motivating and more laborious.

My Big Hairy Audacious Goal:

Put myself in the best position for success in my life and career moving forward

Strategic Initiatives:

  • Get back to the size/shape I was at 25*
  • Walk/Bike 100 miles before my birthday (5/22 if you’re updating your calendar)
  • Maintain 3.0 or above GPA
  • Blog/Podcast 52 times this year

Reasons why I chose these initiatives?

The health-related choices should be obvious.  I will turn 32 this year, was diagnosed with Diabetes (which killed my Grandfather and severely impacted my Grandmother’s life), and in general no longer feel like I am as invincible as I once was.  It’s time that I took control and became an actor in the drama that is my own body and it’s performance. Beyond that, I would say that I don’t have THAT far to go to achieve the first two goals based on actions I took and habits I developed (with the help of my lovely girlfriend) in 2013. These goals are going to serve as stated objectives that provide something measurable in pursuit of the BHAG.

From a professional standpoint, I also believe that being more active and in better shape gives a better impression of my work ethic, ability to stick to something and hunger for success. It may seem shallow or counter-intuitive, but it can’t hurt.

As for the GPA and blog/podcast goals, those are things that I feel should be achievable, and will serve as both personal reminders that I can accomplish much more with my time, and hopefully as indicators to my peers (or future peers) that I can deliver. I remember a panel I attended at PAX Prime 18 months ago where the best advice they gave was to start working on passion projects now to prove you get stuff done, and you can see something through to completion, instead of waiting for your dream job to suddenly appear. I need to keep myself working in the direction I want to move, even if only tangentially, while still achieving my other goals.

Hopefully by having less projects and a more centralized goal, I will see better success in 2014 than in 2013. Either way, it looks like it will be a fun, productive year.

* This is a firm number in my mind, just not something I’m publishing here.  I’m not THATentirely TAGFEE yet.

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3 Comments on “Project Goals for 2014”

  1. 1 RyanGPhx said at 7:05 pm on January 3rd, 2014:

    Project Goals for 2014 http://t.co/yFG4HIGBxw

  2. 2 February Goals Update - Relevant Wit said at 1:02 pm on February 1st, 2014:

    […] Project Goals for 2014 (relevantwit.com) […]

  3. 3 How I spent my winter break - Relevant Wit said at 7:42 pm on February 11th, 2014:

    […] – Came up with a list of goals/initiatives for 2014. […]