Where would you like to be in your life at the end of 2023? Perhaps NotePD can be an accountability journal where you enter this challenge and then once a week update to see how you've moved forward on your goals.
Thanks to @some_spectre for inspiration
This is post contains my reflections on a challenge entry I posted around this time last year on the things I wanted to achieve in 2023. Before you come up with a list of resolutions in a couple of weeks for 2024, join me as we walk down memory lane; I call it "some_spectre's walk of shame."
I originally thought it was the perfect job for me and my set of skills, but I quickly discovered it wasn't a good fit for me at all. If there is anything I gained from the experience, it is that I need to work quickly towards being self-employed as soon as possible. Here, I can have total control over my work process. "Total control" being a relative term since I would still have to work with clients, but at least I would only have to worry about my bottom line and not an employer's.
This is a brief list of goals for 2023, as suggested by @JamesAltucher. A more detailed list coming soon.
Over the past week or so, I've been thinking about what I have/haven't achieved this year and where I want to make changes.
I started using Substack as my newsletter and then lapsed a few months ago when work got busy. I've set up a mailing list on Buttondown and will be creating a summary newsletter once a month.
This is a scary one because you have to be honest and then there is a possibility of failure.
2021 was a mad house for doing deals, 2022 was not, I went backwards for the first year in 2022, I would like to bounce back from that.
I want to reach a state where I have peace in my mind and I am content.
2022 threw some curveballs at me. It turned out to be a big year of letting go. I think we managed pretty well, but it's time to plan. 2023 shall be the year of making things happen with less mental burden. I will keep the main thing as the first three (1-3). The next three (4-6) would be bonuses, and the rest (7-10) would be things I would like to keep doing.
I had a huge fear of going to the dentist, but I think I've majorly overcome it in the past years. It showed a deeply rooted insecurity within myself, and I can really say that imagining the demon is much worse than facing the demon (and by demon, I meant my angst and not the dentist). So next year it would be quite a process to do it, but this will be my priority.
I recently made a list of my ideal year as a counterpoint to the ideal days or weeks that promotes short-sighted goals and routines that fill with activities minute to minute. I found it interesting comparing that list with this because they are similar but not quite identical.
I quit my dream job few years ago. The life now is much less intense. My overall happiness is probably higher due to less downswings and having either quit or curtailed my go-to vices. I have thought for a couple years that maybe a competitive need forces the life to shape around the pursuit of winning, which of course is not necessarily excellence, rather than the pursuit becoming a part of everyday life.
So I have tried moderation, going easy. I am very comfortable now, but I don't like my life now. I miss the struggle. The trouble is that I think my desire and instincts have become very much truncated. Anger has become easier to contain, and blues are less severe but I don't really want anything intensely anymore. In short, I want to turn the knob on feeling alive. Disappointments are okay every now and then. I just miss intensity and focus.
I want to either have my own place, a different roommate or move to another country by the end of 2023.
I don’t believe everything in life has to be a quantifiable metric to be optimized for achievement.
My suggestion for folks making these lists is to focus on holistic goals-- it's tempting to only focus on monetary and career goals, but what about goals to improve your mind? Or your spirit? Or how about to focus on making your body more durable?
I'm going to be thinking about this list from the seven spokes on the wheel of life:
I've found that my life is the most full of joy and energy when I'm focused on each of these spokes and when I'm improving in all of them. When I'm stagnant, feeling bored, lazy, or depressed-- I'm often focusing only on one or two.
Without lowering the quality of the guest or conversation... This will require me to read a lot more books and stretch myself to go for more yeses. I hate to get ignored or get a no from someone I want to come onto my show. Usually these are people I look up to and respect immensely. I try to look at it as a, "Not right now" instead of a straight up no. But it still stings a bit sometimes.
Why?
Because I love the conversations and the wisdom my guests share. If I can produce 100 episodes next year instead of 50 I'll have double the chances to encourage another person and share my guest's valuable wisdom to help the listener (and myself) improve their life.
Letting go... an advanced practice of letting go
Having created the content to for Calming the Chaos, 2023 is all about getting as many eyes and ears on it as possible. It's a way for people to develop better relationships with themselves and their dogs. It's about getting a grip on anxiety in an uncertain media driven climate.
Group coaching has grown to capacity in 2023 and so many have less anxiety and more contentment in their lives because of it.
The end is in sight!
I've given up on making New Year's resolutions years ago. I decided if something was truly important to me, I shouldn't wait for an arbitrary date on the calendar to get started. On the other hand, time marches forward and maybe it isn't such a bad idea to think about certain milestones I want to reach in the coming year.
I'm trying to prepare myself as much as I can so I can hit the ground running when I officially start working in January. Hopefully I can either turn this seasonal job into a permanent one or expand my skill set and better prepare myself to start my own business.
This is the earliest I have ever started to make new year's resolutions. However, this will give me time to break the goals down into manageable chunks and "sandwich" them (thanks Braincoach).
Ride my mountain bike 100 miles (160km) a day for 10 consecutive days. (Flights already booked for this one - touring in the South Island of New Zealand)
Light another fire under my arse……🔥
Need to do triage on the ideas I have to determine which one to pursue beginning now into 2023 -part of my year end planning to retire certain things out of my life - I like to do things in “projects” not necessarily years, but taxes & financials operate on a calendar year
Being more consistent less scattered
I workout for a few months then do not work out at all for a few months I'd like to steadily do 3 days a week 30 min at least for a year
James Altucher asked, "What do you want to achieve in 2023". This is my answer. It is more of a to do list than a goal. I read this great quote on a Whatsapp status: The work needs to get out of your head and on to the table, and it needs to be done from the heart- Paul Scher. I feel me achieving this will be the beginning of a fulfilling and extraordinary year!
I had a wesbsite in 2016, A portfolio website. All my paintings and school projects were on display. I shut it down because it wasnt bringing me any moeny. So last year I bought a domain name from namecheap. I am yet to go live, but I know what I want to have on there. It will be hosted on wordpress and one feature it must have is a search button. I have so much content to unpack.
Been working on this one for a while, not easy for me!
I will likely aim for some of these, but maybe not all.
It's interesting because I lean towards writing about professional and financial achievements; I have to make a bigger effort to think of more meaningful milestones: connection, relationships, love, wellbeing. What if we made more of an effort to aim for those?
I'm currently making little effort towards promoting it, though.
I already have an assignment that also includes Angular, so this is a must.
The opening of my own studio and the launch of my arts organization beginning with my own aerial dance company!
Currently in process
I don't know the future. I do find myself getting stuck in the past. In 2023, I would like to be more in the present. Thus, I need to learn the lessons my failures/experiments taught me so I can thrive.
a rather short one, between 150 and 200 pages, but with interesting characters
I want to be employed and working in a career that I love by 2023.
Applying now. Have taken a nice hiatus, but time to start working again. I need some structure.
I want to have saved up enough money so that I can quit my day job and live off of my passive income sources.
So many goals, so little time...
I need to make sure I'm saving and investing enough so I can retire at age 52 (when the youngest of my kids reaches adulthood)
So Many things
- New Job
- Another source of income
I'm often impatient with people when we are speaking. Cut to the chase. Get to the point. Yes, I understand now shut up and let me tell you how to fix it. All of these flash through my mind. Still working on it.
