Leaping headfirst into a third decade on this planet is a trip.
In an innumerable number of ways the gods have been favourable, fortune has favoured the fortuitous - as it seems to do. Great family, work and health - happy days! That said, in an outrageously large number of ways there’s room for improvement. An avalanche of untapped potential. This year I choose to really try to correct that. To bathe in the avalanche.
"Somebody once told me the definition of hell: 'On your last day on earth, the person you became will meet the person you could have become.' — Anonymous."
Akin to this, a teacher in primary school once wrote in a report something along the lines of: he has fantastic aptitude (natural ability) and with more application will do great things. The story of my life. Somehow I’ve taught myself that doing well, without effort (or at least - externally perceived effort), is the aim.
Compare, for a second, this mindset to that of characters at the courageous end of ambition:
- Muhammed Ali said “I am the greatest” before fighting Sonny Liston in 1964. He would later recount “ I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew i was”
- Michael Jordan said “You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.”
- Tina Fey said “Confidence is 10 percent hard work and 90 percent delusion.”
So, given this wisdom, Inertia can do one! I choose to change - here’s how:
First, time to take advantage of a wonderful cognitive bias called the Fresh Start Effect. This is the finding that humans tend to motivate ourselves into good habits by using a new week, month, year or national holiday marker to put past behaviour behind us and focus on being better.
So enter 2020 and that’s the end of alcohol for me for twelve months. I’d like to think this was always something enjoyed in moderation featuring (mostly) strict adherence to Dry January, Lent & Sober October. This year I was moved to action by a) having failed to achieve a number of 2019 goals and b) a Rich Roll podcast with this fellow proclaiming:
“We’ve been told that freedom is freedom to pursue our desires, but true freedom is freedom from our desires”
—Russel Brand
Truer words are rarely ever said.
Second, time to take advantage of the Seinfield Strategy. This is a supremely simple method of goal mapping that is built upon the idea that “what gets measured, gets managed”. Jerry Seinfeld, one of the greatest comedians of all time, started out as young guy with an old school calendar up on the wall. He would mark it with a huge cross every time he hit a daily target. That daily target was simply this: to work on his craft. Writing jokes. Despite how he was feeling, or if he was up for it. He would commit to the routine, the discipline, the consistency. And as you mark each day, something wonderful happens:
“After a few days you’ll have a chain. Just keep at it, the chain will grow longer every day. You’ll like seeing that chain. Your only job is to not break the chain.”
—Jerry Seinfeld
Now our friend Jerry here had a singular focus: comedy. Respect sir - we are not built the same. Jack of all trades is more my speed. That said, the principle is adaptable.
So as of Wednesday 8th January 2020 I have begun to track each day that I spend working towards my goals. These goals are split into the following categories: Physical, Mental, Emotional, Spiritual and Musical. Key: Green = spent time working on it. Red = didn’t spend time working on it. Yellow = In progress. Pink = I did it somehow!
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Immersive Theatre with Phoebe
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Bribandit in Watamu
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Carl and Mumbi shredding keys
Aunt Judy sailing the high seas
