READ PART 1: 21 Personal Development Goals For 2018
The idea of losing yourself in the charm of foreign land is quite fascinating. Reading those interesting traveling stories always pumps up to travel—travel our whole life.
Sadly, the day-to-day responsibilities and limited budget comes in the way. (And the worst part is they always will!)
So this year, let’s not think of traveling with exagerration and a hint of a wish. Let’s think of it the real realms, as a plan that you’re going to fulfill not “someday” but “THIS YEAR”.
Even if you’re busy with your studies or job, and doesn’t have money to travel extravagantly, plan to travel the nearby city for just a couple of days. Do that alone.
The experience of traveling alone (whether in your next state or halfway across the world) is completely exceptional. Make sure, even with limitations on the way, you’re going to feel this ‘experience’ at least once this year.
Hostel Word has a very nice article on this – 71 ways your life will change when you travel alone.
Need Motivation? Here’s 17 Solo Travel Quotes That Will Inspire You
For whatever reason, by every passing day, we’re doing away from the habit of saving money. From hitting resorts to ordering extravagantly priced foods and clothes, we’re spending unnecessarily every day.
And the worst part is we don’t even realize it!
A small amount saved every day today can pool up to afford your traveling expense tomorrow. The saved amount can put an umbrella on you (and the family) in the rainy days. It can make you more financially independent. It would get you out of any debt.
Warren Buffet once said, “Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.” Given he is one of the world’s richest people, we should take his advice, at face value, very seriously.
So start saving. Kill all extravagant and unnecessary expenses. Maintain a record of your finance. I personally use an app for this—Wallet. It’s a very good application, almost free, with plenty of good features that would help you track your expenses and incomes every day.
A study has found that forcing a smile can actually make you happy.
“When a situation has you feeling stressed or flustered, even the most forced of smiles can genuinely decrease your stress and make you happier,” this article on The Atlantic claims.
The theory is called facial feedback hypothesis that says our brain actually pays attention to what our body is doing. It then affects our emotions.
When we force a smile and stretches our facial muscles, it signals our brain to feel good.
So make this a daily exercise. Force a smile for at least 2-minutes every morning. Your days would have a perfect start with the right emotions swaying your actions.
Uncomfortness is a stellar mark of growth.
If you aren’t feeling uncomfortable doing something, take it for granted that you are not growing as an individual both in personal as well as your professional life. You’re simply trapped in a bubble—and that’s one of the most dangerous places in life to be at.
In fact, feeling uncomfortable is a key to success.
So, this year, start doing things that may seem like a bit “out of my zone”. Break your comfort zone at least once every month. It can be anything—be it talking to strangers, speaking in a group, saying no to someone, styling a new look or taking a different route back home at night.
Imagine, by the end of this year, you would have successfully conquered at least 12 of your (silly) fears.
Still don’t feel like popping your comfort bubble? Read this piece explaining why the fear of discomfort might be ruining your life. It would definitely change your mindset.
People who say watching movies is a waste time simply doesn’t this activity.
Watching a good movie can have a therapeutical effect on us. It can stimulate your emotions, leaving you feel motivated, good, happy, reflective, surprised, and sad.
Tell me when you were watching Will Smith’s The Pursuit of Happyness, you didn’t feel anything. Or when you watch Rocky movies, you don’t feel inspired!
"Because many films transmit ideas through emotion rather than intellect, they can neutralize the instinct to suppress feelings and trigger emotional release," said Psychologist Birgit Wolz in an article on Chicago Tribune.
Good movies can leave deep marks in our conscious and subconscious by exposing our emotions. Plus, they are the best way to blow off the steam and forget all of life’s hassle.
So watch a good movie every weekend. Put all your life’s problems and responsibilities on hold for few hours and heartily enjoy your watch.
This week, rent laugh riot ‘This is the End’, starring James Franco and Set Gold. It’s a personal favorite! :)
On average, Americans are spending more than 4-hours on Smartphones every day. On the global scale, things aren’t better.
