January 4, 2024
2023 Q1 + Recap
Still thinking about systems over goals when possible. Aiming for a mix of quantifiable things vs. habits and strategies supporting broader goals. Each quarter I tend to write this thing and rarely refer back to it. So this time I’m going to print it out and keep it near my workstation
- Outreach – I have a good social and professional circle but many of the folks I admire have built their networks and supercharged their careers by doing cold and warm outreach. By April 1 I would like to plan to reach to 30 new people recognizing they’ll almost certainly ignore me but if I get 1 good convo its a win
- Recap: Did a few at the start of the quarter, have my VA working on email list building to ramp this up Q2
- Find a new role, project or client – my client project is coming to an end somewhere between February and March. I’m enjoying the work and the people so I’m hoping I can stretch it out a bit further but if not I need to find a new project to work on. I’ve been trying to transfer into innovation for a while and am hoping things will open up this quarter
- Typical consulting whirlwind. Thought I had till Feb/March on my 2023 project and it ended a week into the year. Got a nice month on the bench and now on a pretty great project with the best team I’ve worked with yet. MAJOR corporation and very large scale transformation. Scoped till atleast May and thinking I can stretch this out through July. Also mostly remote which is great.
- Better phone habits – I’m using my phone far too much and it is pulling me away from the things I want to focus on. Success is using it as a tool and not a crutch. I’m going to experiment with a few things
- Installing Jomo – I am already bypassing the limit I installed on the apple OS and have heard good things about this app
- Recap: Jomo has been great addition to my life. I am very rarely on social media 9-5 which makes me feel better about my morning and nighttime use.
- Keeping the phone with my keys in the apartment – I’m fine with reasonable usage when i’m out and about. The real issue is at home usage. The phone is never the right tool when my iPad and laptops are right nearby. I’m going to start keeping my phone with my keys and wallet so it is not everpresent with me
- Recap: I fell off on this, somewhat because I need my phone for 2FA, stealth and other things. Will get back onto this in Q2.
- Lifesavers – Earlier I tried giving myself 3 phone sessions and 3 life savers at the start of the day and I found that to be a good way mediate my usage
- Recap: Totally neglected this. Will pick back up in Q2, Jomo use superceded this.
- Installing Jomo – I am already bypassing the limit I installed on the apple OS and have heard good things about this app
- Stealth 350 – Last quarter i hit 300 attempts on my stealth board and feel my core getting stronger. Need to keep up with this habit. The system aspect is doing a stealth after every business meeting and/or each time I grab my phone
- Recap: Did it! tough stretch towards the end of quarter due to travel and falling behind but really happy with hitting this goal and progress. Will hit 350+ in Q2.
- Explore debt – My lease ends at the end of 2024 but renewal will come during the summer. I’d like to explore the economics and math of buying a home for our next move. The buy decision is mostly going to be a function of the market ex. If interest rates come down and we can find a home that fits our needs. Like anything else lowest hanging fruit is staying where you are, so i don’t see buying being the most likely option but want to do the math and explore. Additionally, I want to investigate SBA loans. At some point in my career I intend to buy a business. So I have a call with a SBA loan guy I met on twitter.
- Recap: Had a call with Matthias Smith from SBA Capital Advisory to learn more about SBA loans and my major takeaway was the hardest part is finding the deal. I’m not actively looking for something to buy right now but something on the radar for future. WRT home loans, we will be getting pre-qualified for a mortgage in Q2 to see if there’s something we want to buy over the summer.
- Finish hip opening course and 20 stretching sessions – My mobility is about what you would expect for a knowledge worker who sits at his desk all day: good but not great. My hips, quads and need more work. I’ve found two stretching programs I really like and want to continue doing them
- Recap: CRUSHED THIS. Since November I’ve done atleast 3 stretching sessions per week and think for the quarter I”ll hit ~28 stretching sessions.
- Wedding Progress – We finished the list and signed a photographer last quarter. This quarter we need to secure a DJ, work on save the dates, wedding website and registry. All easy enough to do.
- Recap: Got a DJ, sent out save the dates, made a registry and website. Next up getting a day of coordinator, figuring out food and sending out actual invitations.
- 25+ gympass sessions – I’m on a good stretch right now. Working back towards becoming a morning gym person.
- Recap: 43!!!! which is almost one every other day and I probably took off the first two weeks of March due to bachelor party and work being hectic. Didn’t realize I had hit that many.
- Bachelor party – Mostly complete planning with a few odds and ends. In typical Mike Smith form I am doing the planning myself.
- Recap: What a surreal experience. We did skeet shooting, Dave & Busters, casino, indoor surfing, indoor skydiving. So grateful to have a good circle of folks who attended.
- 1 masterclass + 1 small bets class – I joined the Small Bets community and they have a bunch of bite size courses that look interesting. Originally wrote for 3 of each but want to set a low bar here.
- Recap: Took a Masterclass on real estate and a small bets class on expressing ideas visually. I like how bite size both of these are. The production on Masterclass is extraordinary. Also bought Internet Pipes course which I’m enjoying digging into and will continue next quarter.
- Blog posts – I want to publish both one on my personal site/linkedin as well as one on Ey.com. The later will take a few months to write and a few months to get approved. But putting wheels in motion
- Recap: Finished the draft of the EY post, it is going through the mechanisms and I’m hoping it will be published by the end of Q2. Continued drafting my blog post.