With the start of a new year, I take the time to set my focus for the coming year. Now that the year is half way through (maybe a bit more) I want to check in on how things are going.

2016 Focus

At a macro level I am doing ok so far, probably as well as I will do. I have realized that I spread myself a bit too thin with these items this year though. Introducing a new one certainly exacerbated that. Having four items of focus is simply too many. Some of them have overlap, such as running & health – but others take me in a completely different direction.

One of the things I’ve learned and will change for my focus next year is to have the theme be a central item that the goal, challenge & exemplar all tie back to.

For example if health were my theme, my challenge should have been related – perhaps scoring something on a health test. The goal could have been something similar but continual, like averaging 7 hours of sleep per night. Finally the exemplar should have been someone who has made health a priority for them.

That will change in 2017, for now here is my 2016 update.

2016 Goal: Write 50 Blog Posts

I have published 14 blog posts so far of the 30 I should have. In order to hit my goal I need to write about two per week through the end of the year.

Despite that not looking like much progress, I have 37 drafts in my queue at various stages of completed, 17 more than the 20 I started the year with. If I sit down with two per week and focus on finishing them, publishing 50 is still possible by the end of the year.

2016 Theme: Health

I have scratched the surface here.

Along with writing one blog post, it has been a topic that frequently raised to the forefront of my mind. I would like to get more words written down about this as writing really helps me think through things.

In addition I recently ordered one of the Great Courses on the topic of health myths. That has been interesting to listen to while driving and should fuel some additional though.

 2016 Challenge: Run a Sub 2:37 Marathon

After training for seven months I raced my first marathon and finished in a time of 2:42:23. Still a few minutes away from the goal, but within throwing distance.

I am deciding now how to best give myself one more shot at succeeding.

2016 Exemplar: Benjamin Franklin

I’ve done the least with this item so far. Although I have a clear plan of some things I can attempt, those have been the lowest on my priority. I don’t know that I will attempt much more here other than finish reading his biography, which I am about a quarter of the way through.