Reflecting on the year that I failed at entrepreneurship, celebrated friends and family, and refined what I want my craft to become.

Outline

I. Introduction

II. Quick Hits
III. Well-being Scorecard
IV. 2023 Goals Assessment
V. 2024 Goal Setting
VI. 2023 Photos of The Year
Appendix: How I Prepared The Review

I. Introduction

This is the story of who I was in 2023, who I am seeking to become in 2024, and a continuation of my pursuit of a life well-lived (see last year's annual review here).

In 2022, I built, explored, executed, and had a handful of van break downs.

In 2023, I settled, failed, succeeded, celebrated, served, and refined.

In 2024, I will rest, develop, learn, and continue to fail, succeed, celebrate, and serve.

By writing these goals down here, I make it known that others can and should hold me accountable to my word. It is also my hope that, in some way, these words, goal structures, and feedback mechanisms are of use to you in your own pursuit of a life well-lived.

If so, or if I can be of any help to you for your 2024 goals, drop me a note at hello@joshcadorette.com

Cheers.

II. Quick Hits

Newsletters published: 52

Twitter growth: 1,100 -> 1,300

Live Show of the Year: Gregory Alan Isakov

Newsletter growth: 241 -> 333

Essays published: 2 - Shooting Star Startup + this one

Top habit formed: daily reading

Top habit removed: Instagram + Facebook

Coolest piece of tech I used: ChatGPT

Content I consumed the most of: Andrew Huberman

Proudest achievement: building a minimum viable product that got 2500 users

Most profound concept I learned: "Esse quam videri" - to be rather than to seem

My top podcasts: Huberman Lab, John Mark Comer Teachings, Timothy Keller Sermons

Most fun piece of writing I produced: Emerging Tech & Theology

Biggest challenge: building community in a new place

Top 3 Artists: Odesza, Zach Bryan, Rufus Du Sol

Most grateful for: failing at building a sustainable business

Top Reading Materials: Axios Raleigh, INDY Week

Favorite interaction with a stranger: meeting Andy, a local farmer, at my church's potluck who I've since become friends with. I'm hopeful to do some work with him in 2024 as staring at screens all the time can be taxing.

Most joyous moment: coaching a 9 year old little league team to a championship

Most meaningful piece of writing I produced: Craft First, Ambition Second

Most serendipitous moment: going on a run near Historic Durham Athletic Park and stumbling across a wooden bat, adult baseball league (which subsequently led me to pitch and play shortstop for the Durham Dirtbags).

Top 3 questions I kept asking myself this year:

1. I want to have a craft, something that I diligently and consistently work at becoming uniquely qualified to do. What are the interests that make up my craft?
   
   
2. What skills do I need to develop to make my craft world class?
   
   
3. Who are my internet mentors from afar that can teach me about my interests and the skills which make up my craft?
   
   

My 2023 headline: “Guy who has made it a priority to seek joy through novelty the past few years discovers that the things that used to give him joy still do, namely playing baseball, reading, and journaling.”

III. Well-being Scorecard

IV. 2023 Goals Assessment

Key
(✅) - accomplished

(❌) - failed

Bottom line up front:

7/10 goals are marked as accomplished and 3/10 goals are marked as failed.

I'm comfortable with a 70% hit rate. It indicates that I'm not being unrealistic to the point where things are out of reach, but I'm still striving to challenge myself.

1. 💰 Build Self-Sustaining Income Independent of a Corporation (✅)

• Original Plan of attack: build 2 companies - 1. Feather AI: the premier speech-to-text summary service 2. DAO Town: the central place for DAO news. See what sticks.
  
  What I predicted would happen: I will make money building AI products/writing about DAOs and fail (a lot). This will accelerate my learning and deepen new/existing relationships - making it rewarding intellectually and socially no matter what happens financially.
  
  What actually happened: Feather failed and I didn't pursue DAO Town. The original plan didn’t work, but it was a huge stepping stone towards the one that did.
  
