2010 Annual Review: Looking Forward
After looking back on the year that’s nearly finished, I spend most of my Annual Review time thinking ahead to the forthcoming year.
While I wrapped up the 2010 review and looked ahead to 2011, here are a few of the summary notes I wrote to myself:
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As a big 2010 came to its conclusion I felt purposeful and satisfied, but also on the verge of overwhelm. 2011 and 2012 will be even bigger – how can I maintain momentum without forgetting to live in the moment? This is the challenge and the opportunity of the year: to create sustainable growth in all areas while retaining a core sense of identity.
For the main part of the review, I divide my life into a number of categories and then set goals for each. Many of the categories are the same each year, but a couple of them vary. For example, in 2011 I have goals for the World Domination Summit, an event that hasn’t existed until now. A few of my main categories include:
Writing, Legacy Project, Business, Travel, Financial, Friends & Family, Health, Learning & Lifestyle
Some goals may be broken into sub-categories; for example, “Financial” has sub-categories for Income, Savings, and Giving because these are related but distinctly separate activities. In the main categories that relate to this blog, here are a few things planned for 2011.
WRITING
100+ Blog Posts
As discussed here and here, I try to write articles that remain relevant and helpful for a long period of time, as opposed to writing about issues of the day that will lose their relevance over time. Of course, I’m also writing about my trips and business work, which does change as time goes by, but I try to keep those things as the minority. I greatly enjoy writing for the blog and don’t see it as a means to an end. If I could only choose one writing project for the rest of my life, I’d chose the blog.
The Next Book
Thankfully, I don’t have to choose—and even before I finished writing my first book, I knew I wanted to do it again. I’m proud of the AONC book and glad that so many people are enjoying it, but it was also a learning process to write in much longer form. The first one was a presentation of my general worldview, and future books need to get more specific on a given topic.
My next book will focus on the stories of unconventional entrepreneurs, especially people who started a business without a lot of money and often after walking away from a traditional job. I’ll make the formal announcement about this book (and how you can help) in early 2011. Since everything in the publishing industry takes forever, I’ll write the book during the first half of next year, and it will be published a year later in Spring 2012.
Other Writing
Every week I complete various guest pieces for other blogs and publications. I haven’t set this as a major goal for 2011 because I want to keep my writing focus on AONC posts and the second book, but I’ll continue to do guest features whenever they are a good fit.
I’d also like to complete an extended work (likely a PDF manifesto) all about the Unconventional Book Tour. So many people have asked questions about the publishing process, and until this year it was a mystery as well. This project may be a stretch, because I’m occupied elsewhere… but it’s on my “optional and amazing” list in hopes that I can pull it out.
BUSINESS
Travel Hacking Cartel
My biggest business project of the year will be the upcoming Travel Hacking Cartel (now launching in mid-January instead of early January due to “tired author syndrome”). This project will be an all-new business. It will bring the world of travel hacking to anyone who’s interested, and I’m looking forward to hearing many more success stories like the ones I highlighted recently.
I’m also thinking about limiting the initial membership of the cartel to a select group (probably 1,000-1,500 people or so) and then allowing future growth to come entirely by referrals from the initial members. The members will be rewarded with Frequent Flyer Miles and regular prizes for their referrals, and my hope is that the project will become fully self-sustaining.
Affiliate Growth, EBK Anniversary, and Webinar Series
In the Unconventional Guides business, I expect most of the growth to be vertical (through improving the business) as opposed to horizontal (by creating a lot of new products). As mentioned last week, Sean does a great job working with our affiliate partners and is only limited by my time and inattention. I’d like to fix that in early 2011.
I also plan to experiment a bit more with webinars next year, starting with a low-cost project on building community that we’ll do after the Travel Hacking Cartel launch dust settles. I’ve been making notes on this idea for months, but the all-consuming book tour kept me from doing it sooner.
Lastly, April will be the one-year anniversary of the Empire Building Kit. Since it’s been such an influential resource (many active businesses have been started by EBK owners), I want to celebrate the anniversary in some way. Because of everything else happening in my life, I may not be able to do a proper relaunch, but we’ll at least try to do something fun.
