Tiago Forte - Forget About Setting Goals. Do THIS Instead (the Somatic Method)
The speaker emphasizes the importance of setting goals that genuinely excite you, as opposed to those that feel obligatory or prestigious. To identify these exciting goals, they suggest creating an 'excitement map,' a tool similar to mind mapping but focused on what provokes curiosity and joy. This involves writing 'life' in the center of a large paper and surrounding it with bubbles of activities or topics that evoke a visceral, energetic response. Examples include books, climate change, AI, and language learning. The speaker advises going deeper into each topic to pinpoint specific aspects that are exciting, making the goals tangible and actionable. For instance, within 'books,' one might explore writing, marketing, or fiction. The process is quick, taking about 10-15 minutes, and helps align future projects and goals with what truly excites you, rather than what seems obligatory or prestigious. Physical signs like goosebumps or heart palpitations can indicate genuine excitement.
Key Points:
- Set goals that genuinely excite you, not just those that seem prestigious.
- Use an 'excitement map' to identify what truly energizes you.
- Write 'life' in the center of a paper and surround it with exciting topics.
- Dive deeper into each topic to find specific exciting aspects.
- Look for physical signs of excitement to confirm genuine interest.
Details:
1. 🌟 Importance of Exciting Goals
- The biggest mistake in goal setting is choosing goals that do not excite you.
- Goals should be based on what truly excites and motivates you, creating a sense of passion and enthusiasm.
- The 'Excitement Map' exercise is a tool designed to help individuals identify what is currently exciting and enlivening them.
- The exercise is similar to mind mapping but focuses specifically on connecting with elements that spark curiosity, fun, and joy.
- To utilize the 'Excitement Map', individuals brainstorm and visually map out activities, projects, or ideas that generate excitement and energy, allowing them to pinpoint specific goals that align with their passions.
- Examples of successful application include professionals and students using the map to realign their career paths and academic pursuits with their intrinsic interests, leading to increased satisfaction and performance.
2. 🗺️ Creating Your Excitement Map
- Begin by drawing a central bubble labeled 'Life' on a large piece of paper to represent the core of your interests and passions.
- Identify activities or topics that evoke a physical sense of excitement, such as a flutter in your chest, and write them in surrounding bubbles. Examples include books, retreats, business certifications, climate change, space tourism, AI, teaching, and language learning.
- Review your digital life, journal entries, notes, recent fulfilling projects, and favorite problems to generate a comprehensive list of these exciting topics.
- Clearly connect each interest bubble to the central 'Life' bubble with lines, illustrating how these interests integrate into your life.
- Focus on investing more time and energy into these areas, as they are key to creating a more invigorating and fulfilling life experience.
3. 🔍 Dive Deeper into Specific Interests
- Transition from broad topics to specific interests can make concepts more tangible and actionable.
- For book enthusiasts, delve into writing techniques, marketing strategies, and the potential shift to fiction writing.
- In addressing climate change, prioritize practical preparation methods and strategies to increase awareness among skeptical audiences.
- Explore AI's role in maximizing human potential, fostering creativity, and its implications on job markets and societal structures.
- In business, the creation of certified consultants offers a strategic entry into the B2B market without the need to expand staff significantly.
- Consider the feasibility of personal space travel in space tourism and its potential societal impact through the overview effect.
- Language learning can be advanced by focusing on Spanish and Portuguese, with immersion and bilingual strategies for children being key methods.
4. 💡 Harnessing Excitement for Goal Setting
- Creating an excitement map takes only 10-15 minutes and can guide goal setting based on true personal interests rather than obligations.
- Using physical signs such as heart palpitations, gut conviction, or goosebumps can help determine genuine excitement, making goals more meaningful.
- By focusing on what truly excites you, you can align projects and pursuits with your core motivations, ensuring higher engagement and satisfaction.