My SMART objectives for 2018

Two years ago I wrote about why new year’s resolutions suck and why set myself some SMART objectives for 2016 instead. SMART objectives have the following five attributes:

  • S pecifc
  • M easurable
  • A ttainable
  • R ealistic
  • T ime-related

I’ve used SMART objectives in business because they are good for motivation and accountability. Most new year’s resolutions are broken because they fail to possess some of these attributes.

Last year I reviewed my progress against those objectives and set myself some new objectives for 2017 . In this post I will review my success against my 2017 objectives and set some for 2018.

Review of my 2017 objectives

Health and fitness

  • Log 100 activities in 2017: FAILED

ExerciseLog2018

Total numbers: 42 runs, 14 games of football, 7 hikes, 5 pool sessions, 3 yoga classes, 2 volleyball games, 2 bike rides, 1 ski day and 1 wakeboarding session – 77 total

I hit a totally brutal two month period of work from the end of October until Christmas and my exercise routine just died. It was good for business but terrible for work life balance and personal fitness.

  • Take part in an organised sporting event: SUCCESS – London Cardiff 24 and Ely Half Marathon

  • Reach my healthy weight range by the end of January and maintain it for the rest of the year: FAILED

BMILog2018

So in summary, I didn’t do too badly at my exercise targets until I hit an unbelievably busy patch in the last two months of the year when everything went out the window. But I’ve been less good at managing my weight. And the batteries in my scales ran out at the beginning of October.

Professional

  • Work on-site with at least eight separate organisations to deliver database updates more regularly and reliably in year 1 (Sept 2016-Sept 2017): FAILED
  • GROSS equivalent revenue to my final Redgate salary in year 1. (Stretch target: NET equivalent revenue to my final Redgate salary in year 1.): SUCCESS
  • Establish a validated plan to achieve a reliable and regular income in year 2 and 3 by the end of 2017 and take measurable steps toward it: SUCCESS
  • Secure enough sponsorship to support SQL Relay in 2017: SUCCESS

All passed with success with the exception of the first target which we narrowly missed. By Sept 1st 2017, including remote work, DLM Consultants had seven paying customers with one more contract signed. I visited the eighth customer on site later that month. These statistics, however, do not include DLM Workshops attendees or anyone that we have helped through our community activities.

Personal life

  • Take a foreign holiday with my wife in 2017: SUCCESS
Iceland

Iceland

Cuba

Cuba

  • Organise my annual summer punting trip: SUCCESS

This year we went to Oxford instead of Cambridge and no-one fell in.

My 2018 SMART objectives

Health and fitness

  • Log 100 activities in 2017.
  • Take part in an organised sporting event.
  • Reach my healthy weight range by the end of March and maintain it for the rest of the year.

Professional

  • Make enough revenue with DLM Consultants in 2018 to maintain my current salary.
  • Spend no more than one quarter of my time away from home.
  • Schedule time during the working week for admin/marketing/SQL Relay etc to avoid needing to work late.
  • Ensure my schedule is permanently at least 75% booked up at least three months ahead of time throughout 2018.

Personal life

  • Stop working during the evenings Tue-Fri and do not work for more than half a day on any given weekend.
  • Organise my annual summer punting trip.
  • Organise another poker and whisky tasting night for my friends/family.

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