Looking Ahead to 2024: Goal Setting

As the year is ending, it is time to look back on which of the goals I have accomplished. This past year, I had not posted them on the bulletin above my desk, so they were not regularly consulted. As a result, I did not fare well with them.

2023 Goals
Create new presentations for societies: I created one new presentation called How to Leave Your Genealogy, recycled one from a course I used called Researching in Church Records, and one 12-hour course for AppGen called Using Probate Records.

Write research reports and/or proof summaries for my mother’s side of the family. I wrote a research report for my certification renewal but it was my father’s side of the family.

Choose one family to write a KDP genealogy. I started a KDP for the renewal but switched to the research report as it got too tedious. Someday, I will finish the story but probably not as a KDP. I’ll just create a nice story with photos, though I will cite all the work.

2024 Goals
Now that the recertification portfolio has been turned in and I do not plan to teach a new class for AppGen in the spring, I have some time to work on things I have put off. I will still make goals in three areas.

• Organization: finish organizing and cataloging the print photos, and finish going through the genealogy paper files to reduce to essential items to save.

• Writing (1): write at least 4 research reports of prior research to consolidate and have in one place the results of that research. Perhaps turn one or two into articles to be sent to genealogy journals. (2): put together a book for my siblings about our family, our parents, and our grandparents. (3): continue writing blog posts for 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks and Saturday Night Genealogy Fun, and other ideas that come along during the year.

• Presentations: Create 1 or 2 case study presentations. I have ideas for a Civil War and a WWI soldier, but perhaps the above research reports might generate some other ideas.

This year’s goals are a bit ambitious, but I will be turning 70 this year and time is of the essence to get the genealogy into a format that can be preserved. Organization is important and writing up the research is, too.

What are your 2024 goals?

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