I get it.
New Years, it's just an arbitrary date change.
Everyone will get back to their pity party in 3 weeks time anyway...right?
I've always been dicey about New Years because on one hand the opportunity to start fresh is always welcome but on the other- Rome was not built in a day and new habits should've honestly began last year to get the ball rolling right on Jan 1st. But now that we are here.....DON'T DELAY.
Don't wait until the first day of class in like a week from now. Don't start hitting the gym on Jan 2nd-3rd. What you perform on the first day of the year can have reverberations for months to come. By taking control on the first day even if there are only a few hours left is critical- use it to prove to yourself that you ARE going to get things done.
What is the true strength of New Years anyway? Why do people partake in new habits even?
It is essentially a giant exercise in BUILDING MOMENTUM.
Clearly momentum and habit change are powerful forces that can amount to changing your life- if it couldn't then this annual ritual that many of us perform would likely be avoided; quite possibly even ridiculed. But clearly something works for many many people hence it's stuck around.
Now quite frankly to build some comprehensive guide is beyond the amount of time I have allotted on this Jan 1st, but I'm doing some version of it anyway, why? Because I made a commitment to myself that I would become a better writer and deliver tangible, actionable, tips through the screen. I will make 2019 the greatest year of my life and this is definitely one component of it.
On building momentum:
- Starting ASAP: I touched on this point right off the top because of how much I believe in it. Don't delay, the year has begun to dwindle and as crazy as it sounds, Christmas will be around the corner once again. As I get older the more sensitive I'm starting to become to the passages of time- a year is not as long as it used to be and I'm definitely feeling it. So start today!
- Start what exactly? : This might be the big question on some of the younger peoples minds especially. To start TRP focused, let's say....SMV development and Game/social skills Success. To college grads and beyond, this can stretch to more nuanced areas like Mastery of your field/craft. This is definitely my area to improve on, I seek to achieve maximal mastery towards my discipline of study.
- Break it down: For me I will find mentors, practice more, and seek out opportunities(keeping it broad for the internet) Take your goals TRP related or not and break them down into manageable chunks. Even on a week by week basis for those who love to plan things out. What objectives should you nail by each week and making sure you hit the daily milestones, speaking of which....
- Don't break the chain: This is the core essence of building momentum. Buy a calendar and each day you accomplish the minimum work towards your bigger goal that's OUTSIDE of your day to day work/school then you are allowed to put an X on the calendar. This has been attributed to Jerry Seinfeld but I'm sure others have come up with it long before him.
- Go to bed tired: This is one of the biggest indicators I use to figure out if I accomplished enough in a day. Unless it's a scheduled rest day or something- if I still have enough energy to watch an hour of TV or some other BS then I didn't work to the best of my ability that day- I know my own body and on the days I perform best, I always go to bed tired. Try it for yourself perhaps. Make each night's rest feel earned.
- Begin with the end in mind: Where do you want to be on December 31st 2019? If you think that I'm being crazy or "extra" by thinking that far ahead then I have some news for you- you definitely aren't a high performer. Almost every highly skilled individual in any area has their year "mapped out" before it even begins. The closer you get to that level- the higher your SMV is likely going to be as well. Just an observation I've made in life. Don't just worry about 2019, how can you use the goals 2019 to accomplish what you want for 2020? That's what the real winners in life are asking my friends- GET ON THIS LEVEL.
- Parkinson's law: The amount of time it takes to complete a task will fill the amount of time allotted for it. So if you schedule something to take the whole year then you might do jack shit for 8 months and find a way to finish it in the last 4. Don't be that guy. I never recommend having a sub-goal take more than 3 months.
That's really the crux of it, now I'm going to layout of TRP focused plan & structures to showcase how one might go about this in real life. Safe zone is referencing things that aren't overly harmful or should cause NO anxiety whatsoever to perform, the idea is to acclimate towards improvement no matter what---while you take the bigger risks. So even if you fail, you still have your safe zone results to feel good about.
​
Goal | Safe Zone Action Taken Daily | Danger Zone (Risk Factor) | Target time frame |
---|---|---|---|
I want to approach 50 chicks | Just ask a question to ANY female whatsoever."Excuse me where is X? " "Do you have this in my size?" Yes Yes this includes store employees as well, that way they have to say at least something and you fill your quota. | Approach one chick per week for the purposes of getting her number or striking a convo/ for what we are really after. | 3 months |
I want to banish my negative thinking | Write 15 positive affirmations per day each morning. Easy enough- just have a pen and paper ready to go. | Compliment someone weekly or if not daily that is a total stranger or perhaps volunteer and see how much you really have compared to the less fortunate. | 6 months (probably ongoing) |
I want to make more music | Write a new sheet of notes each day or perhaps write new lyrics. Whatever works. | Perform your original tracks at open or free venues more often and rate the crowd response. | 3-6 months, depending on how good of a performer/Producer you already are. |
I want to maximize my physical SMV | Make sure to groom & clean yourself daily. Apply moisturizer or cream. And fix the damn wardrobe. Hit the gym consistently if you haven't. It's all in your control. | Honestly there is very little danger activities for this. It's all under your own hood. Maybe ask others what they think of your improvements? I wouldn't do that because I do these things for myself, not anyone else. | 1-3 months (not including gym gains) |
These are just examples I'm giving to try to nail the point home. Build momentum and have all your goals build into the next objective so then things can compound rapidly over time. Good luck and have a prosperous 2019!
Side note: The formatting of the table on mobile is a bit wonky , apologies- the post is best read of desktop.
