fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
The 3 Best Reasons to Write
By: Eugene Albano
Tags: Writing, Goal Setting, Writer, Reasons To Write, Writing Tips

1. Writing Teaches You Things

You never really know something until you teach it to someone else.

John C. Maxwell

I love to read. It is by far my favorite way to learn new and interesting things. But reading alone is not enough. You also need to practice doing the thing or, better yet, teach the thing.

The learning pyramid estimates that you retain about 10% of what you learn from reading. Meanwhile, you retain 75% of what you learn by doing and 90% of what you can teach to others.

Writing to teach others helps me understand the material better because it helps me identify weak spots in my learning.

You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother. Albert Einstein

Explaining something to your grandmother is another way of saying, explain it simply. As counterintuitive as it seems, explaining something simply is harder. You need a high level of understanding about a topic to explain it so that everyone can understand.

2. Writing (Hopefully) Teaches The Reader Something

It is important to remember that writing is not just about you. At least it shouldn’t be. The reader should get something from it also. You don’t want to waste their precious time.

To avoid wasting your reader's time, it is nice to teach them something. Teach them things that are both:

Useful/interesting Actionable (aka able to be acted on immediately)

Note: Simplicity is key here as well. The simpler you can communicate an idea, the more actionable it is.

3. Good Writing Makes The Reader Think

It is incredibly naive to think that you can teach someone a big life lesson in one short article. Most of the time, the best you can hope for is to make the reader think.

Thinking about different opinions, perspectives, life experiences, biases, etc., is valuable.

Don’t get me wrong; you shouldn't shy away from taking a side. Just don’t push your opinion too hard on the reader (especially when it comes to politics). Just explain your idea(s) in a simple, thought-provoking way.
If Your Year Could Talk, What Would It Say?
By: Karin Weiser
Tags: Personal Development, Goal Setting, Personal Story, Storytelling, Personal Growth

If Your Year Could Talk, What Would It Say?

Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

Here’s a confession. I’m a personal development junkie.

It all started back in 2008 when I studied Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). Books, courses, quotes, podcasts — you name it. I devour them. Not endlessly. I need time for reflection and digestion in between. I’m the one who buys a recommended book, especially if the title resonates with me (Flourish by Martin Seligman is an example). Always game for a suggested exercise or quiz and intrigued by personality tests. And forever interested in learning something new about my own personality and psychology in general.

Life is a journey and not a destination. Sometimes we have to make pit stops to refuel, change course, ignore a compass and decide whether to take a road less travelled. Life is also one big learning opportunity. And that’s why I believe it’s important to wrap up your year before you can be totally ready for the next one. The only person you should benchmark yourself against is you, your growth, your desires, your goals, and your achievements.

Why? Comparison is the thief of joy.
My Goals for 2021
By: Michael Brooks
Tags: Goal Setting, Goals, New Year, 2021, Life

My Goals for 2021

Every year from 2018 I go over my goals, and whether or not I managed to complete each one. This year will certainly be no different even though it’s been a very different year. Michael Brooks Dec 15, 2020·3 min read

Last year’s goals

Clear £7k debt

This year gave me time to focus on my debts. My wife and I have only had one holiday this year. This has allowed us to pile on any left over money towards our credit cards and savings. I have now cleared my £7k debt, and we’re now working to clear my wife’s £8k (now £4k) debt.

Technically these debts are shared between us, but each debt is the total from our own credit cards. It has also allowed us to visualise what needs to go where.

Save at least £1,000 for a house

This one is amazing see because we have surpassed this saving. All together, we have £2,878.10 saved in a LISA account for a house. Part of this wouldn’t have been possible if I didn’t read the book “Money: A User’s Guide”. That book has been worth every penny and is absolutely priceless.

Gain 100 subs on YouTube and Create at least 12 videos for my YouTube channels

I’ve decided to group these two together since they’re both YouTube related. I also didn’t achieve either of these goals. I know I would have gotten 100 subs easily if I just published some videos. However, I have not been in the right mindset this year. I constantly tried to push myself, but in the end, I couldn’t do it. Maybe next year, but it won’t be a goal.

Have at least 1 “date night” a month

Of course this one failed. We started off really well, and had some lovely date nights. However, due to the pandemic and lockdown we couldn’t see this one through. I would definitely like to try this one again when we’re certain the virus has gone.

Finish my course on Laravel

Another failed goal. I know failure isn’t a bad thing, and I don’t feel bad. However, this would have been really nice if I did succeed. I did rewrite my current posts for the latest major Laravel release, and released another post. Overall, I didn’t come anywhere near finishing and work was my biggest focus for this year.

