Hi, my name is Nicole, going by @nicoleyellow8, and I've created this Tumblr blog dedicated to self-improvement and learning...
Soo... to get a productive 2023 started, I've done a little mindmap to see what I want by the end of this year, and what I should prioritize!
I've listed what I need by the end of the year -- some of these include getting into the IB Diploma program, preparing well for that, and doing well on the AP Biology exam in May this year (praying for a 5!!!) There's more, of course: efficient and consistent violin practice to reach my goals, getting to a higher French level, maintaining my Chinese progress, etc. !!
That's only what I need, though. What I want is another story... I've included those in the mindmap too. For one, I'd love to learn oil painting! I would love to be able to learn another language on top of the two I am learning currently... I'd even love to travel to the language's country to speak it!
Good goals need to consider both your wants and needs so that you can progress in your professional life while still meeting your personal desires.
How to Approach Goal-Setting
Here I take from Ali Abdaal's amazing video, "I WAS WRONG -- How I set goals" on YouTube, to summarize what exactly makes up good goal-setting.
There's no point in setting a goal without enjoying the process of getting there... If not, you would constantly feel unhappy about your current situation until you get to your goal's endpoint.
So it would make sense to focus instead on creating a system, little daily habits that bring you forward, so you can enjoy the process, rather than solely working towards an abstract goal.
That doesn't mean having an endpoint is wrong. In fact, it's important to set a goal and have a direction. Without a goal, the system becomes aimless and there becomes no point in fulfilling these mini habits. A good system and clear goals come hand in hand.
As Ali Abdaal describes, there is a "Yin-yang" quality to it, where you should have a balance of self-acceptance and self-improvement. You should strive towards being better while still accepting your current state. You should, instead of comparing yourself constantly to the best, take some time to also compare yourself to the former you. Celebrate the progress you've made over that time -- it'll give you the energy to strive forward.
An inspirational quote to get you started:
"What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him." - Victor Frankl
Funny thing, just the other day I had completed a huge, personal goal, and rather than feeling the joy I thought I would've, I felt more of a sense of emptiness. Frankl states it perfectly here, we love the journey of getting to our final destination, not necessarily the destination itself. This would explain why working for something is so much more satisfying than when it's easy to obtain. Working for money, working for a better life, working for love.
After interweaving wants and needs, I've come up with some 2023 New Me priorities to get started on! For each of these, I'll be spending some time making a good system and some great habits to go along with them.
Get into the IB Diploma Program (IBDP), this is the next step to my future!
Work HARD in my French, especially since I love language learning :)). It will also help me in IB French.
Get a 5 on the AP Bio exam -- and learn more to solve a real-world biology problem...
Efficiently and Effectively practice violin... Maybe learn a dream piece, or brush up on pieces I already know (like Czardas) and make pieces performance-ready, instead of relying on retaking videos.
Make some time for health. Get a good amount of sleep each night and exercise consistently. Have some free time with friends and personal hobbies, like oil painting, too!
Of course, these will be refined in a later post! For now, I think I have a good idea how I should work towards a better me.
That's all for now, take care!
