As I sit on the train heading from Connecticut to New York City with my family before New Years, I can’t help but reflect on my 2018 goals and resolutions.

This year was different in so many ways. It was really the first year I was truly dedicated to setting and achieving some significant goals and lifestyle changes.

Two of the many habits I incorporated into my routine this year were Writing/Journaling and Planning. As I look back through some of my Weekly Mindset Pocket Planners and my journal from the beginning of 2018 and see some of the goals I wrote down and actually achieved, I am truly taken back and overwhelmingly optimistic and excited about 2019!

A few of the goals I accomplished include:

• Getting up everyday at 4 am
• Reading one book a month
• Writing everyday
• Meditating everyday
• Planking everyday
• Starting my blog
• Taking acting lessons
• Volunteering / Paying it forward
• Becoming a better father and husband
• Connecting with friends (in person)

I know I couldn’t have done any of the above without a clear vision and a set of goals. By setting goals it set the direction I needed to obtain the correct information to accomplish the tasks needed to move me closer to completing the bigger goal and fulfilling my vision.

There is power in writing down your vision. The tools and techniques I have gathered from the books I’ve read and videos I’ve watched and curated into tools and resources, have allowed me to consistently challenge myself to do bigger and better things.

Some of those goals also planted the seed and foundation to what I hope is a breakthrough year in 2019. Where these incremental steps I took in 2018 continue and translate into bigger and more exciting goals …

• Where I go from acting classes to my first acting role.
• Where my blog becomes a video podcast.
• Where my journey and writings transform into a book.
• Where my subscribers multiply.

There is something truly rewarding about seeing something you wrote down transform into it’s physical or visual creation. We are all creators. By writing things down everyday we help manifest our thoughts into actions that result into something that wasn’t there or did not exist prior to the original thought. The tools, tricks and resources I have gathered and developed then curated and modified for the lifestyle I want to have, truly elevated my overall life balance and level of happiness.

At 43 I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life both physically and mentally. It is through daily routines and habits that have helped me progress and strive to become a better version of myself.

Looking back one of the best tools I leverage everyday is the Weekly Mindset Pocket Planner. Writing only two goals on a piece of paper daily along with my daily habits and affirmations has enabled me to complete more tasks in a week then writing down an ongoing list of tasks that became overwhelming. Setting two big goals that I wanted to accomplish each day and tackling those before noon, has allowed me to handle the rest of the day like email and unexpected emergencies without the added pressure of making sure I have time to get my things done. As much as I may want to plan and make a list of five or six things that I think I have time to accomplish, things come up: you get phone calls or emails that derail you from what you want to accomplish.

These are my Weekly Mindset Pocket Planners I fill out consistently every day, which kept me on task.

As monotonous as it may seem, it is an important use of your time, even if you are writing down the same habits or gratitudes. I can tell you that in doing this task daily you are going to save time overall. You are developing a direction for the day; so you are not going to waste your time trying to create purpose for your day. Writing this information down also acts as a time of reflection. It allows you to incorporate habits into your day, like meditation that you would not otherwise do unless it was written down and part of your routine. There’s something about putting it down on paper and putting a check next to it.  It is a form of accountability and taking that action makes your ultimate vision or goal real. What’s put on the paper in the end is between you and yourself. The only person I am letting down by not accomplishing these tasks, is myself. I believe it was retired United States Navy SEAL, Jocko Willink, that said,

‘Discipline equals Freedom’

– Retired United States Navy SEAL, Jocko Willink

and for me there’s truth to that. I discipline myself with these daily routines which gives me more time and freedom to enjoy the unstructured moments throughout the day, being more present, while also feeling a sense of accomplishment.

I encourage you to reflect on this past year and make 2019 the year in which you become the best version of yourself. Spend time writing down your goals daily and journal any thoughts or new ideas you want to cultivate or create.

No matter your method, you will be shocked by what you are able to accomplish in doing this daily writing exercise, as you set daily goals in an effort to accomplish your 2019 New Year’s Resolutions.

For a copy of my book “How To Build A Level Up Mindset: Cheat Codes For Success, Health, and Happiness” and The Level Up Mindset System Workbook, to help you focus on mindset growth, personal development and get clear on your goals and vision, click the image below:

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Godspeed on your journey!