I’m not one of those people that marks the New Year as a time to look back and analyze past failures, and then fill my head with optimism that the next calendar year is going to be better. Often times these “resolutions” never get accomplished and I’m forced to realize yet another failure. I’m not putting myself through that this go around. Instead I’m going to set some goals and make them realistic.
Here are a few of my goals for 2018:
Healthy and Happy
I’ve actually already started on this one. In November of 2017 I decided I wasn’t going to be out of shape and looking like a donut in clothes. Right now I stand at about a total loss of 25 lbs. I’m pretty damn happy with that, because it’s very noticeable for those that saw me a lot. I’m definitely not wearing the same clothing, and this weekend I noticed that none of my belts fit. However, getting to where I am at now isn’t the goal. I’ve already posted here, about my total weight loss goal.
Being Happy, and I mean back to the old Jason happy is the goal here. I spent more than a year with the wrong person whom surrounded themselves with other destructive people. I finally found out what the true meaning of “misery loves company” means. I won’t go down that path again. I want to fill my life with those that build each other up, instead of cut everyone down. I’m fairly confident that this will be one of the easier goals to achieve this year.
Kill It With Qube 6
Many people know that Qube 6 is my company. It’s my single source of income and I’ve been running the show for more than 10 years now. I’m in a unique niche, one that doesn’t appear to be going away any time soon. But with all businesses, it’s time to grow. We need to start getting involved in areas that we weren’t touching before. Although we have a very nice looking pipeline already, I’d like to see us branch out and do more. I have a revenue goal, that I won’t share here, but it’s bigger and better than any goal I’ve set before. If we hit it, I can tell you that the company part at the end of the year is going to be epic.
I’d like to grow the company by 20% in the first two quarters. I’m estimating that the additional headcount will allow us to reach many more potential customers than we’ve ever touched before. I’d also like to be more strategic with whom we partner with. We are a group of talented innovators, consultants and designers/developers. We aren’t server farm geeks that will sit down and manage a cloud infrastructure. However, we will gladly architect the solution for you.
Family Time
Without a doubt, the end of 2017 brought me much closer with family. I need and want to spend more quality time doing things with those that care about me the most. This weekend I was lucky enough to spend 4 days with my kids. It was absolutely the best way I could have ended the year, and started a new one.
I’m glad I’ve fixed myself and taken out the trash that kept me from being a great father. They deserve more from me and now they are going to get it.
One Big Badass Vacation
A year ago I went to St. Barts for 8 days which was part of an 11 day vacation. I don’t think I’ve ever been that relaxed and totally happy ever in my life. I want to do that again, and this year I’m planning something awesome. As I said in my previous post, I’m already going to Italy in March, but that can’t be my vacation. Sometimes I think the prep and the anticipation of leaving is more exciting than anything else. It’s gives one something to work hard for and plan. I haven’t decided if it will be a kid vacation or not, a part of me is thinking it will be, but if it isn’t, there will definitely be a beach and a passport involved.
More to come on this one. But I do think it’s important to get away and connect with someone away from home. Done right, a vacation can be what brings you closer if planned with the right intentions.
No More Users and Narcissist
If there was one important lesson I learned in 2017, it was that I spent far too long being taken advantage of. I don’t need to be anyone’s meal ticket and certainly don’t need to have selfish and self absorbed people in my life. This year is all about building relationships where it’s a two way street. I’ve also learned that alcoholics and me don’t mix. Especially when the whole friend unit is a bunch of them. Although I understand it’s a disease, getting help is sometimes the hardest part. Seeing someone suffer daily is a hard way to go through life. I’ll always choose to help, I just won’t enable the problem.
So there they all are. My goals for 2018. All very doable and all meaningful to me. Nothing materialistic besides a vacation. All of which I want to share with others. 2018 is going to be about being a better person and not being dragged down the wrong path. Everyday is going to start in that happy place, whether or not I stay there will depend on how I decide to deal with adversity.