  Frankly, I didn’t quite frame this goal properly. I phrased the goal as if success meant working for myself, but the truth is that I just didn’t want to work for a large corporation. I wanted experience with a much smaller team that could move fast, and I accomplished that with my new role at Howso. Goal accomplished.
  
  

2. 📫 Publish Newsletter Every Thursday & Grow Subscriber List to 1k (❌)

• Original plan of attack: collaborate with other newsletter writers, cross-promote each other's work, and gain new subscribers by marketing long-form essays (more on this below.)
  
  What I predicted would happen: there are 1,000 wacky people out there who will be willing to sign-up for my newsletter ◡̈
  
  What actually happened: I hit publish every Thursday, but I was stagnant on the audience growth component. I simply did not make the time to pursue cross-promotion in 2023.
  

3. 📱 Take a 1-Year Break from Facebook and Instagram (✅)

• Original plan of attack: store the log-in info far away (off my laptop), delete mobile apps, log out from browser, and don't access FB/IG for 2023. Keep in touch with folks via text, phone calls, and the newsletter. Build meaningful relationships on Twitter by helping other people with their businesses, writing, and other projects.
  
  What I predicted would happen: I'll sometimes miss news from folks in the periphery of my life, but I'll be able to remain in contact with the real folks that matter the most to me. If 2022's best habit removed was to stop drinking, I think taking a break from FB/IG will be 2023's best habit removed.
  
  What actually happened: this was indeed the best habit removed in 2023. I'll be carrying this momentum into 2024.
  
  
  

4. 🖊️ Publish 1 Essay Per Quarter (❌)

• Original plan of attack: write one essay per quarter in 2023, market these pieces through channels of distribution such as Product Hunt and Hacker News.
  
  What I predicted would happen: I'm going to have a freakin' blast remixing some seemingly unrelated writing of mine from 2022 and working them into wacky and fun pieces in 2023.
  
  What actually happened: I published a post-mortem on Feather here and this annual review, meaning I came up 2 short. I know that, by combining my short-form pieces in a fluid manner, I could easily put together a few essays. I simply didn't make time for it. I also failed to post any of my writing on Product Hunt or Hacker News.
  
  
  

5. 🏃 Build Endurance, Balance, Flexibility, and Better Nutrition (✅)

• Original Plan of attack: go on two backpacking trips, participate in 1 F3 workout per week, walk to co-working space each day, do stretching sessions 2 times per week, buy local produce, get 8hrs of sleep, sleep with your phone in the other room, and drink 16oz of water when you wake.
  
  What I predicted would happen: The key to success on this one lies in making the time in my calendar for each of these activities. I know me. I am a gosh darn pain in my own neck. I'll put work over this stuff if I don't schedule it out.
  
  What actually happened: I completed 75 Hard and 75 Hard Phase 1. Both got me into great shape and helped me learn more about nutrition. My focus on endurance was lacking, and I plan on addressing this with a VO2 Max goal that I can measure in 2024.
  
  I also failed to go backpacking (which is ridiculous because few things give me a greater sense of joy, adventure, or peace). Still marking this as complete, but I need to address this in 2024.
  
  

6. 📰 Improve Information Caption System (✅)

• Original plan of attack: review Tiago Forte's content on Building a Second Brain, link instapaper + Readwise to Notion, decommission your broken Evernote/Apple Notes systems, and make time to read what's timeless (not just timely).
  
  What I predicted would happen: This will be the highest leverage habit I build in 2023 with ripple effects across my ability to produce high quality work as a product builder and writer.
  
  What actually happened: I set up a well-functioning system that allows me to retain insight from what I consume. I get e-books from my local library via the Libby app and take notes on them via Kindle. These notes automatically sync with my Readwise/Notion integration. It’s so cool. Goal accomplished.
  
  

7. ☀️ Rest fully on Sundays (✅)

• Original plan of attack: Go to church, spend time with friends, get outside, get off your phone, meditate, read, and write. Just be still.
  