Next year’s goals

Pay of my wife’s debt of £5k

Save £10k towards a house

Get 500 daily readers on this blog

Get 100 email subscribers on my development blog

Finish the free part of my development course

My goals for next year: 1. Pay off my wife’s debt (mine is now clear)

2. Save every penny towards a deposit for a house

3. Get 500 daily blog readers on my personal blog

4. Get 100 subscribers on my development blog

5. Finish the free part of my development course https://t.co/tZn9ezrFnK

- 💻 Michael Brooks (@MBrooksUK) December 5, 2020
Stay Motivated and Improve Yourself
By: Patricia Pixie
Tags: Goals Objectives, Goal Setting, Goals, Motivation, Life

Everyone wants to grow as a person, or at least improve considerably in some aspect of their life. However, it is not as easy as simply wishing it. If this were the case, there would be no point in studying any of the areas related to human growth in universities. And there would there be no people actively seeking the advice of those specialists who are dedicated to enriching the lives of others. Self-improvement is not some kind of magical placebo that can solve personal, work, or everyday problems related to interpersonal interactions in five minutes or less. To achieve progress in any of these directions, you have to invest some time, effort and dedication, which, for some, might seem difficult to achieve. However, with the right strategies, you will see that it is not as harder as it sounds.

Once you have achieved your goal, don’t stop there. Find a brand new goal. Think what is it that thing you always wanted to do, but maybe you never could out of fear? As long as there is life, there is hope and a big opportunity to make your dreams become true. What is sometimes difficult is learning not to let yourself be stopped by the difficulties or fears that we carry within us. But once you learn to manage those negative emotions and to tap into the full potential that is within you, nothing can easily stop you!
Procrastination or Magic? The Paradox of Doing Without Doing.
By: Cathy Presland
Tags: Goal Setting, Time Management, Procrastination, Leadership, Productivity

The Back-Burner Effect

I love bringing groups together because ideas coalesce in new and different ways. This week’s call on procrastination was no exception, and, this in particular seems worth sharing: the seeming paradox of ‘who’ is doing the doing and how come things happen when we don’t do anything.

One of the callers brought this up in relation to a discussion we were having about ‘important’ things, legal matters and so on, and where things appear to be ‘high stakes’.

It isn’t that I don’t do anything, or that I put it off. I’m not scared to look at something, but then I put it down and ideas come to me over the next hours and days.

It’s what we coined ‘the back burner effect’, I see it too and it’s what I do-it’s what we all do but you may not be doing it consciously so you may not be taking full effect of the power of your ‘magic’ helpers.

It’s Not About the ‘Time’…

When it comes to events like the one where this conversation was held, for example, I’m usually inspired to create something around a topic, but the details are pretty vague, or at least unformed. I’ll write a blurb but I know it’s just my first cut.

And then, I do nothing.

Or, rather not that I do nothing exactly, but I leave the ideas to develop, like I might leave bread to rise, or put a pot on the back burner.

I turn my attention to other things, or to nothing, and, a couple of days before, I look back in the direction of the event, or the meeting.

… It’s About Resources

And, like ‘magic’, without me ‘doing’ anything, without pens or paper, without post-it notes, without any kind of ‘active’ preparation, my amazing sub-conscious imagination has made connections for me, it’s wandered and wondered in the direction of who might come, and what I think will be useful and interesting to talk about. I have allowed ‘it’ to be taken care of without any more involvement on ‘my’ part.

And, voilà, ideas come for exercises, questions, discussion points I want to raise, and only at that point might I make a few notes.

Be Inspired but Not Prescribed to…

Now, I’m not saying follow my process, because even I might not follow that exact process every time, what I’m suggesting is that you have many more resources at your disposal than your active intellectual brain. So why not use them??

What’s very cool about this, is the efficiency with which we can operate. While things get taken care of ‘on the back-burner’, we can go about our other business knowing that ‘someone’ or ‘something’ is taking care of it in the background-like the most perfect sous chef, doing all the prep, so that you just have to turn up and create a final flourish. It makes life sooooo much easier, and it makes us more effective, than when we’re rushing around thinking it’s all ‘on us’ to do.

Your own personal productivity concierge? Does it sound like something worth experimenting with?

With love,

Cathy

Cathy Presland

Here to help with leadership and impact. I have lots of free resources over here, if you’d like to explore more deeply.
Why Your Goals Don’t Matter. In The End, Success Is About This 1 Thing
By: Nicolas Cole
Tags: Personal Development, Goal Setting, Goals, Motivational, Motivation

So many people fixate on goal-setting.

But there’s a flaw in their thinking—because whatever goal you set today won’t be the goal you ultimately care about tomorrow.

As time goes on, your perspective of what a “big goal” is will continue to change.

When I was a kid, my “big goal” was to win the 5th-grade floor hockey 8-week tournament in our gym class. I was randomly selected as one of four team captains, and proceeded to spend the entire weekend binge-watching Mighty Ducks in my living room while drawing up roles for my assigned team roster.

“If I put Johnny at center and Kyle on defense, that’ll allow for Ben to play right wing and create synergy between him and Johnny…” I thought to myself, spiral notebook on my lap, lounging in the family room green chair.

I spent a considerable amount of time trying to create the best possible line combinations.

As a result, our team went 10–0 and won the championship.

Compared to the things I’m working on today, that goal seems inconsequential. Winning a 5th grade hockey tournament is hardly comparable to, say, starting a company.

