Writing this from Mexico City as we bring in 2018 with my wife’s side of the family, I’ve found writing this article to be quite difficult. Maybe I’m just tired. Maybe it’s because I don’t like planning all that much or maybe it’s because I always struggle with what to write. At the same time, it can be quite satisfying to think of the last 365 days and what’s been accomplished. It’s also a good idea to think of the next 365 days and the biggest goals I’d like to accomplish.
As many of you know, I also have a massive 100-item list that I’ve compiled, with goals I’d like to accomplish over the next 10 years (9 years from now). I completed my first 100-goal list in 10 years (still need to write about that) and thought I’d continue with the spirit of it all. However, we change along the way and some goals that might have seemed important last year might not be so important this year. So, I like to look it over at least once per year and erase any goals that no longer feel all that special. To be honest, it can also be hard to come up with 100 items. It used to be easy but as I complete some items, I’m finding 100 is almost too much. At the same time, if a list of 100 things helps inspire me to accomplish 80 really cool things, then it’s still a massive win in my books. Who cares about the other 20 right?
But before I ramble on, let’s see what went well in 2017.
Items crossed off the list.
- Appear on TV (Multiple times actually)
- Be the host of a travel show
- Create a massive nationwide event
- Visit Cuba
- Visit every province and territory in Canada (This half counts because I crossed one more off the list but still have one left to complete it)
Normally, I like to cross ten goals off per year but some of these goals were quite big and time-consuming. I only crossed four items off the list in 2017 but two of them (both became part of the same event) took around eight months to complete.
I appeared on Breakfast Television to talk about Canadian travel hacking and went back on Television again to talk about the event that helped me cross two things off the list – the Road to 150. Through my Canadian travel website, mustdocanada.com, I created an event called Road to 150, a 150-day road trip from coast to coast to coast to find out what makes Canada special. We hired a filmmaker to join us, found a major sponsor, worked with hundreds of tourism companies and tourism boards and drove 27,000 km across Canada. We did this as part of Canada’s 150th birthday and created 12 inspiring videos for each province and territory we visited. We ultimately hope to raise money to make a feature-length documentary. If you’d like to learn about the project, visit www.mustdocanada.com/road-to-150 or watch the videos on our Must Do Canada YouTube channel.
This massive project helped me become the host of a travel show (the Road to 150), and create a massive nationwide event.
It took about three months of planning and five months to complete the trip. Afterwards, we went to Cuba for two weeks and then to Mexico to spend the holidays with my other half of the family.
Overall, 2017 was a pretty incredible year. The Road to 150 was by far the biggest project I’ve ever thought of and completed and it feels really good to make a dream come true. It’s also lead to many other possibilities. For example, we’ve been told we make great travel hosts. Perhaps it will lead to hosting another show. Perhaps it leads to creating another big event with a different theme. It also led to us working with some big companies, learning how to operate a drone, learning about video, and giving us a boost to our new YouTube channel. There are many positive things that came from the Road to 150 and I look forward to growing those things over the next year.
As you can see, this event took up much of the year so there are many things I didn’t complete, such as completing another fitness program and growing a business. Still, it was one of the coolest years of my life so I can’t complain.
For 2018, I’m actually looking at my list and choosing goals I’d really like to accomplish this year. As you’ll see below, travel experiences are no longer a priority, except for completing my goal of visiting every province and territory in Canada. Nunavut is the only place missing and I hope to visit this spring. I feel much more of a pull this year to creating and executing creative projects, growing a more stable income stream, and growing on a personal level.
Goals I’ll focus on for 2018:
Writing a children’s book: This has been a dream for many years. I have a pretty interesting and vivid imagination, which is why I like writing and things like that. My wife has always been encouraging me to write children’s book and 2018 has to be the year I complete the first one. If you know a publisher or can help in any way, please let me know.
Writing a screenplay: Although I feel the children’s book will be easier, writing a screenplay has been a dream of mine for more than a decade. It’s time I at least complete one. I’ve always been held back by the extremely low chances of having it made into a movie. I have no connections in the movie industry and to be honest, I want to be a part of it, not just the writer who sells the script and takes a back seat. Any tips?
Visit my last Canadian territory: Technically, this one is the easiest to complete. However, it’s far from cheap. At $3,000 just for the flight, this is a trip I’ll need to get creative to make happen.
See Narwhals in the wild: Narwhals are in Nunavut so if I can make that goal happen at the time they swim by, that would be incredible.
See my 6-pack: I came so close to doing this 10 years ago and wish I had kept going. I’ve wanted this for so long that I almost think it’s impossible. But it’s not and I really need to stop putting it off.
Benchpress my bodyweight: If I can put in the effort to see my 6-pack, I should be able to benchpress my weight.
Create a fun city-wide event: There’s a special idea I have for a massive event in my home city. I’ve been putting it off for years, mainly because I’ve never created an event before, little lone one as big as the one I have imagined. But I’ve told myself that 2018 is the year or else…
Other Things
Obviously, there are many other things I still need to do in 2018 besides these goals above. I need to maintain our websites, maintain my travel hacking courses and hopefully grow them and find a way to turn all of this into additional income. I may even get back into the career route. It all depends on things we have in the pipelines. We’ll also continue making at least one video every two weeks for our YouTube channel and we’re also thinking of having a child. You probably think I’m crazy!
Obstacles I Need to Challenge
Focus: My biggest problem has always been wanting to do so many things. My imagination is one of my special powers but it’s also my kryptonite. I think one of the great things about the Road to 150 was being so focused for those five months. I had no time to work on other projects. Zero.
Help: I’m very good at asking for help (advice) but I have not been good with actually finding people to assist with my projects. I’ve just never asked. It’s scary to find someone and to make sure they fit the bill. And to pay them and all that stuff. But it’s going to be important for many of my future goals.
Planning: I find I’m very good at execution, or at least really trying to complete goals. However, I’m not very good at really creating a plan. Plans are hard when you don’t know the route forward but I think they’re very important and help with focus.
Money: Money has always been a challenge but in order to complete these projects, whether it’s the city-wide event or the children’s book, I’m going to need to learn how to raise money or apply for grants. The documentary itself requires quite a bit of money for post-production and I have no idea where to start…but I must! (Can you help?)
Aside from everything above, I really want to connect deeper with friends and be a better husband this year. Sometimes I’m so focused on projects or work that I forget about taking time to actually relax and to meet up with people and to help out around the “house” and all that sort of stuff. In reality, these form the biggest things in life (family, relationships, etc) and so these are also things I will be paying more attention to this year. I think being home for most of the year and not on the road will help me a lot in this regard.
At 1,500 words, I better stop this here. Plus, I’d really like to ask you something before you go.
First, do you have a specific planning method for the New Year or for going over your past year?
Second, what are your goals for 2018? What were your big wins of 2017? Let me know below!
And lastly, if you have any tips, advice, or a way to help me accomplish my goals in 2018, please contact me. Perhaps I can help you accomplish your goals as well, such as anything travel-related. Maybe we can help each other out! Who knows, the communities online are extremely powerful.
Well, that’s it. Happy New Year!
-Matt
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