Tag: Goals

For the past eight years, I set goals at the start of the year and then reviewed how I did at the end of the year [see 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009]. I feel like this is working for me, in the sense of helping me focus my time, so here go my goals for this year. I have fewer goals this year (11 down from 19 last year) and then whittled down my top 4. I think I have fewer goals because the longer I do this, the more some things become automatic and don’t have to be tracked as goals, and the fewer things I actually care about. If I nail 3 out of these top 4 goals, and don’t achieve a single one of the others, I’ll consider it a very good year.

Performing

• Perform 650 times this year, including 400 club spots
• Perform at 10 college shows
• Do a stand-up set on TV that airs in its entirety (not a stand-up clip show)
• Go on 50 acting auditions, get 5 callbacks
• Book at least one acting gig from an audition

Writing/Producing

• Create 40 new minutes of material that I try on stage, turn 15 of those minutes into “A” jokes
• Sell a TV show and/or write for a TV show

Learning

• Take one acting class
• Read 20 books

Financials

• Earn $40,000 from entertainment related business income

Misc

• Average weight 172 pounds or less

Top 4 Goals (Out of 11)

• Do a stand-up set on TV that airs in its entirety (not a stand-up clip show)
• Perform at 10 college shows
• Create 40 new minutes of material that I try on stage, turn 15 of those minutes into “A” jokes
• Sell a TV show and/or write for a TV show

On January 1st, 2016 I posted my goals for this year. Since it’s the last day of the year, it’s time to go through them and see how I did. Black text is the original goal and bold text is how I did. 

Performing (5 out of 8 accomplished)

• Perform 700 times this year: including 350 club spots and 20 college shows
  Performed 678 times including 481 club spots and 4 college shows. While I came up short for college shows and a few shows short overall, I’m counting this as accomplished since I fully exceeded my club spot goal. For next year, I’m splitting the college shows into a separate goal.
• Headline (40+ minutes) 25 times
  Headlined 7 times.
• Become a regular (at least twice a month) at one new comedy club
  Became a regular at one new club.
• Do a stand-up set on TV
  I filmed a set for season 3 of FOX Laughs at the end of September. (Still waiting for it to air.)
• Do a NACA Showcase
  Did not do a NACA showcase
• Submit to 3 comedy festivals, perform in 1 comedy festival
  Submitted to 4 comedy festivals plus a bunch of NACA showcases. Performed in 1 comedy festival (that I didn’t submit for).
• Go on 30 acting auditions
  Went on 38 auditions
• Book at least one acting gig from an audition
  Had some callbacks, but did not book any acting gigs from auditions.

Writing/Producing (3.5 out of 6 accomplished)

• Write for at least 15 minutes a day for 300 days this year
  Wrote 334 days this year.
• Create 30 new minutes of material that I try on stage, turn 10 of those minutes into “A” jokes
  Tried 30+ new minutes of material on stage this year, at least ten of them are “A” jokes (in September I did 50+ minutes of material that I didn’t record on my album the previous year).
• Write a packet for Last Week Tonight
  Wrote the packet.
• Pitch my reality show sizzle reel to 5 production companies
  Pitched multiple reels to multiple places, this is all currently still in process, so gonna count it as 50% completed.
• Get hired to write on a TV show
  Did not get hired to write for TV show, although I’ve been writing more punch up this year than in previous years.
• Create and release 4 video sketches
  Did not release any real video sketches. Although I put out one rap song that’s also a music video and did a bunch of editing for a friend’s videos.

Learning (0 out of 1 goals accomplished)

• Take one class
  Did not take a class.

Financials (2 out of 3 goals accomplished)

• Earn $40,000 from entertainment related business income
  Did not earn $40k.
• Get my new album in the iTunes or Amazon best selling charts
  My new album was as high as #5 on Amazon.
• Sell 50 copies of my book after shows (does not count Amazon and B&N sales)
  Sold 45 copies of my book after shows. Counting this as close enough.

Misc (0 out of 1 goals accomplished)

• Get and then keep my weight under 170 pounds
  I got my weight under 170 pounds like 3 times all year. 

Top 8 Goals (5.5 out of 8 accomplished)

• Perform 700 times this year: including 350 club spots and 20 college shows Yes
• Do a stand-up set on TV Yes
• Do a NACA Showcase No
• Create 30 new minutes of material that I try on stage, turn 10 of those minutes into “A” jokes Yes
• Write a packet for Last Week Tonight Yes
• Pitch my reality show sizzle reel to 5 production companies In process
• Get hired to write on a TV show No 
• Get my album in the iTunes or Amazon best selling charts Yes

For the past six years, I set goals at the start of the year and then reviewed how I did at the end of the year [see 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009]. I feel like this is working for me, in the sense of helping me focus my time, so here go my goals for this year. I have more goals this year (17 down from 14 last year) and then whittled down my top 8 (it was a top 6 last year, I don’t feel good about having this many, but all of them are important). If I nail 5 out of these 8 goals, and don’t achieve a single one of the others, I’ll consider it a very good year.

Performing

– Perform in 350 comedy club shows, 150 bar shows and 200 open mics. Emcee 100 of those 700 spots

– Do 20 or more sets of 30+ minutes

– Become a regular at one new NYC club (where I perform at least once a week)

– Get 7 industry opportunities (TV stand up audition, filmed as talking head, get an agent and/or manager, writing submission, magazine coverage, etc.)

– Submit for 9 festivals, perform in 3 festivals

– Do a stand-up set on TV

– Get my two person specialty show booked 15 times

Writing 

– Write for at least 15 minutes a day for 330 days in the year

– Create 30 new minutes of usable material. Turn 10 of those 30 minutes into  “A” material

– Write one new TV or Film script

– Get paid to write for others on a consistent basis

Learning 

– Take one class

Web Content 

– Have Russian Optimism mentioned in 18 articles, at least 3 of which are on well known sites

– Create (at least two of three: write, direct and edit) 6 new comedy videos and post them online

– Tweet one joke a day at least 25 days per month

– Get 500 new email addresses from shows or my website

– Create at least thirty episodes (45-90 seconds each) of my reddit idea

Financials (0 out of 1 goal accomplished):

– Earn $30,000 from entertainment business related income

Top 8 Goals (from the above) 

– Perform in 350 comedy club shows, 150 bar shows and 200 open mics. Emcee 100 of those 700 spots

– Get 7 industry opportunities

– Do a stand-up set on TV

– Create 30 new minutes of usable material. Turn 10 of those 30 minutes into  “A” material

– Get paid to write for others on a consistent basis

– Have Russian Optimism mentioned in 18 articles, at least 3 of which are on well known sites

– Create (at least two of three: write, direct and edit) 6 new comedy videos and post them online

– Create at least thirty episodes (45-90 seconds each) of my reddit idea