(By the way, during the review it’s also good to think about what you won’t be doing for any particular category. Because of the THC, the next book, and my plan to grow the business more vertically, I don’t expect to create a lot of new products next year.)
TRAVEL: The Next 20+ Countries
I have 41 countries left on my 192-country goal, and for the first time I’ve found myself needing to be strategic about how and when I get to them. I’ve made countless mistakes and false starts on the quest so far—last year I went to Fiji, which was great… until I found out that I can only get to Tuvalu and Kiribati from Fiji. Oops—so now I need to go back to Fiji. It’s also increasingly difficult to handle the visa applications for various countries, since some of them take up to a month to complete.
At any rate, I’ll be working as hard as I can to make it to at least 20 countries in 2011 and 20 countries in 2012, to ensure I’m on track to visit #192 as scheduled in 2013. A number of interesting places are on my list this year, including Iran, Yemen, Tajikistan, Libya, Madagascar, and hopefully fifteen more.
In addition to these trips, I have a book tour of Canada in January (every province!), and I’m considering a similar tour of Australia in October or November.
Lastly, I’ll be leading a (very small) group to visit our Ethiopia project, also in October or November. The details will be finalized a few months prior, and we’ll have a contest to bring along at least one AONC reader with us.
Legacy Project and Personal Goals
I don’t make an effort to separate my life and work—all of my goals are personal. But aside from the things mentioned above, I want to continue good habits of health and exercise (hopefully improving from the vodka-and-almonds diet of the book tour), maintain good relationships with my family and close friends, and keep learning as much as possible.
With AONC, I want to continue growing the community in a deliberate (but active) way. The Postcard project from this year has been fun, and I want to do something similar next year to highlight many of our great readers from all over the world. And of course, there is the small event I’m hosting next summer to bring together world-changers of all kinds.
Most importantly, I want to be aware of my surroundings and truly live a life of gratitude. This is the goal that supersedes all the others. I live a life organized around things that are important to me; nothing listed above is done out of obligation but rather a sense of purpose. I try to make time to be open to new things while focusing on the things I already know to be meaningful.
Year’s Theme
Every year I choose a theme to accentuate the goals I’ve chosen and provide a broad structure for the year. The theme of 2010 was scale and reach. I wanted to take what was working well and shift it to a higher level.
I struggled a bit with deciding on 2011’s theme, because in many ways it looks the same as 2010—I plan to continue the process of careful growth, keep traveling, keep challenging myself, and so on. But every year needs its own theme, so I can’t use the same one.
Earlier this year I had the idea to take flying lessons and eventually earn my pilot’s license. I don’t think I’ll be able to take all the lessons I need and accomplish the goal of learning to fly for a while (I’ll be spending enough time as a passenger!), but I like the analogy and the challenge it presents.
Therefore, I decided to make 2011 the year of taking flight. It will better than 2010 because I have learned a lot and will keep learning. I intend to fulfill the challenge, and I’m grateful for everyone who is such a big part of it.
Oh, and thanks for being part of a great 2010! Happy Holidays to all.
What is your theme for 2011? What are you most looking forward to?
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Image: Charles
50 Comments
Chris – Congrats on an amazing year. I thoroughly enjoyed your book and have been keeping up with your travels and writing.
I just posted a few travel hacks on my website your readers may enjoy. Best of luck in 2011, I’m looking forward to it!
Adam
2010 has been a year of learning, from being part of your first business forum in February to seeing a whole new e-book sales infrastructure come into being (especially with e-book sales through Smashwords). It was a year of things falling apart and other things coming together. 2011 is a year of deepening and expanding. Building my platform, expanding my reach, and focusing on what matters most to me are the main priorities. Also, more fun and experimentation, more joy and laughter. I love being with people, so that may even mean a day job (or unique volunteering opportunities) instead of spending so much time in front of a computer. Most of all, more conscious awareness and gratitude and time out for meditation and prayer. Thank you, Chris, for being one of my most important resources for understanding the emerging Internet business models, and reminding me to create a life that works for me instead of trying to fit into conventional ways of navigating the world.
