music, business & geekery

By Justin Travis, a Berklee graduate and restless web developer who lives at the intersection of music, business and tech.

Goal Setting

Posted 1 month ago

I’m not usually one to set “new year resolutions”, but, as the end of a year approaches and things slow down, it’s a natural time to reflect on one’s accomplishments in the current year and set goals to achieve for the next. So here are my goals for 2012, in no particular order.

Release an iOS app
Still bouncing some ideas around, but I did receive the excellent Programming in Objective-C for Christmas, which should get me started.

Determine the fate of Canvita
Greg and I started working on Canvita around February of this year, and we’ve been putting our nose to the grindstone ever since. I’d like us to have a good enough feel for whether or not we need to change the direction of the business (as we’ve already done), or whether or not we’re on the right track. We did just apply to TechStars as well, so that should give us some indication as well.

Get Healthy
Not that I’m particularly unhealthy, but I’ve been blessed with a metabolism the speed of light. As I progress through my 20s, I know it’s going to slow down and I need to get in better exercise and eating habits. I hope to put on 10-20lbs this year. (Yes, I hope to gain weight.)

Devote 80% of My Time to 1 Thing
Right now I have 3 things going on professionally, and it’s just not sustainable. I may not be able to dedicate 100% of my time to just 1 thing in 2012, but I hope to turn 4 into 2, and have 1 that I’m focused on the large majority of the time.

Start A Band
I’ve been a drummer for 15 years, yet, for various reasons, I haven’t been able to play seriously in about 3 years. Music was such a major part of my life for so many years, it’s obvious that something is missing. It’s more of a recreational goal, not a professional ambition, but you never know. (If we do get into TechStars, there will be serious talk about getting some instruments in the office!)

There are of course the always-present goals of “be a better brother/son/uncle/etc”, which I’m working on constantly, but those are the main things on my horizon for 2012. What are yours?