# 5 Questions to Answer in Your 2025 System ![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/z6odZOinVvg/maxresdefault.jpg) ## Intro [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=0s) - It's time to review, plan, and prioritize for the next year, specifically 2025. [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=0s) - The main problem is not in planning or having a direction, but rather in taking actions to make the plan happen. [(00:00:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=14s) - A new planning approach has been developed to focus on thinking about actions and taking those actions, which will be shared through five frameworks. [(00:00:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=20s) - The planning process is divided into three 5-minute sections: review, plan, and prioritizing, totaling 15 minutes, which is considered the sweet spot. [(00:00:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=29s) - Time boxing is also important, and the first 5-minute box is dedicated to review. [(00:00:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=38s) ## The efficient review of 2024 [(00:00:46)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=46s) - The framework 80/20 is applied to analyze actions and results, where 20% of actions lead to 80% of the results, and 80% of actions lead to 20% of the results [(00:00:47)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=47s). - The 20% of actions that led to 80% of the results have two common themes: spending time with others and who those others are [(00:01:11)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=71s). - To achieve the 80/20 framework, it's essential to spend time with people who enjoy doing tasks that one hates doing, such as project management and prioritization [(00:01:19)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=79s). - Working with Cecil, an exercise was done to map out all projects, prioritize them, and determine which ones bring more joy and which ones to focus on [(00:01:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=84s). - Having someone else who loves the process of project management and prioritization can be helpful in taking one through the process, especially when one is in the middle of creating content or writing a book [(00:01:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=113s). - The second theme involves who one spends time working with, and an experiment was done towards the end of the year to explore this [(00:01:58)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=118s). ## How I'm Making My Work a Positive-Sum Game [(00:02:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=127s) - A shift has been made to work with people who are enjoyable to work with, focusing on long-term relationships and shared interests, leading to increased creativity and better problem understanding [(00:02:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=127s). - This shift has been identified as the 80/20 principle, where 20% of efforts lead to 80% of results, and it is now being applied in reverse to identify the 80% of actions that only led to 20% of results [(00:02:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=153s). - Brainstorming has been done to identify the 80% of actions that only led to 20% of results, and it has been found that these actions include things that should have been said no to, such as collaborations that were not a good fit [(00:02:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=172s). - Examples of these actions include allowing back-and-forth discussions in emails when trying to say no to a collaboration, and indecisive decisions about posting videos or starting a book club [(00:02:57)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=177s). - Recognizing these time-wasting actions has led to clarity on what has been wasted this year, and this realization will inform future decisions [(00:03:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=212s). ## The via negativa set up for 2025 [(00:03:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=218s) - The via negativa approach involves describing something by what it is not, and in this context, it's about identifying things from 2024 that won't be repeated in 2025 [(00:03:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=220s). - Three things that won't be repeated in 2025 are: no relitigating of decisions, no last-minute planning, and no getting hangry [(00:03:57)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=237s). - The decision to avoid last-minute planning is partly driven by the need to delegate and explain tasks properly, rather than doing everything in one's head [(00:04:02)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=242s). - Getting hangry was a problem in the previous year, and preparations will be made to avoid it in 2025 [(00:04:11)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=251s). - Reviewing the good and bad actions from the previous year is an essential step before planning for 2025 [(00:04:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=262s). - The via negativa exercise is a precursor to planning for 2025, which will involve creating a structure for the upcoming year [(00:04:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=268s). ## The Passion Plan for 2025 [(00:04:29)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=269s) - A Passion Planner is used as a map to achieve goals, with users consistently reporting 100% goal achievement, and it has been used for several years [(00:04:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=271s). - The planner is used to invert the thought process, considering what would be done if anything were possible in 3 months, 1 year, 3 years, and a lifetime [(00:04:46)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=286s). - Brainstorming is done for 5 minutes to generate ideas and explore possibilities [(00:04:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=293s). - Planning is considered a generative and enjoyable process with endless possibilities, but the 5-minute time frame often feels insufficient [(00:05:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=322s). - After brainstorming, the next step is to prioritize the ideas, bringing the focus back to reality and using a specific method to narrow down the options [(00:05:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=333s). ## Prioritize - the one thing [(00:05:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=338s) - To manage limited time resources effectively, it is essential to prioritize tasks and focus on the most important one first, which can be achieved in two steps. [(00:05:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=340s) - The first step involves selecting the top priority for each time frame, including 3 months, 1 year, 3 years, and a lifetime, by circling one thing for each period. [(00:05:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=350s) - After selecting the top priorities for each time frame, the next step is to choose only one out of the four options, which requires careful consideration and decision-making. [(00:06:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=361s) - A helpful approach to selecting the top priority is to choose an activity that allows for multiple tasks and interests to be pursued while funneling energy towards one direction. [(00:06:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=380s) - For example, creating content on [[YouTube]] can be a top priority as it enables learning, sharing ideas, and communicating with like-minded individuals, making it a suitable choice for someone who enjoys these activities. [(00:06:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=391s) - When selecting the top priority, it is not necessary to choose an option that directly involves family or loved ones, as creating a fulfilling career can ultimately lead to being more present and available for them. [(00:06:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=409s) - By focusing on the top priority, individuals can create opportunities and experiences that benefit their loved ones, even if they are not directly involved in the chosen activity. [(00:07:11)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=431s) ## Prioritize - make sure you do the hard thing [(00:07:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=440s) - To achieve goals, it's essential to identify and do the hard things that are often procrastinated on, and this exercise helps in making a decision-making tool by saying yes or no to these hard tasks [(00:07:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=440s). - The exercise involves identifying hard things to say yes to and those to say no to, and putting them into a time frame to test their effectiveness [(00:07:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=452s). - For example, waking up at 5 am for a creative pursuit can be a hard task, but committing to it for two months can help determine if it's beneficial or not [(00:07:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=469s). - If a task doesn't work out, it can be removed, and if it does, it can be continued, helping to build confidence and prove that it can be done [(00:08:01)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=481s). - The concept of "eating frogs" refers to tackling tasks that are perceived as unpleasant or difficult, and it's essential to set aside excuses and try these tasks for a month to three months to determine if they're truly disliked [(00:08:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=511s). - By trying these tasks, it's possible to discover that they're not as unpleasant as thought, and it's always possible to change course if they're truly disliked after a few months [(00:08:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=530s). - A worksheet is available for free to help with this exercise, and it's encouraged to share what's learned about oneself and what will be focused on next year [(00:09:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6odZOinVvg&t=545s).