Associates,

If you set a bunch of personal or business goals at the beginning of 2024 and are bummed out because you didn't take even one step towards achieving most of them, this issue is for you. In this issue, I share some ideas that have helped me to create some achievement momentum in my life. These concepts will help you do the same in your life.

Let's get into it.

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Resolutions Reinvented

It's that time of year.

That time when many of us do two things:

Review the 12 months behind us and
Look to the 12 months ahead

Because whether we’re ready or not, the future is coming. And it’s coming fast.

Here is something that I think will be highly impactful for you in 2025 if you implement it.

Every quarter in 2024 I put up 3 pieces of paper on my wall, titled with the corresponding months of that quarter. I set specific goals (per the annual goals established at the beginning of the year) and wrote them on those papers. As each month progressed, I was ever aware of the targets I was aiming at for that 12-week period, as they could easily be seen day in and day out. This is an adaptation of concepts in the inspirational book, The 12-Week Year.

Breaking down your annual goals into quarterly, monthly, and daily actions is a far more effective achievement strategy than setting annual goals alone.

Why?

Because your life can take a dramatic turn overnight. It is amazing. The longer I live, the more I learn that even with all of my “type-A planning” I can’t know what will happen 5 minutes, or even 5 seconds from now. Annual goals are necessary for determining your general direction, but your brain needs quick wins and the associated dopamine hits to build achievement momentum. A 12-month feedback loop is just too long to create this necessary momentum.

Unexpected Results

Though it was not the initial purpose of the exercise, this quarter-by-quarter goal tracking became a wonderful tool to track the good in my life. It became a gratitude practice. And a beautiful one, at that. As the year progressed, I found myself writing all kinds of blessings, opportunities, and achievements that I could never have planned for–things that I hadn’t even thought to aim at.

As a result of this, I became a more present and thankful person.

Why?

Well first, practicing gratitude simply makes you more grateful. Being intentional to focus on the good in your life all the time changes your subconscious thought patterns. I'm beginning to see gratitude as a crop that when diligently attended to, bears fruit in joy. I love the fruit and will continue to tend to this growing gratitude garden. I implore you to plant your own, for your own good!

Second, shortening the horizon from 12 months to 12 weeks forced me to use my days more intentionally. I had to make the most of each quarter because the reality of the shortness of that time horizon shouted in my face every time I saw those 3 pieces of paper on my wall. As a result, I was thinking more "in the now"

I have followed this system loosley for a few years, but this year I unlocked the gratitude piece, and I plan to continue this 12 week approach from here on out.

The Challenge

This challenge to you is 2 fold:

first, start with a "2024 in review"

Look back on your calendar, read your journals, and look at your socal media posts.

make a record of the good, the blessings, and the achievements that perhaps got lost in the past 12 months.

Remember how those things made you feel, and be grateful for them.

don't let those memories get tossed into the abyss of the forgotten past.

If you need an example, Here is a link to my 2024 review👇

Jonathan's 2024 Review

I break it down into "health, wealth, and relationships" categories to make things simple and organized. I recommend that you do the same.

Second, create your 2025 vision, but...

Try implementing this system that I used in 2024 to make your 2025 more effective.

Break your time horizon down from 12-month increments to 12-week increments. Put them on a piece of paper for each month in the quarter, all three side by side, somewhere visible to you every day.

As you achieve or accomplish something you have set out to do, write it down on those papers If some unplanned blessing or opportunity arises, write it down as well.

Once again, it is so easy for the special and important little things to get drowned out in a 12-month time span, but by following this system, you will reclaim those blessings and achievements.

Write down all the good things.

Tend to your gratitude garden.

And watch how much more focused, grateful, and joyful you become.

Let’s make 2025 our most intentional year yet.

Talk soon,

-Jonathan

P.S.

If you need an example to consider for the 2025 vision, and want to know what I am aiming at, here is a link to what I am working on 👇

Jonathan's 2025 Manifesto🔥

P.P.S.
If you like this content, please hit “reply” and tell me what you like about it!

P.P.P.S.
If you have specific personal finance, real estate, or credit questions, Hit “reply” as well and tell them to me so I can write some content to help you out in the new year!

"I have learned a lot about finances, how to buy my first home, mortgages, savings, and growing my assets. I have also learned a lot about the importance of having a group of men by your side whenever you need them!"

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