Retro on 24 for 2024
2024, what a year! The 0 -> 60 feelings I've had on feeling energized and fulfilled from my 24 for 2024 was incredible. With my focus on my interests, and mental capacities, I was able to cultivate physical and mental well being, engaging in my creative side and achieved milestones I had only dreamed of in earlier years. While this may not work for many, it did for me and "whatever works", right?
While I did well in many and accomplished what I set out to do, the real value came from the learnings and takeaways, on things that I learned I didn't want to do, or help me investigate why certain things are easier or harder than I thought. Just putting something out there and going after it, taking action, was something that pushed me to doing these things, rather than just falling into thinking traps. And while I have a sense of what went well and what didn't, I wanted to do a retro, to give me some extra insights to help me in moving forward to 2025.
First, a high level summary, on which I was "green" vs "yellow" vs "red" on. I did OKR scoring of 70%+ of goals means green, 30-70% yellow, <30% red (since they were big hairy audacious goals mostly =D )
Green: 9
Yellow: 11
Red: 4
With a breakdown of:
ONE. 24 days skied (Yellow)
TWO. 124 Peloton rides (Green)
THREE. 24 books read (Green)
FOUR. 24 poems written (Yellow)
FIVE. 24 blogs written (Red)
SIX. Launch personal website (Green)
SEVEN. Launch a side project (Yellow)
EIGHT. 24 live performances (Yellow)
NINE. 24 outings in New York City (Green)
TEN. 24 charity donations (Yellow)
ELEVEN. Updated financial plan (Green)
TWELVE. 24 projects supported (Red)
THIRTEEN. Get a new job (Green)
FOURTEEN. 24 days of dancing (Yellow)
FIFTEEN. 24 evenings played (Yellow)
SIXTEEN. 24 stories written (Red)
SEVENTEEN. 24 pickup games (Yellow)
EIGHTEEN. 24 fires (Green)
NINETEEN. 24 nights away (Green)
TWENTY. 24 new towns visited (Yellow)
TWENTY-ONE. Birthday party (Green)
TWENTY-TWO. 24 BBQs (Yellow)
TWENTY-THREE. Friends weekend (Red)
TWENTY-FOUR. Send save the date (Yellow)
And without further ado, the details on each of my 24 for 2024 items:
ONE. 24 days skied
Score Yellow
Detail
2019: 8
2020: 1
2021: 4
2022: 0
2023: 0
2024: 9
2024 was my real re-entrance back into skiing! After having our first kid October 2019, followed by COVID, skiing unfortunately fell off the map in my life. After 24 for 2024, it got right back in, eclipsing my pre-kid/COVID year of 8 days with 9! In 2025, I'm already at 10, with a few more scheduled, so while I missed out on the goal of 24, I definitely feel I made legit progress on hitting this goal.
Me enjoying skiing at Loon in New Hampshire, 2024
TWO. 124 Peloton rides
Score Green
Detail 125 rides (goal of 124).
Nailed it. What more can I say. Most weeks hit 3 rides per week, using Power Zone & Power Zone Endurance rides, getting me into the best cardio shape of my life. After reading books like Outlive and learning more of the importance of these rides to longevity, I don't think I'll ever be looking back. Re-upping this one.
My January 2024 Peloton stats
THREE. 24 books read
Score Green
Detail 18 books read of the 24, almost hitting the 70% OKR threshold to green! Let's call it green-ish. I actually read some amazing books that transformed my life like
These books helped me realize the power removing thinking traps, self limiting thinking, and re-framing obstacles as red lights that eventually turn green. The unlock has been real, as I'm able to apply the learnings from these into weekly reflections, and ongoing identification of thoughts that are limiting my growth potential.
Books I've been reading in January 2024
FOUR. 24 poems written
Score Yellow
Detail Need to go back and count. This goal was surprising to me! Each time I wrote a poem, I felt that I was lifted into a way better emotional state. Through poetry, I gave my emotions and thoughts space to manifest and exist, something that each time helped me embrace and validate my feelings. Love this one so much, and don't think I'll stop.
Snapshot of the original poetry page of the website
FIVE. 24 blogs written
Score Red
Detail This was the first fail on my list of 24 for 24 goals. I wrote 4 blogs in 2024, but basically de-prioritized it once I started my job search early in the year and didn't pick it up due to other time-pressing priorities. I didn't feel like I had a really great purpose and drive behind writing the blogs, as I don't think I was ready to try to do things like build an audience around it, and my weekly reflections in my personal journal felt like enough. This maybe something I pick back up eventually, so stay tuned!
Snapshot of the original blog page of the website
SIX. Launch personal website
Score Green
Detail This! Here you are reading the product of my 24 for 2024 goals. It was a great experience to do this and happy I did. I'm sure it will continue to evolve and grow and was a great stepping stone for achieving "something" in the year that helped me build momentum into an amazing year.
Snapshot of the original home page of the website
SEVEN. Launch a side project
Score Yellow
Detail While not "launched" - I did create a side project that I'm proud of that will be sharing more at some point on. So overall, would give this a yellow for now since didn't get to launch in 2024.
