I hope you are all having a happy new year! 2024 has already proven to be a remarkable year for me, with new experiences and opportunities unfolding. From returning to my home country to getting married to the most amazing person I've ever met, it has been a whirlwind of excitement.
As we approach the end of the first quarter, I believe we already have two types of people: those crushing their 2024 goals and those who have already given up. Regardless of which category you fall into, my aim is that this article acts as a source of inspiration and provides value to you.
Instead of overwhelming you with new activities or aspirations, I want to encourage meaningful self-reflection and a commitment to mastering the basics. It's easy to get caught up in the pursuit of novelty and instant gratification and neglect the fundamentals of what it takes to be a decent human being. To make the most of 2024, I am prioritizing the fundamentals over anything else, and I invite you to join me in this.
Fundamentals I'm constantly reminding myself of:
Know things might go wrong: Don’t live on the illusion that things will always go as you plan - they never do. They are often better or worse than what is expected - have an alternative for the latter.
Avoid complaining: Firstly, because it changes nothing, and secondly, because everyone hates being around people who feel victimized by every incident.
Do what you say you will do: Stick to your word and your commitments - especially those you have with yourself.
Take care of yourself: Eat a healthy diet, drink enough water, avoid stressful situations, exercise regularly, and don’t compromise on your time with loved ones and hobbies.
Acknowledge that there’s always someone better than you: Our egos don’t take us very far. Sometimes you will find people better than you at what you do, be inspired and learn from them.
Always find ways of working smart: Focus your energy on tasks that yield the greatest results or on the most effective ways to accomplish tasks, and don't hesitate to delegate or seek help when needed.
Show your work: I once wrote about this specific one here. It is also the title of one of my favourite books in which the author brings 10 ways we can share creativity and explore the endless possibilities that come with it.
Avoid:
Interrupting while others talk. I know you probably don’t mean it, but those sudden interruptions irritate whoever is talking to you and give the impression that only what you have to say is important.
Taking so long to attend to your WhatsApp messages and DMs. A few things are as frustrating as communicating with a person who takes forever or never attends to their messages.
Arriving late to meetings. It shows a lack of respect towards everyone else’s time.
Looking sloppy. How you show up in places, communicates the value you give to them.
Doing only what is expected of you. Be proactive and whenever possible, go the extra mile.
Waiting for others to take the first step. Take leadership and show initiative too.
We would all be more fulfilled and successful if we made being conscious and practising these fundamentals part of our yearly goals. They are simple to understand yet difficult to apply consistently. Nevertheless, can’t be taken for granted.
I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section. Which other principles do you believe are important to stick to, but- are often overlooked?