2017- Looking backward...and (more importantly) forward.

Sunset in my hometown at the end of 2016; looking forward
bright sunrises in 2017. 

First blog in over a year. Actually two. But with 2016 and all of it’s perils behind us, I thought that it was time to push forward, and in doing so, actually reach back- back to the source, the original motivation, and the “f*ck this, no excuses” attitude that has gotten me this far. 

At the beginning of 2016, I listed out ten goals that I had for the year, and publicly stated them on Facebook so that I would have everyone to hold me accountable. So what I would like to do now is take note of those goals, what I could do, what I could not, and why. 

First off the ones that are completed: 

Pay off all of my credit cards- DONE. 

Reach 1,000,000 Hits on Youtube- DONE. (Currently at 1.3 Mil)

Work on my first International Film Project- DONE (Wrote a Thai action feature film)

Get a Japanese Driver’s Licence- DONE

The ones that are not, progress report, and reason for failure: 

Goal: Get down to 87kg (from 93kg)

Progress: Currently 90kg- halfway there.

Reason for Failure: Having Ty meant a general lack of sleep. Lack of sleep equates to laziness at workouts, higher cravings for sweet foods, and and far less physiological efficiency in fat burning. (If you don’t sleep well, you don’t burn fat well). 

Goal: Get my Ariel and TKD 720 kicks back

Progress:  landing them both again… but not consistently. 

Reason for Failure: Fine tune Athletic performance goals and weight loss goals are at odds with each other. The latter means you have less energy to work with; the former means you need to be running at your peak. Also goes back to the lack of sleep, and the crazy work load that goes with trying to feed a kid. Need to sleep more, and earn more per hour of work done. 

Goal: Create an extra $500 a month of passive income through video production. 

Progress: A little under halfway there- adding two more revenue streams in the next few months. 

Reason for Failure: One income backfired- in the short term cost more than it made- had to work more to compensate for the loss; consequently had less time and resources to produce. 

Goal: Complete the Kumon Japanese Grammar course, and move into the classic literature section. (2000 pages of work)

Progress: 1800 pages down. 100 pages into the classic literature section. 

Reason for Failure: Was waiting on the last package of notes to arrive before I left for Michigan, but they got lost in the mail and arrived after I left. (><)
Had I completed the previous section on my timing target there would have been time to get the last packet- even if it got lost in the mail. Shouldn’t have relaxed once I got near the finish line. 

Goal: Finish my current Korean textbook- 

Progress: Halfway there. 

Reason for Failure: Korean teacher’s husband got sick, and cancelled classes indefinitely mid-year. Didn’t find a new teacher. Ultimately no excuse. 

5/10. I don’t see this as a passing grade. Life always has challenges, and there are always roadblocks; but successful people are like sharks; they can only swim forward. As such, I have every intention of completing the remaining 6 goals, and as I complete them, add in several more:

1. Learn how to use the Tonfa, Sai, Western Single Sword, (Currently I can use Nunchaku, and Bo staff, and sword), as well as at least 3 firearms. 

2. Fully graduate from Kumon (complete the 600 pages of classic literature study).
3. Produce my next film or series. (4 projects currently in the works). 

4. Rebuild my person branding (which suffered a lot in the last year). Get back to Youtube and blogging and hit it hard. 

5. Rebuild my action instruction program, and (investor willing) open a brick-and-mortar gym. 

6.Reach a personal savings goal. (which I won’t publicly state so as to have the time and financial affordance to move in the right direction). 

2016 may have been a rough year (seemingly for everyone), but at least for myself, I plan on seeing 2017 at the opposite end of the spectrum. Day 2 now. Enough rest. Time to hit it hard. YOSH.