But deep down, they share one very important thing in common:

The goal of improvement.

In 6th grade, I wanted to win the Yu-Gi-Oh card tournament at the local bookstore. In 7th grade, I wanted to become the captain of my hockey team (I was assistant captain — goal failed). In 8th grade, I wanted to survive puberty and not ever hear my voice crack. In high school, I wanted to become the greatest World of Warcraft player to ever live. In college, I wanted to be a professional musician. And then a bodybuilder. And then a writer.

I wanted to publish a book.

I wanted to make writing my full-time job.

I wanted to build a life where my closest friends could both follow their dreams and we could work together.

I wanted to start a company.

I’ve done just about everything I’ve listed here, and still, my goals continue to change.

What matters isn’t the achievement, or the goal itself.

What matters is how you approach your goals. And whether or not you are always looking to improve, in one way or another.
Do Motivational Quotes Work?
Tags: Goal Setting, Self Improvement, Self-awareness, Motivation, Self Help

Several articles were on the list but let me show you a couple of them. One feature is written by Amy Morin and another from Stefan Palios.

Amy Morin is a psychotherapist. In her article, she mentioned vision boards do more harm than good. She expressed that focusing on the goal instead of paying attention to the means of achieving that goal increases your chances of failure.

She has a point. Motivation on paper defeats its purpose of inspiring you if you don’t follow the necessary steps to reach your life goals.

If we lived in a fantasy world, then perhaps these goals will emerge with the swish of a magic wand. Why don’t we add a little hand choreography along with incantation to give it a final touch?

Reality check.

Stefan Palios, on the other hand, explained a case for, and against, motivational quotes in his article. He cited three uses for motivational quotes. They are:

To inspire action

To offer a view into the possibility

To show a different perspective

These cases detail my experience with motivational quotes. As I mentioned earlier, they give me a nudge. Often, it begins with the nudge and ends with procrastination.

Back to Stefan, he added three cases against motivational quotes. And they are:

They are useless and dull

They are annoying

They offer no context

Overused statements can be annoying and dull. Frequent exposure to the same quote creates a lower emotional impact on the person exposed to it.

For example, I’ve seen the quote “Too blessed to be stressed” more times than I can blink in one minute. Now, my initial reaction is ‘No, not again’ whenever I see the line on a random day.

Are they useless? Not if they give me a needed nudge. Perhaps, useless when it’s not the quote I’m looking for as encouragement. We skim until we find the line we think we need.

Do quotes offer context?

Stefan gives the perfect example in his article mentioning the famous slogan/motivational quote “Just do it”.

There can be plenty of interpretations for ‘it’. Hopefully ‘it’ doesn’t point to any misdeed. You don’t want to say ‘Just do it’ to someone who plans to rob a bank. Nope.
Why I’m Not Surprised Many Won’t Crush Their Goals
By: Ian Golightly
Tags: Personal Development, Goal Setting, Strategy, Goals, 2021

Even though there are some downfalls to being an introvert, there are many upsides as well. Personally, I believe it has helped me throughout my life. Introverts are known to be reserved and very observant. Since we are ending the first quarter of the year, I thought I would do some observations myself.

As you may already know, at the beginning of the year, it is a western society common practice to at least think of one New Years Resolution. After a handful of real conversations and looking up data to decide if the dialogue aligns with present and past data, I am not surprised by my findings.

Do you know what are the two most common goals are for the New Year?

Do not be surprised because, at some point in time, you have probably done this before. I admit that I have several times. With that being said, the most common New Year resolutions have something to do with losing weight and having more money. The thing that I find interesting is the high percentage rate of people failing these goals. The reason why they fail is not surprising.

Goals fall short 99.9% of the time because they are not authentic, and we are influenced to choose those goals because everyone else is doing them.

My advice because I will not tell you what to do, if you want to crush your goals, then it may be to your benefit to grow ‘you’ as an individual. Why not have intentions to develop the skills and qualities of you? Being truthful about yourself and authentic is going to maximize your results.

You will be surprised by the results.

Here a few ideas:

Learn to make better decisions

Make your life as simple as possible.

Have a structured day

Love yourself & be a service to others

Embrace change

Accomplishing goals is a challenging thing to do. No matter what background you come from, goals take time and sacrifices. To help leverage the challenge, it may be more beneficial to grow you as a person and let everything fall into place. At the end of the day, it is your decision, my friend
The Almost-Foolproof Get Rich Slow Scheme
By: Michelle Loucadoux
Tags: Goal Setting, Self Improvement, Inspiration, Entrepreneurship, Motivation

The Almost-Foolproof Get Rich Slow Scheme

Photo by Matt Lamers on Unsplash

Success is always a waiting game. Sorry to disappoint, but there is no overnight success; no free lunch. And inevitably, those who do become successful have put in years and years of work before they attain global recognition. Again, there’s no magic pill and there’s no get rich quick hack.

