While I have always outlined personal New Year’s resolutions, I have not held myself publicly accountable. So this year, I’ve decided to make a list, share it with my network, and provide quarterly updates.
Personal
– Read 26 Books: While I am an avid reader, the majority of content I read is part of short-forum blog posts. I see tremendous value in diving deeper into specific topics and hope to further explore a number of areas of interest – psychology of consumer behavior, management of staff, marketing, etc. – in 2014.
– Practice Yoga with Tara: During undergrad I practiced quite a bit, but in recent years I have not made time in my schedule. I miss yoga and would love to support my girlfriend Tara, as she continuously improves her form. Plus, it would be a great activity for us to enjoy as a couple. I think once per month is reasonable.
– Volunteering: For over three years I have committed my free time to the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). Originally as a guest speaker, then a mentor, and most recently a board member for NFTE Ventures as part of NFTE New York Metro, I truly enjoy dedicating my time to low-income youth to motivate students to stay in school and to recognize entrepreneurship as a means to a successful future. More recently I have begun volunteering as a mentor at Venture for America, backed by Tony Hsieh among others, and look forward to becoming more involved. I would like to find another organization where I can dedicate my time.
– Travel: My last true vacation was in December, 2010. I took a five day cruise in the Caribbean with Tara and haven’t stopped dreaming about our Coco Loco rum concoctions on Royal Caribbean’s private island, CocoCay. Between my work and Tara finishing up law school, we have not found the time to escape Manhattan, and I look forward to establishing a more manageable work/life balance in 2014. My goal is to take two substantial trips throughout the year and a number of weekend getaways (7 to be exact) – something as simple as a B&B near a New York State winery to unplug.
– NBJ: I am starting out with an obtainable goal: No Booze January; a tradition my father started, something I always envied, and a great beginning to a productive year. I have lofty ambitions for the remaining 11 months, but let’s first see how I handle NBJ.
Professional
– Write 36 Blog Posts: Look, I have never been great at maintaining a consistent blogging schedule. I firmly believe in the benefits of writing everyday. As I have shared before, I view blogging as a way to relax. Others see blogging as a way to get press, build a reputation, extend your network, or even gain a better understanding of an idea. The bottom line is, blogging consistently will enable me to further my professional career by sharing my thoughts on industry news, creating networking opportunities, and perhaps most importantly, enabling me to fully develop internal ideas and approach my work with a deeper understanding.
– Subscribers: I blog for myself, but everyone loves to have their work appreciated. I have a strong subscriber base and a great community of engaging followers on Twitter, but I can always want more! With 330 current subscribers, I would like to end 2014 with over 750, while maintaining my 26.7% Open Rate.
– Speaking: After graduating from Skidmore College my first foray into entrepreneurism was as a professional speaker. While I have since continued to speak at a number of colleges in the northeast and at other industry events, I would like to further my experience in 2014. I recently sat on an industry panel on Mobile ROI and will provide an audio recording and overview of the topics discussed in an upcoming post.
– Contributing Writer: Coinciding with my ambition to grow my subscriber base, I am interested in securing guest blogger relationships with industry blogs. While I have provided guest posts in the past for Under30CEO, Young Entrepreneur, Tnooz, and Social Media Today, among others, I would like to establish an ongoing relationship with a publication within my profession to further establish my expertise in the space.
Finances
– Grow my Savings: Everyone wants to save money. Heck, everyone wants to earn more money. I am at a point in my life where I would like to invest in myself. I want to grow my savings to make investments for my long-term benefit. Other factors aside, I would like to write a mortgage check each month instead of a rent check – I’d rather retain a percent of my investment instead of writing off my entire rent expense as a loss each month.
– Balanced Portfolio: Long story short, my current asset allocation is very aggressive based on my life goals. Over the next year I plan on balancing my portfolio and minimizing my risk – without minimizing my potential return.
Health
In mid-2013 I began running and saw tremendous results in a very short time period. In a mere six week period (July through mid-August) I ran over 100 miles – even completing a half-marathon. During my college career I was motivated to live a healthier lifestyle, and as a result of a dramatic shift in diet and exercise I was able to drop over 50 pounds. Since this shift (the summer of 2009), I have maintained my current weight, but have loosened my personal health expectations. With my newfound appreciation for running, I plan to get back in peak physical shape (by running over 750 miles in 2014), complete my first full marathon, and maintain good health as measured by percentage of body fat.
My efforts throughout the year will be quantified and tracked. I will keep myself accountable, but will also share my progress on a quarterly basis with my subscribers. If you would like to receive email updates please either subscribe or update your subscription settings – make sure to check the “Quarterly Goals Report” in addition to any other updates you’d like to receive.
What do you want to do in 2014?