  What I predicted would happen: I'm going to be at war with myself on this one lol.
  
  What actually happened: I reserved Sundays for church and baseball practice, two things that give me life and allow me to rest. It was phenomenal.
  
  

8. 🧘 Build a 2x Daily Meditation Practice (❌)

• Original plan of attack: 20min of transcendental meditation before the day starts, 20min of transcendental meditation in the late afternoon/early evening - mix in Wim Hof when in need of a more active meditation.
  
  What I predicted would happen: just as weekly writing was the top habit I formed in 2022, I think this daily meditation will be the top habit I form in 2023.
  
  What actually happened: I meditated 1x every darn day for 75 straight days during Q2. This habit fell off a cliff in Q3. Shooting for 2x per day was likely too much, but I really would like to get to 1x in 2024.
  
  One good thing - I learned about yoga nidra. I prefer this type of meditation to Transcendental Meditation, and I'll be practicing this in 2024.
  
  Reading, not meditating, ended up being the top habit formed in 2023.
  
  

9. 🤟 Participate in a Local Service Opportunity 1x/week (✅)

• Original plan of attack: meet with my local Pastor, identify a need I can help play a part in, and schedule a weekly cadence to participate in the service opportunity.
  
  What I predicted would happen: this habit will be the most life-giving of out of the 10 goals I'm setting forth for 2023.
  
  What actually happened: I coached little league with my Pastor and friend, Chris. We went 14-2 and won the championship. It was the most joyous, life-giving thing that I did in 2023.
  
  

10. ⛷️ Try Things That Are Completely New & Do Things That Bring You Joy (✅)

• Original plan of attack: go skiing, do some two-stepping, go in with an open mind to whatever other adventures come your way this year, and just have some freakin' fun you nerd.
  
  What I predicted would happen: this goal's success will depend less on a plan of action and more on me setting this intention.
  
  What actually happened: I didn't try a whole lot that was completely new this year. Instead, I leaned into what previously has given me joy - playing baseball, reading, and journaling.
  
  I still need to get on a pair of skis, so I've scheduled a ski trip for late January 2024 with my cousin. I also need to dance more. I simply did not two-step nearly enough in 2023.
  
  Despite being one month late on the ski portion, I did things that brought me joy and am marking this as complete.

V. 2024 Goal Setting

1. 📚 Read The Bible Cover to Cover

• Overview: My intake of theology increased dramatically in 2023, primarily through the lens of John Mark Comer, Tim Keller, and my friend/pastor Chris Breslin.
  
  I continually run into the same issue when consuming the work of these three. I do not have a strong enough baseline knowledge of the Bible. When folks quickly reference a verse or a parable, my mind is working overtime to try to figure out which story they're referring to, what the context is, and what the meaning is.
  
  By the time I resurface from a deep inquisition into my lack of biblical knowledge, two minutes have passed and I have lost track of the sermon.
  
  It is time that I read the Bible cover to cover.
  
  Plan of attack: 1. Consume The Bible Project overviews before jumping into a new book 2. Read the book and take notes in a study bible (ESV) 3. Recap that day's reading alongside The Bible Study recap.
  
  My prediction: this first time that I study the Bible will allow me to build a foundation of knowledge that I will build upon for years to come in future Bible studies.
  
  

2. 🧘‍♂️ Do Yoga Nidra Meditation 1x Daily

• Overview: Andrew Huberman is a Stanford neurobiologist and ophthalmologist. Through his podcast, Huberman Labs, I was introduced to the benefits of Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR).
  
  A form of NSDR is yoga nidra, which is essentially a guided body scan. A narrator walks you through deep breathing as you check-in with how you're feeling throughout your body.
  
  Ally Boothroyd is a yoga nidra teacher with plenty of recordings of varying lengths on YouTube. I recommend starting with a 15min one here, if you're interested.
  
  The primary benefits:
  
  Psychological Benefits: Recommended for sleep and anxiety issues, NSDR also helps anyone needing restorative practice for focused work.
  
