Add healthy pressure to achieve your goals. This is mine
I am interested in computers. So, I went on to get a Bachelor’s in computer science engineering. I am good with computers, if not great or a genius at it. I am still learning. I am interested in improving myself daily. So, in comparison to my first day with computers, I have come far. But I have a long way to go.
There is another interest that I have acquired recently (1.5+ years more or less). It is to write. I haven’t written much, and not regularly.
When I started writing, I was still an undergrad student. It was one among few other things that I wanted to try or keep doing for the foreseeable future. But I was not regular. Not just about writing. About the other things that I wanted to do as well.
From my perspective, there were two options. It was to be focused and consistent or keep doing what was happening. I happened to go with the latter. It was not a choice I made. I just happened to forget that I inquired, “Why is it not working?”.
But there were times I would get this other thought. I knew that these things are supposed to be a habit. And habits are usually part of a routine. I love routines. But I failed to make one for myself. My defence was that since I was in college and my schedule would change every 3–4 months, it simply won’t work.
It was an unfortunate conclusion. The most regretful part is I believed in it. I thought a job is going to help me create lasting routines. It was not a terrible theory. Well, my student days are in my antiquity. Now I have a job.
I tend to put myself down for what I didn’t do. This time I am gazing at my state a bit differently. It is what I have been anticipating for some time now. A job that gives me a planned routine that is not going to change. It is perfect.
So, I have started to make a routine. A routine that consists of two things that I care about on an intellectual level, computers and writing.
I have to admit that I got the push required to make these changes after reading few books. They are “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown, “Atomic Habits” by James Clear, and “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World” by Cal Newport.
Each of these books gave me a perspective on how I proceed in achieving what I want to. “Essentialism” taught me to see what I care about and what I wanted to do in my life. “Atomic habits” taught me how to build sustainable habits. “Deep work” helped me by providing a framework to follow to achieve more with my limited time.
There is one more thing that I want to mention here. I found a phrase in “Deep work” that just got my full attention because I had experienced it frequently in my past. “Execution is more difficult than strategizing”. It makes perfect sense to me because I have come up with several plans in my life, but the execution rate is pretty poor.
I have borrowed another technique from a Youtube video, driving yourself to do something by putting it out there. It is what this article is. I intend to mention all my goals for this year and publish them. This article will give me healthy pressure to accomplish my goals. A way to hold myself accountable.
My goals for the rest of 2021:
- Start a blog on computer networking concepts and publish 10-articles
- Write 3-articles that can be about anything (I am going to count this as one)
- Create an android application
- Work on an embedded project
- Read 3-books
- Setup a proper savings plan
Now that it is out there, I have to live up to it. I have a plan in place, and now it is about execution.
I will revisit later in the year to see how much I have been able to accomplish. I hope to cross all six on that list.
I have shared my perspective here, and I would like to know yours. Please let me know in the comments. If you liked my article, share it and like it. Thank you for your time, and have a nice day.
