I’m going to keep this week’s newsletter short, simple, and to the point. Let’s just say I’m breaking it down to what’s most essential (bad pun completely intentional).
Of the hundreds of personal development books I’ve read (or listened to), and all the courses I’ve taken, I can confidently say that Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism is in my top 5 game changing books that have transformed the way I prioritize my life.
This interview and this book are so game-changing, in fact, that this interview is required reading for all of the students in my Optimizer coaching & mentorship programwho want to eliminate the distractions in their lives that no longer serve them so they can focus on best using their time, energy, and attention for something meaningful.
In short, if you want to escape the hamster wheel of life, start by identifying what is essential (and what needs to go when the new year rolls around).
This Month’s ‘Top 5’ Countdown – #2
One of the very first (and most influential) podcast interviews I did when I first began the Optimize Yourself podcast was with Greg McKeown discussing his NYT bestselling book Essentialism (I also recently interviewed Greg a second time about his latest book Effortless). And my interview with Greg is just one in a collection of my Top 5 interviews I’m re-releasing this month to help you set better goals and create a kick-ass plan to make 2022 the year that everything comes together for you.
Ready to Make a Change in 2022?
As 2021 winds down and we approach the New Year, it’s so easy to get caught up in the chaos of the holiday season and write off the end of the year as a loss, putting our goals and intentions aside and telling ourselves “We’’ll start fresh again in January.” But then inevitably when the new year hits and we create resolutions, life still gets in the way which leads to over 92% of New Year’s resolutions failing. (Don’t worry…I’m just as guilty as anyone else.)
If you intend to make things happen for you next year you don’t need resolutions → you need a plan.
That’s why for the last 5 weeks of this year I’m sharing with you my top 5 interviews on designing a more fulfilling life, setting goals, building habits, and taking actions that get you long term results.
Imagine if instead of crawling to the finish line the next five weeks in a haze of holiday indulgence you instead took the time to identify your true values, prioritize your life down to only the essential, learn to set habits that you’ll stick to, and ultimately focus on doing important work that matters to you? How much further ahead of the game would you be?
I’m not saying you have to start exercising 5 days a week, stop eating sugar and carbs, wake up and meditate at 5am every morning, or add 20 new activities to your daily routine during the most stressful month of the year…but wouldn’t it be awesome starting 2022 with a clear plan and the motivation to get started?
If this sounds like a better alternative, then stick with me for the next five weeks as I and five of the world’s foremost experts on setting goals and getting things done help you design a plan so 2022 can be the year that everything finally came together for you.
Next week in this five part series I’m sharing another of my “Must-listen” interviews (that is also a core component of my coaching program) with bestselling author Gretchen Rubin discussing her book The Four Tendencies.
Be well.
Zack Arnold
Creator, Optimize Yourself
Zack Arnold
Zack Arnold (ACE) is an award-winning Hollywood film editor & producer (Cobra Kai, Empire, Burn Notice, Unsolved, Glee), a documentary director, father of 2, an American Ninja Warrior, and the creator of Optimize Yourself. He believes we all deserve to love what we do for a living...but not at the expense of our health, our relationships, or our sanity. He provides the education, motivation, and inspiration to help ambitious creative professionals DO better and BE better. “Doing” better means learning how to more effectively manage your time and creative energy so you can produce higher quality work in less time. “Being” better means doing all of the above while still prioritizing the most important people and passions in your life…all without burning out in the process. Click to download Zack’s “Ultimate Guide to Optimizing Your Creativity (And Avoiding Burnout).”