Aerial View:

• Intro thoughts

• Mindful Minute: New year: Setting Intentions Before Resolutions

• Conscious Consumer: Dream Recovery Daytime Blue Light Blockers

• Quote of the day

• 3 key questions to reflect on

What’s up men, welcome back. 2024’s almost in the rearview, and that means preparation is in full effect. 2025 starts now. Not literally, but setting yourself up to crush the year starts now. The warrior who fails to prepare, prepares to fail.

Before jumping in, just want to take a moment to thank each of you for subscribing and being here, reading my words. It means more than you know, and this newsletter has been a really powerful outlet for me in a few ways. It has given me a structured means of thought consolidation, enabled more comfort with vulnerability, and has brought me solace knowing those reading it have a little more context around the guy behind the projects/brand. I feel great knowing I am making an effort to further connect with others in new and sometimes scary ways. You being here has given me a tool to sharpen my sword, become a better leader, friend, communicator, and man, so I thank you for giving ME that.

Alright, let’s get into today’s edition.

Mindful Minute - New year: Setting Intentions Before Resolutions

Do your new year's resolutions typically drop off at some point in the new year? Do you lose sight of the goals set at the onset of January as the year progresses? If you answered yes, you’re not alone here.

As we get closer to the start of the new year, I’m really thinking about my approach to my 2025 goals. I’m still wrapping up this year’s goals, but am also preparing for what I will hopefully look back on as the best and most important year of my life.

In order to hit the ground sprinting when January begins, preparation starts in advance. If you haven’t started yet, it’s time to kick it into gear here.

As I fine tune my vision for the upcoming year, I can’t help but reflect on my past annual goal setting process. Like most, I historically would set a handful of objectives for the year, both personal and professional- (if you’re an entrepreneur, you’re probably laughing thinking that personal and professional practically coexist (blessing and a curse.)) So I’d come up with a list of actionable targets, both realistic and unrealistic, and that would be that.

In the beginning of 2024, there was a slight distinction in my process- I gave myself a word for the year. That word? Steadfast. I also jotted a few other thoughts that came to mind. Here is my Instagram post from the beginning of January showing what I came up with:

As I look back at this, I realize I did not revisit this as much as I should have. I never lost sight of the word I set for the year, but I certainly forgot about the other pieces. Looking at this now, I realize how powerful this would have been had I printed it out and put it somewhere in plain sight for me to read daily, as opposed to existing way back in my Instagram post history.

I will be drafting something similar to this as my intentions for 2025, but will call upon it significantly more often, and here’s why:

These intentions will serve as the mental foundation for which I can fall back upon during times of adversity and will be my north star guiding me back to the path when I feel I’ve veered off. Goals seem far out of sight? Feeling aimless? Fall back to my intentions for the year. That will lead the way. 

If you’re not sure where to start, use my framework from 2024. No over analyzing, just write what comes to mind first, that’s usually the best path forward anyway. Dropping template below:

2025
Expectations:
Input:
Output:
Word of the year:
Mantra:

Why is this more impactful than just setting goals on their own? Because it builds a foundation underneath the goals. The foundation is essentially our internal OS (operating system) that sets the tone for how we approach anything and everything.

You see, goals are external: outcomes, accomplishments, and milestones. Intentions are internal. By setting deliberate intention on the internal outcomes as well as the external, we better prepare ourselves to come after the targets we set, by being able to also approach self-growth and improvement in a tactical manner.

As the year goes on, we’ll stray off the path for some goals. That’s expected, and that’s okay. But the big, monumental targets set should not be abandoned (usually.) 

Instead of only trying to pursue our tangible goals, we must make an effort to pursue the intangible (growth, improvement, identity building) with the same tenacity. 

Sharpening the sword is equally as important as wielding it. 

Take some time to yourself before the year closes out, reflect on what went well and what didn’t. Get these reflections down on paper and use those as the guide for setting your intentions for next year. Creating space for reflection will best enable you to really use the last 12 months to your advantage, whether they were good or bad. 

How we move forward is everything. That’s all for today guys. As always, keep your sails up and your eyes open as we close out the year and move into a new chapter. LFG.

Conscious Consumer

I’ve been deep in the rabbit hole learning all about light exposure and it’s impact on mental health, energy, sleep, recovery, and overall human function. Blue light from screens has been a buzzword as of late, and not without good reason. Blue light blocking glasses at night is old news, but what’s super important is blue light blockers during the DAY too, ONLY if you are consistently working INSIDE. These are my favorite to wear if I’m stuck inside on screens. Pro tip: get outside. As much as humanly possible, and do NOT wear sunglasses. Find a way to work outside during the day, especially if you’re on screens. The UV light from the sky will balance the BS artifical light from your screens and enable better circadian balance. Let the light of our world right into your eyes. It will work wonders for you. I promise.

Quote of the week

We must know when to detach and close chapters, and sometimes, close entire books and put them on the shelf. We must try to walk away from that which no longer serves us, and sprint towards that which is in alignment with our souls. In order to do so, we must let go. This quote always reminds me that there is more, and better to come, and that we cannot cling to that which is comfortable and familiar out of fear of the unknown.

Rise and Reflect - 3 Questions to Inspire Impactful Action and Critical Reflection

1. What goals fell by the wayside in 2024? Which ones stuck? Why do I think that is? What does that tell me about what’s important to me?

2. What are the top 3 things that I do that ‘sharpen the sword’? What else can I do to accomplish this?

3. If 2025 ends and only ONE thing is accomplished for me to consider it a transformative year, what will that one thing need to be?

My Ask of You

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Thank you for being here.

Sails up, eyes open.

Until next time,
Dan Baird