The whole world is talking about last night’s presidential debate. But let’s stop watching other people’s car accident now.
As June comes to an end, it's hard to believe that nearly half of the year is already gone. Reflecting on the plans of my students, myself, and my daughter, I feel compelled to write something motivational. I recall a book I read some time ago, Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio.
Dalio discusses his principles as if he's presenting the ultimate truth, and while I am usually cautious of such definitive claims, his ideas are intriguing.
He outlines a 5-step process to achieve success in life and asserts boldly, "If you can do those five things well, you will almost certainly be successful."
- Goals – Have a clear idea of your goal.
- Problems – Identify all the obstacles standing between you and your goal.
- Diagnosis – Diagnose the root causes of these problems.
- Design – Create a plan to solve these problems.
- Execution – Implement the plan, whatever it takes.
Repeat the process again and again until you reach your goal.
During the planning stage, Dalio emphasizes thoroughly thinking through potential problems and their solutions, and visualizing the entire journey from where you are to where you want to be, like writing a movie script for your life.
The more detailed your plan, the better. It's like a hero's journey, with a clear destination at one end and a series of challenges to be conquered at the other.
To avoid getting bogged down in specific tasks and forget your epic story, you should revisit your plan from time to time. Besides your daily grind, keep your eyes on the bright distant horizon.
I'm going to apply these steps in the second half of the year and see how far I can get with the goals I've set for myself. I hope you will do the same.
As we approach the second half of the year, if you feel the need to reconnect with your New Year Resolution, perhaps you can also try applying these steps to achieve your goals and see how far they can take you. By diligently following Dalio's 5-step process and keeping our eyes on the horizon, we can hopefully transform our aspirations into reality. Remember, your journey is your story—make it a great one.