This year has been a year of rapid growth and learning for me. Some highlights include doubling my YouTube following, going through the grueling LinkedIn Creator Accelerator, launching coaching and consulting services, starting the Epiphany newsletter and the Mind Map Nation community.
On the personal side, I got married, hiked 100 miles around the Alps with my in-laws, and completed a 10-day silent meditation retreat .
This week I finally had a chance to sit down to reflect on the overarching lessons that carried me through all these changes:
- The world is chaotic and unpredictable. Geopolitical conflict between Russia and Ukraine rocked the beginning of this year with what felt like the start of WW3. The market crashed soon after, wiping away the previous two years’ gains and threatening to put us into a recession. This quarter, we saw the brutal bloodbath in tech layoffs and the rise of incredible AI applications that could shape the next decade of innovation. We live in an uncertain world where anything can happen. It’s important to be flexible and adaptable, and above all to have a resilient mindset.
- Life comes in waves. For every high there’ll be a low, and vice versa. It’s important to ride the waves and not get too caught up in the negative or positive moments. Back in March, I had some heavy doubts about my future as a creator and seriously considered going back into corporate just as my allocated savings were drying up after a year of doing this full time. My business maverick friend Danny reminded me that these emotions were all part of the journey, and that things could change at the drop of a dime. The most important thing was to focus on my process. It was a wake up call to recalibrate my mindset and double down on my commitment to my craft. Lo and behold, two months later things began to improve and I was in high spirits again.
- Good friends is security. Having a strong support system of good friends provide security and comfort in times of uncertainty. My friends and solid relationship with Olivia is what allows me to take outsized risks in other areas of my life. I know that whatever happens out there, I’ll always have a home to return to and recuperate. Not only that, my friends are all capable individuals in their right and provide inspiration for my own journey.
- Stillness in the chaos. Amidst all the chaos, it’s important to find moments of stillness and calm. It grounds us and provide a sense of clarity and perspective when we need it most. Most of my mornings begin with journaling or mind mapping, which brings us to the next lesson.
- Slow down time with reflection. We all live storyworthy lives if we actually take the time to reflect on our experiences. This year in particular felt like it blazed by yet some weeks felt like an entire year’s worth of learning. Time is both a constant and a perception. It’s the latter that makes a difference in the quality of our daily lives. By taking the time to reflect, we can slow down our perception of time to ultimately live a longer life.
- Emotion Mind Mapping . This is my top innovation in the field of Mind Mapping this year. It has helped me and thousands of people across the world identify and manage their inner feelings. This is the tool I turn to again and again whenever I’m angry, sad, or negatively surprised.
- Generous Listening. The mindfulness master Thich Nhat Hanh said that in order to love, we have to understand. And to understand, we must listen. All the deep relationships that I have cultivated this year ranging from new SF friends to MMN community gatherings involved actively listening and trying to understand the other person’s perspective, rather than just looking for an opening to speak.
- Leading with kindness. In a world that can be harsh, judgmental and divisive, it’s increasingly important to lead with kindness. This means seeing others as human beings like ourselves and taking the time to empathize from their perspective. For me, this practice has resulted in amazing opportunities to genuinely connect with people who have differing views. Olivia more than anyone else I know embodies this trait. She’s the kind of person who’d chase after a homeless man and push his wheel chair across the city to help him get to where he needs to be. True story.
- Challenge limiting beliefs. We all have limiting beliefs that hold us back in some way. It’s important to identify and challenge these beliefs in order to grow and expand our comfort zones. Mine came in the form of coaching and becoming a community creator. I’ve never done either before, but I knew I had the raw ingredients to become great at it. So I created opportunities for myself to step into those roles and became better over time.
- Stop “trying”. Instead of “trying” to do something, just do it. This commitment mindset shift reduces anxiety and decision-making fatigue while increasing our effectiveness, consistency and sense of control. I’m consciously removing the word “try” from my vocabulary and replacing it with “I am”. Instead of saying “I’ll try kickboxing in the new year”, I’d say “I am going to sign up as soon as I return from holiday travels”. I sometimes pair this practice with 2-week sprints so that I can still exit if I discover something isn’t for me, but adopting this mindset improves my enjoyment and follow through of the activity.
- The journey is the destination. One of our MMN members got a Traveler’s Notebook charm with these words, and it reminds me that growth isn’t just about achieving a particular goal. It's about the lessons and people along the way. If you don’t love the process, then you’ll either fall short before you reach the results or the results themselves might end up feeling empty. I take this mindset with content creation. I love sharing what I know and helping people think through their toughest problems, whether it’s determining individual career goals , strategizing business or untangling massive organizational issues . Making videos and growing subscriber numbers is one way I can get to know people and their challenges.
- Breathe. I’m keenly aware of my breathing patterns through meditation. When I’m anxious or tense, it either speeds up or becomes shallow. This is a sign for me to pause and breathe, which relaxes my body and brings a moment of clarity and perspective. Sometimes that moment is all I need to pull me out of my emotions and be reminded of fundamental concepts that ground me.
These 12 lessons from 2022 allow me to embrace the uncertainty of life, to find stillness and calm in the midst of chaos, and to lead with kindness and compassion towards myself and others.
What are your top lessons from this year?
