1 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: Hello everybody. I'm Jemma Spake and welcome back to the 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,319 Speaker 1: Psychology of Your Twenties, the podcast where we talk through 3 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: the biggest changes, moments, and transitions of our twenties and 4 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: what they mean for our psychology. Hello everybody, Welcome back 5 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:29,920 Speaker 1: to the show. Welcome back to the podcast. New listeners, 6 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: old listeners, Wherever you are in the world, it is 7 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,840 Speaker 1: so great to have you here. Back for another episode. 8 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 1: Back for the first episode of twenty twenty six. That 9 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: feels bizarre to say twenty twenty six, like the years 10 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 1: really do start coming and they don't stop coming. But 11 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: I have a good feeling about this year, like a 12 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: really good feeling. Not to jinx anything. I'm also very superstitious, 13 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: but the energy I just feel for the next twelve 14 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 1: months feels amazing, and I'm hoping either you're feeling that 15 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: as well, or perhaps my unrealistic, delusional enthusiasm is rubbing 16 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 1: off on you, as some of my long time listeners 17 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 1: may know, especially if you have been here for maybe 18 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: more than a year or two. At the start of 19 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 1: every new year, I personally like to set a theme 20 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 1: for myself for the twelve months ahead, and I like 21 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: to share that theme with you guys. Obviously, I also 22 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 1: set personal goals and I have personal ambitions for myself 23 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: that I'm like privately working on. But my theme is 24 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 1: like the overall tone I like to bring to every 25 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 1: decision for this year, every crossroad, my daily choices, my 26 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: daily behaviors. I use it as a guiding philosophy. And 27 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 1: the reason I do this is actually based on this 28 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 1: psychology paper I read a few years back on and 29 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: what it means to live a good life and what 30 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: people who deem themselves as having a good life do 31 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,799 Speaker 1: or have or think about and what they also avoid. 32 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 1: And in this paper, it was published in twenty twenty one, 33 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: they looked at over two hundred people over an entire year, 34 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 1: and essentially what they found was that people who articulated 35 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: a grounding belief system and had a strong personal philosophy 36 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,839 Speaker 1: for their lives and for their year were more motivated, 37 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:37,079 Speaker 1: They were happier, they experienced greater psychological health, and they 38 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 1: made more progress towards their goals compared to people who 39 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 1: you know, didn't have a guiding philosophy or just had 40 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 1: goals by themselves. The reason why is because it didn't 41 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 1: just improve their motivation. It improved autonomous intrinsic motivation. This 42 00:02:55,040 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 1: is the strongest motivational source, and it comes from genuine enjoyment, fulfillment, 43 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: personal value alignment rather than external expectations, rather than a 44 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: fear of punishment, a fear of rejection. We know that 45 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 1: time and time again. People who pursue things because they 46 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: genuinely set their soul on fire, because it genuinely inspires them, 47 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 1: and they find a way to do it and make 48 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 1: it fun, they are more likely to find success and 49 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 1: more likely to feel successful. Having these higher order values 50 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 1: they sometimes call them, also helps with successful goal setting 51 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: because you're basically not putting any filler items on your 52 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: twenty twenty six goal list. Everything comes from this theme. 53 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: Everything comes from the heart, everything comes from the core 54 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 1: value and core guidelines that are driving you from this year. 55 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: That is obviously a long tangent. Basically, it's just a 56 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 1: way of saying that if you want to be successful, 57 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: however success looks for you, but specifically, if you want 58 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 1: to be successful in your goals, having a theme first 59 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: and foremost is important. Last year, our theme was your 60 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: Year for trusting yourself, trusting your instincts, knowing what's right 61 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: for you, what's wrong for you, trusting your ability to 62 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: endure hard things. And this year is your year for 63 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:33,720 Speaker 1: doing less and achieving more. Think being picky about what 64 