It is the time of the year most of us have thought about our goals to achieve and probably conquer the world!
Like Ross, some of us might have started our previous years with things like "I'm gonna be happy this year! I'm gonna make myself happy!". But then, when December arrived, we ended up happily saying: "I'm still alive!".
Haven't watched friends?
Let's give ourselves some credit. We're persistent beings! Year after year, we renew our vows to eat healthier, exercise regularly, and read those books gathering dust on our shelves—until January 7th rolls around, and we're knee-deep in Netflix, surrounded by snack wrappers, wondering what happened to our resolve.
But wait a second!
✨ What if instead of a goal like "I want to be fit" I start to walk 1 hour a day?
✨ What if, instead of a goal like "I want to be as rich as Jeff Bezos" I learn something new weekly to improve my career?
✨ What if, instead of a goal like "I want to speak in front of 1000 people!", I join a public speaking club, like ToastMasters, and practice every week?
Last year, I looked at my arms and one big ab! ... and said: "Dude! What happened to your muscles?? Did they move to your belly? Are you gaining fat to rest in your cave and hibernate?". The first few years after I moved to Denmark, I remember I was one of those continuously paying for the gym's subscription without using it often, hoping to start to work out regularly one day. From this Monday? ... or the next one? Back then, I told myself that when you were in Tehran, you used to hike in the mountains 2-3 times per month. You used to reach peaks higher than 3-4 Kilometers, but now the maximum thing you do is biking? It is true that you now live in a flat city, but you should acquire a new habit. First, let's choose something simple and go for daily walks. I started walking for 1 hour daily, then increased it to ~10 km daily. I might not be fit yet, but I'm sure I'm happy about the progress. As the next step this year, I added swimming to my weekly routine.
Last year, I promised myself to start my own business. I am happy about the progress and what I have learned so far, even though, thanks to all the inequalities, after one year, I have realized that as a non-EU citizen, it is almost impossible to get a startup visa.
I am happy that I could build 7 MVPs in one year and test them with real users, and I hope I can finally find a way to get the required permits to earn money from the tech startup I have established in Estonia, Yanovation, or moving it to Portugal, etc.
As an introverted geek who tends to go into his cave and stay in front of his computer for hours, a few years ago, I pushed myself outside my comfort zone, volunteered to organize a technical meetup in Copenhagen, and practiced managing events and speaking in front of a crowd.
This year, I pushed myself to the next level and joined a public speaking club, Fredericksburg's Toastmasters Club. I am happy about the progress, learnings, and continued practice among like-minded people who have joined this community for a similar reason.
Remember...
Even though it feels empowering to set big goals, remember life is all about enjoying our daily experiences on the roller-coaster of life! ... and, more importantly, all the tiny small improvements along the way.
Remember, improving 1% daily makes us 37 times better after a year! Life is all about consistency, not perfection or big goals.
