2024 Look Ahead
Happy New Year! Happy 2024!
(First of all, a big GO BLUE to my Michigan family!)
If you missed it last week, here is a recap of my year in 2023 and a list of the best bits of content I shared here over the past 12 months. This is the second part of a 3-Part series as we turn the page into 2024.
Today, I’m digging into my goals for the new year (personal, professional, health and wealth).
Then, next week, I’ll offer up a few ways to expand my content engine here on BrianRWagner.com and my social networks.
2024 - Look Ahead
First of all, my 2024 Word of the Year is FOCUS. I want to be intentional and clear with everything I do. I want to efficiently balance my time with family, work, friends and personal interests. Using FOCUS as a way to center myself for 2024 will allow me to get what I want while avoiding “distractions.”
In an consistent effort stay to stay focused, I will create effective to-do lists for proactive tasks, as opposed to reactive.
Now, for my 2024 Look-Ahead, I’d like to answer a few questions before laying out a few, specific goals:
If I took over my life from scratch today, what would I immediately stop doing?
Doing things that don’t interest me or ignite my passion. I’ve learned that the passion and energy that I have for life (and its important moments) is quite powerful – and I don’t want to waste valuable time doing things that don't elicit my best self.
What would I start doing?
Creating content (something I want to do more in 2024); it can be a dynamic engine to find interesting people, share your own thoughts and perhaps, at the very top percent, make a living.
In the early days of the Internet, I was creating content daily - but then that slowed down exponentially as I entered into the professional workforce in managing content creation for other organizations beyond myself. I think it’s time to bolster my own content creation and sharing thoughts from other sectors.
My foundational topics have always been centered around business, branding, leadership customer experience - and now healthcare in the past few years. But perhaps I should dive more into hobbies of mine, like sports (golf, football, soccer, sports betting and business of sports) and content in the vein of “Dad Life.”
What do I want to spend MORE time on next year?
Content creation, as illustrated above.
I definitely would like to reach out to the people I care about more. I get into modes and grooves where I might not reach out to those I do care about and my relationships become passive where I only interact with people when they reach out to me first. A simple message or phone call can go a long way in furthering those relationships and letting people know they matter to me.
What do I want to spend LESS time on next year?
I do feel pretty comfortable with what I do and don’t do. I generally spend time with the people I love, doing the things I want to do.
What can I do to go first?
Go first, point blank. I want to have the courage to dive into arenas and situations where I might not be comfortable. Lead with positive intent and energy can be contagious and I’d like to do that more in 2024.
What can I do in the next week that will make the rest of the year easier?
Create my list of goals for the year that put me in best shape to look back and feel accomplished and proud on Dec. 31, 2024. (Health, wealth, personal and professional)
What can I do this year that will leave me in a better position for next year?
Create content (multiple times per week)
Live in the moment and appreciate the experiences I have – even if that means the craziest of times with three little children ;)
What am I doing that I’d want a film crew to see?
Uplifting people
Doing a lot of profound work, ‘behind the scenes’
Good, well-balanced person – who works incredibly hard, a family man who is there for my wife and stays active with fun experiences – and most of all, creates intentional time with people that matter to me.
My Goal-Setting Framework
We know that the most successful people have goals they want to accomplish AND the systems in place to make them inevitable. I have often centered my goals around four key pillars: personal, professional, health and wealth.
And under each of those pillars, I will share my Big Goals – but also add in Checkpoint Goals, Daily Systems and Anti-Goals to get detailed on the execution.
When beginning the goal-setting process, I like to think from a future-back perspective. So, come December 31, 2024, where would I want to be? Below would be a great start in being in a good place by the end of the year. Alright, let’s dive in:
Professional
Big Goals
Keep a consistent pattern of posting here on my site and social feeds; something that used to be huge part of my life but I’ve been inconsistent for years. I aspire to get back to a consistent pattern of thought leadership and a way to share with others on how I think
I’d rather not post about the actual work I do in my professional job, so I’ll say two things:
1. Create energy for my team and others
2. I also want to be someone who gets things started – and pushes things forward through the finish line
Expand my professional network of healthcare professionals – and other customer experience experts across industries. Within healthcare, I’m still only a few years into this industry so I’m keen on expanding that network.
Checkpoint Goals
By End of Q1, I want to see proof of:
Weekly blog post with opinions
Additional write-ups and content
New projects and work that I initiated – and/or pushed through a finish line
Multiple in-person or virtual conversations with industry colleagues for knowledge sharing and professional development
Daily Systems
Build in 60 mins each day to:
Read (news, case studies)
Think (create opinions, be strategic)
Write (thoughts, notes to people)
Doing that each day will keep everything moving forward.
Anti-Goals
Don’t suffer quality for quantity
In building a network, being authentic is crucial. I’ve run into too many people over the years that just want to expand their rolodex (is that still a thing!?). I want to develop meaningful relationships with people.
Personal
Big Goals
Personal reflection and meditations (Perhaps I get into journaling)
Read (& Digest):
Industry articles, business/leadership (this has been a constant in the past, just want to maintain my yearning for learning.)
Books, I’ll go for 12 books in 12 months again. (I did 10/12 in 2022 and only 5/12 in 2023)
Build intentional time with my family; perhaps create weekly traditions (Pizza night, family golf outings, etc.)
Checkpoint Goals
Share more insights of articles/books/studies that I read; update my notebook of all learnings from each reading – and then create an indexed document to easily refer back. On second thought, this is a rather Big Goal but if I keep this up then the all will be achieved.
Daily Systems
Create patterns and cadence of habits:
Ex: Pizza night each Friday, daily play time with kids and weekly date nights with my wife
Ex: 60 mins of reading and digesting each day
Anti-Goals
Don't’ get caught up in finishing books, articles that don’t interest me. It’s not a quantity game
Health
Big Goals
Fitness, centered around Peloton (cycling and core strength)
I will work out at least 5x/week, and try to create a more balanced plan where I add more strength to my workout as opposed to just cardio and calorie-burning activities
When I play golf this year, I’ll try to walk the 18 holes as opposed to taking a cart
Copy and paste from last year: One aspect of ‘health’ that I have probably neglected throughout my life is eating. While I have remained physically active, I usually just eat what I want (maybe a humble brag?). Now that I’m in my mid-30s I want to take more care of what I’m putting in my body – and combined with a good fitness plan, I should see some results
Checkpoint Goals
Hit the consistency of working out every day (or just about)
Lose 5-7 pounds by end of Q2
Daily Systems
Build in time to schedule workouts (early morning or afternoon)
With eating healthier, I want to plan that out with more intention as opposed to often going with what’s most convenient
Anti-Goals
Do this without taking away from family time and professional opportunities; rather it should be instead of “time-wasting” activities
Wealth
Big Goals
Lock down intentional budgets and investing plans for my family. Enough said.
Make $1 on the internet. If I want to take a next step and create more influence (and more money), making a single dollar is the first step
Thanks for reading along.
Now, I want to hear from you. What is one or two of your big focuses for 2024? How can I help you achieve them? Let me know in the comments below, or send me a note here.
Next week will be Part 3 of 3 of my annual review and year ahead – and it will focus on my content for this site and my personal channels. Stay tuned!