​
Churningaway 5y ago
Understanding time is one of the most important things for a man. Once you understand that you need to bring time on your side (time is money), you can start climbing the mountain
centaursg 5y ago
Great article..I want to stress on working to create a system that supports your growth, in other words build good habits. In case of fitness, have goals like lifting and eating healthy every day instead of creating goals like losing X pouds/kgs..this way you wont be lose motivation when you don't see results right away. For writers and bloggers, write a piece every day or whatever instead having X pages/week.. Most of us strive for excellence and end up postponing work. Dont do this. Hone your skills by practicing every day. Even if your skills are not up to the mark. Like OP says start today. Start right now.
Have a great one !!
LowSpecTea 5y ago
Exactly , let’s build some of that long term success baby!!
The_Handsome_Penguin 5y ago
Loved this. Very well articulated post.
The point on going to bed tired everyday really drove the point across.
All these are great actionable points. Personally for me, the problem lies in lack of discipline and will-power. Even though I know what is best for me to do, I struggle with depression and just lack of energy and motivation to do anything really. Here's to hoping that 2018 was the end of that crap.
Have a great empowering year, OP!
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LowSpecTea 5y ago
Thanks for the kind words man.
If you haven’t already done so , I highly suggest getting your diet and your sleep patterns right
Then remove the games & TV Internet
The supplement with some mediations & positive thinking practice - keep telling yourself you can figure it out and all.
Let’s build that momentum in the right direction my good man.
randomTATRP 5y ago
Even though it's a meme, you need to just do it. Just start doing it for 15 minutes while being focused and you'll do a chunk of work for sure. It works for me when I'm tired and I don't want to work out, but I somehow automatically go to the gym and once I'm there and I warm up and do a few sets, I'm pumped up. Same with college related work. If I do it for 15-20-30 mins, I'll do it for 1h30 atleast, probably more, even more if I've got a deadline. Good luck.
redpillcad 5y ago
Best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. Next best time is now
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lurktolearn 5y ago
An important post that new year noobies miss all the time. Well done, OP.
Yes, building momentum is one of the most powerful ways to accomplish what you want.
I would like stress the importance of consistency once you've built momentum.
In order to maintain your momentum, you have to be consistent with what you do. You're going to need self-discipline to snowball your momentum.
Think of it like a park swing. You're on a swing and you start with a kick to the ground to get you moving. You only swing for a little bit and it wasn't that fun. But, if you continually kick the ground to keep your momentum, you'll find yourself swinging back and forth rapidly, aggressively, consistently. Now, it's easier to reacher higher heights, and if you built enough momentum, you can do a 360 swing.
You have to be consistent when lifting. You have to be consistent when gaming women. You have to be consistent when reading, writing, school, career, business, and what have you.
The thing about consistency is that it will make stuff you don't like--but you still have to do--easier to actually accomplish. Going to the gym is no longer hassle, women are easier to interact with, and the other shit you need to do is second nature.
If you don't have consistency, all you're going to do is disappoint yourself. Without consistency, you're going to be left with unused barbell plates, lack of women, and loss of opportunities for things in your life.
cakefmateus 5y ago
This post is fucking truth all the way trough it. If you didn't, and you should had, start your goals before 2019 start them now. I don't care if you are hungover and feel like shit, don't postpone your goals because if you do 2020 will be the same shit as 2019.
The best you can do is get momentum through working towards your goals and accomplish small victories that will add up throghout the year. Before you know it'll be june and you will be happier you did it today, if you procrastinate June will come anyway and you will feel sorry for yourself until fucking December.
Be proactive Work hard Be smart
Don't let 2020 be your year, MAKE 2020 your year
LowSpecTea 5y ago
That’s the energy to have my man, Good Job!
RPSilverfox 5y ago
A new year is very symbolic of a fresh start, and while it’s important to make positive changes in our lives we should not wait until Jan 1 to begin a new habit we could start anytime (especially when it’s mid year). This same mindset could be used to start on the first of the following month, or better - the start of the following week. I recently made a joke to one of my buddies that we are going to have to deal with a more crowded gym for a few weeks which brings up another point. Once you decide to create a new habit don’t quit. So many people make fitness their New Years resolution only to give it up after a couple of months. This best way to stick to something is given as an example in OPs post - write it down. If able write it down and put it somewhere you will see it everyday. If you don’t want others to see it keep it in your Notes app or access through a cloud service app so that you can read it daily.
TheRealIsBack1 5y ago
This is a quality post brotha. Too many people make goals but do not do anything to plan out specifics and the process to attain that goal. Advice to anyone is write it down, track it, and don’t tell your goals to ANYONE.
LowSpecTea 5y ago
Oh that was a good point I forgot to mention, don’t tell your goals to anyone!
If your goals are truly for yourself then it shouldn’t matter anyway. What other people think/react.
And it’s been that sharing your goals gives you a dopamine high BEFORE you actually get anything done. Don’t be that guy.
And plus it will sting a whole hell of a lot more and your reputation will get soured also as the guy who failed at his goals.
Never be afraid to fail. But fail privately - so you can learn from yourself, not from the criticism of others.
DoneScannedIt 5y ago
The quarenteen won't let me guild this. Thanks for posting it.
LowSpecTea 5y ago
That’s all good. Your welcome and have a great year!
DoneScannedIt 5y ago
Working on it. Your post is helping me organzie and prioritize. .I especially like the user comment, that if you get to June and you haven't started, you'll be in the same place next December. It really resonated with me.
SoulRedemption 5y ago
Simple and to the point with helpful actionable advise. Great post, thanks.
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leviathan51 5y ago
Time is an abstract concept created by men. If you could not bring yourself up into action in 2018, you will also fail in 2019.
TheStoicCrane 5y ago
Pessimistic nonsense. There was a point were many of us haven't consistently attended a gym but attended lights out the year prior and beyond. The best moment for inciting proactive change is the present moment. Beyond it there's little else.
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