Quarterly Goals Check-in, Q1 to Q2
Note: I'm republishing this because my Digital Ocean instance crashed, and my last droplet restore point was six days ago. Thankfully I had a backup of this post in my feed reader. Lessons learned!
As I mentioned in an older post, My 2023 Priorities and Goals, I would start breaking down priorities and goals into quarters, looking at what went well, and planning how to adjust things in the future, so let's hop right into it!
Breaking down goals and priorities into quarters
I hadn't set any goals or priorities for the first quarter beyond what I had set for the overall year, so the second quarter is where I'm starting. I can count this a success since I'm doing it right now, so we'll see how it goes in the 3rd quarter.
Spending more time with folks
I put more social-outing events on my calendar in Q1 than I have in a long, long while. Some days all I want to do is go out and meet new folks and chat all night; others, I want to hide away at home. I might be an introvert or an ambivert; honestly, I'm not sure anymore. Regardless I pushed through, even on days when I didn't want to get out of the house, and I am happy I did so. Hopefully, as the weather warms up in Q2, I'll see even more opportunities for getting out and about with folks! My goal in Q2 is at least two social outings a month!
Recomposing my body
With a trainer, I've jumped up my training regiment in Q1 to three times a week. While I'm not visually seeing major differences, we did do a body scan with a fancy machine at the gym, and that's reporting a gradual uptick in lean mass. Still, I'm maintaining the same amount of body fat. Is that a good thing? My trainer says it's not bad. Either way, I know that diet is my big holdup. I'm putting in the work at the gym, but now I have to put in the work at home. For Q2, I aim to hit at least 140g of protein daily, cook at least four meals at home, and reduce my sugar / empty carb intake overall.
Branch out at work
This one's coming along slowly but surely. While I haven't taken the time to put any important meetings with important people on the calendar, I am chatting and working with new folks. For Q2, I'll aim to pop at least one meeting with a higher-up if their schedule permits.
Reading 40 books (and reading some that aren't just sci-fi or fantasy)
I've read ten books in Q1 so far, so if I hold that pace, I'll be right on track for 40 in a year. I also picked up Sarah Drasner's Engineering Management for the Rest of Us and have been slowly combing through that. I struggle with non-fiction — but it's worth it to push through. My goal for Q2 is to finish Sarah's book and either start or finish another non-fiction book, too.
Planning a wedding
We had some healthy discussions about what we want from a wedding in Q1, mainly around timing and the overall experience. We know we want it to be outside in the sunshine, so we're taking this year to see when Denver starts to get pretty and green, which means we might have to push the wedding into 2024. Since it will be pretty small, too, the planning is a little easier. At least we're nailing down what we want, communicating, and figuring it all out now. Jana's a wonderful partner for that! There's nothing on the roster for Q2 other than observing when the trees get green and pretty.
Visiting new places in CO or the surrounding areas
No progress on this one! Q1 flew by, and we had little time or headspace to escape. We have plans to head to Pheonix in August, so that'll help check a box in Q3. In Q2, I'll look at planning a day trip to somewhere in the area, have any suggestions? Let me know in the comments!
Help others create meetups, communities, and more in the Denver tech space
One way to do that is to shut down the community chat you've been running for eight years and tell others to make their own. But seriously, two fantastic community spaces popped up from that move, and I couldn't be happier to see some new life get injected into the space. For Q2, I plan on nudging my own space, DTSC, into more action through incentives or good old-fashioned badgering.
Write more
Well, here I am! I didn't write as much as I'd liked in Q1 — it slipped by, and with DD shutting down, my head wasn't in it. I've got a few neat articles planned for Q2, but maybe I should set a pace for myself. One post a week sounds doable.
That's it! Thanks for reading along. Be sure to let me know your thoughts in the comments below! Ghost CMS powers the comments and sign-up features, and they're free and not a massive invasion of privacy. There's also a fancy newsletter feature if you'd like to get my posts sent straight to your mailbox.
I'd honestly love to hear your thoughts, though!
See you in Q3!