Finding a goal for 2017
This weekend I’ve been thinking a lot about what should be my ‘goal’ for 2017. Last year, I set the target as “Perform in 52 improv shows in 52 weeks”. I kept a spreadsheet and in the end, I did 53 shows - a little over half were Jesters Comedy Improv and the others were mostly split between Minnesota Snow Job one-offs and All In/Deconstruction long-form gigs at HUGE. Putting the goal out there publicly helped - people would ask how I was doing, people approached me knowing that I was looking for stage time and just having the goal helped me prioritize projects. Plus, I love spreadsheets.
For a 2017 goal, I know that I want to do something that helped me express myself creatively. While I would like to read more books or watch entire seasons of certain television shows or finish certain video games, those things feel more passive to me. Instead, I think my goal needs to be focused on something I can make/create.
For instance, I have a podcast that I’ve hosted for several years. The first year, I did something like 26 episodes. Last year, I had about four episodes. For years, I’ve written “Wrestlenomics” articles for various websites - WhatCulture, Bleacher Report, Wrestling Inc., F4W, Voices of Wrestling. Technically, I have an outstanding offer at Fightful if I can just organize my ideas into a meaningful article. I did a Kickstarter several years ago with the idea that I would produce some kind of “book” about wrestling stats. Eventually, I cancelled the project but I still dream about finishing something and putting it out there.
On the improv side, after 15 years, I’m still exploring new ground by bringing Colossal Park to life. I’m a co-producer of a show. I’m the co-owner of an improv troupe. There’s a ton of opportunity to do more in the Twin Cities improv community. One thing I’ve been thinking about doing is getting back into teaching classes or at least teaching workshops. I think there’s opportunity for both professional improv workshops (i.e. improv to help you be better presenter) and short-form classes. I still believe Minnesota Snow Job has enormous potential to be more and do more. Jesters will continue to grow - bigger, better, more profitable, and more prominence.
There’s a lot of health goals I could set. Last year, I went back to the dentist for the first time in a very long time. Honestly, it was scary and unpleasant, but I do recognize it’s for the greater good. Likewise, I could spend more time running or working out or achieving some other kind of fitness tracking (even as simple as regular sleep patterns). It could be eating healthier or setting goal to bring my lunch to work a certain number of days each week. I had another bout of facial cellulitis in 2016 and if there are specific steps that I can take to avoid another incident like that, I would certainly entertain them. Learning to cook might fulfill some of the creative side of the my goal whereas running really doesn’t. In the past, I have only been interested in working out if it was part of a larger plan (El Cmar conditioning, endurance for specific performance, etc).
For thirty years, I’ve collected magic tricks and books and DVDs. Unlike wrestling stats or improv shows, I’ve never performed publicly. Honestly, the entirety of shows have been for my nieces & nephews when I see them at holidays. I’d love to spend time developing a full card routine and sharpen my skills beyond self-working little knick-knacks I’ve picked up over the decades.
There’s a lot of projects around my house that deserve attention from yardwork to organizing the basement to coordinating my collections of books, Apple //e software, music, NES games, photographs, wrestling newsletters, clothing, board games, and so forth.
I’ve been out of college for more than a dozen years. I’d like to invest in some professional development skills and go back to school (or at least taking courses) towards an advanced degree. The challenge is the balance between what I want to learn about (e.g. behavioral economics) and what I recognize as deficiencies in my skills (i.e. project management). I don’t know if a serious professional project is a good “2017 goal”.
Maybe the ideal project is something that just combines these things in a new way - an irreverent podcast about my quest to learn more magic tricks or taking classes to learn some new skill like 6502 programming or spending time making spreadsheets based on a wearable fitness tracker.
I don’t know yet. What to do?