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:38,599 Speaker 1: you choose to take on. Think making your time and 65 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 1: your energy quite an expensive, exclusive thing. Think really devoting 66 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 1: yourself to one or two big ambitions or projects instead 67 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:52,359 Speaker 1: of feeling like you have to be a jack of 68 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: all trades master of none. Think especially fighting the pressure 69 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: to do everything, especially in your twenties, and instead slowing down, 70 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 1: being really intentional, and as a result, seeing greater results 71 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: from your concentrated input, from your doing less to achieving more. 72 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 1: So let me explain why I chose this theme this year, 73 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: because there were a few other contenders. I'll literally I'll 74 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:22,839 Speaker 1: tell you what they were. Put my notes up, and 75 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:25,720 Speaker 1: I'll find out. Some themes I tossed up this year 76 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: were your year for working in silence, your year for 77 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:36,280 Speaker 1: simple pleasure, your year for asking for more, your year 78 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: for taking your dream seriously or worthwhile themes by the way, 79 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:41,919 Speaker 1: and like, feel free to steal them from me. But 80 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: your Year for doing less and Achieving more just stood 81 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: above them all because I think it was kind of 82 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:50,119 Speaker 1: a combination of them all as well, but also because 83 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,920 Speaker 1: I think it like reflects a deeper, broader revolution we're 84 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 1: seeing in society of people saying, I don't want to 85 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,719 Speaker 1: feel like I have to do everything. I don't want 86 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: my only value to be productivity. I want to be deep, 87 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: not vast. Last year I was vast, not deep. I 88 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:16,159 Speaker 1: did so much, and yes, outwardly that looks like success, 89 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:20,719 Speaker 1: but I really just left the year craving like devotion 90 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 1: to something, if that makes sense, you know, to revisit 91 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:27,039 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five for a little moment like that was 92 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: probably the biggest year of my life. The gratitude for 93 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 1: it is overwhelming, but I'm going to be honest, I think, 94 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: you know, it really did take a toll on me, 95 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:44,920 Speaker 1: and I really just ended the year being like I'm exhausted, 96 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: and the gratitude therefore is harder. You know. I published 97 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: my book Person and Progress, which please, by the way, 98 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: go and buy the book. That I went on my 99 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 1: book tour. I went to Australia, I went to the US, 100 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 1: I met like over a thousand of you guys, the listeners, 101 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 1: which was like probably the biggest highlight you guys. Side note, 102 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 1: are just so smart, Like every time I meet a 103 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: listener of the show or like you come up to 104 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: me on the street. I'm being completely serious, every single 105 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 1: person I meet is like the coolest person I've ever met, 106 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 1: Like just so smart, so wise, so interesting. So that 107 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:18,679 Speaker 1: was a big highlight. I also started the YouTube channel 108 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: for the podcast. I hired the first like ongoing team 109 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 1: members for the podcast. I ran a half marathon, which 110 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 1: like wasn't on the bucket list. Don't know how that happened. 111 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 1: I adopted my dog, I bought an apartment, I moved countries. 112 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 1: Like that's a lot of stuff, and it's all really 113 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 1: good stuff, you know, I live in London now, Like 114 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 1: that's that still hasn't like fully processed for me, and 115 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: I think some things just kind of slipped through the cracks. 116 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 1: I also started my other podcast, Mantra, which I guess 117 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: I can kind of break the news here, like won't 118 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 1: be returning for a second season. And that's sad to 119 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 1: say because it was something I was really passionate about 120 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: and I really felt like it brought out a different 121 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: side of me. But I was in the doing more, 122 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: achieving more phase, and I think again some things fell 123 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: through the cracks and like, to be honest, I just 124 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 1: didn't have time for that project, and I just kind 125 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 1: of stretched myself too thin, and I wanted to have 126 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: everything that I wanted right now, not realizing that like 127 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 1: by rushing through it, there wasn't as much care and 128 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: there wasn't as much like craft and devotion that is 129 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: really important to me and is what I give and 130 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 1: try to give to everything. And I think that, you know, 131 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 1: so that decision, that outcome of like not doing Maucha 132 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 1: for a second year, has really contributed to this theme. 