aligned-goals

You Need to Set Aligned Goals for 2018

I set a list of goals for 2017. I achieved none of them. Because of the way I set up my goals, I started this year with five side projects, and no main projects. I had no steady source of income, and I was speculating with a handful of pursuits. They included: running a marketing…

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I set a list of goals for 2017. I achieved none of them.

Because of the way I set up my goals, I started this year with five side projects, and no main projects. I had no steady source of income, and I was speculating with a handful of pursuits.

They included:

  • running a marketing agency
  • teaching leadership and productivity online
  • writing, recording, and performing music
  • developing a skateboard brand
  • …and becoming a comic book investor

I quickly realized this path was not sustainable. Without steady income, the time I could give to each project became less and less. It got really hard to know how to spend my work days.

So I started looking for a job. And I started looking for clients. I got a little bit of work, but nothing steady. Then, I started looking for which side projects I could eliminate.

The first thing to go was my comic book investment goal. I had planned to sell 10 comics for 50% profit by the end of the year. It turns out that it takes quite a bit of time to set something like this up. But it also required me to spend time in online forums and with other speculating resources that – simply put – I did not want to spend time with. As much as I love early-90s Spider-Man, the stuff that goes on there is against my values. So I got rid of this goal.

Then, I put my skateboard brand idea to rest. This was intended to be my art project, my gift-giving. I did not intend for it to be a source of income. Although it was very dear to me (and it was even funded by some great people), I just didn’t have the time to spend on something that wasn’t going to bring me income. So it had to go.

Then, I took a hiatus from this blog. This was a hard choice for me to make, but I did not have the time to invest in creating great content for you either.

And after all that, I finally got a steady job. Today, I work in design, development, and content strategy for a Jerusalem non-profit organization. I also serve freelance clients as well.

The remaining side project was my music. My goal was to record a full-length album by the end of this year. I didn’t come close. But at least setting this goal got me playing music live on Facebook two times a week for much of the year, and I wrote 12 new songs. I am still pursuing this in the margins of my time. You can check out my music here.

Recently I was able to come back to this blog. It helped that steady income started coming in, so I could have time to create content again. I’m back, yo.

Why am I mentioning all this to you?

Because I want you to do two things:

  • I want you to set goals for 2018.
  • I want you to achieve your goals for 2018.

The goals I set for 2017 didn’t quite work out. But they set me on a path that truly made this year my best year ever. Why? Because the process of conducting weekly reviews and going over my goals regularly helped me create a strategy for my life. They helped me learn, adjust, and roll with the punches.

And as I look back at this year, I’m thankful.

  • I’m out of debt.
  • I’m exercising regularly.
  • I keep a relatively healthy diet.
  • I’m conducting weekly reviews and daily planning.
  • I have a beautiful wife and eight beautiful children.
  • I’m able to have all these things while living in Jerusalem, Israel.

The Importance of Aligned Goals

Setting annual goals and reviewing them weekly have given me a clarity in my work life that I have never known before. But, as I realized, it’s not enough just to set goals. The goals you set need to be aligned to the particular season in your life.

The goals I set for 2017 were not aligned for a season of having no steady income. So, in 2017, I learned the importance of setting aligned goals.

Now it’s time to set goals for 2018. I want these to be aligned goals. I don’t just want to set them and review them, I want to achieve them.

Here are three key goals:

  • Multiply my productivity and leadership email list by 10.
  • Multiply my music email list by 50.
  • Generate an extra 30% of my monthly expenses from strategic business partnerships with my marketing agency.

Let’s start looking towards 2018. I want 2018 to be your best year ever. In the coming weeks I’ll be offering you some special resources for doing so.