Archive: 2023 Goals

Below is an archived page for my 2023 goals, with notations and links where appropriate. For my current goals (and a link to other archived goals) visit my primary goals page.

Overarching goal: Simply Me, as in, simply be me

This is a way to remind myself to prioritise my own needs and my own life first. I will focus on my physical, mental, and emotional health on a more intentional basis. And I will work to simplify my life and my focus a bit. Ultimately, “simply me” is about finding a good balance between my personal needs and wants and the needs and wants of external forces. 

Read more about this primary goal here.

Read a narrative update on my successes here.

Measurable goals

In addition to my overarching goal, I have a set of measurable goals and objectives that I will work on throughout the year. These goals are to help me with my accountability as well as to help keep me motivated to move more and do more each year.

Health and Fitness

  • Run 750+ miles [Success, 785 miles total]
  • Sub-28 5K [Success, 27.14 for a treadmill 5K on 31/12/23]
  • Sub-60 10K [Close, but did not succeed]
  • Sub-2.20.00 half-marathon [Did not succeed]
  • Sub-5.00.00 marathon [Did not attempt]
  • 4,500,000+ steps [Success, 5,030,000+ steps!]
  • Regular fitness (work towards 90 minutes per week) [Success, but not sustained]
  • 365+ miles of walking [Success]

Travel and Adventure

  • 16-hill walk in the Pentland Hills [Success]
  • Walk the full length of the Water of Leith Walkway [Did not attempt]
  • Summit Ben Nevis [Did not attempt]
  • Holiday to the East Coast of America [Success, trip to Miami]
  • 3x solo weekend trips within the UK [Did not attempt]

Professional Life

  • 3+ academic publications [In progress, but did not succeed]
  • Submit a large grant application [Did not attempt]
  • Develop 3-5 long-term goals (update from existing goals) {Success]
  • Refresh all top-level pages on PhD website [Did not attempt]

Personal Improvement and Skill Building

  • Apply for a UK driver’s permit (the first step to getting a license) [Did not attempt]
  • Start a memory quilt from Paul’s old running t-shirts [Did not attempt]
  • Complete Mum’s “12 Days of Christmas” ornament project [Did not attempt]
  • Earn 12+ “Rebel Badges” [Did not succeed]
  • Enjoy 12+ tech/digital-free days [Success]

Miscellaneous

  • Find 42 geocaches [Success]
  • Complete family cookbooks in Mum’s memory [In progress, to be completed January 2024]
  • Cook at least 1 recipe from family cookbooks each month [Did not succeed]