Every month, I record my progress toward my yearly goals to hold myself accountable and, occasionally, seek help and advice from readers willing to offer insight, ideas, and solutions.
Here are my results from June 2026.
PERSONAL FITNESS/ATHLETICS
1. Don’t die.
Healthy and alive. Blood draw last week. Results to come. I’m sure they’ll be spectacular.
2. Lose 10 pounds.
I lost 2 more pounds in June.
A total of 14 pounds lost in 2026 so far.
3. Do a targeted push-up workout at least three times per week.
Done.
4. Complete 100 sit-ups three times per week.
Done.
5. Cycle or ruck for at least five days every week.
I rode my indoor bike for 24 days in June.
I rode my outdoor bike three times in June.
I went rucking three times in June.
I also played six rounds of golf — 9 holes each time — walking the course and carrying my bag, which isn’t part of my exercise regimen but should be counted. I’m walking about 3 miles and taking about 6,000 steps while carrying a 22-pound bag.
Crushed the month.
6. Try at least three new vegetables I have never eaten before or do not like.
No new vegetables in June.
I tried arugula and zucchini thus far.
Two vegetables down.
7. Average 2.1 putts per hole by the end of 2026.
Six rounds of golf in June. I brought my average putts-per-hole down to 1.95. Only three three-putts in June.
8. Average 180 yards per drive by the end of 2026.
I increased my driving distance from 149.7 yards in May to 150.9 yards in June, which is to say an irrelevant amount.
I hit 9 drives of 180 yards or more, but hit many a lot less far.
WRITING CAREER
9. Complete my ninth novel.
Work continues.
10. Write, edit, and revise my golf memoir.
After feedback from a friend, it’s time for me to revise.
11. Write a proposal for my next storytelling book.
Done.
12. Write a proposal for my Substack memoir about the summer of 2007 that can be pitched to editors.
Done. I await word from my agent on next steps.
13. Exceed 100 paid subscribers to my Substack.
I lost 7 subscribers in June. Makes sense. I did nothing.
A total of 39 paid subscribers.
I haven’t done anything yet to promote the Substack, so the slow growth is not surprising. I also purchased an online class on paid newsletters that I will watch this month.
I also plan to begin posting in July. I will begin by posting writing sessions so readers can see what professional writing actually looks like.
I have 4,803 unpaid subscribers, too. That’s an increase of 243 in June.
I’ve lost six paid subscribers so far this year.
14. Read and process The Heavy Metal Playhouse notebook.
No progress.
15. Write my “Advice for Kids” book.
Progress continues. I’d like to think I’m close to being finished, but I keep adding new ideas.
16. Find an idea and begin writing my next middle-grade novel.
Done. The idea has been identified, and progress has begun.
17. Revise at least two of the picture books in my pile of unpublished picture books and prepare for submission.
No progress.
18. Write/complete at least three new picture books, including one with a female, non-white protagonist.
Lots of new ideas.
No writing yet.
19. Explore the possibilities for publishing “The Gimme Tree” — my satirical take on “The Giving Tree.”
After determining that no publisher wants my book, we have begun looking into self-publishing options.
20. Write about my childhood in partnership with my sister, Kelli, at least once per month.
No progress.
21. Write a new solo show.
Topic and story chosen. Work in my head has begun. Since I never write my shows on paper, this represents real work.
22. Submit at least three Op-Ed pieces to The New York Times for consideration.
A piece was published on the front page of the New York Times in February about backing into parking spots, for which I was interviewed and mentioned often.
I count this as one submission in 2026.
23. Write at least four letters to my father.
One letter was sent to my father in March.
One so far in 2026.
24. Write 150 letters.
I wrote 18 letters in June — to students, friends, clients, my financial advisor, and colleagues.
A total of 110 letters have been written so far this year.
I have many, many letters to write in July thanking friends, colleagues, and students for celebrating my retirement from teaching with me.
25. Write to at least six authors about a book I love.
No progress. But last year, I wrote to the great George Saunders, and in April, he wrote back to me.
Solid guy.
STORYTELLING/SPEAKING CAREER
26. Record and publish at least 25 videos on my YouTube channel.
Done!
Four videos were published in July.
A total of 19 so far for 2026.
27. Record and produce at least one new Storyworthy course.
No progress.
28. Produce a total of six Speak Up storytelling events in 2026.
We produced our first show of 2026 on January 31 at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History.
We produced our second show on May 9 at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History.
Our next show, “Matt and Jeni Are Unprepared,” is scheduled on July 11 at the Merryall Center in New Milford, CT.
We also have shows scheduled for October 17 and 24 and December 5. Save the dates!
29. Submit pitches to at least three upcoming TEDx events, hoping to be accepted by one.
Done!
I submitted a pitch to TEDx Charleston, and it was accepted. I did that talk in April.
Huzzah.
30. Attend at least eight Moth events with the intention of telling a story.
Done!
I attended two Moth StorySLAMs in June — both in Boston.
A total of 9 so far in 2026.
31. Win at least one Moth StorySLAM.
Done!
I won a Moth StorySLAM in San Francisco, making it my fifth city to win a StorySLAM. Previous cities include New York, Boston, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
32. Win a Moth GrandSLAM.
No progress. I was forced to decline an invitation to a Boston GrandSLAM because I was already booked, so I await the next one.
33. Pitch “You’re a Monster, Matthew Dicks” or “Shovel” or my new show to at least six theaters in 2026.
Done!
I pitched “Shovel” to nine theaters so far in 2026, including:
The Hartford Stage
The GoodSpeed Opera House
The Seven Angels Theater
Blackfriars Theatre
CenterStage Theatre at the JCC
The Focus Theater
The Duke at The Mercantile on Main
Arial Arena
JCC Ballroom
I’ll be submitting more in the coming weeks and months.
