Category: Comedy

For the past fifteen years, I set goals publicly at the start of the year and then review how I did at the end of the year [see 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009].

I’m not sure if this is actually useful, as I only look at this post the first and last day of the year, but I like traditions, and am oftentimes pleasantly surprised by how much I accomplish from this list. And maybe it helps subconsciously, so here go my goals for this year. The ones in italics are not fully in my control.

This year I’m at 12 goals: 7 of which I have direct control, and 6 of which I don’t. I like keeping a top 3 goals list too.

Stand-Up

• Write 30 new minutes of “album-worthy” material
• Record my next comedy album
• Do 500 live performances
• Do my gameshow 20+ times
• Perform at 50+ private events
• Do stand-up on television or streaming
• Teach my New York City stand-up comedy class eight times with an average of ten students per class

Writing and Producing

• Write one new full-length script
• Pitch our various TV projects to at least 5 networks/production companies 
• Create one new, fully-fleshed out TV idea (with treatment and sizzle or a script)
• Release my third illustrated book – The Super-speaker

Learning

• Read 12 books

Financials

• Earn $150,000 of gross revenue from comedy/entertainment-related endeavors

My Top 3 Goals

• Write 30 new minutes of “album-worthy” material
• Do stand-up on television or streaming
• Write one new full-length script

On January 1st, 2023 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, grey text are goals not fully in my control and bold text is how I did. 

Stand-Up (4.2 out of 5 accomplished)

Stand-Up

• Write 30 new minutes of “album-worthy” material
  Yes I wrote more than 30 minutes of good material after recording my last comedy album in late 2022
• Do 500 live performances
  I did about 445 spots this year – counting this at 9/10 credit
• Do my gameshow 20+ times
  Did the game show 7 times this year. Giving myself 1/3 credit
• Perform at 50+ private events
  Did 51 private events
• Do stand-up on television or something else that makes me feel like I’ve “leveled-up”
  I did topical jokes on Fox News Saturday Night and Amazon Sports Talk – both of which got millions of social media views

Writing and Producing (1.5 out of 3 accomplished)

• Write one new full-length script
  Did not write a full-length script but am currently in the process of outlining a full-length script
• Pitch our various TV projects to at least 5 networks/production companies 
  Pitched to three places, counting this as half credit
• Create one new, fully-fleshed out TV idea (with treatment and sizzle or a script)
  Created two new sizzle reels and treatments for unscripted properties

Learning (1 of 1 accomplished)

• Read 12 books
  I read 14 books

Financials (0 of 1 accomplished)

• Earn $100,000 of gross revenue from comedy/entertainment-related endeavors
  Did not hit that goal

My Top 3 Goals (2 of 3 accomplished)

• Write 30 new minutes of “album-worthy” material Yes
• Do stand-up on television or something else that makes me feel like I’ve “leveled-up” Yes
• Write one new full-length script Yes

Overall notes: I’m pleased to have accomplished 2 of my top 3 goals. I accomplished 6.7 out of 10 goals for the year. I fell most short in writing a new script (but did multiple treatments). Of what I could control, I accomplished 3 out of 4 goals. So while not a perfect year, (it never is!) progress was made and experience was gained.