The only foolproof method of success? Stick with it long enough to prevail. Tenacity is a daily practice that will likely eventually lead to success. It’s a long road, though. It’s one with many exits, hills, and speed bumps. And only those who have the tenacity to stay on the road reach their destination.

The point is that many people believe that tenacity is the number one determinant of success. Entrepreneur Magazine says, “Lots of people are smart enough to succeed as entrepreneurs, but few have the tenacity to work through the inevitable failures.” The fact of the matter is that success is not inevitable, but the longer you stick around, the better your odds become.

I have two stories and three steps to share with you in this article that will hopefully inspire you to have the persistence to succeed in your chosen vocation.
How to Set and Pursue Worthwhile Goals
By: Scott Perry
Tags: Personal Development, Strategy, Goal Setting, Goals, Wellbeing

How to Set and Pursue Worthwhile Goals

Goals matter. They matter a lot. In your endeavors, you need to know what you’re aiming for. If you’re going to make a difference, it ought to be a difference worth making.

And if you’re spending your valuable (and irretrievable) time and attention on a goal, it makes sense to make sure that goal is worth the investment.

Here are three principles to apply to setting goals worth achieving and one essential reminder for maintaining your wellbeing while working toward them.

Reflection

Think back on your recent experience with making change happen. What comes up? What feelings arise?

What positive responses emerge? Are these ones you wish to continue and amplify? If negative sensations come up, what are their opposites? Are these worth adding to your list of feelings to cultivate?

This list is your measuring stick against which future decisions should be made.

Relationships

Who do you find yourself spending the most time with? Are they enriching your experience in developing and delivering your work? Are some of those people unsupportive or discouraging?

Who would you like to spend less time with? Whom would you like to be around more often?

The company you keep has an enormous impact on your sense of flourishing as you strive toward your goals. Choose wisely.

Routines

In your day-to-day, what activities energize you? Which exhaust you? What habits fuel your forward progress? Are any daily rituals actually just unconscious wastes of time?

What can you put on your “stop-doing” list? What goes on your “do-more” list? What got you where you are won’t get you where you want to go. What new habits can you establish to get you from where you are now to where you want to go next?

You are what you repeatedly do.

A Reminder

Goals are not the same as outcomes. We rarely hit the bullseye with our aims and aspirations. Opportunities and obstacles arise that we couldn’t possibly have seen when we set our intention. There are too many forces beyond our control.

When you set goals with intention and approach the work with integrity, you ensure that you’ll make progress in a direction worth going. The real benefits are not the results or rewards, but the quality of your endeavor and effort.
BHAG 2021 Challenge
By: Gregory Affsa
Tags: Goal Setting, Self Improvement, Goals, Self Development, 2021

“Better to climb and fall and lie bruised than to never have desired the height.” — Mary Antin, Author and Immigration Rights Activist

Photo by Ricardo Rocha on Unsplash

The events of 2020 have reshaped our lives in countless ways. As challenges and changes stack one on top of the other, it can be easy to want to put your life into “safe mode”. We shut down all extraneous functions and attempt to just ride it out. Sometimes this is necessary to do for a short period of time but the longer we sit in “safe mode” and choose not to adapt, the more difficult it can be to start up again.

Life isn’t meant to be lived in safe mode so I’m issuing a challenge to everyone who reads this to set a Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal (BHAG) for 2021. This shouldn’t be something that you’d be expected to have as a goal like a promotion. Your BHAG should push you out of your comfort zone. It should challenge you to achieve, learn, experience, or build something that you could very likely fail doing.

The emotional sensation we feel after achieving something is like a flash going off. There is an overwhelming surge of joy that quickly tapers the further we get from the event of achievement. BHAG’s are not about the fleeting flashes of success, they’re about momentum, mindset, and resilience. Mediocre goals take mediocre efforts and produce mediocre results. BHAG’s take monumental efforts that test us and help us grow in new and unique ways.

Back in August I made a series of posts about my experience with the Personal Design Sprint kit (catch up here if you’d like). I’ve been working on the outcome of that sprint for the last couple of months and will be sharing more about that in 2021. It is my BHAG.

I highly encourage you to take the next few weeks of 2020 and dream up all the different goals you have, and anything you want out of life. Make a list, and pick one.
Be More Disciplined.
Tags: Goal Setting, Self Improvement, Goals, Inspiration, New Year Resolution

New Year’s Resolution #1

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. *cue Andy…or Patti…or Pentatonix*

It is the time of year when we start thinking about our New Year’s resolutions. And if you’re anything like millions of your other fellow citizens, you’ve probably been over 2020 and have been planning for 2021 since March. I applaud your proactivity and foresight, you overachiever you.

As we approach this time marked by reflection and optimism, the New Year prompts us to be more goal-oriented and resolution-minded.

Maybe you had a few pounds creep up on you during quarantine and you’re ready to work out again and maybe lay off the late-night DoorDash.

Maybe you went crazy on Etsy during #BlackOutTuesday to support the cause, now you want to develop better spending habits.

