There is 91.6% of the year left to set goals, so I did.
I always marvel at the idea of New Year's resolutions. I guess it is clear I don’t typically set resolutions since we are now almost a full month into the year and I am just sharing my goals.
But what is the difference between December 31 and January 1? Why not start a new goal or resolution every Tuesday or on the third day of the third week of the third month? One thing COVID has taught me is that time is a construct and I firmly believe we shouldn’t be tied to norms or standards just because.
To practice what I preach, I am here, rolling into the second week of February and proudly announcing my goals for 2021.
- Run at least 1250 miles (stretch goal is 1500)
- Read at least 52 books
- Maintain a teaching role (preferably at Trinity University)
- Increase my effectiveness within Mission Capital and achieve client engagement targets
- Launch a fully functioning community engagement vertical at Blue Sky Partners
- Launch CapIntelPro and produce net revenue
- Re-design and re-launch my personal website
- Write a public piece monthly — newsletter, op-ed, medium piece, etc.
- Recruit at least 4 people to non-profit boards
- Raise $25,000+ for causes I care about
- Attend one continued learning opportunity per month on race equity outside of work
- Volunteer at least 12 times
Let me break down a few things.
Why share this?
Simple, sharing your goals makes you more likely to achieve them. That is the selfish answer. The other part is that I want to create a space that people can set ambitious goals and have support and friendship to celebrate the wins, accountability to prioritize the right things, and grace to re-evaluate what is important, feasible, and necessary.
What is the thought process?
You will see a blend of personal, professional, and community goals. I don’t break them apart. They are all the same to me. If I read a book, is it for pleasure? Yes! Can I learn? Absolutely! Does it follow me into all the different parts of my career? Of course!
The same is true about volunteers, recruiting collaborators, and supporting organizations I care about.
I comingle my goals because some of the best (and worst) ideas have come when I was running. Some of the things that have brought me the most joy have been professional (I absolutely love teaching). I am not setting these goals to win a contest or play the “grind until you die” or “hustle harder” mindset. These goals are important to me because they are simply important to me. That is why I want to achieve them.
How does this compare to 2020?
Glad you asked! I have saved my goals from 2020. They are below and I included what I actually achieved with no explanation or commentary.
Goals for 2020 Update:
- Run at least 1500 miles (stretch goal is 2020) — 881 miles run
- Read at least 47 books (stretch goal is 52) — 52 books read
- Secure one adjunct teaching role — Became Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Trinity University for 1 year
- Double the revenue of Blue Sky Partners — Not even close
- Double the clients I engage with at Mission Capital — 140% increase (conservative estimate)
- Launch at least 2 ideas I have been thinking on but not acting on — CapIntel Pro launching in 2021
- Write at least 9 posts on Medium (stretch 12) — 1 post written on Medium
- Join at least 2 non-profit boards — The Other Ones Foundation, E4 Youth, Austin Tech Alliance
- Raise significant (for me) capital for non-profits/candidates I support — Done but not as specific as it should have been
As you can see, I achieved some and missed some. Some of them were specific and some were too general. They all provided some learning about what I truly prioritize in my life and how I want to measure those priorities.
Sharing is caring
I fundamentally believe that being open about your goals and your process both helps you refine them and makes you more likely to achieve them. Facts are facts. But it is also a sign that you care. You want advice and partnership. You are being open and vulnerable by both sharing what you aspire towards and being accountable to those priorities. I hope you will check in with me during the other 91.6% of the year.
All that to say, I want to be a partner to you too!
So what are your goals? How did you come up with them and how can we help you achieve them? What is your process? What kind of community do you need or want to achieve them?
Don’t be a stranger!