133 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 1: You know, you may hear this laundry list of things 134 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:50,920 Speaker 1: and be like, damn, like what a productive year Gemma had, 135 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 1: Like that's a really successful year, and it obviously was. 136 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: But I'm also very exhausted, and I think I've fallen 137 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:00,959 Speaker 1: out of love with what I'm doing, which I never 138 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,719 Speaker 1: want to have happen, because having passion and purpose for 139 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: my work is probably like one of my core values. 140 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: Doing more. You know, it's sexy and it looks good, 141 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:17,959 Speaker 1: and it gets results and it gets praise and it 142 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,280 Speaker 1: gets your pats on the back. And if you're people 143 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 1: please you, you're a perfectionist. You're someone who always wanted 144 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 1: academic accomplishment and achievement. Like if you're someone like me, 145 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:30,079 Speaker 1: that feels great. But when you choose to do less 146 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:33,199 Speaker 1: and to be selective, I do believe you achieve more, 147 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 1: not in quantity, but quality, which personally is what I want. Really, 148 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 1: What it comes down to, what this theme is coming 149 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 1: down to is alignment over exhaustion, intentionality over intensity, what 150 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: we do for appearances versus what we do for deep 151 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 1: values and deep desire. The way I've been kind of 152 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: thinking or imagining this approach is imagining approaching my goals 153 00:09:58,559 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: like I'm a student and to be a student, to 154 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: be a goal setter. Like there is kind of two 155 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: kinds of approaches. The first is when you want to 156 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 1: know a little bit about everything. You want to be 157 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 1: vast and have all this knowledge, so kind of move 158 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: between this and that, and of course, like knowledge is 159 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 1: valuable just for knowledge sake. But the second kind of 160 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 1: type of student and type of goal setter looks more 161 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 1: for depth and is basically choosing to specialize. Right. The first, yes, 162 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 1: you come away with a lot, but you don't have 163 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 1: that same deepness to things I want to treat the 164 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 1: few selective things I choose to focus on next year, 165 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 1: almost like a PhD. You become an expert in your goals. 166 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 1: You uncover deeper parts of something. And again that word 167 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:55,440 Speaker 1: we keep coming back to devotion. You devote time and energy, 168 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:58,560 Speaker 1: and I think that represents your love and your care 169 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 1: and giving that to a few things or maybe one 170 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 1: big thing you really want to do well, is I 171 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 1: guess more meaningful to me at the moment now? Obviously 172 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 1: in classic psychology of your twenty style, is there evidence 173 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:14,719 Speaker 1: for this, like, there has to be evidence that this philosophy, 174 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: in this theme actually works to people who do less 175 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 1: achieve more. It sounds really counterintuitive, but honestly the answer 176 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: is absolutely yes. Some of the most successful people in 177 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:31,079 Speaker 1: the world live and work exclusively by this principle of 178 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: doing less to achieve more. Stephen King, for example, only 179 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,680 Speaker 1: rights for like four hours a day. Einstein, you know, 180 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 1: he like frequently took naps. On a bigger scale, take 181 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 1: for example, Warren Buffett. You know, he's just casually one 182 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 1: of the richest people in the world. And not that 183 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 1: wealth is like necessarily the greatest indicator of all of 184 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: life's successes. But for the sake of this, let's say 185 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 1: it is and the advice he gives to people is 186 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 1: to make a list of the top twenty things you 187 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: really want to do or really want to achieve, and 188 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 1: then draw a line below number five. After that, ignore 189 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 1: all the other items on the list until those first 190 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:18,080 Speaker 1: five have been achieved. That