Tag: Goals

On January 1st, 2014 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. 
   

For the past five years, I set goals at the start of the year and then reviewed how I did at the end of the year [see 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 was able to have fewer goals this year (14 down from 21 last year) and then whittled down my top 6 (it was a top 3 last year, I don’t feel good about having this many, but all of them are important). If I nail these 6 goals, and don’t achieve a single one of the others, I’ll consider it a very good year.

On January 1st, 2013 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 (3 out of 8 goals accomplished):

– Perform in 325 comedy club shows, 175 bar shows and 150 open mics. And Emcee 100 of those spots.

I did 699 shows total. 425 club spots, 133 bar shows and 141 open mics. I emceed 112 of those spots (81 shows and 31 mics)

– Do 3 stand up auditions for TV industry decision makers.

Did not do any official TV auditions

– Do 5 or more sets of 30+ minutes

Did 4 sets of 30+ minutes

– Kill for 10 sets in a row

Don’t remember doing this, so probably not

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

Because a regular in two new places

– Perform in 5 comedy festivals/competitions

Did two festivals

– Do 25 road gigs

Did 14 road gigs

– Get consistent paid work with one new out of town bookers

Got consistent paid work with a couple of new bookers

Writing (3 out of 4 goals accomplished):

– Write for at least 30 minutes a day for 300 days in the year

Sat and wrote 323 days of the year. Didn’t use a timer though, but it was in the 20-40 minute range

– Create 20 new minutes of usable material. Turn 5 of those 20 minutes into “A” material.

I’m still tightening some of the newer material but I have at least 20 new minutes. And at least 5 of them are “A” minutes

– Write one new TV or Film script

I wrote one TV late night submission packet, which is a kind of TV script

– Write 12 sketches or short films

I wrote fewer than 12 sketches / short films

Learning (0 out of 1 goal accomplished):

– Take 2 improv or sketch classes

I did not take any classes this year

Producing/Video Editing (1.5 out of 3 goals accomplished):

– Write, film, edit and post 4 short films or sketches

I wrote, filmed, edited and posted 1 short film. I have another 16 sketches that I wrote, filmed and edited but they won’t be posted until February 2014

– Run a weekly comedy show with average attendance of twelve audience members

I ran two weekly comedy shows but the average attendance was closer to eight people

– Film and/or edit 25 videos for other projects (not counting stand up gigs)

Did not do this

Traffic, Marketing and Financials (0 out of 5 goals accomplished):

– Earn $20,000 from entertainment business related income

Did not earn $20k

– Post a stand up shot on reedit twice a week

Did not post twice a week

– Sell out of my DVDs

Did not sell out of my DVDs. Buy one here

– Sell 200 album downloads on iTunes

Did not sell 200 downloads

– Build Garden Variety Comedy fan base to 10,000 views and 100 subscribers.

Did not reach those numbers

Top 3 Goals (from the above) (3 out of 3 goals accomplished)

– Perform in 325 comedy club shows, 175 bar shows and 150 open mics. And Emcee 100 of those spots.

– Write for at least 30 minutes a day for 300 days in the year

– Create 20 new minutes of usable material. Turn 5 of those 20 minutes into “A” material.

Overall: I accomplished 7.5 out of 21 goals. I feel good about my comedy year, I accomplished all of my top 3 goals and I came close to a lot of other goals that I didn’t quite reach. I also started a weekly podcast that wasn’t on the agenda at the start of the year that has 32 episodes and counting.

For the past four years, I set goals at the start of the year and then reviewed how I did at the end of the year [see 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 was able to have fewer goals this year (21 down from 25 last year) and then whittled down my top 3 (it was a top 6 last year, less goals = more focus). Meaning, if I nail these 3 goals, and don’t achieve a single one of the others, I’ll consider it a very good year.

On January 1st, 2012 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 (2 out of 7 goals accomplished):