So I’m late to the party. It’s February and I’m only now talking about my goals setting. In the past, I felt pressured to reinvent myself and set resolutions, but the stress caused more harm than good.
This year, I’m doing things differently 👇
Set intentions, not resolutions ❌
Intentions are a guide for my actions and behavior in the future, while resolutions are specific goals I want to achieve. So what’s the difference between the two?
I find intentions easier to remember and more flexible. They’re general themes that I want to set for the year, and I use them to make sure my goals align with what I want in 2023.
I still use SMART goals, but only for my quarterly goals or short springs. But I find that, intentions help me set the overall “vibe” for the year. These are mine for this year 👇
Intention #1: Attracting, not asserting🎣
What if I attracted opportunities instead of always asserting myself?
Sometimes everything just flows easily in my personal, love, and business life. I get a random email from someone who wants to be a client after watching my YouTube video. Other time I’ll meet a cute girl reading the same book I’m reading and we vibe for hours over jiu jitsu.
Time just flies by without me noticing it. And best of all? I don’t need to work harder or longer.
What if I surrounded myself in environments where I’m in flow like Jiu Jitsu, yoga, coffee shops, or creator mastermind events more often?
What would life look like if I attracted the right relationships and opportunities by doing more of what I love?
Intention #2: Collaborative, not co-dependent 🤝
In 2022, I learned about attachment styles. Ever since then, I’ve been reflecting on my platonic, romantic, and business relationships.
In the past, some of my relationships failed because we were too co-dependent. And overtime, it built a relationship around resentment. Eventually, I felt suffocated.
But what if I created a different kind of relationship where we support each other’s strengths and independence without disrupting each other’s lives?
Intention #3: Intuitive, not intellectualizing 🧠
Don’t get me wrong. Logical thinking is important, but often times I struggle with over-thinking.
Some people say “a job is a job”, but it never made sense to me. Why not do something more exciting and fulfilling that leverages our strengths?
In the past, I didn’t follow my gut in my pharmacy career and inbound sales business and did things “for the money”. And over time, I built resentment and burned out, leading to toxic clients and draining relationships.
But how would I feel if I intentionally said “yes” to things that energize me and “no” to those that drain me?
Goals are important, but not how you’ve been taught 🎓
Don’t get me wrong. Goals are still essential, but how can we use them to make them more effective and fun experience?
The most effective (and fun) method I use the method is from the 12 Week Year 🗓
Here are the three talking points in a nutshell 🥜
- Annual planning is dead 🪦 Yearly goal-setting is slow and boring. Plus it ignores that we as humans tend to procrastinate, making it ineffective.
- The 12 Week Year allows us to focus 🧠 We can get more done than we do in a year by focusing on fewer goals and approaching them as a sprint. Not only is it more fun, but we can adjust our goals as needed.
- A 12 Week Year is easier to track 🗓 No one wants to sit down and plan a whole year. Creating a 12 Week action plan and tracking it is way easier.
TLDR; I basically use goals to set short sprints so I can intensely focus few important goals rather than a laundry list. The fun part is having an accountability partner to share my weekly wins with too 🏆
What got you here won’t get you there 🛣
In my 30s, I’ve learned that what worked for me in my 20s doesn’t anymore. Instead of relying on working harder as my identity, I’m focusing on delegating and strategizing.
But most of all? I’m learning to trust myself 🧘
This is what it looks like 👇
- Listening to my body 💬 this year, I’m no longer putting pressure on myself to work harder. I used to be an all-gas, no-brakes guy. But now I listen to my body and prioritize rest to avoid burnout. It’s important to work hard, but rest is just as crucial.
- Focus on flow 🌊 Instead of pushing myself to do everything, I prioritize on finding ways to make my life and business enjoyable and effortless. I’ve learned that habits rarely form if it feels unpleasant, stressful, too difficult, or unreasonable. Instead of working harder, I’m starting to ask… how do I make this effortless and enjoy the process?
- Being okay not being perfect 🥲 Accepting that is okay to fail and suck is hard, especially as a pharmacist growing up in an Asian household. By starting new habits, like Muay Thai, it allows me to stay humble and foster my creativity without trying to make it perfect the first time.
Anyways what are your intentions or resolutions for this year? Is there anything you disagree with or are considering implementing after reading this?
Kevin 🔥
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