is how he says he 191 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: has become the success that he is doing less achieving more. 192 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:26,679 Speaker 1: This is similar to the professor and researcher Angela Duckworth's 193 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 1: idea of the pyramid of goals or goal hierarchies, whereby 194 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 1: she recommends that people identify their pinnacle goal, something that's 195 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: like become a GP, write a book, get an Olympic medal, 196 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: and then ensure that their smaller goals contribute to this 197 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:55,559 Speaker 1: larger one, rather than setting aside the pinnacle goal and 198 00:12:55,679 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 1: just creating random goals and expecting the larger one to 199 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 1: come true, or focusing on a million disparate ones and 200 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 1: then thinking that that's going to create your dream life. 201 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 1: She basically says that when you're in alignment, your main 202 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: purpose and ambition, even if that's just for the year, 203 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,880 Speaker 1: you know, tends to influence all other things and make 204 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 1: stuff happen. And she does also talk about how you know, 205 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 1: sometimes that can feel a little bit limiting, like the 206 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:32,080 Speaker 1: pinnacle goal idea can feel limiting, especially when we're in 207 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,959 Speaker 1: our twenties. You know, there is a lot we want 208 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:36,840 Speaker 1: to do and a lot we want to achieve, and 209 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,320 Speaker 1: we have a lot of energy for our goals. But 210 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 1: having a specific goal at any one time, I think 211 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:47,680 Speaker 1: will help you get to the place of achieving it faster. 212 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 1: It will also help you eliminate that goal if it's 213 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 1: not the right one for you. Being devoted to something 214 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:57,920 Speaker 1: really deeply really helps you figure out whether it's the 215 00:13:57,960 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 1: thing you want to be devoted to for the rest 216 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 1: of your life. You know, for me, having one pinnacle 217 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:07,320 Speaker 1: goal for this year, especially as a twenty something year old, yes, 218 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 1: like initially it felt uncomfortable, but I also realized that, 219 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:16,840 Speaker 1: you know, the cognitive load of trying to do a 220 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 1: million things and not being able to achieve any of 221 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 1: them is far worse than feeling limited by a deliberate choice. 222 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 1: I felt like last year I was more limited by 223 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 1: having a million choices than I do now feeling limited 224 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 1: by having just one or two. Really, the success of 225 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 1: this comes down to just a few psychological principles. Number one, 226 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: being cognitive load theory. You know, our minds have limited 227 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: available resources. It's why you can't, you know, really multitask 228 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 1: or more than like maybe three things at a time, 229 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:02,320 Speaker 1: and having too many priorities, too many goals does the 230 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:04,360 Speaker 1: same thing and often means that you're going to do 231 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 1: all of them worse and not really achieve any of them. 232 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: And it's similar to this idea of scattered versus focused effort. 233 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 1: Scattered effort looks busy because you're freaking running around everywhere, 234 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 1: and it feels productive, and it gives us the comforting 235 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 1: illusion that we are on top of things because we 236 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 1: are seemingly moving acting, and we confuse that with being 237 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: productive when a lot of it is just busy work. 238 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: But cognitively, you know it's one of the least efficient 239 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 1: ways to work. Every time you switch between goals, tasks, contexts, 240 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 1: your brain does pay a cost. It pays a tax, 241 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 1: and that tax is called attention residue. When you have 242 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 1: a million goals for your year, when you're trying to 243 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: do everything all the time, moving between those goals, moving 244 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 1: between those activities, a portion of your focus will always 245 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 1: stay stuck on the previous task, meaning you are never 246 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 1: fully present in the next one. In contrast, focused effort 247 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 1: comes from being selective, and again it means we are 248 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 1: often going to experience deeper work, deeper curiosity, and deeper 249 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 1: joy in the thing that we're doing. So that's basically 250 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: my argument for this year's theme of doing less and 251 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 1: achieving more. Not only is it more enjoyable, it also 252 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 1: seems to be a much more