2022 Resolution Mid-year Review
Since we recently passed the halfway point of 2022, I think now is a perfect time to revisit my 2022 resolutions.
I have been setting new year resolutions over the past few years, but I barely accomplished any of the ambitious goals I set for myself. One of the main reasons I didn't achieve many of my resolutions was that I never monitored the progress of my goals throughout the year.
Therefore, I would like to honestly assess my progress and decide whether I need to keep or modify my resolutions. By sharing how I review my resolutions, I welcome y'all to take some time to check in on how we are doing on our resolutions.
My methodology for assessing resolutions:
Before sharing my resolutions, I would like to discuss how I am going to assess my resolutions:
- Grading each of my resolution on a scale from 0 to 1: Similar to how we grade OKRs (Objective & Key Results) at companies, I am adopting the same grading scale (see the image below) to rate my resolution.
2. Determine whether I want to modify or keep the resolution: If I have any goals that are too vague or too unrealistic, I need to course correct them. Also, I want to make sure the goals I set will help me achieve my long-term goals.
My 2022 new year resolutions:
Following the framework from Designing Your Life, I separated my resolutions into four buckets:
Work
Do Entrep related stuff for at least 15 mins per day
- Grade: 0.1
Over the last six months, the only entrepreneurial thing I did was a networking call with an aspiring entrepreneur.
Besides my networking call, I occasionally jotted down some startup ideas when encountering problems I would like to solve. However, I was not very consistent in writing down the startup ideas and developing them.
I gave this goal a 0.1 rating because I barely attempted to achieve the goal.
- Keep or Modify: Modify to write down one problem I would like to solve every day
The main reason I didn't attempt the goal is this goal is too vague. I didn't specify what entrepreneurial stuff means. After reflecting a bit, I define entrepreneurial stuff as my short-term goals that could help me start my own company one day.
As mentioned in my previous blog post, my short-term goals in starting my own company are:
- Find a cofounder
- Find a problem I am passionate about solving
- Develop skills I need as an entrepreneur
Out of my three goals, I think finding a problem I am passionate about solving is the easiest to do and is entirely within my control.
To find a problem I want to solve, I need to start paying attention to the problems I encounter. Therefore, I will modify this goal to write down one problem I would like to solve daily.
By writing down one problem I would like to solve daily, I would gain clarity on the problems that are always on my mind.
Make $100 a month in passive income
- Grade: 0.3
I made $0 in passive income in the past six months. Although I didn't generate any passive income this year, I started writing my blog in January. Making passive income from my blog was a lot harder than I thought.
I am giving myself a 0.3 rating because I attempted to achieve this goal but failed to make real progress.
- Keep or Modify: Modify to write 10 minutes a day
I think this goal is way too ambitious. I need to break it down into simpler steps. Before achieving $100 in passive income, I must first make $1 in passive income.
To go from zero to one, I must first focus on creating value before I can monetize value. As mentioned in my previous blog post, I think writing a blog is one of the easiest ways to create values.
Since making $100 in passive income is an output that is very hard for me to control directly, I would like to change my goal to an input that is entirely within my control. Therefore, I am modifying making $100 a month in passive income to writing my blog 10 minutes a day.
By writing 10 minutes a day, I hope to create a blog post every two weeks. Although I don't know whether creating a blog post every two weeks would yield me any passive income, I know that consistently writing will certainly sharpen my muscle to create value for others.
Love
Go on a 4th date with a girl
- Grade: 1.0
A few weeks ago, I met a girl I enjoyed spending time with. Suddenly, I had already gone on four dates with her. Although I don't know what will happen to us, I am excited to go on more dates with the girl to get to know her better.
I am giving myself a 1.0 because I accomplished this resolution.
- Keep or Modify: Modify to go on a 10th date with a girl
Since I have already achieved the goal, I would like to create a more challenging goal for me to reach. Therefore, I am modifying my goal to go on a 10th date with a girl.
Go on two dates a month
- Grade: 0.6
I went on seven dates so far this year. Four out of the seven dates are with the same girl.
