Just Five Goals

Like most folks', I imagine, my goals were a bit hit or miss in 2013. I won't run through them all, but let's just say that some I missed by a bit, some I missed by a lot, and some I simply ignored. I fell prey to the normal problems: not making my goals public, not checking in on status regularly, and setting negative goals instead of positive goals. Stepping back a bit though, I can see that part of the problem is that there were just too many goals. So this year, starting anew like so many others this January, I decided to whittle my goals down to just a list of five.

This was not as easy as I thought it would be. I'm a little flighty, so the idea of getting in better shape and reading twenty new books and making money via a side hustle and doing new things with the blog all appeal to me. Why choose, when I can try to do everything? There's no limit to the cool new ideas of what my life might be like, but a really limited amount of follow-through. So over a series of walks and jogs and the long car ride back from California this weekend, I came up with just these five things.

1. Launch "Personal Training for Your Pocketbook" and Partner with Eight Clients: Back in November, I mentioned that I will be launching a financial coaching service, focused on providing accountability and motivation through regular check-ins. I will be meeting with a business attorney that my pastor knows to go over a couple questions, and will then set up an LLC. After that, we are ready to launch, and then comes the real work of finding people to work with and for. Stay tuned and, if you are interested in hearing more about the services, feel free to send me a message.
2. Workout 313 Days Out of the Year (One Cheat Day a Week): Probably the most ambitious goal of the bunch, my approach here is to establish a daily habit of light workouts, rather than strenuous ones paired with off days. So, at least for the first quarter of the year, the minimum workout is either running 2 miles, or 20 minutes of cardio or weight training. They will ratchet up from there, especially as our annual AT hike approaches. My best friend and I stole an idea from Nudge to motivate us: if either of us doesn't adhere to the workout schedule for that month, he owes the other $20, to be used on hiking gear. Over the course of the year, this could be some serious coin. The worst bit, I think (and the pointed stick that will keep us motivated) is the thought of seeing the other guy happily sporting gear that you bought for him. 
3. Achieve a Weight of 155 Pounds: I usually ace my annual physical. Everything's in range, good weight, all that. But this year I somehow tipped the scales at 170. For a guy who is 5'10", that's just barely within the normal BMI range. I blame Mrs. Done by Forty's absence, as now there is no one around to prevent me from eating pizza for ten nights straight. I asked my doctor what my prize fighting weight should be, and she recommended 155 pounds, so that's what I'm aiming for. On the plus side, if I achieve goal #2, losing fifteen pounds should be no problem at all.
4. Purchase a Cash Flow Positive Rental Property: We've been kicking around this idea ever since we began paying down the mortgage. But like with a lot of goals, we've used life's little happenings as excuses to procrastinate. No matter, later in 2014 when Mrs. Done by Forty is back from Peru for good, we want to use the cash we've been saving up to buy a single family home and use it as a long term rental. 
5. Learn and Play Three Songs on the Guitar or Piano: I've wanted to play music ever since I was a kid. But like a lot of kids, this thought has stayed in the 'idea' stage only. When my favorite songs come on Pandora, I catch myself daydreaming that I'm on stage at some little venue, performing. So, I figure it's time to stop playing air guitar and to start playing that Fender that's buried in the garage. And if you're especially unlucky, maybe I'll tape the song and throw it up here on the blog.

So, those are my goals for the upcoming year. I'm planning on adding a progress check into the net worth updates or budget porn post for that month, so you can follow along, if that's your thing. Being an extrovert, maybe the publicity of the whole thing will keep me on schedule. Hope springs eternal this time of year, so I believe they're all within reach. If I can do just these five things by December 31st of next year, I think I can be happy with my year and, hopefully, myself. As always, thanks for reading.

*Photo is from pointnshoot at Flickr Creative Commons.