Maybe this pandemic made you realized how much you need an emergency fund, so you set a savings goal.

-Maybe you’re ready for a new career or to start that business you’ve been mulling over all year.

Great! Go for it! But wait — at the top of your resolution list, in the #1 spot write: be more disciplined.
By December 31st, It’ll Be Too Late
By: Daniel P. Donovan
Tags: Personal Development, Goal Setting, Self Improvement, Goals, Personal Growth

By December 31st, It’ll Be Too Late

Photo by Spenser Sembrat on Unsplash

In years past, I’ve always made a huge mistake when setting my upcoming goals and resolutions.

Yes, I do believe setting goals and resolutions is important. Perhaps not as important as most people make them out to be. But at least important enough to spend some time every year thinking about them.

The only problem is…

Most people wait far too long to start. And that includes me, too.

Here’s the thing…

If you wait until the end of the year to set your goals and resolutions, there’s often an element of ‘rush’ that gets in the way.

In other words, you end up feeling like you’re under a deadline and settle for the first goal that comes to mind. Then you feel guilty whenever you want to shift gears and try something else.

Don’t do that to yourself.

Instead, start planning earlier.

The truth is…

Your goals and resolutions should never be some random thought you caught on a whim. They should be a true representation of the ideals you want and strive for.

And because of that, they deserve far greater care and attention from you.

They need brainstorming.

They need deep thinking.

They need ample time to unearth with intention.

But they’ll never get that in the last week of December — and they’ll certainly never get that on December 31st.

They must be nurtured earlier.

So, what does this mean for you?

Well, today is November 25th. That means we have 36 days until the end of the year.

If you want something more for yourself in 2021, now’s the time to start thinking about it.

Give yourself a day. Give yourself a weekend. Give yourself as much time as you possibly can to think about what you want.

By January 1st, you should be able to hit the ground running . . . NOT be left confused and wondering where you should even start.
A Fun Way to Set and Reach Goals: Meet My Daruma Doll
By: Mark Nelson
Tags: Management And Leadership, Goal Setting, Daruma, Goals, Japanese Culture

Me and my Daruma Doll

Here’s a fun way to set and reach goals. This is my Daruma Doll. He sits on my desk, staring at me with one eye. He reminds me of something I’m trying to do. Exactly what is my secret.

I was introduced to the Daruma Doll by my Japanese colleagues, Shuji-san and Hatanaka-san, when I worked for Panasonic. I got the chance to see a lot of Japan. It’s a wildly fascinating culture full of tradition I’ll never really understand as an outsider — a gaijin. But inevitably some of Japan rubbed off on me and I’m the better for it.

The Daruma Doll is based on a historical figure, Bodhidharma or just Dharma for short where the current form “Daruma” comes from. He was a 5th century Buddhist monk who could legendarily meditate for long periods and so became associated with perseverance. The saying, “Nanakorobi Yaoki,” is associated with him. It means, “Seven times down. Eight times up.” We all get knocked down, but we can persevere. Getting back up is the key.

The Daruma Doll comes with blank eyes. The tradition is to make a goal and color one eye in. Then set him somewhere he can look at you with that one eye and remind you of your goal. When you accomplish your goal, you color in the other eye. There is some symbolism of enlightenment, seeing more clearly now that your goal is achieved.

Next, you take your doll to the temple, burn him on a bonfire, get another doll, and set another goal. It becomes part of the cycle of life — a continuous stream of striving, achieving, and striving again. What a simple and beautiful tradition.

So this is my Daruma Doll. He may or may not ever be burned on a bonfire. But for now, he sits on my desk and reminds me of something I’m trying to do.

Pick one up on Amazon and add a little fun to your goal setting. If you’re a manager, consider buying a dozen and handing them out in your 1:1’s while you discuss goal setting with each employee. It’s a cute little gift that can motivate, serve as a reminder, and bring a little fun to setting and reaching goals.
What I Learned from Learning the Piano as an Adult
By: Nancy Huang
Tags: Adult Learning, Personal Improvment, Goal Setting, Determination, Chasing The Dream

Make your own kind of music → Chase Your Dream

Life is too short to follow someone else’s dreams. When I first told my parents I decided to learn the piano, they were immediately enthused, “Your sister plays Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata so well. Ah, this is great. You will be able to play Chopin one day! We love how Ruby plays the classics.” Remember that Fur Elise goal? Looking back, it probably had something to do with pleasing my parents or proving to them that I could play classical music too.

I did start out by trying to learn the classical piano pieces. As it turns out, I did not enjoy playing the classics one bit. On the verge of giving up, I chanced upon a YouTube clip of this 10 year old playing the piano and singing My Heart Will Go On and I thought, “I want to do that!” I discovered I love playing contemporary music because it means I can play (badly) and sing (even worse). I love subtly changing the mood of the music to reflect how I feel. As the Mamas and Papas said in their song, ‘make you own kind of music and sing your own special song’. If you want to invest the time to learn something new, do something you enjoy.

