Your Best Year is Now

Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in Ali Abdaal’s Feel Good Productivity Workshop, a special session for readers who pre-ordered his book. I consider myself fortunate to be part of it, given that I've been following Ali since the beginning of 2023 and have gained valuable insights, from recommended books to productivity tips.

The workshop wasn't centered around the book's content; instead, its focus was on realistically setting goals for the upcoming year. Ali genuinely wants the best for those who joined, aiming to help make our 2024 the best year of our lives.

Even if you didn't attend the workshop, no worries! I'll share my key takeaways and practical tips for achieving your 2024 goals.

Before you read further, here's a Notion template for the following prompts which designed to assist you in reflection and planning for your 2024.

🪞Reflecting on Your Past Year

Reflecting on the past serves as a way to identify which goals worked for you and spot areas where you might have faced challenges in the previous year. Looking back also gives you the chance to celebrate your achievements and acknowledge how you've grown as a person. A lot can happen in a year, and it's impossible to remain the same—you're constantly improving.

Isn't that fantastic? I've experienced both wins and losses, some goals were easily attainable, while others were quite ambitious. However, the most significant transformation for me occurred when I began working on self-improvement through journaling and reading books. Fun fact: I had set a goal to create 30 YouTube videos last year for my YouTube Channel showcasing my artworks. Well, reality check—I only managed to make two videos, not even halfway to the target 😂.

Actionable Step: Take a look at your calendar, camera roll, journal, or notes, and jot down your achievements from the past. No matter how big or small, each one counts as a success. Be proud of it!

🗺️ Clarity and Direction

Where do you want to go? What would you do if money and failure weren't obstacles?

This question about finding your North Star, your direction, really made me ponder as I considered ALL the goals I set for myself. The grand, ambitious, and moonshot goals, along with the smaller ones, were neatly lined up in my notes. The longer my list became, the more I questioned how on earth I could achieve all these goals in a year or more.

That's when clarity and direction become crucial. With too many goals, my energy is spread thin, making it challenging to make progress. Ever feel that overwhelming sensation when you want to achieve everything that comes your way? While it's okay to explore a few things for fun, some matter to us the most and deserve the majority of our energy.

Honestly, I'm guilty of having too many things on my plate. As I write this, I can't help but feel paralyzed and fear that I might not accomplish one or two by my self-set deadline. But then, the key is to be clear on where I want to be, and that's something I'm still working on.

Actionable Step: List down your goals, ranging from the mundane to the grandest. From these, circle your 3-5 main goals that you want to achieve and concentrate your efforts on these.

❓ Identify Your Goals (What, Why, When)

What drives your goals? Why do you want to achieve them, and when is the best time to make it happen?

Once you've pinpointed your goals, there must be a compelling reason behind why you desire them in the first place (The Why). After all, a goal without action is merely a dream unless you wake up and take matters into your own hands.

When we were tasked to narrow it down to 3-5 goals, it took me some time to see what truly mattered the most. Why 3-5 goals? These are the most manageable targets that can be realistically achieved, aligning with what you want to accomplish (The What). Ali also brought up the concept of "chess moves," representing the strategic steps you'll take to get closer to your goals. Identify those moves, and you're more likely to achieve them, progressing from where you started.

Actionable Step: Determine your 3-5 main goals for the year, and list down your reasons (why) and the "chess moves" to bring you closer to achieving them.

⚙️ Create a System

As James Clear said, “You do not rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems.”

Creating a system ensures consistency on your journey to a goal, which makes you more efficient and resistant to procrastination. These systems gives a sense of fluidity, where the actions become part of your personality, evolving from a chore to a natural part of your routine.

Craft a system of actionable steps that suits you best and remember to review it periodically. It doesn't need to be rigid but should be manageable, keeping you in motion.

One effective system I use is breaking down goals into their simplest forms rather than tackling them head-on. Starting with the most basic actions that build momentum until reaching a point where upscaling the difficulty feels natural. For example, my journaling journey began with daily bullet lists, which are seemingly mundane but, over time, they accumulated into a significant step toward the habit of writing a page daily. The power of compounding goes a long way, right? 🙂

Actionable step: Discover a system that works for you and stick with it. Regularly review your goals to assess progress and refine them if circumstances hinder their desirable advancement.

My Personal Takeaways

The workshop was truly incredible and eye-opening. It's amazing because it helped me gain clarity not only for this year but also for the next 3, 5, or even 10 years. However, it was also an eye-opener as I initially felt overwhelmed when I began documenting my goals on paper. I realized I might have been too serious about my goals, particularly those related to personal matters, while neglecting other aspects like friends, relationships, and my emotional and spiritual well-being.

The workshop guided me to identify what truly matters, my direction, and the reasons behind my goals. After the workshop, I felt excited to align myself with my aspirations and start building my dreams using any method available. After all, It's about how I approach it and enjoy the process along the way.

The best years may have passed before, but now, it's going to be all about you.

Wishing you a great week!

ran xx

🖌️ 🎶 Art and Music Corner

Sharing some of my favorite scanned photos that I took using Kodak Ultra F9 with Kodak Gold 200 Film.

These were my first successful scans, as my first two film rolls were damaged by sunlight (I know, I learned my lessons)

Music - These are the songs that will turn 40 years old this year

Video - This guy is on his 395th day of taking an ice bath everyday until he misses a day. Stay till the end for words of advice + ice reviews :)

📘 Reader’s Delight

Another Newsletter - Austin Kleon’s Prompts for your new year

How I keep up with daily news (tech, international, etc) - Morning Brew

🖊️ Words to Live by

🙏 A small favor

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