While different studies put up different data, a general consensus is that we’re spending at least one hour of every day on hand-held devices. YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter ranks higher as what people are up to on their devices.
How much do you spend fiddling with your phone every day?
If it’s more than 60-minutes, it’s definitely time to stop and think and do something about it!
Now you can’t completely give up your phone, of course. But you can at least restrict its tempt. Uninstall the unnecessary apps today. Now.
Yes, even your favorite social media platforms!
Limiting the number of your “pass-time apps” would, to an extent, keep you away from your phone. Time saved here can be chipped in reading, meditating or just sleeping.
Keeping a journal is completely magical that would redefine your life. No jokes. From Einstein to Edison to Darwin—they all maintained a journal.
In fact, one 2003 study found that people who regularly write about their traumatic, stressful and emotional events are less like of get sick and affected by any trauma than those who do not keep a journal.
Other benefits of maintaining this habit include increased focus, boosted creativity and improved self-esteem. Here are 28 ways keeping a journal can change your life.
So before going to bed, just sit down quietly for at least 10-minutes and jot all down your thoughts in a personal diary. (Nothing digital here, please! Go with pen and paper.)
The write-up doesn’t have to be perfect. Just scribble down whatever is there in your mind. If lost and need some help in keeping a journal, read this piece.
Jerry Seinfeld is one of the most successful comedians of this generation. And when rising to the top, he had a secret under his sleeves that kept him more productive and consistent for years.
When talking to a struggling comedian Brad Isaac about productivity, he told him his secret. Here’s how Brad described this secret which, now, is infamously known as ‘Seinfeld Productivity Method’:
THIS METHOD WORKS LIKE A CHARM!!!
It will help you measure your progress. And once you manage to get a chain of even 10 crosses, you will be too damn motivated to not to break that chain.
Try this technique. It would make your 2018 much more rewarding. I have already put up my calendar on the wall!
“I was complaining that I had no shoes till I met a man had no feet.” – Confucius.
Our biggest mistake is we never feel grateful for whatever we have. As the human nature goes, we’re always looking for more and something better.
Feeling grateful is the key to live happily. The day we start fostering this emotion in our hearts is the day we would become happy and successful.
So, stop complaining in 2018. Bad food, poor internet, low salary, bad weather or anything else –dissolve them with a feeling of thankfulness.
At least you have food, at least you have a smartphone, at least you are earning, and at least you have a home to keep bad weather out.
Regardless what kind of situation you are in, your life is better than millions, even billions, of people in the world. This isn’t hypothetical—it’s a fact.
Don’t believe that? Here are few facts:
Remember: There are countless people who would love to live your bad days.
You have set your goals for the year. However, what if that enthusiasm fades? What if you fail to keep up with those goals?
This is where your ‘fail box’ will come in to play your savior!
It just like a swear box, which discourages people from swearing. But unlike that, every time you find yourself going off-track with your goals, you will have to put money in your fail box.
As Annesha, blogger at She Scribbles, puts it for her 2018 challenges, “I have made a fail box. Every time I fail to complete one challenge, I will drop (INR) 50 bucks into it.”
Doesn’t sounds like such a bad idea, does it? Set all your goals for this year. And ensure you’re committed to these goals for the next 12 months. Make a fail box. Persist.
These are 21 goals for 2018 ideas. Take them up and they’ll turn this year a complete wonder for you. (I already have!)
Happiness, contentment, and success—you will be much closer to these by the end of these years than you are right now.
Liked This Post? You will like what we're up to on Facebook. Follow Jubilant Town on Facebook :)
12. Travel to At Least One City (ALONE)
 |
| Travel Alone in 2018 |
Sadly, the day-to-day responsibilities and limited budget comes in the way. (And the worst part is they always will!)
So this year, let’s not think of traveling with exagerration and a hint of a wish. Let’s think of it the real realms, as a plan that you’re going to fulfill not “someday” but “THIS YEAR”.