  Neurochemical Benefits: NSDR restores dopamine levels, aiding motivation, cognition, and motor control, especially useful for sleep-deprived individuals.
  
  Physical Benefits: NSDR teaches real-time relaxation and aids in compensating for lost sleep, enhancing physical well-being.
  
  Restoring Cognitive Ability and Performance: NSDR boosts cognitive task performance and confidence, replenishing dopamine and balancing motivation levels.
  
  Plan of attack: 1. Do yoga nidra 1x per day, every day in 2024. 2. Read Breath by James Nestor, Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke, and How Emotions are Made by Lisa Feldman Barrett.
  
  My prediction: this will help me be more present, regulate my dopamine, and increase motivation. The supplemental reading will also help empower me with the knowledge to increase my emotional health score, which was a bit low this year.

3. 🗣️ Eliminate Uptalk, Except for When I'm Asking Questions

• Overview: About a year ago, my mom introduced me to the concept of "Uptalk." It's when the intonation in your voice rises towards the end of the sentence. We often do it when we're asking a question. It signals that we're inviting someone to speak.
  
  When I'm explaining a concept to someone, I often uptalk. I'm doing it because I'm inviting them to stop me, provide comments, or ask questions since I want to make sure they understand what I'm saying. When you explain something and it sounds as if you're asking a question, you don't project confidence.
  
  Once you're aware of it, you can't help but hear it everywhere.
  
  Plan of attack: pay more attention to the intonation and tone in my voice (especially when I am explaining things), and invite people in my life to provide feedback.
  
  My prediction: I'm going to be annoyed with myself at first as I battle this, but I'll eventually be able to hear myself do it and stop it.
  
  
  

4. 🏋️ Get Stronger, Leaner, and Improve Endurance

• Overview: Last year was a good year for education about my body, but I need to get more specific about what I'm tracking in order to achieve my goals of becoming stronger/leaner and improving endurance.
  
  Plan of attack: 1. Track my VO2 max, body composition (via DEXA scan), and bloodwork 2x a year. 2. Purchase a Garmin watch to track my steps, sleep, and HRV. 3. Read Peter Attia's Outlive, The Circadian Code by Satchin Panda, and Spark by John J. Ratey.
  
  My prediction: I'm going to build a more holistic picture of my health and will continue to gain the knowledge to improve my health on this front.
  
  
  

5. ⛔ No Alcohol, Instagram, or Facebook

• Overview: These three things do not have a positive impact upon my life. Full stop.
  
  Spending quality time with my people, having energy to accomplish my goals, and mitigating anxious thoughts is at the top of my priorities. Each of these 3 things go directly against these priorities. 
  
  For that reason, I'm cutting them out. I cut drinking for all of 2022 and FB/IG for all of 2023, so this goal feels attainable. If you are interested in doing something similar, I recommend cutting one of these things out for a month. Then, scale from there and go for 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, etc.
  
  Plan of attack: no scrolling on FB or IG and no drinking.
  
  My prediction: I'll get it done and be better for it.
  
  

6. 🖊️ Publish 2 Written Pieces a Month

• Overview: Beehiiv, the platform where I host my newsletter, has been good to me. I'm friends with a couple of their staff members and have watched as Tyler Denk & co. went from idea to MVP to scale. As the newsletter landscape has evolved, Beehiiv has been the go-to option for folks seeking to monetize their newsletter while Substack has become the go-to option for academics.
  
  My interests are trending away from newsletter monetization and more towards wanting to jam with folks in academia. On top of that, Substack's social features are more active. As I said under intellectual health in the well-being scorecard, learning is meant to be a social activity. I've been doing it somewhat isolated. For that reason, I intend to make the switch from Beehiiv to Substack at some point in Q1. Then, my plan is to write less frequently but with more depth.
  
