💡 Quote I'm pondering
- John J D Munn
- Jan 28
- 3 min read
"When setting out on your journey, do not seek advice from those who never left home” - Rumi
If you want to know what to expect, speak to the person who has experienced it. Ideally somebody who is willing and eager to share, as you don’t know what you don’t know. When on an unclear journey, you need them to drive the questions for you.
Example: My friends recently got back from living in Gibraltar. Before they moved there they had asked me what it was like to live in Spain as an expat and I had told them. While my advice was useful, they found their biggest gripe of living in Gibraltar was not the bureaucracy (like Spain) but the dust storms.
It would have been very difficult for them to find that information on dust storms beforehand as they didn’t know to ask about it and people don’t really talk about it online. They didn’t know what they didn’t know.
Had they listened to those who had never lived abroad then they wouldn’t have gone in the first place. Having listened to us, people who had been on a similar journey, they had an idea of what living abroad would be like (and loved it, despite the dust). However, ideally they would have talked with someone who had been on their particular journey, someone who had lived in Gibraltar, to get the best idea.
Who has been on your journey? Or a similar enough journey that they can provide insight for you?
🆕 My “Past Year Review”.
January’s template. A “Past Year Review” has been the most effective exercise I have discovered for moving my life forward and making me happier.
I originally discovered it thanks to a share from Tim Ferriss, and now both my partner and I complete our own past year reviews annually.
The exercise is simple to do and doesn’t take long, but it does require some radical honesty that can feel uncomfortable. Nevertheless, the insights you gather are extremely powerful.
You can get the template I use every year, including detailed instructions and examples to help you, on an entirely Pay As You Feel basis here:
Bonus tip when goalsetting: Write down what you are willing to give up to achieve your goal. We all only have 24 hours in a day. You have used your full 24 hours every single day you’ve been alive, whether intentionally or not. If you are to change something or achieve a new goal you will have to give up something to make time for the new thing. Identify what it is you will give up. Make sure it is worth it. Ease the transition.
I shared this in my Work Smart Wednesday newsletter. Want the full set of related insights? You can read them here: https://worksmartwednesday.substack.com/p/work-smart-wednesday-january-29-2025
👋 Want to work together?
When you’re ready, here are 2 ways I can help you:
🔍 Clarity Call - We will discuss your situation and create a step-by-step action plan together so you know exactly what you need to do next for maximum impact
🧩 Are we a good fit together? - See whether you and I are a good fit together by answering this short quiz. You will immediately see whether or not we are a good fit, and receive a personalised answer for what the next best step will be for you based on your answers.
💡 Want more from me? Find more on my LinkedIn profile.
🎯If you found this useful, don’t stop here. Sign up for Work Smart Wednesday and get smarter work tips every week.
