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)

Join the conversation!