No time? That's great!

As we go into the new year, we may be slightly overwhelmed by the goals, tasks, and habits we try to cram in. From learning Chinese to catching up on that new Netflix show, there is so much to do, and so little time.

What if I say that this anxiety-induscing realization about our limited time is actually awesome? In Mark Manson’s interview with Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, they discuss the positive practice of “strategic underachievement “, which is the idea that we should willfully neglect some areas of our life, so we can have time to focus on what truly matters.

So make a priority list and focus on that! Your other ideas might be nice to achieve, but they shouldn’t damange your progress on what truly matters to YOU. We have a finite amount of time, so let’s spend it on what is important, not on what a random “guru“ on the internet claims we should.

Let’s (strategically) under-achieve in 2024!

💡 How to Present Great Ideas

Great ideas are like a vitamin gummy - they should bring helpful value, but also be tasty, attractive, and easy to digest. How to make your ideas stand out in written form?

• We all love stories! Hook your reader with an engaging story and see just why they are one of he best engagement tools.

• Comparing your ideas to what your readers are familiar with will create a mental shortcut, which will make difficult ideas more digestible.

• If your idea is difficult to understand, use an example to help your audience see its practical applications.

• Be honest, genuine, and direct. Share ideas in your voice, and your readers will relate to them.

📚 Shelf Shocks 💥

1. How Big Things Get Done: The Surprising Factors That Determine the Fate of Every Project, from Home Renovations to Space Exploration and Everything In Between by Bent Flyvbjerg & Dan Gardner

Hand up if you have set big goals for 2024 🤚. Now, it’s time to accomplish them. And this is the best guide for the job!

Oxford professor Bent Flyvbjerg (known as “the world’s leading megaproject expert”) is obsessed with big projects and why they succeed - or fail spectacularly.

He gives us data-backed advice on giving our projects the best chance of success. From understanding the odds and planning carefully, to finding the best team for the job, the book will advise you on how to approach big jobs, even if they are not the new Sydney Opera House.

2. Emotion By Design: Creative Leadership Lessons from a Life at Nike by Greg Hoffman

27 years of marketing at Nike can teach you a lot, and Greg Hoffman shares his best lessons in this book. He teaches us the principles guiding his creative career at the sports giant, highlighting the importance of teamwork in creativity, taking big risks, and leaving a strong legacy.

Most importantly - he will inspire you to not chase fads and quick fixes, but instead, to chase greatness and leave your mark. If you need a book to inspire you to reach for the stars in 2024, this is for you!

3. The Gap and The Gain: The High Achievers' Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success by Dan Sullivan & Benjamin Hardy

You still haven’t reached your big goals, have you? And that is likely causing you stress and anxiety. Is there a simple solution to this problem?

Dan Sullivan’s The Gap and The Gain presents the idea that you should focus more on your “gain“, the progress you have made against your previous self, rather than your “Gap“, or the distance between you and your big target. This light, positive book will help you stop associating happiness with where you want to be and teach you to be more content with where you are and the progress you have made.

Fun Links

1. Use Body language to your advantage!

Do you know what it means when someone crosses their legs in front of you? Or puts their hands on their waist?

Body language is a natural extension of what we say - yet it is a language not many of us speak. Science of People have put together an extensive resource on body language, which looks at different situations like presentations or job interviews, as well as identifies the signals of head, torso, or leg movements.

Become a better communicator with this free resource!

You've reached the end of my newsletter. Hooray! If you’d like to see more of my work, you can GET MY BOOK Write Better: A Simple Guide to Better Business Writing or connect with me on LinkedIn for more fun and educational content.

If you have any comments or would like to share what you enjoyed the most, feel free to get in touch! See you in two weeks!