Greetings!
With 2021 drawing to a close, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the year that was, and think back on all the insight we gleaned from it. Of course, for me, much of that insight translated into 40 editions of Notes From Ed!
I have a few favorites, each with messages that resonated for one reason or another, and since we’re in the waning days of the year, why not take another look at the seven best Notes of 2021?
- According to Albert Einstein, the key to a happy life is to have a goal. I particularly liked that everyone’s favorite German physicist had something smart to say about goals, and his quote–“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things”–gave me the perfect opportunity to talk about the important elements of a goal-setting plan.
- Since February is when a lot of people tend to fall off the horse when it comes to the journey toward reaching their goals, I figured it was a perfect time to remind people that it’s okay, these things happen. It’s why we make a Fall Off the Horse Plan, as well as commitments to others and accountability appointments!
- In April I delved into the paradox of mindset, and how some people see routines as rewards and some see them as punishments. This gave me the perfect opportunity to talk about Arnold Schwarzenegger, his quote about how he saw hard workouts as something to smile about, as they brought him closer to his goal.
- Do you prefer to look into a mirror that makes you appear skinnier? Or a mirror that makes you look bigger? In terms of accomplishing your goals, this translates into a discussion about positive and negative reinforcement–a discussion I explored in August.
- Do you know the difference between “what” and “how” when it comes to achieving goals? It’s an important distinction, and one I dug into in two separate Notes installments. While the first discussion pointed out that there can be multiple “how’s” for each what, the second discussion focused on the fact that reasonable people can disagree on “how” but still agree on “what”.
- Finally, in October, I talked about how prior to the pandemic, FOMO (a.k.a., fear of missing out) was prevalent. But being locked down, working remotely and spending more time with family has shown us that JOMO–the joy of missing out–is better, especially when what you’re missing is commuting to work and wasting time on tasks no longer essential to life.
These are my favorite Notes for 2021, but you might have a different list. Are there any that stood out to you in terms of message and insight?
Let me know. In the meantime, have a happy New Year!
P.S. PROJECT BOLD LIFE: The Proven Formula to Take on Challenges and Achieve Happiness and Success is a complete system for planning your life to get what you want, and has been a top seller in three categories: “Motivational Growth & Spirituality”, “Personal Success & Spirituality” and “Management Skills”. I hope you check it out if you have not purchased a copy.
P.S: I will be appearing on WCPT820 in Chicago at 7:00am CST on Saturday, January 1. I will be talking about setting goals you can accomplish! Go to https://www.wcpt820.com to stream the show.