I, for one, would love to see you get your pilot’s license. Then you wouldn’t have to do so much travel planning.
ex. I want to go to Turkmenistan. Gets in plane & flies there. Ta Da! (just ignore the whole not-having-visa-or-permission-to-land-in-another-country thing). 🙂
To seriously answer your question: 2010 proved to me that I can do a lot, when I set out to. This year, I’m setting my sights a lot higher, and going to do some things that honestly scare me when I say them out loud.
After 6 months blogging and social media, my theme for the year is showing up as CONNECTION. What I’ve experienced so far has been mind-blowing and I’m so looking forward to how much richer, deeper the connections will be in 2011 – especially as I’ll be joining you and the AONC peeps at WDS in June!
I’m always impressed how you are able to be so clear about your ambitions! Keep up the good work can’t wait to see the new product.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and being such an inspiration to me and so many others this year. Personally, this next year will be about finding creative ways to connect with huge amounts of people and to integrate my art into my metaphysical business and practice. Really looking forward to the major energetic shifts that will be happening in 2011.
Wishing Peace and Love and Happiness to You and Everyone! Keep up the good work(s)!
Chris,
I can’t wait to see/learn more about the Travel Hacking Cartel. Anything more you can tell us about it? I have very limited funds to travel this year, so I really need to find more creative ways to make it happen.
BTW, I really enjoyed Art+Money.
-Brian
A new book, wow, that’s awesome!!!
And I don’t feel bad for you having to revisit Fiji! 😉
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ve been working on my annual review over the last week or so, and eagerly awaiting to see yours as it progresses too. I have mixed feelings about 2011. 2010 has been such an incredible year for me that it’s a bit daunting to try and have another powerful year again. I have traveled and learned so much this year, and now I’m semi-settled (in another new country on the other side of the world) trying to refuel my bank account, my energy, my direction and my attitude for the year ahead. I feel that now is a key time to really make sure my spring has plenty of bounce ready for lift-off (wow, where are these cheesy metaphors coming from!)
I am brewing a few ideas for my theme for next year – and energy, refresh, renew are some key ideas that are building a foundation for a “beginning’s perspective.”
best of luck guys – I enjoy reading so many different perspective’s triggered by Chris’ great work
My theme for 2011 is also flight. Although my flight will be a bit more fledgling than yours! I have painting projects lined up… and the illustrations for my children’s book series… and blogging more as well. I have short films and ebooks in the wings as well and need to learn so much more about the net despite having a presence online for over six years. Things have changed so much. What started as something for fun now needs several hours a day to maintain. I need to schedule better. And there is not nearly enough time in 2011 to do it all… but I’m gonna try [grin] Mid year I want to go to Italy Ireland or Western Samoa [ignoring the cursed “hows”] so that gives me six months to do all of the above before I grow wings and fly. Chris… thank you for the ongoing inspiration… and for showing that almost anything is entirely possible.
Theme for 2011: “Share the love.” Plan to continue contributing time and effort to global causes.
Thanks for all of the inspirational writing Chris. I’m looking forward to seeing your writing in the New Year
Hey Chris,
Since I’m away from home in Quebec for your book tour, I’m happy to read that you plan to come to Australia later this year. Hopefully, we could catch up.
I’m interested to learn more about the Travel hacking cartel. I’m planning to travel to NZ-Philippines, Fiji, and maybe one another Asian country (Malaysia) if things work out fine for me here in Sydney.
I like your annual review. It’s like a progress report on your own life. I started one version last year and I’m completing at the moment the second one. Unlike you however, mine isn’t much elaborated and I haven’t found my legacy project and my convergence point yet but I’m working on it. I’m strongly interested about Sustainability consulting and I just registered for a course over the web in Sweden (finger crossed it will get confirmed soon). My theme for this year will be : NEW BEGINNING.
BTW, happy new year
Pascal
Hey Chris! Thanks for sharing in such detail your plans – I always look forward to hearing about your annual review. Just reviewing mine, and have decided to make 2011 a year of action! Realised quite annoyingly that most of the plans for 2010 were not realised and stayed too much as just plans. Can you give pointers on how to actually follow up on things?How do you commit and follow through?
