Goal Progress – Q1 2012


I’m quite goal conscious and have become more so in the last couple of years. I think that writing down and thinking about measurable, concrete goals is the way to a happy life. Writing them down and having measurable targets makes sure that you know what is required to get to where you want to be and you’ll know when you reach that point.

I have some pretty ambitious goals for 2012 and, as we’re 1/4 of the way through the year already, I thought it’d be a great time to think about where I’m at in relation to where I want to be. I’m not going to go in-depth for every goal, but I do want to hit the highlights.

Fitness

I divided my fitness goals into two categories: speed/strength/power and endurance. I’m doing OK on both at this point, but have suffered some injuries in the last two months that have been a little bit of a setback. I’m confident that I’ll reach the following goals this year:

  • Squat 405 Pounds for 12 Reps
  • Deadlift 405 Pounds for 12 Reps
  • Bench 275 Pounds for 12 Reps

You’ll notice those goals are all endurance related. I took some time off from going heavy with weights to practice going for higher reps and it has been going pretty well. That’s why I think I’ll hit the above goals for sure.

The following goals are a little iffy, and I’ll explain why after the list

  • Squat 545 Pounds for 1 Rep
  • Deadlift 575 Pounds for 1 Rep
  • Bench 405 Pounds for 1 Rep
  • Run 1 Mile in 5:30
  • Run 3 Miles Contiguously in Less Than 20:00

First, I haven’t been running as much as I should be. Quite frankly, I think that running is boring (outside or inside) and just do not like it at all for some reason. I’d much rather do plyometrics or iron cardio style workouts and that is holding me back.

Second, I’m starting to get afraid of going very heavy with my weights. After suffering a strained or torn shoulder tendon and some knee issues so far this year, I really need to give my body a break from the heavy weight to heal up a bit. I plan on doing that over the next few months and then trying to train heavy again. At that point, it may be too late to actually hit my strength goals in 2012, but that’s OK.

Career

My career goals are proceeding along just as planned and I’m on track to hit all of them. For review:

  • Gross $180,000 in Revenue – I’m on track to make over $200,000 this year based on average daily income extrapolated out
  • Keep Contractor Expenses Under $12,000 – This does not look like it’ll be a problem based on the fact that I’ve only paid out $2,500 this year and we’re already 1/4 of the way through it
  • Increase Effective Hourly Rate to $250 / hr – This seems to be the least likely to happen as I’ve had some projects that ran over by a lot but it is still hovering up around $180 / hr
  • Reduce Business Maintenance Expense to Less Than $100 / month – I believe I’ll hit this as I’m hovering around $100 / month and have a few places I think I’ll cut in the next few months
  • Go to a Professional Conference – I’m heading to Future Insights Live here in Las Vegas in about 4 weeks, so that will cover this one
  • Release Another Product for Sale – I completed this one earlier this year by releasing Viral Downloader with Chris Guthrie. It wasn’t a raving success, but it was a good experience and just about paid me back for the time I spent on it.

I’m pretty excited about the progress I’ve made here and a lot of that is due to better organization and heartier work patterns. I don’t see anything going wrong here, hopefully.

Personal

I’m not doing so great on my personal goals. That doesn’t mean that my personal life is bad or anything, I’ve just been shifting my energy in different directions and may need to rethink some of these things based on the fact the weather here is ridiculously nice and most of my personal goals involved staying inside (something I’m not sure I want to do that much as long as I’m living in Las Vegas).

The goals I’m closest to are write 200 articles on a personal website and get picture in Muscle & Fitness. This website is something I enjoy writing on and I’m trying to stay consistent (that’s why I’m writing this post!) and Muscle & Fitness recently introduced a section where you can send in your picture and they’ll feature you. Based on the last two months, I think I should be able to score a picture in that section in the coming months.

Review

Overall, I’m happy with the way I’m going this year. Angela and I are really happy and enjoying our lives here in our (still new) city. I may not hit every goal that I set at the beginning of the year, but they’re helping me experience life and become a better person.

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4 responses to “Goal Progress – Q1 2012”

  1. Hi Nick,

    Thanks for sharing your ambitions for this year. Your progress so far is an inspiration! Keep it up.

    Cheers,
    Mark Hammonds

    • @Mark – Thanks buddy! The hardest part for me has always been figuring out where I wanted to go. Getting there tends to just be a matter of really hard work.

      We should catch up one of these days. I know last time we talked you were really kicking ass on some pretty cool projects. I’m really excited to hear how they turned out.

  2. I liked reading your goals. It made me laugh to read that you need to rethink some of your personal goals because they were based on being inside. It’s great to live in a place that pulls you outside on a regular basis. Best of luck on all your goals.

    • Thanks Aunt Susan! Yeah, it was pretty funny to think about that once I realized what the issue was. I’d just much rather lay at the pool and read then sit my butt inside in front of the computer some more.

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