  This feels somewhat like the end of an era. I have published every week on Beehiiv for 2 straight years. That's 100+ newsletters without missing a single week. It's been awesome, but there have been times when I'm eeking out a newsletter and it's a bit of a disservice to writing as a craft and to my readers. I'd like to go challenge myself more in my writing. I think it's especially important to do so in the age of ChatGPT. That's why I'm going to decrease my cadence in exchange for more meaningful work.
  
  Plan of attack: 1. Maintain weekly cadence on Beehiiv until work/travel slows down in Q1 so that I don't kill my momentum 2. Switch to Substack for professional writing but keep Beehiiv for personal updates (such as quarterly reviews) 3. Publish 2 pieces a month with greater depth on Substack
  
  My prediction: I'll be sad to ease off of Beehiiv when the day comes, but I'll build more connections on Substack.
  
  

7. 🧠 Study Psychology, Technology, and Theology + Build Network in This Space

• Overview: The more specific I get about what I think I want my craft to be, the easier it is for me to identify pockets of research and people who I think it'd be fun to work with.
  
  Plan of attack: 1. Take an online master's degree course in psychology in the spring to uncover if this is truly a route that I want to pursue (and also if I'm ready to jump back into structured learning). 2. Find out which researchers in the space are working on the most interesting topics. Start with Gloria Mark and Nita Faraheny. I'm also going to monitor the Center for Humane Technology's social feeds to identify any new research that is published which I might fight interesting.
  
  My prediction: I think that I'll enjoy this work and conversations will naturally flow with new connections because I enjoy the convergence of these topics so much.
  
  

8. ⚾ Coach and Play Baseball

• Overview: Baseball gives me joy. When I'm in the field, all other thoughts melt away. I focus on the beauty of the game and the camaraderie in the dugout. I want to continue to be a part of that as a player and a coach.
  
  Plan of attack: coach Little League with Chris Breslin and pitch/play shortstop for the Durham Dirtbags.
  
  My prediction: I'm going to make good memories, great friends, and consume a lot of sunflower seeds.
  
  

9. 💵 Perform Monthly Audits on My Budget

• Overview: I kept my expenses lean in 2023 as I tried to start a company, but I wasn't consistent about taking the monthly temperature of my financial situation. I've got to get back on track in that regard.
  
  Plan of attack: 1. Set-up a budgeting system. 2. Review it by the end of the first week the following month and make any necessary adjustments.
  
  My prediction: this will allow me to be more confident in my purchases and the way in which I am generous with my money. This will also help me get my financial well-being score up from last year.
  
  

10. 🥾 Go on a Week-Long Backpacking Trip

• Overview: It's pretty absurd that I didn't go backpacking in 2023. I love it too much to let this slip again.
  
  Plan of attack: 1. Sign-up for a NOLS course to go backpacking for a week somewhere in the US in 2024.
  
  My prediction: I will be grateful that I made the time to do this. Physical health is a gift. We've got to challenge ourselves and explore while we've got it.
  

VI. 2023 Photos of the Year

Appendix: How I Prepared The Review

I read every piece of writing that I produced in 2023. This included all 52 newsletters that I published publicly and 107 pages in a handwritten journal that I recorded privately.

While reading all of my writing, I followed Tim Ferris’ lead. I sorted out what things were positive and negative influences in my life into a simple t-chart. This helped inspire the "Quick Hits" section (which you can think of as the superlatives of the year).

I then duplicated the 2022 annual review to copy over the formatting. The 2023 goals were largely already updated because I've been sending out quarterly updates on them all year. That left me to start the well-being scorecard and 2024 goals. I also included my “2023 Photos of The Year” at the end of the piece as a way to ease the reader out of the review.

Just as it was in 2022, this process was exhausting but essential.

Last year, I set the system up with my first annual review. This year, I ran the system and did only minor formatting upgrades with spacing. As a result, I decreased the amount of hours it took to put this together. My first annual review last year took over 50 hours. This one took ~30 hours, and I'm pleased with how it shaped up.

Thanks for reading until the end.

Wishing good health and happiness for you in the new year.

Please let me know if I can be of any help to you with your goals in 2024 - hello@joshcadorette.com