Welcome to the Week: Put Those Fists Up!

Good Morning & Welcome to the Week:

As the year wraps up and the holiday season reaches its peak with Christmas tomorrow, it’s time we all take a moment to?simply breathe and give ourselves a well-earned round of applause.?

2022 was a very challenging year for me, one of the toughest ever, and I spent 2023 in many ways recovering with a year of growth, a year to shape the future.

Each one of us in our own way has grown throughout this year. Just look back to where you were and what you have accomplished both personally and professionally.?

Reflecting on the past two years, there are two individuals whose philosophies spoke to me… and sufficed to say, they could not be more different…. Ray Dalio, the hedge fund mastermind and leader of Bridgewater Associates , as well as the author of the Simon & Schuster book Principles and Kendall Toole , the Peloton Interactive instructor whose infectious energy never fails to uplift.

Dalio’s "5 Steps" process, depicted in the image attached, is a powerful framework that mirrors our own experiences. We set goals, encounter problems, diagnose them to unearth their roots, design solutions, and then, most crucially, we execute. However, we keep moving up. With every setback there is learning and growth and we keep moving forward.

Kendall Toole encourages us at the end of each Peloton ride to… "Put those fists up. (and say to ourselves aloud) You are ready, you are worthy, and baby, they can knock you down but they can never knock you out. Stay in that fight!"

This repetitive cycle of confronting and overcoming is not just a theory; it’s a lived reality. This year and in years past, we’ve all had our share of getting knocked down, but more importantly, we've all stood back up, fists raised, ready for the next round.

As we embrace this week between Christmas and New Year's, let’s take a break and celebrate.?

Celebrate not just the big wins but the small victories that often go unnoticed. The late nights, the extra miles to stay in shape, the innovative ideas that come from time of reflection, and the collective efforts that kept us moving forward.

Take this time to relish in the growth you’ve fostered in 2023. Let’s not dwell on the gap of where we think we “should be,” but rather, let’s focus on the gains we’ve made. Benjamin Hardy, PhD and Dan Sullivan were right; the appreciation of progress fuels our future successes.

Sit back, smile, and take some time for yourself. Reflect on the hurdles you've overcome and the strides you've made. You've earned this moment of peace and joy.

Remember, our strength lies not just in our ability to fight the good fight, but also in our capacity to reflect, appreciate, and prepare for the next challenge and ultimate victory.

Let’s raise our fists one more time for the year that’s been, for staying in the fight, and for the year that’s to come. Ready, worthy, and undeniably resilient—that's who we are.

Wishing you all a reflective and joyous holiday season and here's to an even more prosperous 2024!

Feed Your Journey,

David