Even if you’re busy with your studies or job, and doesn’t have money to travel extravagantly, plan to travel the nearby city for just a couple of days. Do that alone.
The experience of traveling alone (whether in your next state or halfway across the world) is completely exceptional. Make sure, even with limitations on the way, you’re going to feel this ‘experience’ at least once this year.
Hostel Word has a very nice article on this – 71 ways your life will change when you travel alone.
Need Motivation? Here’s 17 Solo Travel Quotes That Will Inspire You
13. Save a Small Amount of Money Every Month
 |
| Form a Habit of Saving Money in 2018 |
And the worst part is we don’t even realize it!
A small amount saved every day today can pool up to afford your traveling expense tomorrow. The saved amount can put an umbrella on you (and the family) in the rainy days. It can make you more financially independent. It would get you out of any debt.
Warren Buffet once said, “Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.” Given he is one of the world’s richest people, we should take his advice, at face value, very seriously.
So start saving. Kill all extravagant and unnecessary expenses. Maintain a record of your finance. I personally use an app for this—Wallet. It’s a very good application, almost free, with plenty of good features that would help you track your expenses and incomes every day.
14. Force a Smile for 2-Minutes
 |
| Forcing a smile can make you feel happy |
“When a situation has you feeling stressed or flustered, even the most forced of smiles can genuinely decrease your stress and make you happier,” this article on The Atlantic claims.
The theory is called facial feedback hypothesis that says our brain actually pays attention to what our body is doing. It then affects our emotions.
When we force a smile and stretches our facial muscles, it signals our brain to feel good.
So make this a daily exercise. Force a smile for at least 2-minutes every morning. Your days would have a perfect start with the right emotions swaying your actions.
15. Do One Thing Every Month That Makes You Uncomfortable
 |
| Do Things That Make You Uncomfortable |
If you aren’t feeling uncomfortable doing something, take it for granted that you are not growing as an individual both in personal as well as your professional life. You’re simply trapped in a bubble—and that’s one of the most dangerous places in life to be at.
In fact, feeling uncomfortable is a key to success.
So, this year, start doing things that may seem like a bit “out of my zone”. Break your comfort zone at least once every month. It can be anything—be it talking to strangers, speaking in a group, saying no to someone, styling a new look or taking a different route back home at night.
Imagine, by the end of this year, you would have successfully conquered at least 12 of your (silly) fears.
Still don’t feel like popping your comfort bubble? Read this piece explaining why the fear of discomfort might be ruining your life. It would definitely change your mindset.
16. Watch A Movie Every Weekend
 |
| Watch Movies at the Weekend in 2018 |
Watching a good movie can have a therapeutical effect on us. It can stimulate your emotions, leaving you feel motivated, good, happy, reflective, surprised, and sad.
Tell me when you were watching Will Smith’s The Pursuit of Happyness, you didn’t feel anything. Or when you watch Rocky movies, you don’t feel inspired!
"Because many films transmit ideas through emotion rather than intellect, they can neutralize the instinct to suppress feelings and trigger emotional release," said Psychologist Birgit Wolz in an article on Chicago Tribune.
Good movies can leave deep marks in our conscious and subconscious by exposing our emotions. Plus, they are the best way to blow off the steam and forget all of life’s hassle.
So watch a good movie every weekend. Put all your life’s problems and responsibilities on hold for few hours and heartily enjoy your watch.
This week, rent laugh riot ‘This is the End’, starring James Franco and Set Gold. It’s a personal favorite! :)
17. Delete Unnecessary Apps From Your Phone
 |
| Delete Unnecessary apps from your phone |
While different studies put up different data, a general consensus is that we’re spending at least one hour of every day on hand-held devices. YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter ranks higher as what people are up to on their devices.
How much do you spend fiddling with your phone every day?
If it’s more than 60-minutes, it’s definitely time to stop and think and do something about it!
Now you can’t completely give up your phone, of course. But you can at least restrict its tempt. Uninstall the unnecessary apps today. Now.