Seven years on, I may not have mastered the piano with the diligent study the teenage-me may have, but I can pick up a piece of Easy Play song and give it red hot go. I now get the utmost pleasure out of belting out Let it Go whenever I want. Sometimes, I play it with angry when I am fed up and sometimes I play it with melancholy when I’m feeling a bit down.

Looking back, I do marvel at how I managed to learn to play the piano, given all the hard work and the hours of practice to get to this point. I even occasionally wonder if I would have the energy and dedication to learn something else from scratch now. Deep down, I know I do —I did it before, I can do it again.

Like I said, we never doubted ourselves when we were kids. We persisted with learning how to walk and how to talk. Why should it be any different now if we decide we want to learn another skill as an adult?
How An Ordinary Journal Can Help You Reach Extraordinary Life Goals
By: Eva Keiffenheim
Tags: Goal Setting, Self Improvement, Journaling, Bulletjournal, Productivity

James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, wrote that you don’t rise to the level of your goals but fall to the level of your systems. So the best systems aren’t the most sophisticated ones, but the methods you consistently stick to. Only implemented systems can catch you if you fall.

The Bullet Journal system is almost too easy to implement to be true.

In 2017, lying in my student apartment in Santiago de Chile and staring at the method’s description, I almost closed the tab. I felt Cal Newport was clearly overarching writing about the Bullet Journal, “it will not only help you get more organized but will also help you become a better person.”

Turns out my skepticism was misplaced.

Three years and 14 bullet journals later, I can confidently say this method can improve any life. The system helped me establish an NGO, thrive in self-employment, read 52 books a year, run a weekly podcast, and write 100 Medium articles within five months while living in a flourishing partnership.

Your Bullet Journal will be a system that catches you if you fall and support your way to reaching your goals. Here’s how you can use it.
Challenge Yourself First
By: James Germain
Tags: Work Life Balance, Goal Setting, Goals, Work, Productivity

Challenge Yourself First

Photo by x ) on Unsplash

Today I woke up and attempted to resist watching Netflix, but the Queen’s Gambit is just so good, or I only become a grandmaster at procrastination? I want to change my life and start earning more income by working online, but I’ve made a few pennies for my time. I think about working on the things I need to accomplish a lot; unfortunately, I’m just spinning my wheels and not going very far.

I needed a change today, so I left my gorgeous girlfriend alone on the couch and decided to start writing whatever came to my mind. I started with a single goal in mind — Helping just one person through their struggles today. That’s all I needed, and I was off to writing the current masterpiece you find yourself sipping your coffee and reading.

The truth is my audience is small, but that doesn’t bother me because I still get a rewarding comment every week from them. Last week, a young man said that my YouTube video about growing on YouTube inspired him six months ago and now has 2500 subscribers! Reaching people and encouraging them has always been my North Star online. Having an audience that captivates me into building something that can inspire others to achieve financial independence is the ultimate reward.

Today I didn’t have a to-do list, but instead, I had a challenge. I challenged myself to reach one more person just like that YouTuber, and I have yet to receive that particular comment, but it’ll show up. I have to continue to put in the work.

Instead of thinking of your online work as work, I find it helps to think of it as a challenge. It’s better to rise to the occasion than to drown in the miseries that come with the work. We all know growing an audience on social media is hard work. It’s time to stop turning the passion we love into work and enjoy the process by doing more of what we love.

So if you’re wondering why you’re here? Well, maybe you’re joining me in procrastination, and it’s time for you to get started building your future.

I challenge you to stop surfing the web, watching Netflix, and avoiding your dreams. Start living them by spending the next hour of your life, achieving anything toward them.

Good Luck,

I know you need it because going viral is hard and living on pennies is impossible.
Overcome Your Resistance And Get What You Want
By: Lukas Schwekendiek
Tags: Personal Development, Resistance, Goal Setting, Life Advice, Self Improvement

Most of us are very motivated individuals.

We want to do a lot in life, for which we have big dreams that often require a lot of work.

Sometimes, this work discourages us, but often we go forth anyway, creating battle plans and setting up habits to support that dream.

It might be a week in, maybe a month for some or a few for the really disciplined individuals, but most people will find Resistance before long.

The grind starts to get monotonous, the rewards decrease in originality and impact, and the times between rewards gets longer and longer.

We look to our goals realizing that the dream we have is far further away than we had first imagined, which makes us ever increasingly resistant to working for the dream.

We get enticed by the beautiful, large, gilded Treasure Chest on the other side of the swamp until we are neck deep in it and wonder if braving the swamp was ever worth that Treasure.

This is how it started for most of us.

We kept going for dream after dream, not holding anything back, only to get met with failure after failure, and we let it discourage us.

Nowadays we have created a Comfort zone on a bank somewhere in that Swamp. We set up a camp there, have made the place look as nice as possible and we dare not go far into the swamp.

It’s fine up here in our self-built home, but it is not our dream.

And every time we wander into the swamp, we miss what we had and fear loosing the Comfort we had built forever; So we stop ourselves from trying.

