2023 Goals September Review

2023 Goals – September Review

If you are new here, I wanted to take a second and give you the 411 on this review series. I establish goals at the beginning of the year and reevaluate them every month. For a few reasons – which you will find below – but I post for other people’s benefits, too; after all, a lot of people do not consider goals, much less take the time to set and revisit them. Hopefully, you will be inspired to set, pursue, and achieve them – whatever they may be.

For 2023, goals were established following 2022 –  and I’m posting a monthly review to see how I’m doing. This gives me some accountability and provides a framework for others. IF you aren’t establishing goals and actively pursuing them, you are simply on autopilot. For me, those goals are:

1. Continue to post bi-monthly articles
2. Write a series of posts on budgeting
3. Explore active and passive income streams
4. Research and plan some trips
5. Research and explore a podcast

Some of the 2023 goals are carry-overs from last year; others are new editions. Either way, I’m outlining how things are going below.

2023 Goals September Review – Continue To Post Bimonthly Articles

Building and maintaining consistency is key here

This one is a holdover from last year. By continuing to write and publish two articles a month, I am demonstrating consistency and the build-up of this brand – it’s really that simple. Once the frequency is well entrenched, I can begin by polishing up the look here at The Wealthy Ironworker. February marked 5 years I have been at this – with some level of consistency – and I want to reinforce it. It may seem as though I am trying to build up content, and to an extent, that’s true, but another reason is to instill some discipline in myself. If you are AT ALL like me, discipline doesn’t come naturally; it’s elusive and difficult to obtain – and even harder to implement. Even so, it’s still worth pursuing, and as such, I want to pursue it – and tout its benefits along the way.

Moreover, just the fact that this has been a long-time endeavor – over 5 years now – illustrates to a degree some form of discipline.

In pursuit of discipline, I plan to continue making the articles bi-monthly, no matter how busy I am and hope to have some great content by the year’s end. I have some great ideas for articles, and I am really looking forward to posting several of them this year – especially since I’ve labeled 2023 the year of the budget. You can start your journey with Budgeting 101 and follow up with the most recent posts: Reverse Budgeting and Building a Case for Opportunity Living Below Your Means, Avoiding Lifestyle Inflation, Reevaluating Your Budget, and 10 Benefits of Being a Union Contractor, along with a milestone: 100 Articles!! These are followed up with 1o Benefits of Being a Union Contractor and Benefits of Being a Union Member.

 

2023 Goals September Review – Write A Series Of Posts On Budgeting

This series is something sorely needed at all levels – personal and business

Why this goal? What is the reason for this particular focus?

There are a few reasons, really. First, the concept of budgeting is vital and important. IF you do not know your money in/money out scenario, you are in poor company (pun intended). CNBC reports an astounding 73% of Americans do not budget. This is the height of lunacy – well, that and the fact that a “supposed expert” says it’s okay not to look at a budget.

Second, given that most do not budget makes it is even more important for people to have a place to go and review the basics. I am not an economist, scientist, or engineer – I am an Ironworker by trade. Who better to talk to those in the trades other than someone else in the trades?

Third, I am working through some budgeting things myself. We recently purchased another house at the beginning of the year, and that prompted me to revisit our own budget. A house is a major expense, and having two mortgages is rather daunting, to be honest. This is not the time to throw stuff against the wall and see what sticks. Rather, I plan to be intentional about crafting a budget, compartmentalizing it with different accounts, and tracking it meticulously. I suspect keeping a record of this goal will be advantageous for others. I won’t get into particulars or specific amounts; instead, I plan on providing details on focus, adjustments, and how I essentially do it all.

Fourth, I am working with someone who needs to be taught the basics of budgeting – which is what I suspect many young adults need – likely the adult children of people in the trades. Or maybe it is someone just getting in the trades – or even a seasoned veteran. Whoever it may happen to be, I suspect the way I handle the instruction here is something others can model and adapt for their own personal use with themselves and/or their kids. I’m leaving this one up still, only because I am sure there are others for whom this is a reason for them to either create, revisit, or reestablish a budget. For reasons I won’t go into here, this is no longer one for me.

Fifth, for unknown reasons, there is a “fear” of budgeting people unreasonably have. The hope is that by modeling budgeting at an easy-to-understand level, some can overcome this unnatural fear of something so essential to a successful financial life. There really is no good reason not to take the time to actually create a budget. They are simple, provide a game plan, and possess the ability to really help you navigate through things.

So – now that I have outlined the above, how am I doing with this goal this month – 9 months in?

