🗺️Experiences
a transition from goals to themes
Why?
For years, I’ve reflected on the past year and set New Year’s goals. I’ve made it a habit and use frameworks like OKRs to ensure my goals are specific and measurable.
However, I found it challenging to set or chase these goals, with the following reasons:
Since starting full-time, work consumes so much of my life, with numerous performance review goals that I often prioritize over personal well-being. Reflecting on life and setting non-work-related goals is time-consuming and requires effort.
Many past goals were short-sighted. In 2019 and 2020, securing a job was a major goal. Because of luck, I managed to achieve the goals in February in both years. In 2021, changing teams was another goal, and I received an offer in February. When a major goal is accomplished, I lack clarity on what to do next. It's a dangerous thing if I achieve the goal early without knowing what I should do for the rest of the year.
Furthermore, changing circumstances may make it difficult to align goals with the ever-changing economical and political situations.
While setting goals remain crucial, I’ve discovered that a more effective approach for planning my focus area for the upcoming year involves defining a “theme” annually. With a well-defined theme, I can simply ask myself, “Is my current action or decision aligned with the theme of the year?” This approach ensures that my choices and actions consistently reflect the overall theme, regardless of their significance. Even there can be setbacks and failures, I am confident that the overall outcome will be positive.
After experimenting this approach in 2023 - grow my knowledge in personal finance, and 2024 - expand my knowledge of the world through meaningful experiences, I found it super effective because:
I no longer have the urge to win every single time and feel frustrated if a goal is not achieved. In other words, my focus is shifted away from solely eyeing the result and rather put emphasis on consistent commitment and improvement, i.e. trusting the process. After all, most things in life don’t depend on just one factor, and there are many things we have no control over. We shouldn’t blame ourselves too much if we fail to achieve a goal because of things beyond our control.
Having a theme instead of goals allows us to remain open and flexible to respond to changes. If there happens to be a great opportunity, such as being selected for a meaningful event or being reached out for a new opportunity, I will be able to make a plan to decisively embrace the change without worrying too much about whether these changes will disrupt me chasing for specific goals.
In these two years, I had so much fun doing things that align with these themes.
While I still believe results are byproducts of a reliable and robust process, this approach indeed produces true results along the way - getting a personal best in a marathon race, re-united with family, made new friends, a promotion, or a new job.
What is a well defined theme
The theme for next year is always determined by my reflections on the current year. Usually, about two to three months before the year ends, I have a rough idea of the theme for the upcoming year. While setting the theme, I will keep these principles so that the themes can
be compelling (long lasting and widespread impact, barely ages, reflect who I am, create values)
have a good balance of practicality and room for imagination
span across all aspects of life and can include everybody
fit the currently situation of my life and the world around me
be even carried over in the future as part of my own identity
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