successful approach to life. 253 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: Even if counterintuitively doing more we would think might get 254 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 1: us to place as faster, it seems that the evidence 255 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: doesn't say that. So with that being our twenty twenty sixteen, 256 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:55,840 Speaker 1: let's talk about how we are going to implement it 257 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: and how it should impact your decision making and how 258 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 1: you plan for this year. Stay with us, we'll be 259 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:10,000 Speaker 1: right back after this short break. So at the start 260 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:13,119 Speaker 1: of most years, I typically write down this major list 261 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:16,879 Speaker 1: of things that I want to accomplish, from littles to 262 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 1: mediums to big things. I also always I don't know 263 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:22,679 Speaker 1: if I've talked about this, but I always put something 264 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 1: like really unrealistic and like crazy on the list just 265 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 1: for fun, just because I'm like, yeah, let's keep the 266 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 1: let's keep the creative dreamlight juices flowing. Like last year, 267 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 1: I think I wrote write a movie script on my 268 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:41,199 Speaker 1: goal list, which yeah, unrealistic, is probably undertelling it like 269 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 1: that wasn't that wasn't going to happen. Last year I 270 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:50,399 Speaker 1: actually made a goal bingo card which was like twelve 271 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: squares that I had on my foodage that I wanted 272 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 1: to achieve, and by putting so many things on there, 273 00:17:57,280 --> 00:17:58,879 Speaker 1: like it was a fun activity. But I think I 274 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 1: kind of acknowledged I'm not going to do all of these. 275 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 1: Some of them are going to get cut from the 276 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: get go, some of them aren't gonna get done. And 277 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 1: that's counterintuitive, right, Why do you set a goal? Why 278 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 1: set any goal you basically know you're not going to keep, 279 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:17,199 Speaker 1: just for the sake of setting it and thinking it 280 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:24,600 Speaker 1: may accidentally happen. It's basically signaling, I guess, to yourself 281 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:29,200 Speaker 1: and to your self belief systems, Hey, you don't really 282 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:31,360 Speaker 1: have to follow through. You don't have to follow through 283 00:18:31,359 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 1: with some of these, So why follow through with any 284 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:36,399 Speaker 1: of them? It basically says from the get go, of 285 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:40,280 Speaker 1: these optional? So instead, let's take a page from Warren 286 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:44,240 Speaker 1: Buffett's example, write down the fifteen things you really ideally 287 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:48,440 Speaker 1: would want to accomplish next year, and instead of underlying five, 288 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 1: let's underline three. Two main goals, one reserve goal, one 289 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 1: reserve goal for if you get really lucky and you 290 00:18:56,800 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 1: accomplish those two things before the end of the year. 291 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 1: This stops you from setting goals purely to sue your 292 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:07,879 Speaker 1: anxiety that you're not doing enough or that you should 293 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 1: be doing what others are doing. It also prevents goal conflict. 294 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:14,560 Speaker 1: Too many goals compete for your attention, meaning that you 295 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 1: can never give any of them all of it. I 296 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 1: think it will feel uncomfortable at first because you don't 297 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:24,600 Speaker 1: have this security blanket of promises to yourself that feel 298 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:27,959 Speaker 1: like you're doing something even though you're not. But at 299 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:29,680 Speaker 1: the end of the day, at the end of the year, 300 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 1: I think that you'll see that this is the right 301 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:37,800 Speaker 1: choice to limit yourself now to get more in the future. Alternatively, 302 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: I'm going to give you a different method. I've suggested 303 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:43,120 Speaker 1: this method before. If this one isn't the one for you, 304 00:19:43,840 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 1: if goal setting with only one to two things per 305 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 1: year is hard, break down your twenty twenty six into 306 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 1: three seasons instead, so each four months each season you 307 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:01,479 Speaker 1: have a separate theme, a separate goal or a separate 308 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 1: area that you want to exclusively work towards with concentrated efforts. So, 309 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: like season one, what is that like January to April, Like, 310 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 1: is fitness? That is the thing that is your theme, 311 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 1: that is your main goal for that season. Season two, 312 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 1: once you have that downpat is financeers, this is your 313 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 1: four month period to like commit to deep learning, commit 