Progress Thread ... How You Doing?

[MJ DeMarco]

3 Weeks Into 2010 ... How Are You Doing On Your Goals? Your Changes? Your New Life? Your Resolutions?

I'm noticing the gym is starting to thin-out ... this is the land where "MOST" GIVE UP -- Fastlane success demands that you CONTINUE ONWARD while everyone else falls off the wagon ... don't fall off the wagon!!! Don't be like "most"! Extraordinary living requires extraordinary measures that "most" will not do!!!

Turn 3 weeks of commitment into 3 months, 3 years, and a lifetime!

[Rawr]

working towards that L car.

[Bond]

Well for me it's been hard those last weeks, been in bed has left some marks...
My mother had a thrombosis, my father has been losing consciousness so he's doing some test's to see what's happening, i've been with a massive flu and some stomach problems, my father-in-law is weak from the radio therapy he's been doing(prostate cancer) my wife this week also didn't felt ok.
On top of that tomorrow going to the bank see what i can do about my foreclosure...

Now business side:
Yesterday "found" a guy willing to partner with me in a new web app. We have talked six months ago about a project he did the design for me but we lost track because he had to finish his degree.
Now we can move forward .
That's the best part.
Still need to get a job, been applying for jobs but it's hard to be accepted.
So now i don't know if i'll be moving from this house or not, which makes me a bit worried as what will happen if we do since my wife needs to get a place near where she works because there's no transport when she usually get's out (11H30pm)...

Still trying to maintain a positive attitude but it's hard when i'm the only one having it...

[mkzhang]

Business is really tough. Some times you wish that a steady income even if its small is better than none at all.

But then when you do find income it comes in one big chunk lol.

[PaulRobert]

3 Weeks Into 2010 ... How Are You Doing On Your Goals? Your Changes? Your New Life? Your Resolutions?
Fastlane success demands that you CONTINUE ONWARD while everyone else falls off the wagon ... don't fall off the wagon!!! Don't be like "most"! Extraordinary living requires extraordinary measures that "most" will not do!!!

Hmmm In these past 3 weeks-

1. I have found out that my patent will be published in about 6-7 months.

2. I was accepted to 1 of my top 2 colleges.

3. I drastically cut down on eating out.

Tomorrow I am setting up an meeting with a manufacturer to have a few samples of my product created. So I can proudly say that I have kept that momentum going from 2009 onward into 2010. The fire has not died down in me but has become bigger.

[clee4]

first three weeks has been interesting to say the least.

i got laid off from my 9-5 job after the first week, but ive used that time to really come up with some great ventures that i am currently pursuing intensely. you could say its a blessing in disguise. although i was disappointed i was let go, i was also extremely confident because this gives me a chance to start something.

im learning a lot more about myself and learning a ton of new things during this time off.

[CMCarlin]

So far so good MJ. I am not going to waiver in reaching my goals because really, these are goals that I've had for years (look at my 'join' date) and aren't really part of a 'new years resolution' which is really what most people only think about once a year.

I am bound and determined to escape my 9 to 5 and then make the transition from self employed to business owner. I think what is keeping me going is knowing that it is going to take a lot of 'hustle' and that I can't be afraid of the work. I am willing to do what most people in my life that I know are not willing to do and that is working my J-O-B, coming home and going to work on my business, EVERY DAY. In fact, I beat myself up if I don't make some sort of progress on a daily basis.

So really my biggest problem is not having enough time to get it all done, which is why I'm looking forward to my scheduled vacation coming up in Feb....

[tchandy]

Hmmm, still thinking about how things are going. Haven't had time to really think about what's happend this year since work has been like a fire hose blasting me during the week. So there may be an update later in the year.

Pros
- Finding more time to spend with my family.
- Got my website up on the day I wanted it but still working out some of the bugs since I'm a newbie when it comes to making websites.
- Formed a company Gateway Investments through prepaid legal this month. Still skeptical about prepaid legal but my wife insisted so we'll see.
- Started investing in forex.
- Changed over my life insurance from a whole life to term life policy - save $30 a month and got $10Gs.
- Still finding time or making time for running as well as going to the gym.
- Feeling better about work since I was very sick of it last year. Could be my new boss who gives me more freedom and doesn't have low self esteem.
- Invited to West Point with all expenses paid as a website contributor for the past year but couldn't make it due to work. In fact it's going on this weekend as I type.

Cons
- Buying real estate hasn't taken off as quickly as I liked but still keeping an eye out. Maybe it'll change when banks free up more money and sellers get realistic as the home buyer tax credit goes away.

Undecided and could go either way
- Bought a blu ray DVD player but having technical issues syncing it with Netflix. Damn technology

Now that I've typed this in I could say it's going well. Now that I look at it, I have done a lot already. Gotta keep the momentum going.

Tom

.

[Runum]

Thanks for posting this reminder MJ. 3 weeks in and I am still working on it daily. I am behind on my plans with one rental due to utility company/city red tape. I am ahead for the year on the number of units I have acquired. I am even up on my personal health plans and managing my kids college future. Still working on the 10 year plan.

Looking forward to a great decade.

[TC2]

Time goes by fast!

The first 3 weeks was awesome to me

• Got few more new customers
• Reach the highest page view yesterday since the site launch
• Reach the highest monthly Google Adsense revenue
• Search ranking on main keywords on main site starts coming back up after tweeking keywords - Guess that helps yesterday's traffic
• One competitor decided to get out of the race
• Met with few important people in the industry and realize that I can do even better with a new web site, which can generate income stream even faster.
• Income and expense break even on the main site. Need to keep it that way.
• Almost reach my ideal weight. Feel healthier!

