Yea! One month down – eleven to go!
Here is a list of the ongoing goals and the goals for January. I have included a short description to show my progress at the end of this month. I’m planning on posting this each month to show how I’m progressing on my goals.
Ongoing Goals
1) Read through Bible this year
I’ve read 1st and 2nd Samuel. This is 55 chapters – 11 chapters short of where I should be (3 chapters a day is needed). I’ll be working on making up the difference by the end of February and solidify the habit each day.
2) Start and keep a prayer journal
I have a small binder started with a simple prayer list. I have a Bible class I teach with 19 students. They are on the list, as well as a “mastermind” group (thirteen of us). I have also added the subscribers of this blog (if I don’t have your name, I use the e-mail address). I’ll be adding needs and special requests as I go. If you have a prayer request, just contact me and let me know.
3) Participate regularly in the visitation program
I have started visiting for our church on Saturdays.
4) Exercise at least 3 times a week
I’ve started a simple program using my treadmill, sit-ups, pull-ups, and push-ups. It’s a small amount for now, but I’m just trying to establish a habit. I’ll be increasing the time/intensity as I go.
5) Stop drinking pop, except for special occasions
Still working on this… (sipping Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry as I write this…)
6) Learn and adapt better eating habits
Doing pretty good. Just easing into it. I still splurge with a sweet here and there…
7) Regularly post 3 times a week on blog
Making improvements here. Shortly, one post a week should be a podcast episode. (Take this survey to help me!)
8) Make $100,000/ year household salary by end of the year
This is a goal for after transitioning to my new business.
January Goals
1) Get below 230 pounds
Started at 252, down to 236. A little shy of my goal, so I’ll have to step it up in February.
2) Read 1.7 books (20 for the year)
Done with 2 books. Started 2 others (The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly?
by Seth Godin and The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth
3) Have 275 Twitter followers
Started at 225, now at 278.
4) Finish business plans for web design business
Registered my business, Dev By JR, as an LLC this week. Getting a business bank account set up. Got contract with a 25% down payment. A few other things in my plans still need to be finished, but should have them done soon. My official launch date is March 1.
5) Work on Gradebook Flex
6) Invite another family over
7) Add $2,000 to emergency fund
Set it at $12,000 by June; this was very aggressive. Should be easier as I get my business going.
8) 2 family outings
We went to the zoo as a family one Saturday, as well as other family time events. My wife is in nursing school, so her schedule will make it difficult, but we will be trying to work in family time as much as we can.
Question: How are your goals coming for this year?
Hey, way to make a guy feel convicted man. Thank you. Thank you very much.
No, seriously – I really got a good nudge to get attacking my own goal making and setting with your open sharing of your own journey here. I needed that. I think I’ve been procrastinating a bit on there….no more.
Quick question for you: what’s Gradebook Flex??
Blessings on ya my friend.
Thanks, Aaron. Gradebook Flex… I was wondering if anyone would ask 🙂
It started as a small project to make a gradebook for our Christian school. The one we use currently costs over $1500 each year, so I could save the school some good money. As I starting thinking and working on it, I was drawn to the idea of making it web-based (with security, of course). That would make it easy for teachers grading at home and for parents to stay in touch with their students progress – making it flexible. Hence: Gradebook Flex.
I haven’t devoted much time to it in January, but I hope to have it up and working for our school before the end of the year. Then, I was thinking that I could tweak it and make it better for commercializing it. Just an idea right now.
Awesome! Please keep me on your mailing list for when you have it rolling. And if you add an attendance feature…bonus. We’re working on adding those capabilities to what we do down here. Have you seen what Quickschools.com and http://www.learnboost.com are up to? We’re currently piloting with Quickschools – Learnboost is great, but not flexible enough to customize with us. Grr.
But if I had the chance to work with someone I know and trust…;)
Dude, You’re on fire! That’s a lot of stuff. Do you calerendarize it all? I have to put it on a calendar or I accomplish very little. (I’m a mind wanderer.)
May I offer something? You can achieve goals in all areas of your life, and you should. When you start a business, it might be wise to say “Not right now” to a few things so you can focus on “shipping” to use a Godin term. I have found that consistant life balance is an illusion. The person as a whole can be in balance, while his time may be out of balance. Over a decade ago, I busted it to get my business up. I did so at the expense of other areas in my life. My time was out of balance. For a short while, I was making withdrawals from other life accounts and big deposits in my career account. That should never be a lifestyle, but it’s ok for a short while. Trust me, your business can be a vehicle through which you can make huge deposits in the accounts from which you withdraw now. May God bless all your efforts!
Two thumbs up on that post Jeremy – and please forgive me for not getting back to you on FB. Please forgive me!!!!
But I love your suggestions. I feel that way too – that balance is really hard to achieve. I’m, as you know, in my ‘shipping mode’ and will be for the next few months. And things are starting to ship…so that’s…such a relief. But you’re right on in your observation about the person and his/her time – I think that is totally accurate.
And ‘not right now’ so you can focus on a few things….burnt rice. We can only do so much. The trick is to really get good at prioritizing what those things should be.
I seriously appreciate this! I know I took a lot more than I could chew. Dan Miller says that he sets goals that he has a 50/50 chance of hitting.
That aside, most of my focus has been on the business and related items. My two big focuses are on my health/weight and getting my business going. My Twitter and blog (upcoming podcast, included) are associated with the business goals because they are part of communication and marketing avenues.
I need the reminder, though, of what I need to focus on! After I get my business, my time will balance itself to attack the other goals better.
As far as a calendar:
I had also broken my original goals (previous post from December) into ones that were ongoing goals and ones that were daily/weekly things (i.e. Bible reading). The other group were ones that were longer term goals that I needed to break down to see what needed to be done each month (i.e. “Read 20 books” = 1.7 books per month).
I have the problem of writing something down and losing it or not looking at it. I thought about using some apps on my phone, but I also have the tendency of not looking at it regularly. So, what I did was put up a cork board in my office (I should post a picture of the setup). I put my three words in large print (opportunity, dedication, and intentionality). I also put a list of the ongoing/daily/weekly goals. Underneath that, I have a printed monthly calendar that has a space where I wrote in the specific goals for that month. The calendar is black and white, with the goals written in red ink (to make them stand out).
It’s right in front of me when I’m at my desk, so it’s a constant reminder.
I’ve added a photo of my board: http://joshuarivers.net/my-2013-board/
Fantastic stuff Josh – really impressive! Love that you are so honest and transparent. You will rock these goals this year!
In reality, I’m just being selfish. It’s not flawless but, making this public makes me think about these things more. Do I really need that Double Quarter-Pounder?