Well, I have several articles on budgeting right now; the first one  – Budgeting 101 was the first and the foundation, along with the second – Living Below Your Means, the third – Avoiding Lifestyle Inflation, and Reverse budgeting – are important, and once you read them, you’ll understand the aim. I’ll be building upon them with several articles, and this is the actual order they are intended to help the reader:

• Budgeting 101
• Living Below Your Means
• Avoiding Lifestyle Inflation
• Re-evaluating Your Budget
• Tightening Your Financial Belt
• Introducing Finances to Your Children
• Tips To Help You Budget Better
• Reverse Budgeting
• What Do You REALLY Need To Live?

IF you have any other ideas, feel free to reach out and tell me. The goal, as it is being fleshed out, is to build a series on budgeting that is basic but also comprehensive. I’d like to cover multiple bases at one time while also keeping it simple. Evaluating the six articles above, I feel as though I’ve accomplished that thus far.

In any case, I’d look for another budgeting article to drop soon – the next one, Introducing Finances to Your Children. This particular article will be one I believe just about every tradesman needs to read and implement. Look for it to drop in October. Unless something else comes up, the rest of the articles for the year are slated to be budgeting-related, rounding out the 2023 year.

2023 Goals September Review – Explore Active And Passive Income Streams

Everyone wants more money – the question is, how do we go about getting it?

This one is another holdover from last year but deserves a continued look. The reasons are many, but renting out a house is a large move towards passive income – and as such, perhaps I should be a little more active in pursuing this goal. For example, our former house I purchased 15 years ago we are renting, and the mortgage is quite a bit smaller than the one we have now (not to mention the lower interest rate). This means reevaluating all things financial, including the income we bring into the home. I like having margin, and I have less of it now. Margin – or the ability to have room to breathe and not have all your time/financial resources spoken for is an article I will be writing in the future to be sure.

So, how am I doing with this particular goal?

As it turns out, the beginning of March saw my wife and I as landlords. We are now six months into renting out our old home, and it is going to be a source of passive income for us – the first of many streams, I hope. I’ve looked into others (like writing for someone else online, consulting, etc.), but I’ve yet to actually implement any of these other ideas. I still want to do more research into other viable options and see what’s out there. Additionally, we are considering purchasing multi-renter properties – we have more to look into, though, first.

In reality, though, there is just so much information out there to sift through I have been lazy about it. Hey, I’ll admit it. It’s going to take time to discern between the plethora of bad info and get some good nuggets to digest. What’s more, I am traveling more than ever, and that takes me out of my element of consistency – making it more difficult to explore other options. In any case, like Harry Truman said iconically, “The buck stops here.” I am the one ultimately who is responsible, and I have no one else to blame. I now return you to your regularly scheduled article.

*If you’d like me to write for you – feel free to reach out. I’d be happy to talk about opportunity*

September has seen us get more established in our home, traveling for almost half the month (again), and that comes with interesting changes. Back in April, I wrote about how we started keeping honey bees, and I find them absolutely fascinating. I could watch them for hours, seeing them come and go with pollen. But what is even more fascinating is getting into the hive, seeing how they build their combs and all the progress they’ve made. Bees – and the potential to build hives, sell honey, and even practice bee husbandry is something that could be billed at passive income. Time will tell. Until then, some pictures are due.

Bees make some of the most interesting structures

Honey bees are absolutely fascinating, and I look forward to getting back into the hive in a week or so for more inspection.

2023 Goals September Review – Research And Plan Some Trips

One of my favorite photos from a trip we took to Banff National Park, Alberta Canada

This one is interesting. 2022 saw me travel more than I ever have, and I enjoyed just about all of it, to be honest – personal and professional. I have some trips already planned out for this year, but after visiting Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada December of 2022, I have a renewed interest in the Rockies. We typically try to visit National Parks as a family, and I can say there are some very specific parks I’d really like to visit: Yellowstone National Park, Grand Tetons National Park, and Glacier National Park are the top 3 that come to mind. What’s more, the National Park Service gives all 4th graders free access to National Parks across the United States – something we will be capitalizing on next year to some degree. I would also like to revisit Yosemite National Park in the future – that is one special and amazing place. For my money, I have never come across a view that rivals Glacier Point in Yosemite in all the parks I’ve visited so far.

 

Glacier Point is magical, to say the least

Each of the above (planned trips) takes meticulous and careful research and planning. Moreover, It’s not a stretch to say for a thoroughly enjoyable trip, each of these could be a couple of years in the making – all the more reason for some serious planning.

If I had to rate the above parks, I’d say Yellowstone and Grand Teton are at the very top. The NorthWest corner of Wyoming merits at least a week – ideally two – to fully enjoy the views afforded to those who visit. Talk about planning!

