How I'm Setting 2021 Goals 🏔
Hey everyone,
I tend to get reflective around this time of year, and for the last couple years I’ve done an annual review/goal setting exercise during Christmas break.
That said, I’m taking a slightly different approach this year. My emphasis is going to be on habits and consistency rather than meeting goals. Let me explain.
My experience with goal planning typically goes like this:
I’ll think, “Oh, it would be nice to do XYZ. I’ll set a goal to do that.” My downfall tends to be requiring perfection from myself (e.g. go to the gym 3x/week every week; as soon as I miss a week the goal is bust) or setting goals that I’m not that excited about. As a result, I’m generally unhappy when I think about my progress.
I’ve learned over the past couple of years that, for me, consistency is the most important part of improving at anything. As James Clear says, “you don’t rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems.” I’ve made the mistake too often of not prioritizing systematic output, and focusing on things (like goals) that are actually counter to long-term progress.
So, my mantra for the new year is going to be habits over goals. You may have picked up on this shift in my thinking in past newsletters like The Insight of Juggling or Be Allergic to Sunk Costs. In general, I want to focus on the process rather than the result, the journey over the destination.
If you’re interested in this line of reasoning, Clear has an essay that explains it best. How do you approach planning for the new year?
Pete’s Picks ✅
What I’m Reading: I mentioned a concept from Navalmanack a few weeks back and have been reading more of the book this week. Based on tweets and writing from Naval Ravikant, the book is packed with insight and wisdom from one of the most revered thinkers in tech and business. Highly recommend.
What I’m Watching: I’m a sucker for a good true crime series, so I binged The Ripper on Netflix this week. It’s a wild story that doesn’t reflect too well on the municipal police in the UK, but entertaining nonetheless.
What I’m Listening To: I discovered the Acquired podcast this week and have been enjoying it. Because I don’t listen to enough business stories. 😝
Tweet of the Week 🐦
Cheers,
Peter
Great post, Peter! I'm curious how you plan to measure success of the habits you want to build. I like the idea of not having set goals that are either pass/fail by the end of the year. However, by not setting goals how do you gauge whether you're on track with the habits you set to build? How do you define habit? When does it become a habit? How do particular habits contribute to personal growth? I hope these questions spark something that contributes to your planning for 2021. No doubt great things are in store for you!