2024 Goals
You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
~ C.S. Lewis
Overarching theme: Giving new life to old things
This year will see me giving new life to old things: From houses and furniture to websites and stuff. It’s about reimaging old ideas and old ways of being; it’s about new opportunities and new adventures. But mostly, it’s about living and thriving.
Read more about my 2024 theme here.
Measurable goals
In addition to this theme for the year, I have a set of measurable goals and objectives that I will work on. Many of these measurable things are directly related to the wider theme, although some of them are just a continuation of my goal to constantly improve on yesterday’s success to ensure that tomorrow is the best I can make it.
Health and Fitness
- Run 750+ miles
- Sub-28 5K road running time
- Sub-60 10K
- Sub-2.20.00 half-marathon
- Sub-5.00.00 marathon
- 4,750,000+ steps
- Regular fitness (work towards 90 minutes per week)
- 400+ miles of walking
- 3 minute 30-second plank
Travel and Adventure
- 16-hill walk in the Pentland Hills
- Walk the full length of the Water of Leith Walkway
- Summit Ben Nevis
- 3x solo weekend trips within the UK
Professional Life
- 3+ academic publications
- Submit a large grant application
- Develop 3-5 long-term goals (update from existing goals)
- Refresh all top-level pages on my PhD website
Personal Improvement and Skill Building
- Buy a house
- Apply for UK citizenship
- Start a memory quilt from Paul’s old running t-shirts
- Complete Mum’s “12 Days of Christmas” ornament project
- Refresh my weekend routines
- Refresh Just Frances website
- Earn 12+ “Rebel Badges”
- Enjoy 12+ tech/digital-free days
Miscellaneous
- Find 60 geocaches
- Develop a new budget spreadsheet
- Write 50 cards and letters to loved ones
- Complete family cookbooks in Mum’s memory
- Cook at least 1 recipe from family cookbooks each month
Archived goals
2023: Overarching goal: Simply Me
2022: Overarching goal: Seek answers, solutions, or improvement for Life, the Universe, and Everything
2021: Overarching goal: The ABCs: Accountability, Balance, and Calm
2020: Overarching goal: To be a stronger, more confident me
2015-2019: These goals are summarised here
“Big” Goal #1: To be blissfully happy (a life-long goal)
“Big” Goal #2: To earn my master’s degree (success!)
“Big” Goal #3: To publish a book (goal sidetracked by my master’s and PhD degrees, but will happen one day!)
“Big” Goal #4: To rule the world (potentially my most unrealistic goal)