A newsletter exploring growth and identity; grounded in research and drawn from personal insight—occasional deep dives, occasional stumbles, but always seeking North.
A different way to plan the new year
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We are at that time of the year where it is natural to pause, reflect on the past months, and look ahead to the new year. But to be honest, Reader, New Year’s resolution don’t really work for me. Mostly because I know goals or outcomes really don’t motivate me. For example, I go to the gym consistently because I value well-being. I have no specific goal but honoring the commitment to a healthy lifestyle. The process itself is part of who I want to be. I suspect there are other people like me who are much more driven by the joy of the process than whatever promise lie at the finish line. If this is you, consider my approach to planning the new year that is rooted in identity/values. Instead of asking: “What do I want to achieve?” I ask, “Who do I want to become?” Then I design small experiments to help me embody those values. For example, if I want to lean into kindness, I might look for small, everyday opportunities to express it, like a spontaneous thank-you message to someone who helped me, or being more present to friends having a rough season. I do it because it feels right and aligns with who I want to be, not because I need to check a box or hit a metric. I think our current system is built for people who are goal driven and we see lots of resources this time of the year catered to them: resources/tips/tools for measuring and hitting metrics. And the danger is that people like us feel forced to use frameworks that will not work for us, and even discourage us. So, if the usual new years resolutions this period don’t resonate with you, consider this shift: Instead of asking, “What do I want to achieve this year?” ask yourself, “Who do I want to become?” Then take small steps, rooted in curiosity and joy, to live into that identity. If this idea speaks to you, I’ve developed a framework to reflect and plan for the year ahead. And I’m happy to share with you. Feel free to download and customise as you wish.
Henry |
Finding North
A newsletter exploring growth and identity; grounded in research and drawn from personal insight—occasional deep dives, occasional stumbles, but always seeking North.
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