Read 50 books a year.
Complete my Bachelor’s degree.
Write and post on blog weekly.
Learn French.
Complete my website with portfolio.
Those were my New Year goals I wrote down at the end of 2020 for 2021. And here were the results:
Read 9 books.
Completed my degree (Yay!)
Wrote a couple times a month
Studied French on Duolingo for 2 months out of 12 months.
No portfolio or website done.
As you can see, only 1/5 of my 2021 goals was achieved.
Back then, I pondered a lot over the reasons of my failure to achieve these goals.
However, in 2022 and 2023, things started to change a little.
I was able to read 10 books. Last year, I read and listened to 20+ books according to my tracking.
One of my writing pieces got published on CBC News Calgary for the First Person column.
I also learned and practiced the keyboard for 29 continuous weeks, at least 3 times a week, each time for at least 10 minutes.
I write and journal weekly, I even published some writing on LinkedIn and my website.
I learned swimming, and now can swim (My very long-time goal).
I’ve decluttered my closet, on and off for the past 5 years. Now I own much fewer clothing.
I have more than 10 friends that I keep in touch with throughout the year.
I also feel more content with myself.
How did these changes happen?
All of these changes did not happen over one year but over a 5 or 10-year period.
I pondered about what made me able to achieve or at least follow through with these goals so I can replicate it and continue on to achieve more of things I desire to do for me and those around me.
Below are just some of the most prominent changes in my perceptions about personal and professional goals that helped me achieve them more consistently:
- WISDOM
I failed to follow through with goals before was because I lacked wisdom.
But over the years, I garnered much needed ideas and wisdom through books, people, self-awareness and observations.
The wisdom explains to me what is essential and what is not, my strengths and shortcomings, the importance of understanding the underlying intention, acknowledging, accepting my own emotions, focusing on the present moment, and reducing clutter.
Wisdom is at the heart of my success in achieving my goals.
2. SELF-COMMUNICATION
It is so easy to brush away to importance of writing down our goals and tracking our progress. I always assume that I knew what I was doing and I would be able to remember things I wanted to do and I did. But, the truth is self-communication is so essential. Amidst the chaos and busy-ness of life, simply writing things down and tracking goals over the year do wonders to new year resolution process.
I often scribble down my goals, every last day of the year. My list is not fancy but it exists.
I hang them up on my vision board in my room.
At the end of each year, I take the list out and review the goals I set the previous year.
It is such a joy to track and review my progress over the past 5 years.
I encourage you to do the same, make some effort to write down, track, and review. To communicate with yourself about your progress, to communicate with your brain about your commitment, and celebrate those small wins.
3. INTENTION
I love this quote from “The Practice” (I can’t find it right now)
It is embarrassing but yes, my past drive was fuelled by jealousy, envy, impressing others. And it was draining and not smart at all.
However, I did realize that my drive to achieve such a goal was not totally for others, it was me, but hidden away. I needed wisdom to unblock, unearth it.
Here are my newly established intentions.
The main reasons I play the keyboard daily is not to post on social media about my ability, but to challenge myself, and relax and destress. The incidental effect it brings is that I have some few clips that I can post or perform for an important occasion like birthdays or new year.
And the reason I write daily is not to show others I am a great writer and one with great commitment to my craft. It is for me to write better, to be able to express my ideas and myself better. Realizing those differences in intention really pushes myself closer to my goals.
4. PROCESS
Setting up goals is a great start. However, I often failed to set up the plan or process to achieve these goals.
In the past, if I aimed to learn to swim, I did not know how to make myself swim weekly.
If I wanted to read 50 books a year, I did not designate enough time to read to read 1 book a week.
Now, I build my goals into my schedule and routine to push myself to learn or to achieve those goals.
I signed up for weekly swimming classes for 9 months straight.
I took the train to school and work, and used those two hours of commute each day to read.
I always bring with me a notebook so I can write down my ideas whenever ideas come to me.
Having those processes in place helps me structure my day to achieve those goals.
5. EXPECTATION
Initially, I set goals and expected to achieve them all, quick and fast.
My high expectation led to negative self-judgement and quick failure.
Back then, I did not know that changes need to happen over a long period of time. One or two months is not enough, let alone 1 or 2 weeks.
It was liberating to me when I learnt this truth: Positive changes take time. Success does not happen overnight.
So I learn to focus on consistency, 1% improvement each day. I abandon the practice of achieving quick wins through shortcuts or hacks.
If I want to succeed, I do the work, commit to the work, and improve 1% each day.
Consistent practice and commitment to the practice will more likely to bring success.
6. ENJOYMENT
In the past, I was chasing after the KPI. I loved it when I added a book to my read list, but I forgot to enjoy the book itself.
I learnt that the goals are important to write down, to track, but the most important part is the actual process.
My favourite monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, says this before: “There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.”
The actual process is what matters, not the end results.
During the process, I learn, I hone my skills, I practice.
When I am an expert at the process, results will come.
Results are just the by-product of the process.
This has been long but fun to write blog and it’s getting long! 🙂
But I am so glad I was able to write them down, it is something I want to write for a while. In my next post, I will share some techniques I use for my yearly goals.
Best,
ThaoNB
Day 5, Jan/5/2024
#30DayWritingChallenge