314 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: to learning, how to invest, to learning, how to budget 315 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:33,159 Speaker 1: educating yourself. And then season three might be, like you 316 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:36,440 Speaker 1: know what, maybe a specific creative project. So if the 317 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:41,400 Speaker 1: two to three goal idea doesn't work, segmenting your year 318 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:44,200 Speaker 1: to prioritize those core things you want to achieve might 319 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:47,400 Speaker 1: be a good alternative. I think both methods work. It's 320 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 1: just about choosing which one's gonna work best for your brain. Like, 321 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:54,680 Speaker 1: if you are someone who gets bored easily, having those 322 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:58,159 Speaker 1: ongoing two to three goals going at at any given time, like, 323 00:20:58,400 --> 00:20:59,960 Speaker 1: it's gonna be more helpful because you're not going to 324 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:02,320 Speaker 1: feel bored and therefore give up. But if you're someone 325 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 1: who can get really obsessive and into a flow state 326 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 1: with things, I think choosing the second is preferable. You 327 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 1: also have to be okay with saying no to things 328 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:15,360 Speaker 1: that may really excite you. I got this opportunity this year. 329 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:16,600 Speaker 1: I don't think I've shared this, but I got this 330 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:20,720 Speaker 1: opportunity to make my own custom guided journals, and that's 331 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 1: a really cool opportunity. It's also something I've wanted to 332 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:26,119 Speaker 1: do for a while. I have a real vision about it. 333 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:29,640 Speaker 1: But I had to really decide, like, is this as 334 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:31,879 Speaker 1: meaningful as the other two goals I really want to achieve? 335 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:34,920 Speaker 1: And sadly it wasn't. So I said no to something 336 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:37,560 Speaker 1: that I've really wanted for a long time, and that 337 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 1: was hard, But I also felt a deep sense of 338 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 1: relief in that, like I knew that that was the 339 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:45,200 Speaker 1: right decision for the moment. I knew that, like turning 340 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:48,240 Speaker 1: this down might be disappointing, that doesn't mean that it's 341 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 1: not going to come back around doing less mean sacrifices 342 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:56,080 Speaker 1: and betting on the idea that it's worth it, and 343 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 1: knowing that, like you want to be able to do 344 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: it well, so give it the space and the time. 345 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:03,400 Speaker 1: The second application of this theme this year, I think 346 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: is figuring out what tasks in your day are necessary 347 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:11,639 Speaker 1: and what things are just signaling busyness. I don't know 348 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:14,439 Speaker 1: about you, but especially when I was at UNI and 349 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:18,040 Speaker 1: I was at my corporate job, I spent a lot 350 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 1: of time doing things that were just like actually useless 351 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:27,120 Speaker 1: and we're just for appearances. One such thing as LinkedIn. Now, 352 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 1: no hate to LinkedIn or my LinkedIn users, but like 353 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 1: the amount that I really thought that madded and that 354 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:36,240 Speaker 1: that was somehow an important thing for my career. The 355 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:39,400 Speaker 1: amount that I was like sending my boss project updates 356 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 1: in like a perfectly curated PowerPoint presentation that she didn't need, 357 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:47,159 Speaker 1: like I thought that madded. The amount of time that 358 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 1: I spent like endlessly reorganizing my to do list instead 359 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: of just doing it, or like color coding my calendar. 360 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:57,440 Speaker 1: You know, yes, having pride in your work and wanting 361 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 1: to be efficient is important, but if you want to 362 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 1: embody out theme for the year, you've got to get 363 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:08,400 Speaker 1: bloody clear on what is actually on your to do list, 364 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:10,440 Speaker 1: what is on your should do list, and what is 365 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:13,200 Speaker 1: on your could do list. I used to put everything 366 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:16,639 Speaker 1: on my to do list as if each task was 367 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:20,440 Speaker 1: of equal importance, and they weren't, and it made procrastinating 368 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 1: easy for me because I could tackle the tasks that 369 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: really had no penalties associated with them, or weren't scary 370 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:31,600 Speaker 1: or didn't require deep work because they still felt that 371 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 1: I was like it felt like I was doing something 372 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:35,640 Speaker 1: and I could convince myself that I was making progress. 373 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 1: It was just a form of like glorified procrastination. So 374 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:42,720 Speaker 1: every week, maybe every day, what you need to do 375 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:45,639 Speaker 1: is write down the things you absolutely need to complete today. 