Letter #126: 15 work and life lessons to take into 2025
Including my no-pressure goal tracker [free]
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Hey there, how have you been?
I’m just emerging from my rom-com reading spree, ’25 vision planning, and lots of reflection on how the past year went.
My childhood friends and I also managed to squeeze in dinner this Sunday, finally gathering in one city after 3-ish long years!
So it’s safe to say I’m starting this year on a note of immense gratitude.
Wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, I hope you’re seeing reasons to feel blessed too ✨
And if not, I hope you’ll join me in maintaining a gratitude jar this year (every week, I’ll add a note in a jar noting how the week was good to me).
Because, ultimately, the more grateful we are, the more reasons the universe gives us to feel that way — at least that’s what I’ve learned this last year along with the following other lessons:
No matter what campaign or program you’re running, if you do it well (and consistently), you’ll see results.
Eventually, all results stall. Learn to recognize this plateau and take steps to move past it before things go south.
You look good, you feel good (turns out a version of this lesson also made it to my lessons to take in the 2024 letter to you!)
Overthinking is the mother of progress-stalling perfectionism. Read that again.
(Nobody will tell you this but) No matter how far ahead you’re in your career or job seniority, sometimes you just need to sit yourself down to get important stuff done.
Listen to your body first and foremost. Squeeze in that extra hour of sleep when you can. Eat first, function second (this is me — I make the mistake of delaying my lunch and becoming hangry then immediately regretting it).
Confidence comes from learning, doing. Inaction breeds imposter syndrome. Now write that down and stick it on your workstation.
A friend told another friend and I found myself nodding in agreement, “people avoid you when they feel used.” This applies to both personal and professional walks of life (esp. when it comes to community building and relationship marketing — I hate the word but hey, it exists!).
Conversations (either with yourself when you journal/reflect or with smart folks) are really where good ideas are born.
Giving back to the community is different for everyone. Some are guarded, having struggled to reach where they are so they’re cautious about ‘who’ they give back to.
You don’t need to be the know-it-all-expert. Two steps ahead is far better than infinite steps ahead. The latter makes you relatable, your content actionable. Infinite steps ahead is just inspirational, not tactical.
There’s a fine line between self-care and selfishness. Try not to cross it or you’ll turn people away real fast.
No amount of goal setting (planning and breaking down the goal) helps as much as regularly checking in with your goals does (in case you’re thinking how, here’s my goal tracking sheet that I use to keep tabs on my goals minus the pressure — and here’s how to use it).
An empty cup can’t fill another. It’s hard to actually believe (and subsequently, practice this). But I recommend trying it to understand its impact.
A bird doesn't land on a branch trusting the branch not to break, but rather trusting in its ability to fly.
What do you think? What’s a lesson you’re talking from ’24 to this year?
Best,
Masooma