My Goals for 2018
My goals for 2018.
Image credit: Original work by @artbytes via Bitlanders
Janus The God of Gates
January is named after the Roman god Janus or the god of gates. Always depicted with two faces, one facing the past the other facing the future. (Reference: http://www.crystalinks.com/janus.html )
Janus - The God of Gates
Hello, again Bitlanders! It's the beginning of the new year, 2018. In my last post, 12 Things I am Grateful For in 2017, I wrote there the things that I am grateful for in 2017 and some lessons learned that I need to keep in mind. That's the part of facing the past. In this post Just as the second face of Janus, faces the future, I will share part of my goals for this. year.
Why Set Goals
Why do I have to set goals?
I have a confession to make. I am not the kind of person who writes his goals and reads it. I admit then that I am not an expert on setting goals. However, I can claim that I am an expert when it comes to not setting goals!
Dreams without goals are just dreams. They ultimately fuel disappointment.
-Denzel Washington
A Drifter
For the past four decades, I have never really set a goal for my self. I live on the day to day basis. A happy-go-lucky life. As a result, I was like a boat with no sail nor oar or whatever means to steer. I was adrift on the sea, carried by the waves and the wind to wherever I am now.
Lost at Sea
Image credit: Original work by @artbytes
My life was not bad though. For those who believe in luck would say I am lucky. However, I realized I could have accomplished many things in the past. I could have lived a life that made a difference today.
To cut the story short, if you don't have goals, you will successfully arrive at a place called nowhere in no time.
Setting Goals
As I have mentioned above, I am not the kind of person who writes his goals and reads it. I did once or twice wrote my goals for my future. Perhaps I moved a little closer to those goals for a while. However, the funny (and sad at the same time) is I don't know the specifics of those goals anymore. I stopped reading them for years!
My Problem Was...
A goal without a plan is just a wish!
Image Source:cloudfront.net
When I finally wrote my life goals, I did not bother to create a plan of action how to achieve them. Though they were as realistic as possible, they were too far from where I was! It's like I joined a marathon, then after a few minutes of starting...
"Ok, the finish line is still 50 kilometers away, I can't even see it from here, so I'll just stop now."
To borrow the thoughts of the best selling author and motivational speaker Simon Sinek, I wanted to reach the summit of Mt. Everest but all I see are all the rocks between me and the summit. As a result, I did not even bother to try or gave up too early.
Set Smaller Goals
Late last year, I started listing my daily tasks. I don't know how I came up with the idea, instead of calling them daily tasks, I started calling them daily goals. I listed them down on Evernote App. Then write them in a notebook. Still, I skip a few days at a time. But as much as possible I try to write them every morning.
Then I saw this speech given by the Academy Award winner Denzel Washington...
Video Credit: by Above Inspiration via Youtube
Set Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly goals.
Setting a life goal is one thing. To reach that life goal, however, you must set smaller goals. Not just daily goals, but also, weekly goals, monthly, goals, and yearly goals. The idea is, the smaller goals are the stepping stones to reach the bigger goals.
The steps from zero to one belongs to God!
-unknown
The quote above is painted on the first step on a staircase in one of the buildings of University of San Carlos- Talamban, Cebu City, Philippines.
My Goals For 2018
That being said, here is a partial list of my goals for 2018. I am making a whole list in my Evernote for me to read every day. Of course. I prefer to keep some of those goals and other details private. In this post, I will focus on some of my material and financial goals for 2018
1. Vehicle
Up to now, I am only driving a motorcycle. This is not good enough for my growing family. Currently, we are living with my in-laws because it is near the school where my wife teaches. The only way I could convince her to go back to our own home is to have a vehicle that would protect them from the weather. I think it was in 2015 that I wrote that by 2018, I would be able to afford to buy a Honda CRV.
Honda CRV. I believe Honda values their brand and the quality of their products.
Image Source: edmunds-media.com
2. House Repair
At the moment, we are living with my in-laws. I wanted to take my family and live in our home. I already own a house and lot. As mentioned above, it is quite far from my wife's school.
My house was not fully restored after the Super Typhoon Yolanda. It was not totally damaged and it is an old house. Still, it is very much descent and quiet place to live in. Yet, it still needs some patching up.
My house. This photo was taken late in 2016. The roof on the front porch was destroyed when the mango tree fell on it. This part was repaired now, but the house still needs a lot of work inside and out.
Image credit: by @artbytes.