376 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,919 Speaker 1: Keep it minimal, keep it honest. What you should complete today, 377 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,880 Speaker 1: you know, what would make your life easier tomorrow, what 378 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 1: others may be waiting on you for. And if all 379 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:58,199 Speaker 1: else is done and you've got some free time and 380 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:02,480 Speaker 1: you want to work, could you do today what are 381 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:06,800 Speaker 1: some bonus tasks? Because not all those categories are the 382 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:12,120 Speaker 1: same thing. Our focus is on working smarter, not harder, 383 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:16,159 Speaker 1: not fatiguing your mind, not fatiguing our cognitive resources with 384 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:20,040 Speaker 1: stuff that is not essential or important, especially if it's 385 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:25,920 Speaker 1: to give the appearance of productivity, you have to eliminate that. Also, 386 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:29,399 Speaker 1: if you're not busy, if your to do list is done, 387 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 1: let yourself not be busy. You don't have to optimize 388 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 1: every waking minute of your day. And also, here's a 389 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 1: psychological secret for you, sometimes the best thing you can 390 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:44,639 Speaker 1: do to optimize your time is actually not use it 391 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 1: and just enjoy it, just rest, just switch off. If 392 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:51,679 Speaker 1: you take away one study from all of this, I 393 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: want it to be this one. In a study of 394 00:24:54,119 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 1: healthy volunteers, National Institute of Health researchers mapped the activity 395 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:03,919 Speaker 1: that was flowing when we learned a new skill, and 396 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 1: they discovered that taking short breaks from the task, even 397 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 1: taking a few days away at a time, was better 398 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 1: for learning compared to people who just sat there and 399 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:19,640 Speaker 1: kept trying, and kept trying to cram new skills into 400 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:24,639 Speaker 1: an exhausted brain. There is a restorative science to doing nothing. 401 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:28,800 Speaker 1: It's a real tortoise in the hair scenario. Conserving your 402 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 1: energy for more important tasks and goals is the best 403 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:38,919 Speaker 1: method for success. I'm also committing myself this year to 404 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:43,600 Speaker 1: not working on holidays, to not working on my weekend evenings. 405 00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:46,080 Speaker 1: If I can help it, to not succumbing to the 406 00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:51,240 Speaker 1: pressure to see rest as simply free extra unplanned time. 407 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:54,919 Speaker 1: But plan time. My rest time, it's planned. There is 408 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:58,400 Speaker 1: something scheduled, and the something is to do nothing. Especially 409 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 1: if you're a creative person, you know you'll really understand 410 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:05,959 Speaker 1: how important this is in the long run. There's this 411 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:11,960 Speaker 1: amazing article from Scientific America titled why a rested mind 412 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:15,439 Speaker 1: is a creative mind, in which the author talks about 413 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 1: how all great creatives have one thing in common, and 414 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:27,480 Speaker 1: it's not talent, it's not passion. It's time off, sabbaticals, naps, 415 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:30,679 Speaker 1: long lunches, weekend adventures. I just like woven into the 416 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:34,440 Speaker 1: fabric of being a creative person, and I want more 417 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:38,600 Speaker 1: of that. The final way I'm applying this philosophy this year, 418 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 1: this theme is maybe a bit unconventional, but I'm actually 419 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:45,280 Speaker 1: not going to tell people my goals for twenty twenty six. 420 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 1: I've been kind of mentioning that I have two big 421 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 1: ones in this episode. Maybe there's one big goal that 422 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:55,080 Speaker 1: I've mentioned, maybe offline, like in Instagram or something. But 423 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:59,160 Speaker 1: I'm not going to be outwardly talking about my goals 424 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,719 Speaker 1: and not even with friends. Here is why that's going 425 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:05,640 Speaker 1: to link back to my theme for the year. There 426 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:09,600 Speaker 1: is this understanding in goal psychology that telling people your 427 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:14,359 Speaker 1: goals increases your chances of doing them. It's called public commitment, 428 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 1: and to some extent it works. I think they do 429 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 1: it a lot in like AA. It works by leveraging 430 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:26,440 Speaker 1: the extrinsic motivational power of embarrassment. Basically, if I don't 431 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:30,879 Speaker 1: do this, I'll be embarrassed because people will think something 432 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:34,920 Speaker 1: about me. They'll think something is lacking, they'll think I've failed, 433 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:38,280 Speaker 1: and that fear is meant to motivate you. By not 434 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 1: telling people, sometimes we assume that means we aren't going 435 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 1: to be accountable and we can kind of quit silently. 