Common goals on everybody’s list on December 31st:
Wake up as a different person in 2024.
Exercise.
Eat healthily.
Sleep early.
Read more.
Spend more time with family.
Learn a new language.
And the list goes on….
If you have at least two similar goals, you might find yourself with the same list next year and the following years as well…
Goals versus Systems
You don’t need more goals for the upcoming year; what you need is an effective system. A system that supports the habits you wish to cultivate.
For instance, if you want to be an early riser, start by sleeping early. To become more confident, begin by eating healthy and exercising for 30 minutes every day.
Make small changes
If you genuinely desire change, don’t wait for a new year. Dates are just dates and often overrated unless you use them for your benefit (I’ll discuss this at the end of the article).
Days are undervalued. Some think they can achieve a lot in one day, while others view it as too brief. Both notions are mistaken.
Ignore the clock.
Consider a day as blocks of time:
- Block 1 (9 AM-12 PM)
- Block 2 (12 PM-3 PM)
- Block 3 (3 PM-9 PM)
Now, sort your tasks:
- Tasks important to you (e.g., Learning a skill)
- Urgent tasks for you (e.g., Writing an essay for college)
- Meaningful tasks to you (e.g., Spending time with family, Exercise)
Then allocate your blocks wisely:
- Block 1 (9 AM-12 PM) — — Important tasks
- Block 2 (12 PM-3 PM) — — Urgent Tasks
- Block 3 (3 PM-9 PM) — — Meaningful tasks
Alter Your Environment. Eliminate vs Add
Create an environment that supports you.
Eliminate
- Remove the TV from your bedroom.
- Avoid meeting people who demotivate you.
- Cease dining out.
Add
- Place some books in your room.
- Start meeting new like-minded people.
- Begin cooking at home.
In simple terms, eliminate before you add.
Utilize Dates Advantageously
Dates like the 1st, New Year’s (January 1st), or the start of any new month (November 1st or August 1st) tend to motivate us.
We often perceive these as a fresh start, a time to become a new version of ourselves. However, as the month progresses, hope diminishes. We remain focused for a while, maybe five days, and then crave extra motivation. Instead of waiting for a new month, consider certain dates as checkpoints to recharge for the upcoming ones.
For instance, I use the dates 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 as energy checkpoints. On these days, I reflect on my recent actions, take a break, watch movies, and see the next date, like the 5th, as my starting point.
Using dates as checkpoints has 2 advantages:
1. You don’t wait for the next month or year to adopt good habits.
2. You waste less while waiting for a new motivation.
A quote from the book Atomic Habits
That’s all for today. Thanks for reading.
