New Year - New Hobby Ambitions

I find that as a busy, working dad it is supremely hard to find time to hobby. For those regular readers of our blog you will already know that I don't play as many games as I want to and that I have not finished a hobby challenge yet!! However I love the hobby and need to make time for it in my life and so, like many other things, I always give myself targets at the start of the year to try to achieve during the year. With targets in mind I find that I progress towards them even if I don't always complete them which keeps me and my model collection happy!!

The key with setting targets is adhering to the SMARTER Principle:

S - Specific - be specific about exactly what you want to achieve. "Painting models" isn't good enough. What are you going to paint? How many models? etc.
M - Measurable - Each target needs to be accountable so you can easily see where you are and when it is completed. Painting an army is no good. What units will you paint? How many games are you going to play? etc.
A - Achievable - Be realistic about what you can achieve. Give yourself a challenge but painting 5000pts in a month might not happen!
R - Relevant - Make sure that your goals are relevant to what you want. Painting units that you will never use or do not like the look of will soon demotivate you and you will fail to achieve your goal.
T - Time - Make sure of a deadline. Otherwise those projects will just keep rolling on and never get done.
E - Evaluate - Regularly check where you are up to and don't be frightened to change your schedule to suit your needs.
R - Reward - Reward yourself for each goal completed.

If you can set your targets with each of these principles in mind you are more likely to achieve your goals.

So what hobby targets am I setting this year? Here they are:

1. Blog more.
I wrote 53 blog posts last year. My target for this year is 54 or more. Surely I can manage once a week?
2. Play at least 2 apocalypse games with the other 3 dads.
One in each half of the year seems to be doable.
3. Play more.
I am going to aim for one 40k game per month of the year. This is aside from extras such as when Steve and I catch up to play Space Hulk or Assasinorum: Execution Force or X-Wing.
4. Play competitively.
I aim to enter at least one tournament local to me. Either at a local gaming store or at the North West Gaming Centre.
5. Play narratively.
I aim to play in one narrative 40k event at Warhammer World for a weekend.
6.. Paint more.
I aim to get most of my Blood Angels/Flesh Tearers painted this year and add to them.
I aim to complete:
Mephiston (part done)
1 x Death Company Squad (part done)
3 x Drop Pods (part done)
1 x Storm Raven (part done)
1 x Dreadnought (part done)
1 x Death Company Dreadnought (part done)
Buy and complete:
1 x Death Company Squad
Orbital intervention force box set
This seems quite a bit but a lot of it is partially done so if I can focus on little and often I should be able to creep through this list.

So that's it - write, play and paint. Seems like a lot but with a bit of organisation it should be doable amidst the other million things I need and want to do this year!!!

What do you guys want to achieve with your hobby this year? Please let me know by twitter (@4dasapocalypse), our facebook page or in the comments section below.

All the best and hobby new year.

James


fourdadsoftheapocalypse.blogspot.co.uk – A blog about Warhammer 40k and the Horus Heresy by four Dads