Happy New Year to all my subscribers!

It’s hard to believe that this is the academy's third year running! I’m excited to create a year filled with valuable content designed to support you on your journey of self-improvement, self-awareness, and personal exploration.

If you're new to Aspire's Awareness Academy, welcome! You can look forward to receiving one monthly newsletter focused on self-awareness and empowerment. Remember, the more we understand ourselves, the more empowered we become!

In addition to the newsletter, you'll receive a personal note from me, Coach Amy, along with a dedicated email packed with tips and strategies aimed at facilitating your growth and improvement.

Here's to a transformative year ahead! Let’s embark on this journey together!

As we step into 2025, I find myself reflecting on the past year with immense gratitude. Despite the challenges of 2024, I am fortunate to have a strong support system of wonderful clients and fantastic professional contacts. My family is safe and healthy, and we share countless moments filled with joyous laughter. Although there were times when circumstances were tough, I discovered purpose in those experiences. Even in the face of adversity, I learned valuable lessons that have contributed to my personal growth. I remain open to the insights these challenges bring and celebrate the growth I’ve experienced in my mindset, resilience, understanding, and knowledge.

This year, I am going to create my "word of the year" that will remind me of the changes I want to create both professionally and personally. It needs to help me focus on what I need to do to make those changes without feeling overwhelmed. After some thought and research, I have chosen the word Simplicity. Keeping simplicity at the forefront of my mind will help me strip back unnecessary complexities and concentrate on the essentials that will lead to positive change. I challenge myself to evaluate everything—from situations and decisions to attaining new skills and choosing directions—with simplicity in mind.

I believe that keeping things simple will reduce stress, lower anxiety, and help me shift my mindset when necessary. High stress and anxiety levels often get in the way of my progress. Emotional wellness will be one of my goals, and simplicity aligns with my values of becoming emotionally healthy.

In my research, I discovered Jennifer Kutcher, who approaches goal setting differently than the traditional SMART goals. She emphasizes focusing on the process rather than solely on the outcomes. She also discusses the importance of reframing failure, which is particularly relevant for me as I navigate my journey in 2025. Since my father's passing in 2022, I have faced failure after failure and, at times, allowed my emotions regarding these failures to keep me in a negative, stagnant space for extended periods. I need to reframe my relationship with failure. I will keep it simple by writing out ways to reinterpret some of my experiences from 2024 to support and evaluate how I want to approach 2025.

This newsletter will focus on Jenna Kutcher's philosophy and her openness to less rigid action plans for achieving goals.

Jenna Kutcher is a well-known entrepreneur, marketing expert, and online educator, widely recognized for her work in the fields of social media marketing, branding, and personal development. She gained prominence through her successful career as a photographer and later transitioned into online business coaching.

Jenna is the host of the popular podcast "The Goal Digger Podcast," where she shares insights on entrepreneurship, marketing strategies, and personal growth. She has built a strong online presence through her educational resources, offering courses and programs designed to help individuals grow their businesses and improve their lives.

Additionally, Jenna is known for promoting a balanced approach to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of self-care, emotional wellness, and authenticity in both business and personal endeavors. She encourages her audience to define success on their own terms and to embrace creativity and simplicity in their goal-setting processes.

I highly recommend listening to the entire podcast, linked above. While she occasionally touches on business goals, the insights she shares effortlessly translate to personal goals as well. You’ll find valuable lessons and strategies that apply to all areas of your life.

As we embark on a new year, it's common to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of achieving big goals. Many of us have set ambitious resolutions, only to find them quickly abandoned by February. It's time for a fresh approach to goal setting that embraces sustainability and personal fulfillment rather than pressure and burnout.

1. Embrace Goal Relinquishment Start by letting go of the rigid structures associated with traditional goal setting. While SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely) have their merits, life’s unpredictability often requires flexibility. Instead of fixating on specific outcomes, choose a guiding word for the year or focus on exploration. This shift allows for a more creative journey toward growth, enabling you to seize unexpected opportunities that bring joy.

2. Focus on the Process, Not the Outcome Many people become so consumed by the end goal that they lose sight of the joy in the journey. Instead of solely aiming for the destination—like becoming a bestselling author—find pleasure in the writing and editing process itself. Research shows that celebrating the process fosters motivation and satisfaction, as dopamine is more active when we relish our daily actions over fixating on outcomes. Recognizing the small wins along the way can enhance your overall experience.

3. Gamify Your Goals with Internal Rewards Shift your focus from external validation—like fame or financial gain—to internal satisfaction such as feelings of competence and mastery. Research indicates that intrinsic motivation, fueled by personal growth and enjoyment, promotes long-term commitment. Track your progress not by achieving a set figure, but by acknowledging how much you've learned or how confident you feel. This will cultivate ongoing motivation even when external applause fades.

4. Reframe Setbacks as Creative Breaks Instead of viewing setbacks as failures, consider them opportunities for growth. Embracing challenges can lead to newfound creativity and insights. Recognizing that setbacks are part of the iterative learning process allows for innovation and the chance to recalibrate. Every setback can become a moment of reflection that ultimately enhances your journey.