From now on

• Start reading Rich Dad and Poor Dad book to learn better use spare money to work for me
• Get ready to learn at coming B&P
• Start working on the new site that is better than what I have now

2010 looks good to me so far and will look even better later!

[randallg99]

I've been paying heed to my goals daily.... I found it was easy to forget a couple of my goals while intently focusing on other goals. So, to make it easier, I broke my plans/goals into several subcategories:

1. personal/health/fitness
2. online biz
3. b&m biz
4. real estate
5. trading stocks

So, yes I am still following my goals and achieving some of them but I dedicate some amount of time to each every single day.

1. spending more time with family, been working out, losing weight and eating healthier

2. online biz is creating sales (THANKS JONLEEHACKER for his help)... up to about $1500 in sales since implementing some great ideas. Still far from where I want to be but it's a start. Got daily traffic from 30 to about 100 per day utilizing a few different tools. I also bought several other domain names and hired staff to produce some new websites to direct them to my main site and to create Adsense revenue stream. Also bought another website for my B&M stores that have highly technical and interactive tools for customers.... I am probably most excited about these sites since the ROI is higher than anything else I am working on currently

3. the brick and mortar businesses are still challenged but we have some great ideas being implemented currently that can plant seeds for long term growth.

4. bought a single family property 2 weeks ago. Kitchen and bathroom all gutted out and cabinets/fixtures being installed Mon/Tues. Completion date probably Feb 1 and already had people express interest in buying. Early estimates net return exceeding my original goal, but I am not counting my eggs until they hatch. I put 2 low ball offers in last week and waiting for sellers to respond.

5. I am down YTD, but I think I will be making a lot of money by simply waiting to deploy cash at the bottom. I am almost certain we will see a correction so I just may go net short the market.

Congratulations to those who're achieving their goals. And to those who are struggling, keep working at it because one day it'll click.

[MJ DeMarco]

5 Weeks In ... I get the feeling people are giving up! Don't let it be you!

[kurtyordy]

5 Weeks In ... I get the feeling people are giving up! Don't let it be you!

still swinging for the fences here

[LondonLife]

5 weeks in I've gone from being retired to owning £5,400,000 in property as my next project. Hopefully the next 5 weeks won't be quite so eventful...

[Sparky]

Burning the ships behind you gives you no choice but to keep going forward.

Succeed or die.

[randallg99]

5 weeks in

1. first property of 2010 just got listed. All plumbing fixtures installed this past week despite the snowstorms and now the last thing: flooring will be installed this week. Agent/broker believes asking price should be higher so I am hopeful and I signed listing agreement to sell. I am giving 3 months to determine if renting the house is a better avenue.

2. I visited several properties to determine if I want to pursue a different neighborhood for buying properties

3. brick and mortar= I visited 2 alternative locations to relocate one of my stores. By the way, mall rents are fractions of what they used to be.

4. online= we are stuck with just a few sales, but traffic has approached rate of 3000 per month. Changing home page and adding some more value featured items

5. still down YTD in my port (about 5%) but heavy in cash. Just redeployed some on Friday after upswing was confirmed. I still believe we are in long term downtrend in market so trading for profits is crucial to my goal

6. lastly I've been making kids breakfast everyday and spending more quality time with them. It's probably most rewarding of all of my goals.

I enjoy posting these and not afraid it will bore anyone... keeping us accountable for our actions is integral to achieving our goals.

Good luck to everyone.

[EastWind]

I'm doing okay. I was feeling down at first, and had some personal relationship issues but that's all resolved. I'm back on track and doing good.

I'm on track for my weight goal thus far, going to the gym3-4 times a week. jogged a mile non stop for the first time ever in my life yesterday. I'm also eating healthy.

On my current project, it's coming along quite good, writing code everyday, I wake up and make sure the first thing I do is write code before anything else.

On my mindset, things are becoming much clearer, finding motivation, learning to stay disciplined. I'm beginning to get it.

I would grade myself a 70 out of a 100. I know I can do more, I know I can increase the pace and intensity.

[Runum]

Another, how you doing thread? Are you making progress on your plans?

[Russ H]

MJ-

Changed the thread title to better reflect where this thread is going.

If you want to change it back to "Three weeks in . . .", please feel free.

-Russ H.

[GlobalWealth]

I categorize my goals in 4 categories; personal, business, family, financial. (I will open another thread about how I formalize goal setting).

In January I reviewed my 2009 goals (I find prior year analysis just as important as next years goal setting) and found I accomplished all but 2 - I ended the year just about 200lbs (goal 195lbs) and didn't sell one of my houses. Everything else was met or exceeded.

For 2010 it seems I am basically on track.
-*green*2 new partners in my investment partnership
-*yellow*2 new cients in January, 1 in February (2/mo is the goal)
-*green*Began partnership with Escapeartist.com
-*yellow*Learning more about SEO (still feel like a dummy though)
-*red*Really need to learn more about web marketing since all of my adverstising is web based now
-*red*My earnout from selling my company has severly declined due to economy
-*green*made decision to move abroad again in 2011 (moving back to US this summer)
-*yellow*made about $15k in January (goal $20k/mo)
-*yellow*made about $15k in February
-*green*traveled to Norway, Latvia, Czech Republic, and Switzerland in January/February (10+countries per year)
-*green*sold a house and a couple of motorcycle (goal sell stuff/simplify)

That's it for now. Anyone want to teach me SEO and web marketing skills?

PS - green means good, yellow means ok, red means far off track