It is that time of the year again when we are looking at the goals for 2024.
I dabbled into several articles, including the research articles that are popping up about goal setting.
Here are the 3 researchers found about goal setting:
1. Your Goals Should Be A Bit Out of Reach but Not Impossible
Research reveals that the most rewarding goals are those that challenge us, just a tad out of our immediate grasp but still within the realm of possibility. It’s the sweet spot where growth and achievement intersect. Remember, the journey is as crucial as the destination.
2. The Work That Goes Into Achieving Your Goal Should Excite You, Not Just the Results
Goals should be more than just endpoints; they should be endeavors that excite us, not only for the outcomes, but for the journey itself. Finding joy and fulfillment in the process ensures sustained motivation and a richer sense of accomplishment.
3. Frustration and Anxiety as Progress Signals
Surprising, right? Research suggests that experiencing frustration and anxiety along the way isn’t a setback but a sign of progress. It means you’re pushing boundaries, stepping out of your comfort zone, and challenging yourself. Embrace these feelings—they’re indicators of growth.
4. Singular Focus, Have Only One Goal
The research speaks loud and clear—opt for the power of one. Concentrating on a single goal enhances clarity, focus, and consistency. It’s not about limiting, but about channeling your energy and efforts for maximum impact.
Setting goals isn’t just about reaching a destination; it’s about the transformative journey and the person you become along the way.
Keep aiming high, find joy in the pursuit, and remember that frustration and anxiety are the companions of progress.
End of the year tasks
As we are approaching the end of the year, I will spend the next few days performing a Digital Reset to start the new year with a clean and organized digital space.
Here is the list of things I am doing.
⭐️ Emptying my desktop and download folders, archiving what needs archiving and deleting the rest.
⭐️ Clearing my inbox. Archiving what I need and deleting the rest, I already work on Zero Inbox policy.
⭐️ Cleaning up my archives as well, keeping the ones I need and deleting the rest.
⭐️ Unsubscribing from newsletters and promotions that I do not read anymore.
⭐️ Organizing my desktop and cloud storage according to the PARA structure.
⭐️Evaluating my subscriptions and unsubscribing from services that I no longer require.
⭐️ Deleting any unused apps from my phone and Mac to free up space.
⭐️ Updating my operating system to the latest version.
⭐️ Turning off all notifications.
What will you be doing to declutter and streamline your digital life to start the new year afresh?
23 Things That Made The Year 2023 For Me
1. Journaling daily.
2. Intermittent fasting.
3. Starting building in public.
4. Writing regularly on LinkedIn.
5. Replacing annual goals with life long mission.
6. Joining ‘Ship 30 For 30’ and learning lean writing.
7. Using Silva meditation method to become a relaxed writer.
8. Bringing my inbox to zero and keeping it that way.
9. Employing PARA method to keep my digital files in order.
10. Publishing my 5th book ‘Become A Productive Writer.’
11. Writing the first draft of ‘A Writer’s Guide For Travel Writing.’
12. Turning my website into a repository for all my writings.
13. Doing ‘Building A Second Brain’ course with Tiago Forte.
14. Building my knowledge management system and kept it up to date.
15. Nailing my productivity through Author Planner & Bullet Journal.
16. Cruising from Sydney to New Zealand with family and friends.
17. Traveling through the United States and Canada for six weeks.
18. Taking a extended vacation in India to explore south and north-east states.
19. Spending a week at a wellness centre learning yoga, fasting and naturopathy.
20. Turning my Substack newsletter into a hub for teaching writing books from life.
21. Targeting my course ‘Write Your Book In 30 Days’ to coaches and professionals.
22. Joining Premium Ghostwriting Academy with Nicholas Cole and Dickie Bush ?
23. Pivoting my focus from online writing to educate through Educational Email Courses.
What made your year?
From being stressed all the time to stress-free
In 2023, I went from being stressed all the time to being stress-free for life.
It’s that time of the year when I look back and make a note of the things I achieved, mistakes I made, and lessons I learned.
As I am working through them, I realize there are several stories hidden in them that could help my readers.
For the next few days, I am going to share them here.
The first one that stands out is how I got rid of stress from my life forever.
I remember, back in November 2022, I was flat out trying to finish several projects before the end of the year that it was affecting me not only mentally, but physically.
My eyes were so tired and dried that I couldn’t keep them open. I hadn’t gone to the gym for most of the year and quit walking for months.
I thought if I could just finish this project and this project and this project… I will be fine.
But I wasn’t.
The more I did, the more work piled up.
And the irony was, I was retired and supposedly pursuing my hobbies.