I am giving myself a 0.6 because I made an effort to go on dates, but I could've invested more time in dating.
- Keep or Modify: Keep
I was not very active in dating in the winter because the weather was too cold. However, I also wasn't very active in the spring because I was spending a lot of time getting my blog off the ground. I only started going on dates again in the summer.
I want to keep this goal as a reminder to continue to invest time in dating. One of my biggest insecurities is my lack of experience in dating. The only way to overcome my dating insecurities is to go on more dates. Practice makes perfect.
Health
Workout at least four times a week
- Grade: 1.0
Since I stopped playing video games in January, I started playing basketball and swimming. I usually swim and play basketball twice a week, so I could easily exercise at least four times a week.
I am giving myself a 1.0 because I achieved this resolution.
- Keep or Modify: Keep
Since I started working out four times a week, I have felt much healthier and have lost about 10 pounds since January. Exercising four times a week is the right cadence for me. Thus, I am keeping this goal for the rest of the year.
Meditate at least three minutes a day
- Grade: 1.0
Over the past few years, I have always struggled with making meditation a habit. However, after reading Tiny Habit, I learned I should try to look for an anchor in my existing routine to serve as a trigger for a new habit.
Examining my existing routing, I realized I drink coffee in a french press every morning. While waiting for my coffee to brew, I usually did nothing for about five minutes. Instead of doing nothing, I started to meditate while waiting for my coffee to be ready. Therefore, I could easily meditate for at least three minutes a day.
I am giving myself a 1.0 because I delivered the goal.
- Keep or Modify: Modify to meditate at least five minutes a day
Since meditating every day, I felt more at ease with myself. I noticed I could control how I react to things a lot better. I want to set a stretch goal to reap more benefits from meditation.
Therefore, I am modifying this goal to meditate at least five minutes a day.
Play
Develop a new set of magic routine
- Grade: 0.3
I attended some online magic lectures and worked on a few new tricks. However, I didn't love any of my new tricks. Since I started writing my blog, I have spent less time thinking about new magic.
I am giving myself a rating of 0.3 because I tried developing a new magic routine but failed to make any meaningful progress.
- Keep or Modify: Modify to study magic five minutes a day
I think developing a new set of magic routines is way too difficult. The current routines I perform now took me years to develop.
To develop a magic routine, I need to perfect a few more tricks and then think about how I could sequence them into a cohesive performance. I want to focus my effort on learning and perfecting a few more magic tricks this year.
Therefore, I am modifying this goal to study magic for five minutes a day. Studying magic means either learning a new magic trick or practicing the magic trick that I already know.
Read at least 15 minutes a day
- Grade: 0.5
I tried to read a bit before I went to bed every day. However, I could only read for five to ten minutes a day if I was tired.
I am giving myself a rating of 0.5 because I am not very consistent with reading 15 minutes a day.
- Keep or Modify: Modify to read five pages a day
When I have a time-based reading goal, I would barely make any progress if I am super tired that day. I want to start reading faster, so I want to modify my goal to read at least five pages a day.
Conclusion
I have set new year resolutions for the past eight years, but I always struggled to complete a third of my goals each year. Looking back, I fell short of my goals because I never took the time to review my progress throughout the year. Therefore, it is essential to take a moment to evaluate the progress of my new year resolutions now.
In addition to monitoring the progress of my goals, I think it's also important to assess whether to course correct my goals. Since my life is constantly changing, I must ensure all my goals are still challenging and will help me accomplish what I want in the long run.
Reflecting on my progress to date, I accomplished all my Health goals and made good progress in my Love goals. However, I barely made any progress in my Work goals and fell short in my Play goals.
Overall, I am still fairly proud of what I have accomplished so far. After revising some of my goals, I now have a good shot at achieving most of my goals by the end of the year. By continuing to make progress in my revised resolutions, I am confident I will be able to learn and grow a lot throughout the process.
I welcome y'all to ask yourself this question: How are you doing on your new year resolutions so far?
Feel free to share your reflections, thoughts, or feedback with me @themagichen on Instagram or reach me at themagichen@gmail.com