Yes, even your favorite social media platforms!
Limiting the number of your “pass-time apps” would, to an extent, keep you away from your phone. Time saved here can be chipped in reading, meditating or just sleeping.
18. Spend 10-Minutes on Daily Journal Every Night
 |
| Maintain A Daily Journal in 2018 |
In fact, one 2003 study found that people who regularly write about their traumatic, stressful and emotional events are less like of get sick and affected by any trauma than those who do not keep a journal.
Other benefits of maintaining this habit include increased focus, boosted creativity and improved self-esteem. Here are 28 ways keeping a journal can change your life.
So before going to bed, just sit down quietly for at least 10-minutes and jot all down your thoughts in a personal diary. (Nothing digital here, please! Go with pen and paper.)
The write-up doesn’t have to be perfect. Just scribble down whatever is there in your mind. If lost and need some help in keeping a journal, read this piece.
19. Maintain a Seinfeld’s Productive Calendar
 |
| Jerry Seinfeld's 'Seinfeld Productivity Method' |
When talking to a struggling comedian Brad Isaac about productivity, he told him his secret. Here’s how Brad described this secret which, now, is infamously known as ‘Seinfeld Productivity Method’:
“He (Seinfeld) said the way to be a better comic was to create better jokes and the way to create better jokes was to write every day.
He told me to get a big wall calendar that has a whole year on one page and hang it on a prominent wall. The next step was to get a big red magic marker. He said for each day that I do my task of writing, I get to put a big red X over that day.
“After a few days, you'll have a chain. Just keep at it and the chain will grow longer every day. You'll like seeing that chain, especially when you get a few weeks under your belt. Your only job is to not break the chain.””
THIS METHOD WORKS LIKE A CHARM!!!
It will help you measure your progress. And once you manage to get a chain of even 10 crosses, you will be too damn motivated to not to break that chain.
Try this technique. It would make your 2018 much more rewarding. I have already put up my calendar on the wall!
20. Think of those who are less fortunate
 |
| Think of People Who Are Less Fortunate |
Our biggest mistake is we never feel grateful for whatever we have. As the human nature goes, we’re always looking for more and something better.
Feeling grateful is the key to live happily. The day we start fostering this emotion in our hearts is the day we would become happy and successful.
So, stop complaining in 2018. Bad food, poor internet, low salary, bad weather or anything else –dissolve them with a feeling of thankfulness.
At least you have food, at least you have a smartphone, at least you are earning, and at least you have a home to keep bad weather out.
Regardless what kind of situation you are in, your life is better than millions, even billions, of people in the world. This isn’t hypothetical—it’s a fact.
Don’t believe that? Here are few facts:
- 1 in 9 people in the world will go to sleep hungry tonight.
- 3 in 10 people in the world lack access to safe drinking water at home.
- By the time you finish reading this article, more than 13 children would have died of malnutrition and hunger already.
Remember: There are countless people who would love to live your bad days.
21. Create a Fail Box (like a swear jar)
 |
| Create a 'Fail Box'; Put Money it It Everytime You're Going Off-Track With Your Goals |
This is where your ‘fail box’ will come in to play your savior!
It just like a swear box, which discourages people from swearing. But unlike that, every time you find yourself going off-track with your goals, you will have to put money in your fail box.
As Annesha, blogger at She Scribbles, puts it for her 2018 challenges, “I have made a fail box. Every time I fail to complete one challenge, I will drop (INR) 50 bucks into it.”
Doesn’t sounds like such a bad idea, does it? Set all your goals for this year. And ensure you’re committed to these goals for the next 12 months. Make a fail box. Persist.
These are 21 goals for 2018 ideas. Take them up and they’ll turn this year a complete wonder for you. (I already have!)
Happiness, contentment, and success—you will be much closer to these by the end of these years than you are right now.
Liked This Post? You will like what we're up to on Facebook. Follow Jubilant Town on Facebook :)