I’m greatly looking forward to hopefully being part of your Travel hacking Cartel -and to learn how to travel hack especially with tips for those of us who do not live in the U.S.
Chris, you are extremely inspiring. I love how you explain your methods of achieving your goals, thank you for doing this!
On another note, this year is going to be my year of “Reinvention.” I’m happy, but I’m ready to take my life to the next level: to the level I dream of.
Anyway, good luck with all of your goals, and I look forward to keeping up with them as you achieve them!
My theme for the coming year is Trust…trusting myself to make wise choices for a better life, and trusting others for support and guidance along the way.
I’m most looking forward to taking real steps to living the kind of life I truly want, rather than what everyone else expects. Once I get my house sold and leave my current job, the first thing on my list is to go somewhere far from home, take some time to rest and regroup and explore, and finally have sufficient space in my life to dig in to new endeavors. By the end of 2011, I expect to be in a very different place than I am now, physically, mentally, and spiritually. It’s going to be a big, big year. 🙂
My theme for 2011 is kindness and encouraging everyone one to do something kind every day.
2011 will be the year that I rethink my career. I’m taking a lengthy medical leave due to stress and its effects on my health. I’m not doing much good in life if I’m too sick to work. So… changes in the way I face my work, the potential for changing jobs altogether – big decisions lie ahead.
Chris, really appreciate you leading from the front. Informative, Inspirational, Insightful..no wonder you’ve accomplished so much already. Just about to wrap up my planning…much harder than I imagined…but very cool to do. Thanks!
Chris, you are truly an inspiration. You keep me going when I get nervous about my business. 2011 is Year One for me. It is almost like starting over in a new, consistent way.
Chris, thank you so much for the inspiration you provide. Working through the process of my own annual review has been amazing!
My theme for the 2011 is “Foundations”. I will be finishing the current stage of my life (college) and moving on to the next one, thus I will be spending 2011 laying the foundations for what comes next. This will involve looking into a career, building an online business, and even beginning to work out (building my physical foundation).
I’m excited about the business idea I am going to develop, seeing where it goes and who I get to meet through it.
My theme for 2011 is increased income. My husband’s side business is starting to really boom and I plan on launching mine shortly. I am most excited about our dreams of both working for ourselves shape into reality!
Chris,
Take it from an old man who wore his body out doing construction, slow down. Enjoy less more deeply.
Your wife must be very tolerant with you on the road so much.
After 53 years with my wife she is the most important person and thing in my life. All our memories together out shine everything else I have done. God bless in 2011.
I get tired just reading about your plans for 2011, Chris! I look forward to keeping up with you in 2011, hitting some of my own goals, and making new friends in Portland at the WDS.
Be blessed.
Gene
I love this idea of having a Theme for the year. SO MUCH BETTER than resolutions that you forget anyway. In 2010 I decided somebody needed to take a stand against the public fascination with celebrities. I wrote a few short articles about what I call Personal Celebrities, or People I Actually Know (PIAK) and why they’re so wonderful. I wrote one about a girl I used to babysit, now a senior in High School, posted it on facebook, and had lots of people tell me it brought them to tears. Around the same time, I read “Long Life, Honey in the Heart” by Martin Prechtel about his years spent in Guatemala helping his local indigenous village during their initiations for youth, and one of the skills he taught them was that of “touching the heart” using the formal, rarified forms of speech of the native language. This brought ME to tears, just reading about what they learned to do. So, for me, my 2011 theme will be Touching the Heart (in writing as well as a general aim in life).
Wow-my head is spinning after reading about the itinerary, projects, and goals for 2011!
Thanks for the inspiration. I really needed this as last week the retaining wall on my property collapsed days before XMAS. I’m profoundly grateful nobody was injured.
After reading about the scale and scope of your endeavors, I’m reminded that life is to be lived with a sense of purpose, and not to be consumed with fear about concrete, rebar, and bureaucracy…Retaining walls can be rebuilt, but time cannot.
2011 will be about launch and conquer-yes.
Happy 2011 to you Chris, and thanks for this post. Very timely, indeed.
