New Year

​This was from James Clear today. It reminds me so much of “begin with the end in mind.” That to me is gold. It is just the way I am, but I really examine the end of something to determine if I embrace it or not. Once I determine a goal is worthwhile, I am ok with baby steps. Big steps or small, I don’t mind as long as I am heading in the direction I want to be going.

This whole "where do you want to be in 10 years?" thing seems so cliche but to me it contains something that I find important. To me it is so much better to aim for something than nothing.

3 Ideas From Me
I. "10-year dreams. 5-minute actions. Where do I want to be in 10 years? What can I do in the next 5 minutes to contribute to that outcome?"
II. "Anyone can listen. All you have to do is stop talking. But to be a good listener, you have to stop talking and be interested. Genuine curiosity is the precursor to understanding, and a good listener helps the other person feel understood."
III. "You can graduate with the finest degrees. You can read the most useful books. You can enjoy the loving support of family and friends. But your degrees can't take action for you. Your books can't make the decision for you. Your family can't live your life for you. There is no substitute for courage. At some point, you have to make the choice."

I love the point about letting go. That to me is really legitimate. There are things that may be desirable but get in the way. When I know what I want, I know what needs to go.

Also the point about a second chance is big on my radar. I so think my life is more than previous choices. It is the choice I make now that matters to me.

2 Quotes From Others
I. Author Patricia Digh on the New Year: "At the end of each year, I ask myself two questions: 1) What do I want to create in this New Year? And, perhaps even more importantly, 2) What do I want to let go of?"
Source: Life is a Verb
II. Writer Jeanette Winterson on second chances: "I know now, after fifty years, that the finding/losing, forgetting/remembering, leaving/returning, never stops. The whole of life is about another chance…till the very end, there is always another chance."
Source: Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?

I don’t always go for the whole hog of what is written but I do like this question. The best way to solve a problem for me is to understand a problem and to work on a solution. It may not be solved as quickly as I would like, but a drip inevitably wears away a stone.

1 Question For You
It's one year from now. December 2023. The habit you were hoping to build during the year didn't stick. What is the most likely reason it failed?

My wish for everyone I know is that 2023 is the best year it possibly can be.