Hey 180+ friends, it’s Hannah here!
My new plan with this newsletter is to dive deep into one Floating Thought and then share something personal at the end.
Choose a goal without a finishing line
This week, I’m reflecting on how important it is to attach ourselves to a direction, and not an outcome.
In a practical sense, short-term goals help us take action, but they aren’t ends in themselves. They are part of a wider plan, mission, or purpose!
Because once we reach our goal, for example, getting that dream car, it isn’t long before we start feeling directionless and asking ‘What’s next?’.
Steven Bartlett, on The Diary of a CEO, speaks about how he used to aim to get lean for summer, but once he reached that goal, his fitness streak would dwindle. Whereas now his focus is on staying fit and healthy indefinitely, rather than seasonally.
The emphasis is on building sustainable habits long-term to maintain his health and ‘feel good’, rather than temporary quick fixes to ‘look good’.
In a liberating sense, when we attach ourselves to a direction, we give ourselves permission to enjoy the journey and who we become along the way.
We know that if we are not happy now, we won’t be happy later.
Because our happiness is not waiting for us at the end of another goal. It’s not attached to results or things. It’s an inside job and it’s happening right now!
What is my mission?
So if you feel you lack direction, I invite you to do some soul-searching.
Right now I am trying to get to the heart of my mission. I am figuring out what ‘Hannah’ wants to do with her life and the role that Quoted Visually can play in this.
It’s not easy to tease out what matters, but we can start by asking some questions. We can give our minds prompts to chew on and listen as the answers surface.
I am thinking:
What is the common thread between everything that you aim for and do?
What are your values and beliefs?
What contribution do you want to make to the world, however small or big?
I’ve started free writing, to write what comes to my head before bed. I used to just write to-do lists in my notebook but this past week I’ve been writing a couple of paragraphs.
It’s amazing what comes out when we start writing.
So I’ll leave you with the thought that, our potential as individuals is limitless. We owe it to ourselves and everyone around us to not be the person that gets in our own way.
“You are confined only by the walls you build yourself” - Andrew Murphy
Don’t put a ceiling on your potential!
Straight from my camera roll
I wanted to add a personal touch with this new section. Let me know your thoughts!
I love to walk my dog every day and recently, the farmer's fields have been filled with sheep and young curious cows. I am starting to call it animal therapy.
I flipping love going up there. This week the cows and sheep were playing some kind of game, running up and down their neighboring fields together.
Ngl I did get a bit freaked out when all the sheep came running towards me, but it was funny nonetheless.
Hope you have a lovely week ahead!
All the love, Hannah aka Quoted Visually x
Follow me for more:
Hi Hannah,
I think this may be your best yet.
All the best,
Aliza
Hi Hannah, I love the voice over - it adds a new dimension to a post, I believe. I totally agree, life should be about the journey, not the destination. The picture of the sheep is a delight. Walking 2-15 miles is part of my daily routine. I love your artwork and posts. Cheers, Phil...