In an attempt to protect us from another possible failure our mind resists our attempts to change our lives and we then not only struggle against the swamp but also against the pessimism in our head.

This is the Resistance that kills most dreams before they start.

But if you followed along with the analogy of the swamp, you will likely already see how to get rid of that Resistance.

To defeat that Resistance once and for all there are two things you must do:
Where People Go Wrong With Goal Setting
By: Gio Guerrero
Tags: Kaizen, Help, Productivity, Goal Setting

You are not using your goals correctly!

Goal setting is something that a lot of people simply don’t really understand. That is to say that they take the entire wrong approach to it, which in turn results in them never seeing the results that they hoped to see.

There are lots of things we could improve about goal setting, but for now we’re going to look at one thing specifically that relates to the Japanese concept of “kaizen.”

That is: being too ambitious right away.

Now, just to be clear, there is nothing wrong with ambition. There is nothing wrong with deciding your goal is to become president of the United States, to have the best body that anyone has ever had. Or to become filthy rich.

That’s all fine.

The problem is when you try and achieve that immediately.

The perfect example of this is working out. So many people will go from not exercising at all, to taking on a training program that is hugely too ambitious for them. So for example, they might decide that they are going to try and work out four times a week at the gym. That sounds like a reasonable and modest goal, until you realise that they’re going to be training for an hour, probably travelling for 30 minutes, and likely showering for 20. Throw in getting changed, and preparing for the next day, and suddenly you’re introducing about 8 hours of work into your routine.

Eight hours is not a small amount. In fact, it is an entire working day!

Not only is this a huge amount of time, but it’s also a huge amount of energy you are expected to expend. And if you aren’t exercising right now, it’s probably because you don’t have the time or energy! What is going to change this time exactly?

Better is to set a target of training at home for 20 minutes twice a week. A far more modest aim, but a much healthier start.

A similar example is when someone wants to create an app. So often they will come up with an idea for an app they think will change the world — an app that they think can rival Facebook. This requires cloud computing, security measures, and all sorts of other things! Can they program? Well… no.

There is nothing wrong with this ambition. But it should not be the first thing they make. The first thing they make should be a clever calculator, or a throw away game. THAT is how you succeed.

Start small. Be consistent. Success takes time.
Goals Not Complete? How to Successfully Finish 2020
By: Linda Thrasher
Tags: Goal Setting, Small Business Goals, New Year Resolution, Startup Lessons, Leadership

Goals Not Complete? How to Successfully Finish 2020

Photo by Eliza Diamond on Unsplash

There’s less than six weeks until 2021.

Thank goodness, right?

Between the global pandemic and sputtering economy, most of us are ready to flip the calendar to a new year.

But not so quick.

If you’re running your own business, leading a startup or working in any organization that has a calendar fiscal year, you are feeling anxious about undone lists, unachieved objectives or missed goals.

I know the feeling. I’m looking at an unfinished list too.

My business partners and I were hoping 2020 would be the year to start construction on a large manufacturing plant. We were so excited a year ago. We could practically smell the fresh dirt being turned in the large field.

Until last spring, that is.

As COVID-19 struck, investors and banks paused. The economy sputtered.

Where are we today? Hardly touching the soil.

Instead, we shifted gears and filing out financing documents for a federal government loan guarantee.

We are also maneuvering through complex negotiations with potential partners.

And, our $100 million equity raise is in slow gear as we finalize other project details.

Bah humbug.

Rather than throw our hands up in despair, here’s what my business partners and I are doing to end the year successfully.

Our tips can help you, too.
Making Your First $1000 on Medium Is Easier Than You Think
By: Xin Xin
Tags: Writing, Design Thinking, Goal Setting, Fomo, Productivity

Good writing isn’t enough, one must attract the paying audience. Successful Medium writers like Tim Denning knows a built-in audience, our fellow writers.

Your story must have value to your audience to make them happy, enough to follow you.

Each writer who follows you will help you build your 1,000 true fans.

The idea of 1,000 true fans is simple, your true fans will consume your work as a writer.

1,000 true fans is an alternative path to success other than stardom. — Kevin Kelly

Let’s do the Math

There are 30,000 writers on Medium, the majority of which, are paying Medium members.

If you can attract 1,000 writers or roughly 3.33%, and from experience, a story about my writing journey, a writing tip, or about Medium curation pays me $3 an hour of reading time.

If your 1,000 true fans read you for an hour each month, you can make $3,000 monthly.

We all know writers are busy, so let us break it down further to 20 minutes, which means you have the potential to earn $1,000 a month from writers.

If each one stays 2 minutes on your story, you only need 10 good stories, writers will like to read each month.

Most of us, want to know how successful Medium writers do it, even if we have read the idea of 1,000 true fans a thousand times, we still read the same story from another writer, because writers like everyone else have the FOMO or fear of missing out, and if we keep on supporting each other, we can all make money online as writers.
Setting Annual Goals in 2021
By: Kasia Manolas
Tags: Metrics, Goal Setting, Digital Marketing, Goals, Vision

The most successful people set goals. But there’s more to setting goals than creating a vision board, journaling, or writing down a list. Goal-setting is a process, and when it’s done well, you’re already far ahead of everyone else before the year even starts.

