Skip to main content
Boat Moving Across Water

Written by Jason Montoya. Posted in My Life.

Lessons Learned Looking Back at the Month of January 2018

Each month, I'm writing a blog post at the beginning (to look ahead) and right after it ends (to look back). These are part of my monthly reflection points. This will act as a regular progress report check-in (for accountability), foster learning on the month, and a memorialization of this time (for my future reference). I'll start these blogs with any lessons learned, a recap of my goals for the month, a list of the newly added blogs, a progress report of my 2018 goals, and any other tidbits worth sharing.
 
Let's get at it!

Garnered Insights (Rapid Fire)

This lesson learned section gives me the opportunity to share insights I've discovered or am learning about. Many of these may very well become future blog posts.
  • I've noticed an abundance of headlines where they quickly present some point, only to discover the headline was inaccurate at best and misleading at worst.
  • When we have authority as a father, business owner, or some other leadership position, our words have WEIGHT attached to them.
  • It appears that Google gives preferential treatment to websites with an active blog.
  • It's stressful to lead and follow when operating from random decision making versus deliberate planning.
  • There is an emotional cost that comes with borrowing and repaying money.
  • After years of doing Quora, I recently had some unprecedented (for myself) success answering The Last Jedi questions as a way to promote my recent blog post about Star Wars.
  • Also, DJ's storyline from the Last Jedi was a perfect example of a shark in the Island Story.
  • I've been slowly cleaning up the people I'm following on Twitter. I want to only be following people I choose.
  • Politeness is a powerful alternative to political correctness, as I discovered in this video.
  • I've joined a few Facebook groups to engage with on my blogging journey. So far, it's been nice to join alongside other like-minded folks.
  • When you want to resist your boss, consider being a bearer of pros and cons, and not someone who attempts to stop them from doing what they want. Let reality guide their decision making.
  • You may be chasing shiny objects if you're more interested in the potential of what could be instead of the potential of what you're currently doing.
  • Some research seems to indicate that fasting regenerates our immune system.
  • We, humans, are quite zealous to give advice to others when we have no personal experience or understanding driving it. Giving advice to parents of a teenager when we've never been one, or giving advice to a business owner when you never were one can be more problematic than helpful. While this feedback and insight can help the recipient get out of their box, it needs to be sandwiched between humility and an asterisk.
  • There is no single solution to solve all problems. We've got to create individual solutions to address specific problems.

January 2018 Goals Status Update

In my second blog post of this year, there were three goals I had for the month. Here's a brief recap of my progress.

Path of the Freelancer

The website has now successfully been transitioned into a static resource for freelancers. This will act as a small online beacon to those exploring the vocation, and those already in it who want it to master the craft. All new content will be generated for my blog here. 

My Book For Small Business Owners

I've finished the skeleton structure of my next book and even wrote from this structure in a blog post. The exercise helped me decide on an updated order of the outline I had before writing the post. My next step will involve pulling existing content into this framework. 

My Services Page

While I've overhauled my services page quite drastically from what I had before, I've still got more work to go. I'd like to add several more client stories and some hover bubbles on the business services section. I'll roll over these remaining actions into next month's goals. 

This Month's New  Blog Posts

My blogging pace has slowed from the weekday blogging challenge to make room for a sustainable pace. My goal is 113 new blog posts for the year which means I need to blog 10-11 times per month which is 2-3 per week. Here is a list of my first batch of articles for the year. 

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

2018 Progress Report

In one of my first blog posts of the year, I outline and explained my goals for 2018. As part of my monthly reflection point blog, I'll share the progress (or lack of) at the end. This will help hold me accountable and inspire you in your own 2018 goal journey.

Sustain 2017 Income With Fewer Hours:

So far, so good. I was able to work slightly fewer hours this month. At the beginning, I was concerned it may be less than I was targeting but I had several existing and past customers throw me some small projects to fill in the gap. 

Billable Hours This Month

Needed To Date: 122
Actual: 128 

Other Active Goals

  • Daily Utmost Read: On a solid daily streak since I began. 
  • Read Hidden Treasures In The Book Of Job With Wife: I've finished the first 12 chapters. We've not yet started the discussion time. 
  • Kiddo Snuggle Time: I've missed a few times, but otherwise doing well here. 
  • Small Group Engagement With Men: Our first breakfast is scheduled!
  • Kia Sedona Loan Eliminated: $13,627.54, Paid
  • 2nd Book: Finished book structure and wrote a blog of the book's primary points
  • 400 Blogs Post in 2018:
    • 287 = End of 2017
    • 10 = January 2018
    • 297 = Total
    • 103 = Remaining For 2018

Goals With No Progress

  • Run one mile/week: I did one mile at a client's office while talking with a team member, but otherwise nothing. 
  • Gwinnett Church Volunteering: No progress made. 

My Quora Answers

During January, I wrote seven answers on Quora. For those interested in checking them out, here's a list of links.

Photo by chuttersnap on Unsplash

Monthly Reflection Point

  • Created on .
  • Last updated on .