I’m using ChatGPT to help me with side projects
EIGHT. 24 live performances
Score Yellow
Detail Overall, would give this a yellow, probably saw around a dozen live performance shows through the year, something more than I had in any previous years, so made progress, but still feel I could do even more! While the Music Hall is nearby, it doesn't always have what I'm interested in, so need to find more access to get to these levels.
Abba cover band in 2024
NINE. 24 outings in New York City
Score Green
Detail This goal I'd give a green on. With a new job at Uber, there were a bunch of outtings with the team that I went to in 2024 in NYC, as well as dates with Josefine, and meeting up with some friends and family at times. Being so close to the city has been a pleasure, something I want to continue to enjoy in the coming years.
Epic dinner outing in the East Village in 2024
TEN. 24 charity donations
Score Yellow
Detail I set up a recurring bi-monthly donation to a charity that automated this particular one. While I'm happy with that, I feel there was more I could have done and need to reframe my goal in this area in the future. More to come.
We donate to the Arbor Day Foundation, for one
ELEVEN. Updated financial plan
Score Green
Detail Our financial plan saw an update, powered by switching to Monarch from the decreped mint.com that was sunset. With Monarch, we were able to get clear budgeting set up, sinking funds for larger expenses, and better project out how we should plan our finances as a family.
Monarch is one of my new favorite apps!
TWELVE. 24 projects supported
Score Red
Detail This was a red 0 unfortunately. I did hear about projects from friends, but didn't end up actively engaging in helping others with their projects and feedback. Part of this stemmed from a realization that I wanted to spend more time getting my own projects to successful points first before sharing with others. And while I did have some conversations with others on projects, it didn't feel super tangible.
Please contact me here if you’d like to connect
THIRTEEN. 124 days of podcasts
(jk it was get a new job…)
Score Green
Detail I never really tracked this particular one, because my heart was in another goal, to find a new job, which I didn't want to state publically in a blog. But looking at what it really was, I am proud that I found a great new role at Uber on the Product team on our Delivery growth bet on the Uber Direct line of business.
Got a new job at Uber this past year!
FOURTEEN. 24 days of dancing
Score Yellow
Detail A wedding, fundraiser, a karaoke night, and a bunch of dancing with the kids at home probably got me half way. Definitely an area need to continue to grow, but was happy to start dancing again after what feels like years of not.
Dance party at Uber holiday party
FIFTEEN. 24 evenings played
Score Yellow
Detail I jammed a couple of times with a few different friends in town and my brother-in-law through the year. Again greater than 0, and each time was really invigorating! Definitely more to follow up and explore here.
Jamming in the summertime outside
SIXTEEN. 24 stories written
Score Red
Detail Not much progress here. I wrote half a chapter of a book and 1 very short story. Both didn't go very far, but were certainly interesting to explore. I realized that it wasn't the thing I wanted to overinvest time into compared to other priorities. So took a Red here.
My writing notebook on a bedside table
SEVENTEEN. 24 pickup games
Score Yellow
Detail What an amazing one! I ended up playing a lot of tennis this year after a decade of taking it off. Also played a bit with the kids different sports, so overall got to a Yellow for the year. Really puts me in a flow state and a great way to socialize!
Playing pickup sports at a local field
EIGHTEEN. 24 fires
Score Green
Detail Green all the way. Ended up getting a fire pit, wood rack, and firewood delivery, leading to fires multiple times a week over the winter, easily hitting the 24, in addition to joining some other firepit nights at our home and at others. Such a great way to help your brain unwind and destress and just makes life "make more sense".
Fire on a beach on Long Island in 2024
NINETEEN. 24 nights away
Score Green
Detail Got to a green here, between the family trip to California, going to Long Island and a few weekends away with Josefine and family trip to New Hampshire. We hit 24 nights away from home, which helped mix things up through the year.
Airbnb in Hunter, NY where we stayed 2 nights
TWENTY. 24 new towns visited
Score Yellow
Detail Something I added a bit last minute. I definitely explored some new places, but didn't in a structured way or felt that I saw much in ways I'd want to. So this maybe was between a red and yellow, but also didn't feel like something I wanted to pursue since I didn't have the right idea of what this entailed and ROI on time to go places.
Berkshires in MA
TWENTY-ONE. Birthday party
Score Green
Detail I had one! This was really fun, and again, something I hadn't had since pre-COVID and brought a lot of joy in getting a bunch of people I really care about together at the same time.
Birthday karaoke from years ago
TWENTY-TWO. 24 BBQs
Score Yellow
Detail A surprising yellow! BBQing is something I've always loved my whole life, and I felt that I'd have more time to BBQ. But the summer flew by without a lot of grilling, and something I'm going to try to re-approach and reflect on why for this next year. Thought about a grilling challenges, but more to come here.
Epic grill session in Canmore
TWENTY-THREE. Friends weekend
Score Red
Detail Red sadly, I didn't end up setting any friend's weekend up, but have one set up for 2025 already! So at least moving forward now with a better approach.
Fun weekend with friends in Seattle
TWENTY-FOUR. Send save the date
Score Yellow
Detail Yellow - sent it to a few people, not everyone. So need to still put something more official out there. Will happen this year without making it one of my core 25 for 2025 goals
Wedding day photo from 2016
And that's a wrap! Onto my 25 for 2025. Feels like going to be another peak year, let's go.