2018 Annual and Q1 Goals

I broke these into two pieces. Research shows goal setting is more effective when you use SMART goals, so I try to utilize those in my quarterly goals. But my annual goals? I like to think of those as themes for the year. They’re not specific, they’re not really even measurable, but they’re ideas I’d like to guide my year, allowing for the flexibility that I need (because my life has this way of changing in like, two weeks, ahem see: move to Indiana in 13 days).

Annual Goals 

  • Prioritize experiences over things
    • Money spent on lessons, clinics, learning and the occasional non-horse related things as opposed to money spent on another pair of breeches, a cute pair of shoes, etc.
  • Fewer, better things
    • Yeah, I stole Cuyana‘s tagline, whatevs. Obviously I can’t live with one pair of socks, but do I really need (another) candle? How many jackets does the dog really need? This goes hand in hand with the next goal…
  • Declutter life
    • More than likely, move 9 in 9 years is coming in the spring (locally, thank God). Despite this ridiculous number of moves, I still have a little bit of moving PTSD and too much stuff. I want to declutter all the stuff before I move it all… again. Notice all three of these are related.
  • Prioritize finances where they matter
    • Um, also relates to number 1. A lot. But more than that, I want to add more to my 401k this year, I want to pay more on my car, more on my student loans and add to my savings accounts. When it comes down to it, I need very few things at this point – food, gas, the regular living expenses. And yeah, it’s less fun to put money in a 401k than it is to see the UPS man deliver a package, but it’s also more responsible and now is the time to do it.

 

Quarter 1 Goals:

  • Ride even when it’s cold, don’t be a weenie amateur
    • I am a cold weather wimp. And while there are certainly times where it’s too cold to leave the house (ahem, -3), I also need to man up and utilize all the layers I own and the indoor arena. Even if it’s 20 minutes at the walk and trot without stirrups, or a bareback ride, it’s all going to help come spring.
  • Do not buy any apparel, riding or otherwise, in the month of January.
    • Uh, self-explanatory
  • Keep working without stirrups at least one ride a week
  • Eat real meals
    • Look, I’m not sure why I’m not allowed to subsist on quesadillas and popcorn, but apparently I’m not.
  • Move everyday 
    • Even if it’s just going up and down the stairs at work 7 times, I know this helps with the winter blues
  • Read 20 books
    • 13 weeks, 20 books. Should be do-able if I prioritize books over bad television.
  • Get a haircut
  • Have Fin deshedded once monthly

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6 Comments

  1. lots of solid goals in there!! better financial and general life choices are also high on my own personal list too. it’s hard tho! wishing you lots of luck!

  2. Really good goals. A couple years ago I started going through my stuff annually. Several years in it was oh so very helpful when I moved 500 miles away to have less things (still a shit ton of things though). January Cure is going on right now at Apartment Therapy – it’s only day 2, you should join!

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