Monthly Update - January 2024
Introduction
Click the link below to see a list of all my monthly updates:
In a world where distractions abound and the pace of life seems to quicken with each passing day, it's all too easy to lose sight of our goals and aspirations. That's why I've embarked on the journey of writing monthly updates on my blog, charting the progress and status of my goals for the year. This practice isn't merely a formality or a routine task—it's a deliberate and strategic approach towards personal growth and accountability.
In a world where distractions abound and the pace of life seems to quicken with each passing day, it's all too easy to lose sight of our goals and aspirations. That's why I've embarked on the journey of writing monthly updates on my blog, charting the progress and status of my goals for the year. This practice isn't merely a formality or a routine task—it's a deliberate and strategic approach towards personal growth and accountability.
Why am I doing this? The answer lies in the power of reflection and intentionality. By taking the time each month to assess where I stand in relation to my goals, I am actively engaging in self-awareness and self-assessment. This process allows me to celebrate the victories, acknowledge the challenges, and recalibrate my efforts as needed. It's a way of staying connected to my aspirations and ensuring that I remain focused and committed to their attainment.
Moreover, sharing these updates on my blog serves a dual purpose. On one hand, it provides me with a platform for transparency and vulnerability. By openly discussing my progress (or lack thereof), I invite others to join me on this journey and perhaps find inspiration or motivation in my experiences. On the other hand, it fosters a sense of accountability. Knowing that I have committed to providing regular updates to my readers compels me to stay true to my word and continue striving towards my goals, even when the going gets tough.
Ultimately, the benefits of this practice are manifold. It cultivates a habit of mindfulness, encourages continuous growth and improvement, and strengthens my resolve in the face of adversity. So as I embark on another month of progress tracking and goal pursuit, I do so with a sense of purpose and determination, knowing that each step forward brings me closer to the life I envision for myself.
🎯 Goals
📚 Reading
Goal: Read 50 books in 2024
Progress: Read 5 books
Status: On Track
Reading is my gateway to lifelong learning. My reading habit has become deeply ingrained into my daily life. I read every morning after doing sports and every night before going to sleep. I have a huge list of books I want to read, and the hardest thing for me seems to be to choose what to read next. So if you have any recommendation for a book that I absolutely must read, I'm more than happy to follow your recommendations down in the comments below.
I write a review on most books that I read, to hopefully give you some quick insights to decided whether that's something you want to read as well.
January was a great month with many interesting books about productivity, learning, investing and physics.
I read the following books in January (link to my reviews, not published yet):
- Feel Good Productivity
- Richer, Wiser, Happier
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- Make It Stick
- Six Easy Pieces
🏃 Running
Goal: Be able to run a full Marathon
Progress: Ran 13 times and made 106 kilometers
Status: On Track
The overarching goal here is to still be fit and healthy well into the later stage of my life. Endurance training is a great way to increase my chances, because it produces higher quality mitochondria (cells that metabolize glucose and fatty acids into energy), which lowers the probability to getting diabetes and makes better use of my calorie intake.
In January I was very consistently running 3 times a week, only skipping two runs due to recovery of a previous run. I also reached an important milestone of running my first half marathon in 2 hours and 9 minutes. Not great, but not bad thinking that I was barely able to run 3 kilometers less than 9 months ago.
💪 Calisthenics
Goal: Can do 70 Push-Ups and 25 Pull-Ups
Progress: Can do 20 Push-Ups and 11 Pull-Ups
Status: On Track
Calisthenics (exercises with your own body weight) is another part of my overarching goal of still being fit and healthy in old age. It's the strength part of my workout routine. Strength training increases our muscle mass, which in turn allows our body to better regulate the blood sugar levels and increases the capability to store glucose as glycogen for short-term energy uses instead of storing it as fat.
I only got started with calisthenics in January, but the progress was quite good, probably due to doing lots of weight training when I was younger. I still struggle a bit to incorporate it into my daily life with all my other responsibilities and my social life, but I feel like I'm heading into the right direction.
🗂️ Project Management
Goal: Become a certified Project Management Professional
Progress: Leading a new project at work
Status: On Track
My goal is to earn the Project Management Professional certificate to increase my marketability.
This month I got a new interesting project at work and added some interesting books about project management to my reading list.
👨🍳 Cooking
Goal: Learn to cook 40 new meals in 2024
Progress: Cooked 4 new meals
Status: On Track
I really like cooking for my friends and family, as I enjoy bringing a smile to their faces and I express my love for them through my (hopefully) delicious meals. Sharing a great meal and some quality time with my friends and family makes me feel connected and gives me so much happiness.
In January I cooked the following dishes:
- Pide with spinach and feta cheese, and Pide with beef and peppers
- A healthy chicken-veggie-pineapple salad
- Quick omelets with spinach and feta cheese
- Self made tagliatelle with shrimps and lemon sauce
🇮🇹 Italian
Goal: Get Italian B2 Certificate
Progress: Found an interesting podcast and a book to read
Status: Needs Improvement
As my wife is Italian and I'm half Italian as well, I pursue to learn the Italian language to feel more connected to my wife and her family. Last year I spent 30 minutes a day learning the language with Babbel, however towards the end of the year, I noticed that my progress became stuck and that I need to find other ways to improve my skills.
This month I started my research for new resources to learn the lanugage. I found a great podcast Coffee Break Italian to which I listen now while exercising, and some easy books to improve my reading skills. I procrastinated a bit with learning due to spending a lot of time on my blog and at work. But consistently listening to the podcast while running makes a lot of fun and drives me in the right direction.
💼 Business
Goal: Launch MVP
Progress: Layed the groundwork and made a plan for the MVP
Status: Needs Improvement
Last year an idea manifested itself in my brain for my own business. In January I finally started to make concrete plans to make this dream become a reality. However, I didn't spend enough time on this extremely important goal of building my business. I scheduled now 90 minutes every day to work on my business and will see where this takes me next month.
📝 Blog
Goal: Get 1'000 subscribers and earn a little side income
Progress: Published 7 posts and 13 book reviews
Status: On Track
January was a great month for my blog. I got quite some momentum and posted 7 blog posts and wrote book reviews for 13 books. I also did a lot of administrative work, improving the design and quality of the website and setting up Analytics to track my progress.
Conclusion
Reflecting on the strides made in January fills me with a sense of purpose and excitement for the journey ahead. Each step taken towards my goals, whether in fitness, learning, or professional development, represents a commitment to personal growth and self-discovery. As I navigate the path towards excellence, I am reminded of the power of perseverance and determination.
Looking forward, February awaits with new challenges and opportunities. With each passing day, I am fueled by the belief that every effort, no matter how small, contributes to a life lived with intentionality and meaning. As I continue to pursue my aspirations with unwavering resolve, I invite you to join me on this transformative journey.
Together, let us embrace the possibilities that lie ahead and strive for greatness in all endeavors. For in the pursuit of our dreams, we discover the true essence of what it means to live a life of purpose. Here's to another month of growth, learning, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Onward we march, towards a future filled with boundless potential and endless opportunities
