My 2024 New Year’s Goals

I write myself an email every year outlining what I want to do in the year and accomplish. The email is delivered to me on the first of the year.

I review it and reflect on what I accomplished (and failed to).

A lot changed this past year and priorities were moved around. Since it’s an annual email, I don’t review it until the start of the year.

I decided to stop it altogether but then I read several yearly reviews and got inspired to keep it going (and to share them).

Here are the ones I read:

The last got me thinking. What if I do what Matthew Dicks does? I write out what I want to do that year and then review it at the start of each month. I’ll hold myself accountable for the review by writing about the review. The review will give me space to drop and recalibrate goals.

Similar to Matthew, I separated the goals into sub-sections.

So here it goes.

Table of Contents

Exercising

Run or bike 250 days

I’m working to improve my V02 Max. Ideally, I’ll run 3+ miles in the morning but when the weather or my schedule is not conducive I’ll use my stationary bike.

275 pound clean

This will be tough. I’m at 210 now. I’m handicapped by technique. I’m debating hiring an online coach to review my training videos. I want to hit 300 pounds but 90 pounds is an insane jump (right?). Saturdays are for cleans. Maybe I need to do them more than once a week. I need a coach.

Train boxing 100 times

This is a fun exercise and functional. It’s explosive and full body. I have a bag in the garage and work several different combinations. I’ll likely need to hire a coach or join a class later this year to improve my form and footwork. I’m just having fun now.

Business

Write 50 articles on Funnel Nomics

I’ve kept a swipe file since 2014. It’s full of screenshots, PDFs, lengthy documents, and pictures of handwritten notes. I love it. And a couple of people have asked for access. I’ve given some of them partial access.

But instead of opening up my swipe file for all, I’ve decided to turn it into a newsletter.

Funnel Nomics will perform deep dives into growing businesses to understand (and dissect) their funnel.

If this is your groove, consider subscribing (for free).

Write 228 beats on WilCo Beat

I created WilCo Beat over a year ago. It’s gone through several iterations of content. I’ve found success with subscriber acquisition. I’m going to rip the band-aid off and go hard at this one because I believe in the problem and opportunity. This will consume several hours a week as it’s a daily email newsletter and I’ll be the one selling ads. I plan to hire writers from the local college when it hits escape velocity.

I’m not linking to it because I only want people in my area subscribed (still curious? Subscribe to my personal email newsletter and I’ll keep you in the loop).

Launch Mockingbird

I love this idea. Mostly because I’m it’s biggest customer. I’ve been writing my kids an email since my oldest was born. And recording them a video for the past 2 years.

I wish my parents included more of them in our family videos (face and voice). The family videos are of my brother and me. I’m trying to do better with the family videos Danielle and I are creating with our kids.

There are several products in this space that create physical books. I think the real value is in the video and audio. I’m leaning hard on this one to make it work this year. It too has gone through many iterations from manual to low-code. When we find success, we’ll build out our application to improve the user experience. Until then, we’re taped together but still offering an incredible experience.

Interested in collecting your loved ones’ stories? Check out Mockingbird.

Knowledge

Read The Years of Lyndon Johnson series

Danielle bought me Robert Caro’s series on LBJ. I’ve asked for this series and The Last Lion Box Set since we’ve been married. This year I made it clear that’s all I wanted. Either one of the book sets or nothing.

The LBJ series is quite a chore and I’m going to knock it out this year. It’s important to go deep on subjects so it should be fun. There are 4 books (5 actually but the last is still in the works). And most of the books are +700 pages.

Read 15 books (LBJ’s books are crazy long)

Last year I read 14 books. In the years before I read 20 or more. I plan to read the long LBJ books while also beating last year’s number.

Write 100 posts on TravisDailey.com

I choose a word for the year. It’s PUBLISH. So to hold myself accountable I need to write more frequently on this site. WilCo Beat and Funnel Nomics are a part of this too but I have to write more here.

My writing here will be similar to what you’d find below (probably not as well written as theirs but on its way to being):

Family

Welcome my third daughter to the world (Lucy)

Lucy, my third daughter, and fourth kid, should be here in April. Unfortunately, we’re too accustomed to this not being guaranteed. Danielle is in the last trimester. Anxiety is high.

Our second child, Libby, was stillborn at 38 weeks due to a true knot. It still hurts a lot.

Record 12 videos for my kids (in the future)

I’ve slacked off over the past 6 months. I’m getting back on the bandwagon of recording these videos. I started overthinking the topics and presentation. I’m just going to click record and talk about a topic.

The first one for the year is on “Attention.”

Write 36 emails to my kids

I have 3-4 drafts queued up for my kids. Not sure what I’m waiting for. I’m going to finish this week and push “Send.”

These are fun emails and more casual than the videos. Most of them are about something silly one said or praising them for something cool they did.

The jest behind this is there are many stories we experienced together that I’ll probably forget and never tell them. So I write an email to an email address that we’ll give them when they turn 18 (or at least that’s the plan).

(Danielle writes them emails too.)

Friends

Host 12 dinners with new friends

Last year I read “The 2-Hour Cocktail Party.” It was a fast read and left me wanting to host my dinners. Instead of doing small groups like what Nick recommended, I’m going to families.

Send 100 DM/emails to people whose work inspires me throughout the year

I’ve received a couple of unsolicited emails and DMs recently. It feels nice when others compliment you on your work out of the blue.

I want to do this too.

I’m putting a number to it and tracking it because I want it to be top of mind when an opportunity presents itself. If I’m looking for an opportunity, I’ll do it more.

Miscellaneous projects

Pitch a lecture idea to the local university three times

There is a university near my house. They have a marketing department. I met a couple of these students last year when we gave away our obnoxiously large sofa to a fraternity on campus.

I think it would be fun to give a guest lecture on marketing. Something that applies to them now and they’re professors probably have not covered.

Maybe I can give my perspective on a topic they’ve covered. We’ll see. This one is still squishy.

Be a guest on 5 podcasts

I love podcasts. I’ve been on several and hosted a couple. But none of them are deserving of a media reel. So I’m going to build a list of small podcasts who’ve been at it for a year plus and pitch them to have me as a guest.

Hat tip to Matthew Dicks for the idea (read his 2024 resolutions). And of course, happy birthday to Matt (WordPress Matt).