Then one day, I came across an advertisement on Instagram. It was Vishen Lakhiani talking about the De Silva Meditation Method.
On an impulse, I bought the course.
In fact, I bought Mindvalley membership which had the De Silva Meditation course and hundreds of other courses by top coaches in the world.
For the next 28 days, I religiously meditated twice a day using De Silva’s techniques taught by Vishen Lakhiani.
I also started a journal to record my progress and insights. The image below shows what I wrote on the first day of starting the program.
By Day 9, I was much more relaxed. All the unnecessary fears and anxieties were gone. I was performing in a much-relaxed state. This is what I wrote in my journal:
“I have eliminated the word stress from my vocabulary and replaced it with relax. Relax is my default state from now on. There is no rush. Only calm. ‘Calm’ is positive, while ‘rush’ is negative. I am getting the same amount of work done, if not more, by being in a relaxed state of mind.”
By the end of the program, I was a new person.
What surprised me was that the transformation was permanent.
It’s almost a year, and not even once I felt rushed or stressed.
I think you can achieve the same, by whatever meditation practice you use. Just instill the message in you that you are replacing the word ‘stress’ with ‘relax’ in your dictionary. And you can get more work done by being in a relaxed state of mind.
See you in the morning
As I sat down to write my update yesterday, the phone rang.
It was my friend’s husband.
“We had to take Adrianne to the hospital on Wednesday. She will not make it. If you want to see her, don’t leave it for later.”
My heart bled. I have known Adrianne for over 20 years now. She was in the very first writing course I joined. She became my biggest supporter, urging me to keep writing endeavors, even when constructing coherent sentences or expressing my thoughts on paper felt like a daunting task.
After the course finished, we kept meeting at my house once a month, writing and sharing stories from our lives.
She is an amazing woman. Firey, feisty, an advocate for women’s rights. She is a force to be reckoned with. Longing for love and acceptance throughout her entire life, even when her own mother treated her poorly (going as far as calling her a ‘failed abortion’), she had an abundance of love to offer.
She is the most compassionate individual I’ve met in my life. Despite having so little, she gave generously and without reservation. For half of her career, she served as a certified teacher, and for the remaining half, she worked as a certified nurse. Her entire life was dedicated to serving others, using both her professional expertise and her boundless kindness.
However, she has endured immense suffering. Her initial spouse was deeply troubled, and he made severe threats against her and her three children, putting their lives in danger.
All of her children have passed away and over the last three years, she has been grappling with excruciating, arthritic pain. Yet she never lost either her fighting spirit or sense of humor. She is my hero.
I went and saw her in the hospital an hour after the call. The fiery, feisty, 87-year-old dynamo was curled up like a newborn in the vast expanse of the hospital bed. Although heavily drugged, she recognized me.
“How are you, Adrianne?” I asked.
“A little older, my dear,” she said.
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“Pathetic,” she said.
“What is the plan?” I asked
“See you in the morning,” she said.
May god relieve her from her pain and give her a better life next time.
The one she really deserves.
Write Your Book, Build Your Authority
Most coaches want to be seen as an expert in their field.
They spend hours writing blog posts, articles, LinkedIn updates, or newsletters.
Don’t do that.
All these writings don’t have a shelf life.
– The shelf life of a LinkedIn post is one day.
– The shelf life of an online article is for one week.
– The shelf life of a newsletter is a fortnight (or even less).
Write a book instead.
Books have a shelf life of years. Sometimes even decades.
For over a century, books have been the top scalable asset for cultivating trust and establishing authority.
They also serve as a valuable resource for populating your pipeline with pre-qualified prospects.
The more people read your book, the more your pipeline flows.
It is very much a “set-it-and-forget-it” method.
Your book can generate leads and sales for years to come.
When I wrote my first book, overnight, I became an authority.
Since then I have written 4 more books.
My books are my main marketing tool.
Writing books has radically transformed my life with benefits far beyond the financial.
Now I want to share my knowledge with you, through a FREE Email course.
This is what you will learn:
Day 1: Step 1 – Unleash Your Expertise: The Power of Transforming Knowledge into a Timeless Book
Day 2: Step 2 – Narrow Your Focus: Craft Your Book for Your Ideal Audience
Day 3: Step 3 – Find Your Book’s Focus: Choose the Right Type and Topic
Day 4: Step 4 – Outline Your Masterpiece: Create A Roadmap By Generating Ideas
Day 5: Step 5 – Master the Art of Book Structure: Transform Outline into a Structure
Day 6: [Bonus] – Effortless Writing Mastery: Strategies to Unlock Your Writing Potential
Subscribe to it here.