436 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:47,399 Speaker 1: But I read this interesting research the other day that 437 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: said publicly announcing your goals actually reduces motivation if the 438 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 1: announcement creates a premature sense of identity completion before the 439 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:02,439 Speaker 1: work has actually happened. You know, doing the thing that 440 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 1: you set out to do is obviously the number one option, 441 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 1: but saying the thing that you plan to do is 442 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 1: number two, because it indicates to people socially like, oh, 443 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:16,240 Speaker 1: this is part of my identity. This is like, I'm 444 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:17,960 Speaker 1: the kind of person who wants to do this. Whether 445 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:19,680 Speaker 1: I do it or not actually doesn't matter, because I've 446 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 1: already indicated that it's a desire for me. That says 447 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:25,679 Speaker 1: something about me and my character and for me, what 448 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,800 Speaker 1: I've noticed is that when I tell people, I don't 449 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:33,160 Speaker 1: feel as good about the goal anymore. The expectations, whether 450 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:36,080 Speaker 1: people have them or not, it really doesn't matter, kind 451 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:41,360 Speaker 1: of strips the intrinsic desire from it all. It also, 452 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 1: I've found, kind of artificially speeds up the timeline because 453 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:49,280 Speaker 1: you begin to judge your progress by appearances and how 454 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:52,600 Speaker 1: it looks outwardly, rather than how it's feeling to you 455 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:56,400 Speaker 1: as the person who is living within this goal, living 456 00:28:56,440 --> 00:29:00,920 Speaker 1: the steps, living the work, who can organically see progress 457 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:03,880 Speaker 1: others might not be able to because you are with 458 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 1: the goal all the time you are working. So I 459 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 1: want to work in silence. And maybe that's the second 460 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:11,400 Speaker 1: theme of the year, Your year for working in silence, 461 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 1: for falling in love with the process before the results, 462 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:21,960 Speaker 1: for discovering self accountability through enjoyment, through passion and personal 463 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:29,040 Speaker 1: motivation rather than relying on others to perhaps socially punish 464 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:32,280 Speaker 1: you or make you feel embarrassed in order to do something. 465 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:34,480 Speaker 1: So that is our theme for the year, Your year 466 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:37,920 Speaker 1: for doing less and achieving more. I hope the way 467 00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:42,640 Speaker 1: that I've explained that resonates with you and just gives 468 00:29:42,640 --> 00:29:46,840 Speaker 1: you permission just to take a break and just to 469 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:50,600 Speaker 1: focus on less, especially in our twenties. It's so much pressure. 470 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 1: I felt it. I feel it all the time to 471 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:57,360 Speaker 1: be like constantly doing a million different things and saying 472 00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:00,360 Speaker 1: that you're doing a million different things almost like proove 473 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:05,560 Speaker 1: that you're using these years wisely. No, Like having deep 474 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:08,520 Speaker 1: devotion and deep love and deep commitment to just one 475 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,680 Speaker 1: or two things is so much more meaningful. It's like 476 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:15,240 Speaker 1: goal monogamy is more meaningful to me this year. So 477 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:17,600 Speaker 1: I hope it is the same for you. If you 478 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:19,680 Speaker 1: have a different theme for twenty twenty six, leave a 479 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:22,840 Speaker 1: comment below. I would love to hear it. And I'm 480 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:25,240 Speaker 1: so excited for the year to come. I feel like 481 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:28,920 Speaker 1: by now, you guys will have seen a big announcement 482 00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 1: and I, yeah, I feel like I'm going to do 483 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:36,720 Speaker 1: a whole other episode talking about it. But I just 484 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,320 Speaker 1: want to take this second to say thank you so 485 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:42,480 Speaker 1: much and I'm so grateful. I don't think it's quite 486 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:45,800 Speaker 1: hit me yet that that is the next chapter for 487 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: this podcast as unbelievable still, but it's just you guys, 488 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:52,440 Speaker 1: Like you guys did that, You've done it all for 489 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:55,160 Speaker 1: me so that I'm just so grateful and I want 490 00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:58,720 Speaker 1: to say a big thank you. Until next time, be safe, 491 00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 1: be kind, gentle to yourself, and we will talk very 492 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 1: very soon. M