34. Produce at least 24 episodes of our podcast, Speak Up Storytelling.
No progress.
35. Perform stand-up at least six times.
I performed stand-up in the library in Monterey, MA, on January 30.
I performed stand-up in Orlando, Florida, while stuck because of a snowstorm.
Two performances thus far in 2026.
36. Pitch three stories to This American Life.
No progress.
HOME
37. Organize the basement.
No progress.
38. Replace the floor in my office.
I’m looking for a new person to do the job.
FAMILY/FRIENDS
39. Text or call my brother or sister once per month.
I texted with my sister in June.
40. Bring my brother, sister, and me together at least once in 2026.
We have a date in September. We’ll be meet at a zoo in Massachusetts that we visited as children.
41. Take at least one photo of my children every day.
Done.
42. Take at least one photo with Elysha and me each week.
I took one photo of Elysha and me in June.
43. Plan a reunion of the Heavy Metal Playhouse.
No progress.
44. I will not comment positively or negatively on the physical appearance of anyone except my wife and children to reduce the focus on physical appearance in our culture overall.
Done. Simple and automatic now.
45. Surprise Elysha at least 12 times.
Done!
I surprised Elysha by showing up at her classroom with books for her students and Clara — fresh off a visit to the orthodontist.
I surprised Elysha and her friend with Pellegrino and pastries while they cleaned her classroom after school.
I surprised Elysha with a visit and dinner with our friends in Boston after dropping Clara off at camp.
I surprised Elysha and Clara with Olivia Rodrigo tickets for the fall.
I tried to surprise Elysha by celebrating our 20th anniversary in July with a day-and-night stay at the place where we were married. It took some effort to make this happen, but in the end, we were going to spend a day and evening at the Lord Thompson Manor in the same room where we spent our wedding night.
Then we booked a trip to London three days later.
Then Elysha decided we should stay at an airport hotel the day before because of the early flight out of New York. Then Clara’s camp decided to end their session on our anniversary.
We still had a window to make all this happen and still spend the day and evening at the Manor, but Elysha decided it would be too much, so I canceled.
I’m still taking credit for the surprise.
That makes 13 surprises so far in 2026.
The list:
- I sent flowers to Elysha at her school on her birthday.
- I personally delivered pastries to Elysha’s school for her team to share.
- I sent flowers to Elysha on Valentine’s Day.
- I planned a weekend getaway for August.
- I planned an anniversary surprise that couldn’t happen.
- I planned a surprise vacation to NYC.
- I sent flowers to Elysha on the Friday before Mother’s Day.
- I gifted three weekends of spa treatments for Mother’s Day
- I arrived in Elysha’s classroom with books and Clara
- I brought Elysha and her friend Pelligrino and pastries
- I brought Elysha into Boston for dinner with friends
- I bought Olivia Rodrigo tickets for Elysha and Clara
- I planned a wonderful anniversary evening that did not happen
46. Play poker at least six times.
We have a game scheduled for Friday night.
Three poker games so far in 2026.
47. Spend at least six days with my best friend of more than 30 years.
Bengi attended my retirement party in June. He delivered one of the speeches.
We are also seeing each other this week.
On a roll!
MUSIC
48. Memorize the lyrics to at least five favorite songs.
I’ve decided to memorize the lyrics to Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumors.” I know many of them already, but I don’t know them all, and I don’t know any songs entirely. But my musically wise children love this album, so listening to it should be easy.
49. Practice the flute at least four times per week.
I found my flute while packing up my classroom, so that’s something.
MISCELLANEOUS PROJECTS
50. Host at least one dinner party where I cook.
No progress.
51. Develop a course on self-confidence.
I plan to run a free six-week workshop on confidence in the fall.
52. Develop a list of strategies to help people deal with loneliness and produce it in some form.
No progress.
53. Read at least 12 books.
I finished reading Stephen King’s “The Wind Through the Keyhole.”
I finished reading “This Is Strategy” by Seth Godin.
I also read “Project Hail Mary.”
I also read the last Griffin and Sabine book, “The Golden Mean”
I’m currently reading “Regime Change” by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan.
I’m currently reading “To the Lighthouse” by Virginia Woolf.
I’ve read nine books in 2026 thus far:
“Wizard and Glass” by Stephen King
“The Skyscraper Doom” by Norman Zierold
“The Dark Tower” by Stephen King
“Griffin and Sabine” by Nick Bantock
“Sabine’s Notebook” by Nick Bantock
“The Golden Mean” by Nick Bantock
“The Wind Through the Keyhole” by Stephen King
“Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir
“This Is Strategy” by Seth Godin
54. Read “To the Lighthouse” by Virginia Woolf.
I purchased a beautiful copy of the book. I read the first six pages.
This is going to be hard.
55. Read “The Skyscraper Doom” by Norman Zierold.
Done!
I read the book — the first book I ever checked out of a library — on a plane to Charleston, South Carolina.
I had fond memories of that book from reading it circa 1982.
It did not hold up. Not even close.
56. Finish reading TIME’s 100 Best Children’s Books of All Time.
No progress.
57. Edit our wedding footage into a movie of the day.
No progress.
58. Memorize three new poems.
I am memorizing “Oh me! Oh Life!” by Walt Whitman.
I’m also making a list of all the poems I have memorized to reinforce them.
59. Explore the possibility of earning the rank of Eagle.
No progress.
60. Complete at least five Duolingo lessons every day.
Done. I far exceeded this goal, completing 306 lessons in June, for an average of more than 10 per day.
Perhaps my goal was a little silly and should have been more challenging.
61. Post my progress regarding these resolutions on this blog and social media on the first day of every month.
Done.
