Hey Folks! Tommy “Tahoe” Alaimo here. Welcome back to The Weekly Six-Pack where I share the six best things I’m enjoying, thinking about, and experiencing each week.
Quote of the Week
“Recognizing that people’s reactions don’t belong to you is the only sane way to create. If people enjoy what you’ve created, terrific. If people ignore what you’ve created, too bad. If people misunderstand what you’ve created, don’t sweat it. And what if people absolutely hate what you’ve created? What if people attack you with savage vitriol, and insult your intelligence, and malign your motives, and drag your good name through the mud? Just smile sweetly and suggest – as politely as you possibly can – that they go make their own fucking art. Then stubbornly continue making yours.”
— Elizabeth Gilbert
Weekly Six-Pack
Here are the 6 things to check out this week:
- This week I interviewed the great Richard Harris. Richard brought us through his career arc, his mental health journey, and tips for sales reps to ask better questions. Subscribe here on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
- After hearing about it for years, I finally got around to reading The Little Red Book of Selling. I recommend every salesperson to check this classic book out.
- The book Think and Grow Rich changed my life 5 years ago. I read it every December and am in the middle of it right now.
- Okay okay, you finally got to me. I started watching The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix and have decided to quit sales, throw away all of my possessions, and play chess full-time… In all seriousness, if anyone has a good chess app they use, let me know.
- This video will hit you right in the feels – and get your ass off the couch for a workout.
- Who To Follow: I had a great conversation this week with Gabrielle Blackwell (coming soon). Check her out on LinkedIn!
This Week
There are three things I do every December.
The first is re-read the book that changed my life 5 years ago, Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill.
The second thing I do is enjoy one White Russian on Christmas Day – not more, not less.
The third thing I do is pick a word for the upcoming year.
And while I’d love to talk about Napolean Hill and creamy alcoholic beverages, I’ll save that for another day. We’re here to talk about picking one word for 2021.
Let’s start with the “normal” way of planning for the new year.
Most people set unrealistic resolutions in the last week of December. As they’re 4 Eggnogs deep, they visualize themselves as a millionaire with a 6-pack that mediates for 2 hours every morning. This looks good on paper and even better as an Instagram post. But by January 10th, they’ve spiraled back into their old ways with pizza boxes on the ground, a dead-end job, and a Netflix obsession. They claim that “next year is their year”.
That system is broken. Let’s keep it simple. Like “One Word” simple.
What’s one word that can guide you for the year ahead?
I originally stole this idea from bestselling author Jon Gordon a few years ago. Each member of his family chooses one word – like Focus, Motivation, Surrender, Pray, or Love – and make paintings to hang around the house to help them remember to live that word for the upcoming year. Not only is it a personal planning tool, but one that the whole family can use as a bonding activity.
“But Tom, what about goal setting? You love goals, I love goals, where are the goals, dammit?!”
Easy, tiger.
I still write down goals for the upcoming year in my main life buckets: financial, professional, creative, relationship, health, spiritual. We’re not replacing that important aspect of planning. Rather, think of this as a supplement to those goals. Ask yourself, “In order to reach my goals, what or who do I need to become?”.
This is the third year that I’ve picked my One Word. In 2019, I chose to Focus on the process and not get distracted. In 2020, I chose to Surrender – and what a year to surrender to. There was so much outside of my control, all I could do at times was Surrender and have faith that things would work out.
I’m still finalizing my word for 2021, though I have a few frontrunners.
None of us know what next year will bring. But living with an intention can help you to enjoy the high points, persevere through the low points, and come out of the year proud of your effort.
So pour yourself a White Russian, sit down with a loved one and pick out your word for 2021. If you do, reply to this email or hit me up on social and let me know what you choose.
