What if 2016 was just the appetiser?

2016 was a pretty intense year for me. Although I did some of the best work of my life, made new friends and travelled a bit, it feels like 2016 was merely setting me up for 2017. Which started today with 364 more days to use wisely. Day one — setting the intent:

I have never been a believer of “New Years Resolutions”. For me, and I suspect most people, the mechanism simply doesn’t work. I do, however, believe in designing your own destiny, and if I’m going to pick any arbitrary date to think, focus and decide, January 1st is as good a date as any. Actually, I already did the thinking, today is about publishing — and asking you to help.

My friend Jack Hubbard introduced me to his version of a business bucket list. The list of things you want to achieve by doing business. It’s like a business plan, but focusses on having a business that fulfils you, instead of you fulfilling spreadsheets. You should watch this video to really understand the principle.

For 2017 I want to keep things simple. I want to contribute as much as I can to helping other people to be more awesome. Therefore my business bucket list falls into just three categories and there’s opportunity for you to help me (or me to help you) with each one.

What I will work on

Consulting work:
For the last years, I’ve worked with a mix of: People who want to be entrepreneurs, Starting businesses / Startups, and Traditional / Corporate companies.

For 2017 I want to keep this mix — but will add a new layer of discretion.
[ ] I will work with any of the above, as long as their business has a genuine intent to make people better off and/or the world a better place.

Whether that’s an intent which has long been embedded into the organisation, a new intent which needs to be activated in an existing company, or a new product/service/business being started from scratch, I want to help them make it happen.

Non-consulting work:
I am going to
[ ] figure out the future of Humanity Driven Innovation
[ ] (co)Write the first book for Humanity Driven Innovation
[ ] start identifying the business model for Humanity Driven Innovation
[ ] finish designing, testing and launch a workshop game I started in 2016
[ ] write and publish one business related article every two weeks
[ ] figure out how to use my ‘very big questions’ to help many people

How you can help:
- Talk to me.
- Read my stuff and give feedback
- Connect me to others.
- Recommend me to others.
- Hire me.
Together we’ll find a way to make it work.

Where I will work — aka Travel

[ ] Unlike the last 2 years, day to day in 2017 I will be based out of Groningen. It’s a city I love, filled with people I want to work with. There’s no need for me to go elsewhere, if I can work here. Except….

Travel gives me time, space, and energy as well as the ability to meet new people, learn new things and see different perspectives — all vital for my work. I also have a personal bucket-list item to travel to every country in the world (30/197 so far) therefore it seems sensible to use business opportunities as a way to fulfil my travel dreams.

[ ] For 2017 I’d like to travel once per month, ideally to a country I haven’t already visited and each trip needs to be financially self sustainable (otherwise, it’s a vacation). Travel might mean just a few days, or a week or two.

So far I have the following lined up:

[ ] January — Austria — booked
[ ] March — South Africa — pending €confirmation
[ ] December — India — pending

How you can help:
- Invite me to your country,
- Connect me to someone you know in an interesting country,
- Tell me about a ‘must do’ event.
Together we’ll find a way to make it work.

Work 50:50:4ish

For most of my career I’ve committed most of my time (usually 5 days per week) to one company/project at a time, and had a few ‘side projects’ using up spare time. I’ve come to realise that this doesn’t work for me. I do need multiple things happening to keep me sharp, but not too many. I need to find the balance.

Therefore in 2017 I’m going to work differently.
[ ] I aim to work no more than four ‘days’ per week, with 50% on one fixed thing (at a time) which should cover my cost of living and use the remaining 50% on either what I’m calling ‘Epic Projects’, but not too many.

So far I have the following lined up:
50% work commitment:
[ ] January — Booked
[ ] February — Booked
[ ] March — Booked
[ ] April — Booked

Epic projects:
[ ] The Big Building
[ ] Humanity Driven Innovation
[ ] Angel Island: Transcendence
[ ] Crafted Crate Ambassador
[ ] 305 Forum

How you can help:
Tell me about any project you think I can add real value to.
Together we’ll find a way to make it work.

In summary

This year will be about doing fewer things in order to achieve more, with people who I really want to collaborate with, because, together we will find a way to make it work.

Can you help? Or can I help you?
Respond here, or DM me on Twitter: @clogish