I already set my goals for 2026 a couple of months back. They are very simple and general. In fact, I’ve already met a few of them and it’s not even 2026 yet. Here’s a review:
10 things I hope to do before the end of next year.
- Give my website a simple remodel.
- Continue writing and recording songs and music.
- Write poetry and consider short story.
- Keep walking regularly and participate in other physical activities.
- Monitor my health and see experts on my blood condition.
- Read on a fairly regular basis.
- Consider a second piece of real estate in Kansas or Missouri.
- Retire from my current job and move back to Maine.
- Create a YouTube Studio in a different location and focus on a few strategies to promote the channel.
- Travel and work on becoming a better photographer.
So, #1 is done. #8 is part done. I’ll be taking a photography class starting in January, #10. Many of the other goals are things I simply do on an ongoing basis. See what I did there. I made it nearly impossible not to meet my goals.
There are a few things I want to reevaluate.
Let’s review #2, #7, #9, and add one big thing that I forgot to include.
#2. Continue writing and recording songs and music: Of course, I’m going to continue to do music. The question is at what level? Since I retired, I’ve sped up my output, both in writing and posting to my YouTube channel. I’ve even done some new Anderhill music. I’m not sure I’m going to continue to increase musical output going into 2026. Something is telling me to slow down a bit on the musical output and to focus on quality over quantity.
#7. Consider a second piece of real estate in Kansas or Missouri: This is simply a thought, an option. I often consider real estate in that region for the low cost, and to be close to my first daughter who was stillborn and buried in Joplin, Missouri. But I think in 2026 it will be more important to focus on my property in Maine.
#9. Create a YouTube Studio in a different location and focus on a few strategies to promote the channel: As with #2, I’m not going to stop. However, I’m also not going to put the YouTube channel at a high level of importance. In fact, I’ll be making an announcement on the channel before the end of the year that I will be slowing down output. And chances are fair that I’ll keep the channel simmering on the back burner until after I’ve resettled in Maine. Only then will I decide about the new studio space and the direction of content and promotion.
One important thing I left off the initial list.
I have a small condo in Maine. It’s livable but is also in need of some updates. So, upon my return, I need to start on the process of getting some things done. Here’s a list of things I’d like to consider completing over the next couple of years:
- Get electrical and plumbing inspected and repaired.
- Get the windows and exterior doors replaced.
- Do a partial kitchen remodel and get new appliances.
- Get a new shower/tub.
- Repaint the entire interior.
- Possibly install new flooring downstairs and resurface the stairs.
- Replace heating units with new and more efficient models.
- Turn the basement area into a YouTube studio instead of a storage area.
- Minimize furnishings and decor.
And a few of other things…
Other things I left off my original list because they are not certainties:
- Consider getting another dog.
- Working part-time either at Cabelas and/or adjunct teaching.
- Traveling to Canada, Scotland, and/or Iceland.
So, there you have it. A slightly more specific list of goals for 2026. Again, I do not like to set goals the way I used to. I used to aim too high and set unrealistic goals. I might have met 40% of them. Life is uncertain and keeping your goals loose is a much better option, especially things that are outside of your ability to control.
Don’t set goals you can’t control.
For instance, a few weeks ago, I noticed that my YouTube channel had about 83 subscribers and 180 posts. So, I posted a goal on Facebook. I said by the end of the year I’d have 200 posts and 100 subscribers.
At the rate I’ve been making videos, the 200 posts by the end of the year was very reachable. Still is. But I can’t control how many people subscribe to the channel. It’s gone from 83 to 92 but I don’t expect to reach 100 by December 31. I was setting myself up for failure by making my goals dependent on the actions of others.
This, in part, led me to reevaluate the importance of my YouTube channel. I’ve blogged and I have been caught up in the endless cycle of trying to grow an online presence in the past. I’m not going to let that cycle repeat when I retire. I cannot control the actions of others. I cannot force people to come to my channel. This is not The Field of Dreams.
I started the YouTube channel as a place to catalog songs and discuss things related to songwriting and music, and occasionally, life. I started the channel with no illusions of becoming popular or monetizing. And for now, that’s just how it will remain. And I think I’ll end the year with 199 posts just because I can.
Let’s stay in touch. – dse