By Andrés Muñoz
How are those New Year’s Resolutions going? Have you applied yourself to any goals you’ve set your mind to? Beware, the “New Year, New Me” mindset fades quickly with the humdrum of the return to work, school, or routines you already have.
Let me give you a motivational push. Some individuals I’ll mention have been around for centuries, while others have only recently shared their knowledge with the world. These authors talk about developing the right mindset, having clear ideas, and taking action in pursuit of your goals.
Whether it is setting up a new business, kicking a habit, or simply being more mindful of your mental health, I hope that one (or all!) of these authors can help you in the pursuit of your goals.
Meditations By Marcus Aurelius
My first thought was to include Atomic Habits by James Clear, but it is already a favourite of the Lifestyle Collective. (I highly recommend it too!)
My Instagram algorithm keeps showing me videos about Stoicism. Hailing from Ancient Greece and Rome, this school of thought encourages you to focus on what lies within your control, like your thoughts and actions. It encourages you to accept the things you cannot change, such as external events.
One of its biggest champions was the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, and his Meditations is one of the primary texts on the subject. Stoics believe true happiness comes from living virtuously and focusing on your inner peace, regardless of external circumstances. They emphasise the importance of reason, self-control, and living in the present moment.
Start With Why By Simon Sinek
I first heard of Simon Sinek in a viral video called “Millennials in the Workplace“. Not gonna lie; the man called out some truths that resonated with more than one. Start With Why, however, has a more extensive scope and purpose.
In what I felt was a nod to Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search For Meaning, Sinek explores the importance of understanding your “why”—your purpose, cause, or belief—in driving your goals. He argues that people are more likely to achieve their goals when they align with a deeper sense of purpose, and I 100% believe this. Furthermore, he takes it up a notch by showing how you can share and inspire this purpose with others.
Designing Your Life By Bill Burnett And Dave Evans
I was introduced to Stanford University’s design thinking program a few weeks ago. Within it, an iterative approach to goal-setting is provided. While it is generally aimed at educational contexts, it provides a solid framework for exploring your passions, identifying your constraints, and trying different life paths.
Designing Your Life emphasises the importance of experimentation and learning from your experiences. It encourages you to approach life as a series of experiments, testing different paths and refining your goals along the way.
Superagency: What Could Possibly Go Right With Our AI Future By Reid Hoffman And Greg Beato
While technological breakthroughs that might seem taken out of a Black Mirror episode pop up every day, I still have faith. A part of me believes that technology and artificial intelligence can be a force of good, and Hoffman and Beato apply this thinking to business in Superagency: What Could Possibly Go Right with Our AI Future.
I’m excited about this upcoming book. With a release date of January 28, 2025, Amazon has this to say about the book: “Superagency offers a roadmap for using AI inclusively and adaptively to improve our lives and create positive change. While acknowledging challenges like disinformation and potential job changes, the book focuses on AI’s immense potential to increase individual agency and create better outcomes for society as a whole.”
The 12-Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks Than Others Do in 12 Months By Brian Moran And Michael Lennington
Here comes a book that, similar to software development projects, advocates for a hyper-focused approach to goal setting and execution. The core idea is to break down annual goals into 12-week sprints. This creates a sense of urgency and focus that can lead to significant results.
While this might stem from a corporate mentality that divides a year into Qs, this could also apply to individuals. By concentrating on a specific set of goals for each 12-week period, you can avoid getting overwhelmed and maintain momentum. If you feel a year is too long to reach a particular set of goals—try 12 weeks instead!
Achieving your goals requires not just saying, “I’ll do X or Y this year, I promise!” when Auld Lang Syne is in the air. A strategic approach and consistent action are the key elements when pursuing your goals, and the authors presented here offer valuable frameworks to help you reach that promised land.
Make sure to recommend more books in the comments section below. Good luck with your future plans, and have a fantastic 2025!