Don't give up: Press 'Reset' for 2020

2020 Goals List: Write a book; Travel to XYZ areas; Go to the gym; Save up; Apply for MBA; Learn French; Compete in an international contest......and more. Does this match your list somehow?

Traditionally, New Year's is the time when we all set our goals and this was the start of a new decade! This was going to be 'THE YEAR' for you and me and everyone - when all our goals and dreams were supposed to come true. 2020 had other plans for us - as this tweet captured brilliantly!

The first half of the year was all about challenges and obstacles. As Ryan Holiday says, 'Obstacle Is The Key' - these extreme situations have forced us to reinvent and that is priceless. Don't give up on 2020 - this is how you can still pivot your goals in the second half of the year.

1.Make Great Art - Frustrated sitting at home? Record your condition. Make great art in any form and tell the story of these unique, once-in-a-lifetime case. Virtual communication has become all the rage so use it as your weapon to connect with creators across the globe. Share your ideas, thoughts, experiences in blogs, art projects, podcasts, performance recordings, videos or tutorials. Most social media channels are giving you the power to share your art live or in recorded form, for free. Who knows if this might turn into a bigger project for you next year?

2. Go To Version 2.0 - Professionally, this year has shown all of us how precarious our careers can be. So what can give you some 'job insurance'? Level up to the latest industry skills and create a version 2.0 of yourself. You may not get the time and resources later. Most resources and courses are now available for free / for economical rates - so go learn something new and rise to the next level in your job/business/career.

3. Start Thinking Remote - Many of us have been affected by the lack of jobs. However, remote work has opened up in a big way, aided by virtual collaboration tools and tech innovation. Start thinking of location-agnostic jobs and look for such jobs - even if it may start off as a part-time / contract position. Even if you are lucky enough to have a stable job, this year may have opened up new opportunities in remote work and online businesses - no harm in exploring those options.

4. Reach Your Financial Goals - As the line in 'Fight Club' goes - "Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need." This is the year we were forced into not being able to buy anything for months. If you look at the positive side, this might be the year you reach and exceed your financial goals. Less buying, more saving and investing. Or we can finally invest in ourselves instead of the very next thing in our wishlists. We might come to realize that most of our 'needs' were actually 'wants'.

5. Burn Some Calories - With all the gyms closed, we thought exercise was over. Exercise, for most of us ( by us, I mean me.. ), is sitting on the couch watching Netflix and eating pizza. Strangely, exercise has evolved into new forms - often inexpensive and easy workouts. Home workouts, dance lessons, running, yoga - there are numerous free videos that have cropped up and this has made exercise much easier. Most of us have some extra time from cutting out our commute - use it to burn some calories. If you have always wanted to try meditation, this is a great time to start.

Often, in life, the dots don't connect in a straight line. That doesn't mean we should give up - just press 'Reset' and keep going.

This is how I did it in my life -