Week 52: Future – Goal Setting 2022

Before setting goals for this coming year, let’s look to see how well I had accomplished of my goals for 2021.

2021 Goals

I had six goals. I only accomplished one and a third of them. I definitely had too many goals and will make fewer goals for 2022.

1. Continue teaching two classes per quarter at the adult school, Winter, Spring and Fall. Completed & ongoing.
2. Create 3 new talks for genealogy societies. Completed one on farming
3. Write 1 new KDP of one of my mother’s southern families. Not done
4. Write at least 2 articles for journals Not done
5. Work on processing the photo collection Not done
6. Create an heirloom book. Not done

In 2021, I started a new business venture called Applied Genealogy Institute with two partners, Jill and Mary. This took up quite a lot of time as we worked on creating the business. Instead of creating new talks for societies, I created content for twelve hours of instruction on using land records in genealogy research.

Also in my 2021 goals post were resolutions that would aid in the goals are:

• Reduce the wasted time spent on Facebook. Perhaps limit it to 20 minutes twice a day, morning and evening, just to catch up on news. The additional time can be spent on my goals.
• Keep better track of time spent on each of the above goals, so I know how I long I work on each project.

I did not do well on these goals either. I still spend too much time reading Facebook posts.

2022 Goals
This year’s 2022 goals will be centered on two themes: organization and writing.

1. Finish going through each family line files. Scan what I want to keep. Discard all non-original paper. I should be able to reduce 6 file boxes to no more than 2.
2. Write more. Write research reports to myself. Write ancestor bios. Write a KDP (Kindship Determination Project) for renewal.
3. Create 2-3 new presentations for genealogy societies.

I have already started on goal 1. I began during a genealogy retreat last November. As I look at each paper in the file, I check that the information is already recorded in my genealogy software. I check that I have a digital copy of the document, and if not, try to locate it online. I scan copies of the correspondence for my files. Most of the papers in each file can be discarded. I am only keeping original documents and paper that cannot be replaced. My first box had 7 surnames. I’m down to 2.

Going through these files have given me ideas for goal number 2. I have started a few research reports and ancestor bios. This is also helping me perhaps choose a family or two for a KDP.

I am serious this year about creating new presentations for societies. I have done a few online this year and would like to add some more content. I have ideas for a talk on school records and a German-American civil war soldier. I’m sure I can come up with more.

What are your goals for 2022? Write them down. Post them where you can see them. And then make them happen.

This is my fourth year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow. I will write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or at My Trails Into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

Copyright © 2021 by Lisa S. Gorrell, My Trails into the Past. All Rights Reserved.