Inspired by Steve Kamb’s Epic Quest, I’ve been working through my own Epic Life Quest since 2012. I’ve set up a list of future achievements, and whenever I cross off five of them, I advance one level.
Here’s what I’ve unlocked in about the last year:
Level 5: Completed February 2015
- Marry Erika – After over a decade together, she finally caved in and let me put a ring on her finger. Completed in October 2014 in a drive-through chapel in Las Vegas.
- Take Erika back to Tulum, Mexico – we had the time of our lives here, and it was without a doubt our favorite vacation ever. Completed in December 2014.
- 5 million pageview year at BrentOzar.com – It’s awesome to see my baby grow up. Completed December 2014.
- Sell out a conference pre-con – my Performance Tuning When You Can’t Fix the Queries pre-con at SQLBits London sold out with 150 attendees a few weeks before the conference. (I’ve had larger pre-cons in the US, but that’s the first time the event organizers wanted to sell more seats, but couldn’t, and I love that.) Completed Feb 2015.
- Weigh 200 pounds or less for six months straight – I have bounced between 195 and 215 for years. On September 1st, 2014, I committed to staying under 200, and through this week, I stayed under despite a 2-week trip to Mexico, several big tasting menus, and a lack of exercise.
I hadn’t unlocked a level since April 2014, and it’s times like this that I really appreciate having the Epic Life Quest. Part of having a small business is that work comes and goes in cycles, and this year, I spent a lot of time doing work that didn’t relate to my Epic Life Quest. I’m cool with that – the tasks were dues I had to pay as we grow – but that’s why I’m really excited to be bringing a salesperson on board. Even though I really enjoy doing the sales calls, that’s not going to help me make more progress against my goal list, and I need to refocus this year.
Time to kick ass! Here’s the first few tasks I’m working on for Level 6:
- Hire a salesperson and hand off sales duties – I truly enjoyed doing sales work, but the time has come to hand that work off to a professional and get back to what I’m good at. What was that again? Completed March 2015, and more info to come on that soon.
- Do a fully coordinated online product launch – in the past, I’ve done a half-ass job whenever I launch a new training video or script. For our next big video course (Q2), I’m going to use techniques that self-publishers have used for years to really make a splash.
- Weigh 190 pounds or less for 6 months straight – it was easy enough to hit 200 by being disciplined, but taking this quest to the next level will require getting my lazy ass up out of the chair. I’m not even sure how I’m going to get down there for the first time, but if I don’t set it up as a quest, I’ll never pull it off.
Sound like fun? Join others in the SQL Server community who’ve started their own Life Quests too:
7 Comments. Leave new
I’ll be one of those lucky 150. Looking forward to it immensely!
Great post, and good to see you realising so many of your goals.
My main goal for this year is to get a selfie with Brent Ozar.
I should probably get out more 🙂
Andy – HA! Well, we can accomplish that goal, heh.
Congrats!
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Thanks sir!
Congrats Brent!
I’ve been spending a lot of time lately thinking about life goals and how to align my career goals with that. That really reduces the potential job pool for you, but if you realize that the end result will be a happier you, it’s worth it.
RoDav – thanks man! You’re totally right about reducing the potential job pool. At the same time, though, you’ve hit the point of your career where you can pretty well pick and choose between a lot of really good jobs, and you want your work to help advance you toward your personal goals. You kick ass.
Thanks for saying so, Brent. I am being very picky about where I look, and how a job fits into my life goals is a big part of the consideration that goes into it for me.