3. Desktop Computer and Lenovo Yoga Laptop
Last year, I posted my Gadget Wish List For 2017, I included in that list the Lenovo Yoga Laptop. Since I did not get that, I am going to include it on my list again this year. Considering the price, I will aim to buy the updated version on or before September 1, 2018.
Lenovo 2-in-1 Yoga Laptop.
Image Source: https://www3.lenovo.com/
Since I need a Windows desktop for my work, I aim to buy at least an i5 Desktop Computer in the second week of April 2018. This is about $500.00 - $600.00 budget.
4. Publish and earn from my own E-Book.
Since last year, I wanted to publish my own e-book. I have subscribed to Jon Orona's Negosyo University to learn how. Also, I have followed some successful self-publishing author's on Twitter and learn from what they share.
This is one of my goals that could become a tool to achieve my other goals.
I wanted to write and publish my own e-books.
Image Credits: Geralt via Pixabay.com
5. Canon DSLR or mirror-less camera
Photography is one of my favorite hobbies. I love to take pictures. Also, I sell my photos on Twenty20.com and also in dreamscape.com. So far one of my photos was bought for $16.00. That photo was taken using a Polaroid digital camera.
In Steemit there are running photography contests that I wanted to join. I already join in one or two just for the recognition for now.
I believe if I can take more high-quality photos with a DSLR, I can sell more pictures online, and who knows, I might win in one of the contests.
These days, I am using my Huwaei Y5 II to take my photos. I have a couple of Digital cameras that needs fixing. I will have one of them fixed before the end of the month. However, I aim to purchase the camera before the family vacation I plan on May. (See next item below)
I used both Canon DSLR and Nikkon DSLR cameras before. They were not mine, unfortunately. For me, I am more comfortable using a Canon than a Nikkon. Not that I think Canon is better, but rather a personal preference.
6. Family Vacation in Cebu and Bohol in May
Ever since we got married, we never had a family vacation. My family needs a vacation. Especially my wife. I have several places in mind,
- Palawan
- Baguio City
- Guimaras
- Camp Puestohan - Bacolod City
- Cebu City with a side trip to Bohol.
When I saw this post by @Jean-Beltran "Experienced European Home Without Moving out of Cebu". I decided that I will stay in that place when I visit Cebu next time. I consider Cebu as my second home, anyway.
Funny thing is, I haven't mentioned this plan yet to anybody at home. This morning, my sister-in-law is talking to his husband -who is now somewhere in Europe - via video-call. My wife and her sister were urging him to come home so we could take a vacation in Cebu and Bohol. Coincidence?
7. Earn at least $1,500.00 a month online starting in June.
Sounds ambitious? Maybe, especially that I am earning less than a dollar a day at the time of writing, but not impossible.
$1,500.00 is equivalent to earning $50.00 a day. This week, I aim to start earning at least a dollar a day from Bitlanders. I am also learning from other sites which I aim to earn from including Fiverr. All I have to do is a plan and organize my schedule for each site. More importantly, I will focus more on sites where I earn the most.
Earning money is not the main goal, rather both a tool and reward in achieving goals.
Image source: Original photo by @artbytes.
Also, if you have not noticed, some of my goals above are meant to help me earn more.
8. At least 15 Mbps Internet Connection
Poor Internet connection is the bane of bloggers and online professionals in the Philippines. You have to pay about $50.00 a month to have a speed of 10 Mbps or above. That's why my first goal this January is to earn at least $50.00 so I can afford to have a better Internet connection comes February.
With higher speed means, I can do more online at the much lesser time.
Other Goals
This is just a partial list of my goals for this year. I have other goals which I prefer to keep in private. One thing I can share though, goals must be balanced through the different areas of your life. My list here is focused mostly on financial and material things. However, the reasons behind these goals are more goals. Primarily, to provide for the needs, comfort, and security of my family.
My other goals are about:
- Personal health.
- My Spiritual Life.
- My social life.
- Continuous self-development.
- Last but the most important of all - Family life.
Start With Why
I would like to leave you with another tip when it comes to creating life goals.
Start with 'Why?'
The 'Why' is your ultimate goal. The motivating factor behind each goal. Perhaps, the reason I easily forgot about my goals after I wrote a few years ago because my 'Why' wasn't clear enough for me. In the video below by Simon Sinek explains the 'Golden Circle' and the importance of starting with why. He may be talking about a corporate environment, it doesn't you can't apply it on a personal level.
Start With Why.
Video credits: TEDx Talks Via Youtube.com
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