5. The Minimum Viable Goal (MVG) Framework Apply the concept of Minimum Viable Goal to simplify your approach. By establishing small, easily achievable goals, you can build momentum and create sustainable habits. For instance, instead of attempting drastic lifestyle changes, start with simple actions like drinking water each morning. This gradual approach leads to significant changes over time, empowering you to identify as someone who makes healthy choices.

6. Leverage the Goal-Setting Paradox

Finally, focus on the aspects you can control, such as effort and daily habits, rather than overly stressing about the results. Studies suggest that when we prioritize consistent actions instead of fixating on uncontrollable outcomes—like business growth or promotions—we tend to achieve better results. This mindset fosters creativity and allows for a more fulfilling goal-setting experience.

Final Thoughts

As you set your intentions for 2025, consider these six strategies: embrace goal relinquishment, focus on the process, gamify with internal rewards, reframe setbacks, adopt the MVG framework, and prioritize what you can control. By rethinking your approach, this year can be marked by growth, creativity, and fulfillment. Let’s make it a year to remember!

The Minimum Viable Goal (MVG) Framework is a concept that applies the principles of minimalism and efficiency to goal setting. It involves defining goals in a way that makes them small and easily achievable, rather than overwhelming or lofty.

Here’s a breakdown of the MVG Framework:

Simplicity: The idea is to set goals that are so simple and small that it feels almost

impossible not to achieve them. This might include actions that require minimal time and effort, making it easier to incorporate them into your daily routine.

Habit Formation: The MVG Framework focuses on establishing habits rather than chasing big outcomes. For example, instead of setting a goal to run a marathon, one might start with the goal of walking for 10 minutes a day. This gradual approach encourages the development of consistent, positive behaviors.

Focus on Process: The framework emphasizes the importance of the process over the final result. Rather than becoming fixated on achieving a large, distant goal, this approach encourages you to find joy in the daily actions and habits that lead there.

Adjustability: The MVG Framework allows for flexibility. As you progress, you can adjust your goals based on your experiences and insights gained during the process. This adaptability means that you can continue to grow without the pressure of rigid targets.

Example of the MVG Framework:

• Original Big Goal: "I want to lose 30 pounds by the end of the year."

• Minimum Viable Goal: "I will drink a glass of water first thing every morning."

In this example, the MVG sets a foundation for healthier habits without the pressure of an immediate drastic outcome. Once this small goal is achieved consistently, you can build upon it with additional, slightly more challenging goals.

Benefits:

• Reduces overwhelm and the fear of failure.
• Encourages a growth mindset by creating a series of wins.
• Helps in developing a consistent routine that can lead to larger achievements over time.

The MVG Framework is a powerful tool for creating sustainable progress while encouraging a positive and fulfilling journey toward your goals.

The Goal-Setting Paradox refers to the idea that while setting goals is generally seen as a positive and motivating practice, there can be negative consequences when individuals become too fixated on their goals.

Here are the main features and implications of this paradox:

Focus on Outcomes: Traditional goal-setting often emphasizes the end result, leading people to prioritize achieving specific outcomes over the processes and actions that lead to those results. This narrow focus can sometimes result in stress, anxiety, and burnout.

Fear of Failure: An intense focus on achieving particular goals can instill a fear of failure, causing individuals to avoid taking risks or experimenting, which are essential for growth and innovation. This can lead to stagnation and frustration.

Undermined Motivation: Research shows that when individuals achieve a goal, they can experience a sense of emptiness or dissatisfaction if the achievement fails to meet their expectations. This can lead to decreased motivation for setting future goals or pursuing new challenges.

Practical Implications:

To navigate the Goal-Setting Paradox effectively, individuals are encouraged to:

Emphasize Process Over Outcome: Shift the focus from solely achieving results to enjoying and valuing the journey of working toward goals. Celebrating small wins and recognizing progress can enhance motivation and satisfaction.

Maintain Flexibility: Be open to adjusting goals and strategies as circumstances change. This adaptability allows for greater resilience and can lead to discovering new opportunities that may align better with evolving priorities.

Manage Expectations: Recognize that achieving a specific goal doesn’t necessarily lead to lasting happiness or fulfillment. Instead, foster intrinsic motivation by tying goals to personal growth and experiences.

Conclusion:

The Goal-Setting Paradox serves as a reminder to approach goal-setting with a balanced perspective. By focusing on the journey and maintaining flexibility, individuals can foster a more sustainable and fulfilling relationship with their goals, leading to deeper personal satisfaction and growth.

Chapters:

0:00 happy 2025

1:16 journaling

2:08 2025 goals

7:43 vision board

9:09 Notion setup

13:40 75 hard

17:05 outro

Aspire, LLC

a coaching practice

www.aspireself.com

860-222-0797 (text)

amy@aspireself.com

To enhance our communication, I recommend reaching out to me via text or email, as I am often in sessions. Scheduling an appointment for a conversation could also be beneficial, helping us avoid any back-and-forth. I make it a priority to respond to emails and texts within 24 hours, and often much sooner. Timely communication is important to me, and I strive to address all inquiries as quickly as possible.