I’ve been playing with annual goals for a few years, but hadn’t locked in a process that I loved until now. This is the process that I’m using this year and I’m excited to share it.

What’s fun about the process is that it is relevant to your entire life: your close relationships, professional life, health, side hustles, etc.

I created three digital assets that help you move through the flow from your big vision, to what metrics matter, and then last, what actions you’re taking to get there.

Vision Metrics Action

Start here👇

Your 2021 Vision
Goal Invalidation (And How to Avoid It) — Lose Weight With Ang
By: Lose Weight With Ang
Tags: Healthy Eating, Fitness Tips, Goal Setting, Goals, Workout

Making goals and sticking to them is what drives personal progress. We all have dreams to become better at something, and many of us make the sacrifices to do just that. We love to share our goals with the people around us hoping for encouragement, but sometimes, we face goal invalidation instead.

What is goal invalidation, you ask? Well, I kind of just made that name up. But it’s a very real form of emotional bullying. To describe goal invalidation, we first need to know what invalidation is.

What is Invalidation?

Emotional invalidation is when someone dismisses another person’s beliefs, or rejects that it’s good judgement. Like gaslighting, this can make the person feel insignificant, ashamed, or full of self-doubt. They may end up questioning their feelings and possibly suffer emotionally because of it.

One form of invalidation seen commonly revolves around goal setting. Someone sharing their goals may face this when a family member or friend gives an unwanted and critical opinion. An example of this is someone learning a new language simply to broaden their horizons, and a friend tells them it will take a long time for little gain.

“Success is steady progress toward one’s personal goals.” Jim Rohn Click To Tweet

Weight Loss Invalidation Phrases

“I could never be like that, it’s too…”

“Come on, it’s just one. Eat it!”

“You’re fine the way you are!”

Goal invalidation can dampen the spirits of someone who dreams big. While not always meant to be negative, it can leave the recipient worrying that they have the wrong mindset. People may make these types of comments with good intentions, trying to be nice or even to compliment.

In reality, these comments are not supportive or useful. It provides no value to discourage someone from reaching their goals, unless their goals are going to hurt them in the long run. In that case, sitting them down and talking it through candidly is recommended.

Avoiding Words of Discouragement

Being supportive is imperative to helping your friends and family reach their goals. Offer encouragement, and try not to give unwanted advice. Ask if there’s anything you can do to help. Let them know they’re doing a great job. Regardless of how you feel, it’s a good thing to make goals and strive to achieve them.

You don’t have to agree or feel like their path is meant for you as well. Just simply be supportive and accepting. It’ll go a long way.

Thanks for reading everyone. If you’ve found any value in this post, please subscribe to my blog for future updates. Stay safe, and good luck with your goals!

This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission with no additional cost to you. Thanks!
Week Ahead: 45 Days Left in 2020
Tags: Scrum, Goal Setting, Time Management, Project Management, Productivity

This week is starting off with a bang! This weekend has landed me with a great professional opportunity: a free scrum training where I earned my Scrum Foundation Professional Certificate. This professional certification is not even mentioned in my Friday’s week in review video.

This is not the only change this week. Read on this see what else has changed over this weekend and to start off this week.

Using my Scrum Foundation Professional Certificate As A Springboard

This Saturday, I passed my second Scrum certification. I stumbled upon it through a free scrum training class. I did not even think that this was the actual certification link. I wrote all about it here.

I am just happy that I have a second scrum certification and can use this as a springboard towards landing more scrum projects and jobs. Connect with me at www.carlarjenkins.com/contact

I have two interviews this week. I am still sustaining the October 2020 job momentum and see myself landing a new full-time opportunity by December. And that is before the new scrum certification.

Now with a new scrum certification, I see my path accelerating even further.

Keep Expanding My Network

I am not sitting on my laurels. This week I will participate in the Ohio Means Jobs virtual job fair this week. In addition, I have found another cleared job virtual event. I will keep expanding my professional network through my scrum certification.

Switch From AWS Machine Learning to AI-100 AI Engineer

During Friday, I was studying to pass my AWS Machine Learning certification. Well, Microsoft sent my Cloud Skills Challenge free exam voucher and immediately I started studying to pass my AI-100 AI Engineer certification.

Originally I was supposed to go with AI Engineer certification but my free exam voucher was held up. Now that it was released I was back on passing my AI-100. I was grateful to have my AI-900 served as the foundation to pass. One thing about me was that I hated staying at the bottom and passing my AI-100 AI Engineer would put me at the top.

Sign Up For The Black Friday List

Finally, don’t forget to sign up to receive over 50% off everything in my store this Black Friday. I will have everything discounted to help me move your personal brand forward. My store is all about fulfilling your professional development needs to get you to your next level. Sign up at www.carlarjenkins.com/blackfridaylist