Category Archives: Planning

2023: A Year of Triumph in Goal Achievement – Lessons Learned for Future Success

As we approach the end of 2023 and gear up for the new year, it’s a time-honored tradition to reflect on our life’s journey and set goals for the future. This year, I experienced a significant triumph in achieving my goals, and I’m eager to share the lessons I learned to help you navigate your path in 2024 and beyond.

Overcoming the Planning Fallacy

One of my biggest hurdles was the planning fallacy, a common trap where we underestimate the time needed for future tasks. This year, however, marked a turning point as I effectively overcame this challenge, leading to my most successful year in goal achievement.

Key Lessons from My 2023 Journey

1. Start with the Big Picture: Vision and Purpose

My year began with a clear vision and purpose, my ikigai. I focused on creating premium courses in personal growth, future work skills, futures thinking, and beekeeping. This alignment with my life’s purpose was crucial for setting and achieving meaningful goals.

2. Embrace Diverse Goals: Input, Output, and Outcome

I set a mix of input, output, and outcome goals. While input goals focused on the time I dedicated each day, especially mornings, output goals were about creating and launching new online courses. The outcome goals, like generating a specific revenue, were the long-term results of my efforts.

3. SMART Goals: A Path to Clarity and Achievement

Setting Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound goals helped me stay on track. Launching a new course each quarter was a tangible and measurable target.

4. Break Your Goals Down: Manageable Steps to Success

Each goal was broken into smaller tasks, such as curriculum development, content writing, and course launching. This made the process manageable and less daunting.

5. Set Rewards: Celebrate Achievements

I paired each achieved goal with a reward – a night away with my wife after each quarter. These rewards were not only motivational but also added joy to our journey.

6. Create Accountability: Share Your Goals

Sharing my goals with my wife created a sense of responsibility. This accountability was a powerful motivator, ensuring I stayed on track.

7. Keep Goals Front and Center: Constant Reminders

Daily reminders, like a mind movie and a visible wall calendar, helped me keep my focus sharp and avoid distractions.

8. Focus on Outputs, Not Outcomes

Concentrating on what I could control, such as the quality of my courses, rather than fixating on outcomes like revenue, was a healthier approach.

9. Routine and Discipline: The Foundation of Success

My disciplined routine, including rising early and dedicating specific hours to goal-related tasks, was integral to my achievements.

10. Reflection and Adaptation: The Key to Continued Success

Regularly reviewing and adapting my strategies ensured that I stayed aligned with my goals and made necessary adjustments.

Wrapping Up 2023 and Looking Ahead

My journey in 2023 stands as a testament to the power of clear vision, structured planning, and disciplined execution in achieving goals. It also underscores the importance of balancing hard work with rewards and personal well-being.

As we all prepare for 2024, I hope these insights from my experiences inspire and guide you in your goal-setting journey. Remember, success is not just about reaching your destination; it’s also about the journey and the lessons learned along the way. Check out the video below where I share my 2023 goal setting journey.

For more insights and strategies on goal setting, be sure to check out my courses and resources on personal growth and effective goal setting. Here’s to a successful and fulfilling 2024! 🌟

Curiosity is more important than knowledge

The quote “Curiosity is more important than knowledge” is often attributed to Albert Einstein, although the exact phrasing might be a paraphrase of his actual words. Regardless of its origin, this statement carries a profound meaning about the nature of learning, growth, and human potential.

Here’s a breakdown of the meaning:

  1. Drive to Learn: Curiosity is the driving force behind the acquisition of knowledge. Without curiosity, one might not seek out knowledge in the first place. A curious mind is always eager to learn, explore, and discover.
  2. Limitations of Knowledge: At any given point, what we know is limited. Knowledge can become outdated, or new discoveries can reshape our understanding. However, curiosity is timeless and can lead us to continually update and expand our knowledge.
  3. Depth of Understanding: Someone who is truly curious won’t just stop at surface-level knowledge. They’ll ask deeper questions, seek to understand underlying principles, and explore various facets of a topic.
  4. Adaptability: In our rapidly changing world, what we know today might not be as relevant tomorrow. However, if we remain curious, we can adapt, learn new things, and remain relevant in various fields.
  5. Innovation and Progress: Many of the world’s greatest discoveries and innovations didn’t come from what was already known, but from individuals who were curious enough to ask “What if?” or “Why not?” and explore uncharted territories.
  6. Lifelong Learning: Knowledge can provide answers to questions we have now, but curiosity ensures we keep asking questions throughout our lives. It fosters a lifelong love for learning.

Curiosity and the future of work

I have a keen interest and expertise in the skills required for the future of work, and I’ve even developed an online course on this subject, titled “Future Skills 2030-Prepare for the 4th Industrial Revolution“. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report (2023) emphasizes the importance of curiosity and lifelong learning, ranking them within the top 5 essential skills for future employment. Furthermore, these traits amplify other vital skills. For instance, curiosity fuels creativity, which the report identifies as the premier emerging skill in 2023. When we allow our curiosity to expand beyond our immediate surroundings, it naturally evolves into deeper creative pursuits. Creativity embodies the generation of unique and innovative ideas, giving tangible form to our inquisitiveness. Moreover, curiosity is closely tied to other pivotal skills like innovation, analytical reasoning, adaptability, and leadership. Indeed, curiosity is a transformative force!

New Curioisty Course Launched!

I am happy to say that my new course on how to unleash your curiosity and lifelong learning superpower has now launched. The course was scheduled to launch in December but is ready a few days ahead of schedule! Check out the course here or watch the course preview above.

Many thanks,

Tom Carroll PhD, November 28th 2023