Goals for 2019 — Live Slower
“Life passes most people by while they’re making grand plans for it”
I heard this quote while recently watching Blow — at the end where George Jung aka Johnny Depp is locked up in prison with his life reduced to nothing. I usually only watch the beginning where he’s rich and making it, well, because it’s more fun and the soundtrack is awesome. But the somber ending is the ultimate moral of the story. It’s where he realizes the money and the lifestyle he was chasing were fake and cost him what he ultimately cared about — the relationships with his Father and Daughter.
How does this fit into the context of my life? My 2018 was filled with change and much of it was good. According to Google, I traveled to 192 places, 41 cities, and 13 countries. In total that’s 116,434 km or 2.9 times around the world. I had a chance to see my brother get married in both Iran and Pakistan, an opportunity to work in Munich for a summer. I was also lucky enough to have 13 friends join me in Bordeaux for my birthday. On the other hand, 2018 was the tough on my relationships, particularly with my girlfriend, as we had to adjust to long distance. That summer in Munich also meant that I did not get to reconnect with my parents or my lifelong friends in New York.
2019 will be no different in terms of change as I will be graduating from my MBA program and starting a new job in what will likely be a new city for me. But this year I’m going to slow down. I’m not going to be too busy chasing that I don’t have— material goods or experiences — at the expense of more precious things. I must not take time or relationships with those that matter for granted. For those are more important than any short-term goals or pleasures.
this year I’m going to slow down. I’m not going to be too busy chasing that I don’t have — material goods or experiences — at the expense of more precious things.
The main reason I decided to enroll in grad school was to reflect on my life and career. To take a break and figure out what I really wanted. And now that the ride is almost over, I’m finally beginning to see how to manage that.
Ignoring Outside Noise
In general, I believe I have been pretty good at this. I am outspoken and am not afraid to ruffle feathers when I think it’s needed. However, when it comes to career and my writing, I have been afraid to show my true colors for fear of blowback.
I enjoy writing but have been afraid to add to my Medium blog because I do not think my posts will be welcome by others. Well for one, my viewership is pretty low, and those that do read are very kind. If writing is so important to me, I owe it to myself to practice and get my thoughts out on paper.
The same can apply to my career. I need to make decisions based on my interests and future goals. I cannot chase jobs with the highest paychecks in companies where the culture may not fit me, or where I have no room for career growth, or opportunities to learn on a daily basis.
Deep Learning
In the past year, I have started but not finished a two MOOC courses and also learned that I very much have a novelty-seeking personality. When it comes to learning I am excited about many subjects, especially related to technology. 5G, Blockchain, Internet of Things, Cybersecurity, Cloud, etc. all of them are interesting to me!
However, focusing on learning one subject at a time will improve my patience, focus, and listening abilities. In this Age of Information, the ability to really do some deep learning has waned. I believe that it will be crucial for my future that I hone and treat deep learning as a skill. And That only comes with practice.
Not only will focusing on one subject at a time make me a better learner, but it will improve my relationships as well. It will make me an active listener. It will allow me to empathize with individuals and operate with greater patience.
Improving My Relationship with Money
Being content with what I have and how much I earn will allow me to stay that much more present and enjoy my life. Rather than focusing on earning more, I can focus on how to be the best employee possible and get creative think beyond the scope of my immediate responsibilities. I can think more about strategy versus tactics.
By implementing a budget, I will be able to live my life with more discipline and effect have more control over my plans. Living within my means usually means living healthier too — eating in versus eating out, buying less useless material goods, avoiding alcohol/sugars. Also, saving and investing will allow me to plan and envision a future with my loved ones.
Money is a great servant, but a terrible master — Francis Bacon
Making Time for Myself
In 2018 my New Year’s Resolution was meditate 10 minutes a day. While I only completed about half of that or 1500 minutes, I found the exercise tremendously helpful. After all it is the most common trait of successful leaders in all industries from rockstars to hedge fund managers.
I think the reason why is that it gives a mental reset. It calms the nerves and allows an individual to stay present. In fact, it’s not just meditation, it can be reading, or exercising. For one of my friends, the calmness comes from driving and listening to the radio (although for me it’s exact opposite).
When I make time for myself, everything else slows down. I feel like I have accomplished something when I’ve meditated, read for an hour, or exercised. Although those activities are largely invisible to everyone but me, when I do those things, I am more relaxed, patient, and aware. That in turn brings a more positive version of me with everyone I encounter.
Living slower in 2019 will not be easy. I will have to have plan my days out in advance. I will have to be more methodical and better at saying, “no”. I will have to have to moderate my technology consumption. But most of all, I will have to learn to accept and appreciate my present life.
