While the rest of the United States freezes under a polar vortex, I am staring out my office window with the 80F sun beaming on my skin. It’s the final week of 2022. We’re at the end of this marathon of a year and I wonder whether lived, loved, and mattered.
Thirteen months ago, I sat in an empty, brand new, office setting sights on how I would tackle 2022. I began using Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) as a new way to measure goals systematically with concrete results.
After scrutinizing those OKRs, I’ve managed to meet 30% of those objectives.
What exactly got crossed off?
- Maintaining Accurate Record-Keeping
- Reduce Operating Costs
- Build a Sales Process
What a Failure
Most would look at this and confidently state 2022 was a failure. The largest objective was to generate $800k revenue. We made $637,740. This isn’t something to be sad about. I know it took an immense amount of work to get there. And it’s $40k higher than the previous year.
Much of my time was spent traveling, alone. I’ve exchanged my commute from an automobile to a plane, hanging out in airport lounges, and sleeping in hotel rooms. Last year, I was proud of my loyalty status with hotels and airlines. But the balance between family and work can take its toll. Earlier this year, I traveled to Northern California for client work and took one day to fly back to watch my son play a weekend of baseball. The next day I lugged my exhausted body to the airport to fly back to Northern California.
And what did I sacrifice? It wasn’t just the family time. What ended up being a big warning for me is my health. As a result from traveling, eating incredibly poorly, drinking too much alcohol, the lack of quality sleep, and failed commitment to exercise, I experienced new and old pains catching up to my awful lifestyle. An increased amount of doctors visits and blood work were all a precursor or foreshadowing of what’s to come, as if the spirit of Christmas Yet To Come stopped by to point at what happens if I fail to change my ways.
Lessons Learned
I recline back in my chair and think about a book I’ve read by Simon Sinek – Start With Why.
Am I happy?
YES! Can I do better? YES! I am happy where I am at, from a business perspective? YES! I can now shift my mindset and create balance.
We brought on help with Clear to Send and it has been one of the best decisions we’ve made, giving us dozens of hours back per week in producing podcast episodes.
The same process needs to be replicated to Packet6. We need scale up, but in a small baby-step way. The processes I’ve created have been leading up to this and it’s now time to become a leader and work on the business rather than in the business.
It was beginning to feel like a rat race. Having constant back-to-back meetings, and task upon task to complete with what felt like an endless amount of projects. I felt shackled to my desk.
Rest and self-care is going to be important. Saying no to new work is important.
Taking time to sit back, absorb what I’ve learned through books and mentors, and learning from failures and successes need to occur more often.
This year, I spent 2022 getting into Notion as my central hub for planning, documentation, and processes. It’s proven to be a powerful tool. It needs further refinement but it has helped manage my projects, prioritize my work, and document my personal and entrepreneurial journey.
Implementing a daily, weekly, and quarterly review tells me whether I’m staying focused or deviating from my plan.
So What?
After reflecting out my window multiple times this month, I’ve learned what I really want to achieve is self-control and autonomy on how I live my life. To support my lifestyle, being home as much as possible with the family, providing more for my children and feeling fulfilled has led me to running my own business with multiple streams of income.
This year, I’ve read 18 books, both fiction and non-fiction, to help get me in the right mindset. It’s led to three pillars – Packet6, Clear To Send, and this website you’re reading now.
Creating content has led to many opened doors and opportunities. Collectively, 114 total published content. 15 blog posts at Packet6, 32 episodes and 39 videos at Clear To Send, and 20 blogs and 8 videos at rowelldionicio.com.
The effort in that content has brought in 16 new clients at Packet6 and new Clear To Send sponsors. The podcast sponsors generated $17,550 in revenue which we put back into the podcast to help build a community.
I’m extremely happy with where I’m at. And I believe it will lead to something I can do full-time with the intent of helping others by being transparent through the challenges I’ve gone through. This is my way to help if you’re going through the same path and have the same thoughts. Just know that there is enough. You do have enough. You don’t have to need more or grow as big as possible. You can be happy with what you were able to achieve.
My commitment for 2023 will be around consistency and execution with a positive attitude. Just 1% better every day can lead to a huge success.
And with that, 2022 comes to an end.
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