You’re not competing with others. You’re competing with yourself from a day, a week, a month, a year ago…
The only way to beat yourself is by improving yourself. And the easiest way to improve is by setting and achieving goals.
This is not rocket science.
But what you’re taught in school or by internet gurus falls short. You shouldn’t just be focused on your income. You shouldn’t just be focused on your fitness routine.
My goal is to become a well-rounded entrepreneur, boss, friend, brother, son, husband and dad. And I can’t do that by creating half-hearted, absent-minded goals and abanadoning them 3 months later.
These are the areas I must focus on in order to become the person I want to be:
- Mind
- Body
- Heart
- Soul
- Wallet
Let’s dive into each. (Also, I made a free Notion template to help you set goals in each these categories.)
Mind
Learning
Most people get this wrong…
Happiness doesn’t come from completing goals. Happiness comes from your progress toward those goals.
So to be happier with your life situation, you have to continuously learn new skills.
Master a new language. Explore a subject unfamiliar to you. These are the things that not only shaped my day-to-day in the last few years, but reshaped my mind and my network in incredible ways.
New experiences & adventure
“The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences. Hence, there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”
— Chris McCandless
Getting out of my comfort zone (quitting my job, starting to sell online, leaving my home country, learning a new language, dating in a foreign country, buying international real estate, etc.) is the only reason for my progress over the last few years.
Without taking calculated risks, I would still be where I was a few years ago. This year, I’m aiming to take a 5-day solo retreat into the woods.
Watch this impactful 8-minute video from Scott Galloway:
Body
Fitness
Without first prioritizing your body, don’t expect to level up in your mind.
This doesn’t have to be incredibly complicated. You must sweat at least once per day.
Some good goals:
- Lift weights at least 3+ times a week.
- Get 1-2 outdoor workouts in.
- And stretch before going to bed (your 60-year old self will thank you later).
Diet
Your body is a temple. But treat it like a lab.
Test out different foods, routines, diets and eating habits. Without starting to fast from dinner to lunch every day, I would’ve never found that I’m most focused and determined when I’m hungry.
This year, I’m fasting for 36 hours once every month and trying out the carnivore diet for an extended period of time 🤷♂️
If you’re looking for some ideas, check out what the Blueprint Protocol, Bryan Johnson’s documented journey to reducing his biological age and living forever. Granted, a lot of this stuff sounds wacko to me, but to each their own.
Heart
Significant other
The last couple years, I’ve learned for the first time how to build a healthy relationship. Admittedly, it’s been challenging while I learn her language and customs and she learns mine (she’s Colombian).
But my relationship is strong thanks to good communication and aligned goals. Without the former, the latter is impossible.
Now, it’s up to us to chart the path forward. What’s next? What will ensure we continue this momentum?
Pro tip 💡 Learn their love language.
Family
I’m really close with both my parents. But living in a separate continent makes it difficult to connect in person. When we do make it happen, it’s so worth it.
If you haven’t seen this graph, it should scare you:
If you live close to your parents, take advantage of your time with them while you can. If you live far away, make a special trip and disconnect while you’re with them. You only have so much time.
Tick tock.
Friends
I severely underestimated how important it is to have strong male friendships.
In 2023 I established my homebase here in Colombia and I’ve reprioritized friendships – both virtual and in-person.
If this is something you’re lacking, watch my short video on the three things I did to eradicate loneliness from my life:
Soul
Spirituality
Nihilism is pessimism. Belief and purpose are optimism. I far prefer the latter as the healthiest way to live life.
Honestly, I’m lacking in the spirituality department. But it’s never too late to find out what most aligns with my beliefs. This year, I’m focused on learning more about God, religion and how they affect me.
Whatever you do in this realm of your life, don’t drift into nothingness. Thinking life is meaningless is sure to drive you toward poor results in all areas of life.
Choose purpose.
Personal freedom
How are you going to be a freer man this time next year?
I’ve covered 18 ways you can instantly become more free and how to diversify your nationality stack. Start there if you want to become more free in 2024.
As for my freedom goals this year, I’m working on a third residency, a second passport and some international bank accounts to minimize my exposure to any one country 👌
Wallet
Your career
If you work a 9-5 job or are building your own business, it’s your duty to maximize your returns from that income source. Ideally, this source would be one that you can also control (your own business), but I understand entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone.
Maybe it’s your year to give up your job for an uncapped income and a company you have power over 👀
Your side hustle
I’m a huge fan of side hustles, and I actively encourage my employees to have one. If you’re going to have a hobby outside of your main income source that you earn money with, make sure it’s worthwhile and something that makes you happy.
For me, that’s the Freedom Files. While my day job is running my content marketing agency, I love the writing and work I do to help people live freer lives.
Wealth & investments
There are three ways to grow your wealth:
- By reducing your expenses and taxes
- By growing your income
- By growing your investments
Don’t just stick your money in a checking account and accept your bank’s measly 2% interest rate.
By putting your wealth in a passive S&P 500 index fund, you will multiply your wealth. Don’t forget about Roth IRAs and 401k. Personally, I prefer more aggressive investments like Bitcoin and real estate.
Instead of tackling “new year’s resolutions” this year, take a much more nuanced approach with these five areas of your life and see what needs improving:
- Mind
- Body
- Heart
- Soul
- Wallet
Don’t forget – I made a Notion template to help you set goals in each of these categories. Duplicate it with the link provided. Let me know how it goes.