P.S. Glad to hear you’re forsaking the vodka-and-almonds diet 🙂
I shared my plans on my blog a few days back, but LOVE the idea of setting a THEME for the year to come.
Hmm… what’ll it be.
SIMPLIFY.
That’s most representative of my plans, really.
Thanks for sharing your process for planning out your year, Chris, and for AONC (which ranks among the best books I read in 2010)
I’ll take this opportunity to also wish you a happy, prosperous New Year 🙂
Great post, Chris. My theme this year is Moving and Shaking – selling my apartment, moving to a new one, moving my body & doing a triathalon in July and trying to shake things up in business and socially – it’s going to be a busy year! Looking forward to the adventures that await…
I’m thrilled with everything that I accomplished in 2010, but I also have the nagging feeling that I wasted a lot of energy in doing so and I spread myself way too thin.
So, I’m declaring 2011 the year of “Liberating Discipline”! Meaning… I’m going to put more structures into place this year such as a) setting up and actually following a schedule (those of you who are freelancers know this can be challenging), b) limiting the number of times I check email each day, and c) turning off my web browser during my creation/writing times so that I don’t waste time on Facebook and Twitter.
Recently I’ve been reading the book “The Power of Full Engagement” and find it full of great ideas on managing energy.
ENCOURAGE SINGING HEARTS will be my theme, based on a quote by Margareta Melin:
“Don’t ask yourself what you can do for the world, but what makes your heart sing. What the world needs is more people with singing hearts.”
For me that’s what Chris and a lot of others share here – plans for how to make your heart sing.
Let’s get our hearts to sing together during 2011, Happy New Year!
Hey Chris,Big Thanks! for all the elaborate assessments…specially loved the idea of setting a theme.
Though I have been setting a hell lot of goals since way long back, the outcomes haven’t been much according to plans…so, really glad that it all worked out so great for you and so many others here! And with inspirations from all you guys’ stories, totally looking forward to have some great results with my own goals in 2011 😀
oh…and my theme for the year is – GROWTH (both personal and professional)
btw.I am finally shifting my blog to wordpress,hope it works out good!
Thanks for inspiring me to look at my goals for 2011; which are to relax, live more in the moment for that is all we have and be grateful.
Misha.
My first commitment to myself is to make no “assumptions” about people and situations. Stay open to the truth and to express that in my art. I have always lived outside the box and I hope that comes through in my work. I have one major goal and that is a work of twenty cohesive pieces of photography, a series called hipstabirds…using the hipstamatic app on my iphone….love your blog as it’s a reminder, especially to the younger souls who are just thinking about it all.
I love seeing your great success and enthusiasm for 2011 and beyond. In 2011 I am excited to introduce a four part process called ROAR. Learning how to Recognize, Organize, Absorb and Realize. A lot of outrageously successful people do this unconsciously and quite naturally… I have formulated a way to share it with everyone who is looking to get their lives to the next level.
I’m hoping to make your 2011 a success by attending the WDS. I can’t wait to go.
I am excited to see how the travel hacking project you are working on comes along too.
This past year was one of change and discovering who I was not. This upcoming year, I want to truly discover who I am and what I am going to offer the world!
My theme for 2011 is “Eagle Eye.” 2010 was a year of “winging it.” I constantly struggled with professional purpose and direction. Fortunately, with the help of your book, (borrowed from a friend- Sharon Wharton) I will be pursuing a passion of mine amongst the blogosphere.
This year, I am committed to staying focused on pursuing my passions- emulating the way an Eagle flies with focused intention.
Thank you for your good work!
Thanks again Chris for a great post. I have many hopes for the coming year and I look forward to following your adventures.
I have not officially themed the coming year yet, but looking at where I am and where I hope to be this year is looking like the year of ‘Starting.’
I thought that was 2010, but I didn’t actually accomplish enough to count as starting, 2010 ended up being more the year of discovery or awakening.
Thanks again Chris for the inspiration! Happy New Year!
Chris! Such an amazing year! As I’ve mentioned many many times, I am grateful for many things in 2010, two of them being the introduction to The Art of Non-Conformity and having the pleasure of meeting and “connecting” with both you and Jolie. I owe you a thank you for both of those as much as I can thank the universe for the connection.