Moreover, I also plan to take a look at what it will take to take an extensive trip overseas; I really want to visit Iceland and the rest of the Nordic countries (Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark); preferably in winter to see the Aurora Borealis – better known as the Northern Lights. There’s a lot to see: sea villages, breathtaking landscapes with cliffs, waterfalls, and interesting architecture –  but the Northern Lights would be the highlight for me.

As far as work trips go, I have and/or had trips to Denver, New York, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Chicago, and Nashville in the works. Others will fill in as time goes on, but successful planning to mix in personal with professional aids in long-term planning for the other trips mentioned above.

I can hear the Seinfeld theme song as I look at this picture

Recent picture I took of the NYC skyline

Not to mention several trips I already know are in the works for next year too – there is ample opportunity to travel and explore some places. There is a lot to see, after all.

I recently mentioned to my wife we should seriously explore going to Yellowstone next year – 2024 – and it’s going to take some serious planning to be able to execute – if we even actually go. A trip we are definitely taking this fall, though, is Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania. It’s an 82-acre state park where, due to its really dark skies and no light pollution, offers visitors some of the best views of the Milky Way Ribbon.

Photo credit here

Photo credit here

What a sight to see. So, where would you go if you could choose anywhere?

2023 Goals September Review – Research And Explore A Podcast

Long-form conversations via podcasts have soared in popularity

It seems like everyone has a podcast these days. That’s not the reason I want to explore a podcast, though; it’s more that I have a specific focus and believe in the long run that if I can get things together, it would be beneficial – and an additional stream of income at some point. What’s more, I’ve had some conversations where others asked if I had one – or planned to. They felt it would be beneficial, and some assessment on my part tells me I think they are right. To be honest, this is one of those things that I do not feel like doing the leg work for, but I know that if I do, I’ll be glad later down the line. I just need to find the energy, time, and space – and ultimately, the discipline to execute this.

Out of the 2023 goals I’ve set, this is one I am really excited about the most. Even though I am in the beginning stages, I have really bought into the idea that I can expand my reach by incorporating the podcast into the media I use. AND I have taken steps in the right direction here.

After a lot of research, I FINALLY purchased a microphone and headphones while playing around with recording via Audio Director – the software I downloaded on my computer. There is A LOT to learn still, but I didn’t want to overanalyze and not do anything; instead, a better course of action is to dive in and correct course as things progress in this case. I have looked into podcast hosts and am still looking into what all that entails. I would expect some podcasts to drop before the end of the year. At least, that is the goal I’ve set. I’m looking forward to it!

****I had finished recording some of the podcast episodes! – but I have decided to start over with them. They (and I) need more practice recording and editing them. I have yet to explore exactly how to edit out the background noise (running AC, spiders crawling on their web – seriously, the microphone picks up EVERYTHING) but all in due time. What’s more, I sat down and outlined a lot of topics I will be discussing, including what I am calling right now the first 10 – which are linear. They can be listened to in any order, but ultimately they will make more sense if they are listened to in progression: one builds on another. The first 10 are designed that way. In any case, I will be re-recording the episodes, attempting to have polished long-form podcasts worthy of your time. ****

I have in mind for all 10 to be recorded before I start dropping any. One a week gives me two and a half months of episodes – and that should be ample time for me to record other episodes. I have tried to record in various places, but hotels seem to be the best. With all of the travel I do for my daily grind, my normal routine is simple chaos. Often people record in a quiet room that doesn’t echo. Some even have soundproof rooms where they record – but I do not have either. I need to keep practicing episodes to get flow, atmosphere, background noise, and minute details down to feel more comfortable about dropping the episodes. Once I get it all down, though, you will be able to find the episodes here among other places – links to come.

And lastly, I have been playing around with the podcast logo – and I’ll end up with some signage, stickers, and clothing, too. Check it out!

 

Imagine the shirts when it drops – dope!

 

Conclusion – September Review Of 2023 Goals

In the end, this month has seen some productivity; namely in the area of writing and the progression of the podcast – even if it is just podcast episodes simply recorded, coupled with practice in a hotel room periodically. I’m super stoked about that! I’m getting more excited as time passes, and eventually, I’ll settle into a routine for not only articles published but also recording podcasts. I, like everyone else, have much to learn, but you can’t make any progress IF you simply sit on the sidelines, allow yourself to merely tread water, and dig in a rut. A better course of action is for you to challenge yourself no matter where you are and continually make progress.

If you are following along, set some 2023 goals yourself, routinely check in on them, and note your progress – or lack thereof. Otherwise, you may find yourself with what Socrates said: “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Let’s see how things move forward – and I hope you find inspiration regardless of the stage you are in. Set some goals and begin pursuing them!

2023 goals – September Review done!