Who decided the only opportunity to had to make resolutions was in January? In fact, with six months left in 2024, now is the perfect time to reset, refocus, and reprioritise your goals. Rather than succumbing to mid-year burnout, frustrations from unmet goals, or the inertia of cruise control, this period is an opportunity to stretch yourself, expand your horizons, and embrace new challenges. According to Productivity Expert, Lara Nercessian, here are five key questions you should ask yourself, to help you gain clarity on your life goals. And the daily habits, behaviours, and decisions that will ultimately help you achieve them.
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What would the grand vision for your life look like, if you had absolutely no limitations?
According to Lara, many of us live lives that fall short of our potential because we’re afraid to dream big and fear disappointment. To unlock your full potential, consider what your life would look like if you had absolutely no limitations. Describe it in as much detail as possible. What would you be doing? Who would you be with? What would your day look like from morning to night? Think about your unique talents and skills. What feels easy and effortless to you, and what others seek your advice on. Reflect on the impact you wish to make, who you want to be, and what you want to be known for. Visualise what it would look like if you decided to unapologetically pursue your dreams. When you look back on your life, consider how you want to feel and what you would have wished you accomplished. Envision what a well-lived life looks like to you.
What actions, tasks and commitments have worked well over the past six months?
Take this time to reflect on the past six months and determine what has been working well. Identify the people, actions, and experiences that have brought the greatest joy, positivity, and productivity in both work and life. Reflecting on what has worked well allows you to double down on these elements and ensure they remain a priority for the second half of the year.
And, what haven’t
This period also provides an opportunity to evaluate what hasn’t contributed positively to your growth, goals, and objectives. Lara says it’s vital to consider what actions or commitments are no longer serving you in work and life and need to be eliminated. Think about actions or commitments that still play a role but need to be reduced, outsourced, or redefined. Identify priorities that have shifted and actions or commitments that no longer align with your goals or vision. Extract key lessons from challenging moments or experiences. Then, consider what you need to let go of to achieve your vision and goals. Assess energetic leaks in your life, such as distractions from people or overconsumption of news and social media. Determine how much time you wish to consume versus create and how much you wish to dedicate to others’ requests. Gaining clarity on your personal boundaries will help you integrate systems and tools to safeguard your focus, eliminate distractions, and achieve your goals.
Create a not-to-do list
Next, Lara bucks the trend of long-to lists. Instead, she recommends identifying the people, actions, and commitments that no longer serve you. And, creating a not-to-do list as a powerful tool to set personal policies on what you will no longer accommodate. For example, you may find yourself saying yes to unnecessary meetings or coffee catch-ups that detract from your highest priority actions. These small time commitments can add up and impede your progress. Remember that every time you say yes to something, you’re saying no to something else. Gain clarity on what you will no longer do and create personal policies around it. Consider not attending meetings without a clear agenda, avoiding unnecessary social commitments, and not allowing others to “pick your brain” without an equitable exchange. To implement your not-to-do list, develop scripts for gracefully turning down requests, saving time and energy in the long term.
If you were to become the highest, truest version of yourself, what daily habits, decisions and routines would you embody?
Finally, Lara recommends reverse-engineering your daily habits and routines to align with that vision. For example, if you want to gain more wisdom, establish a habit of reading for 20 minutes or listening to informative podcasts daily. To become more vital and energised, integrate regular workouts or movement into your day. For mental clarity, practice daily meditation or mindfulness. These habits and routines compound over time, shifting the trajectory of your career, relationships, and life. Maintaining such behaviours becomes easier when connected to your highest, truest vision for your life.
Ultimately taking these steps to reset and refocus mid-year, you can transform the remainder of 2024 into a period of significant personal and professional growth, leading to a more fulfilling and purpose-driven life.