2011 has so much in store for me, as with everyone, but the biggest thing for me is to step away from my grand ideas for my stationery business and to get to the root of paper. I plan to take a five month hiatus to learn paper making in Japan and South East Asia. Rather than working to create an amazing small business, I want to hone my craft, cultivate connections, travel and then come back and further develop (because 2010 really showed me a lot in regards to what I’m doing) my business. This of course means that I can’t attend your world domination summit, which I am very bummed about, but I will be there in spirit! Here’s to 2011!
2010: The Year of Change. I gave up a secure, successful career in film in Los Angeles and moved to Nashville to pursue writing, traveling and feeling connected to my life and the world around me. Once I made the move I began to see all the opportunities around me.
2011: The Year of Purpose. Now that I have defined my purpose I need to focus on it. I will launch my new website in mid January, finish my first ebook, publish two blogs a week, become a life/career coach and grow my travel agency business and define what my legacy.
Thanks Chris for helping me focus and reminding what is important.
The theme for my 2011 is Radical(self)Acceptance. I’m in the process of ending a 13-year relationship and it’s time to do what feels right to me. So travel, artwork and friendships are on the horizon.
Thanks for providing some tools to get me there.
k
Congrats on the great year of 2010! Will be good to see you in Canada in late January.
I will be posting my “resolutions” tomorrow on the blog but 2010 was the biggest leap I ever made towards living a location independent lifestyle with my blog “A World of Inspiration”.
2011 is the year I plan to create some products and a course to help people push their own boundaries and I want to have it all done before coming down to Portland for the WDS!
See you soon!
Still noodling on this, but I think this year’s theme will be “launch.” In nautical terms, it means putting a boat in the water. For us, it means jumping in with both feet and if the stars align, our One Big Goal is to be on a boat by the end of the 2011. For me, launch also means taking the act of creating seriously and defining myself as a writer, even if I make my art between the hours of 4:30-6:00am and on the commute to and from work.
Thank you for this excellent series of posts. Happy New Year!
Chris, what a fantastic year you have had. On our way back from Boston, I saw someone who looked like you and I had to pull up your photo on my iPhone and stop myself from going over and asking: Are you Chris Guillebeau? It’s not unlikely since you are always at an airport ;)! (But I didn’t, my husband stopped me!). I am very proud of achieving Exec Platinum on American this year and planning to milk it for all it can give us next year….I want to take my travels to a new level and experience altogether but still defining it. And I am really hoping to come out to Portland in June to meet you and the team of World Domination Summit! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
My theme for 2011 is “Deeper Enlightenment and Compassion Through Asking The BIG Questions and Having The Important Conversations”.
Thanks and keep up the great work, Chris!
Thanks so much for the articulation of life and goals into categories. Your words inspire to make a big event out of New Year focusing. If everyone were as retrospective, introspective and forward thinking, there would be far fewer days of complaining and stagnating in cubicles with TPS reports.
I have followed your blog for quite a while now but have never got around to leaving a comment before. I couldn’t resist trying your annual review process for myself and feel great for it!
You helped inspire me to go my own way and I really feel ready for 2011. My theme is to “Establish some roots” so I can set up some strong foundations for my new business (ad)venture.
My theme this year is “Balanced Continual Improvement”
I have a couple of themes to choose from: TOPIARY and SHARPENING THE BLADE. My fledgling business is a multi-armed one, and I found that, last year, I did a lot of running around and entirely not enough “shipping.” This year, my aim is to focus, to organize, and to really weed out what does not work.
So on the one hand, I’ll be sharpening the blade of my focus/what path I want to take, and on the other, I’ll be taking ALL of the unwieldy branches of my many-branched bush and attempting to shape them into something that flows, makes some modicum of sense, and–most importantly–allows me to get things done.
The first thing I’ve implemented is a rotating, weekly schedule. Each week, I focus on just one arm of the business. I’ve only been through 1 week so far, but I can tell it’s going to be a very good approach, and I will get more done.
The biggest thing I’m hoping to accomplish from all of this is FOCUS. I need to figure out what it really is that I want to do and do it.
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