Since April 1, 2023, I started doing quarterly life reviews and planning after learning about Quarterly Review from Ali Abdaal’s weekly newsletter.
For those who usually do quarterly reviews at work, you shall be familiar with this format. Feel free to use the template below, which I modified according to my lifestyle.
- Review your top 3 aspirations for the past 3 months, did you achieve them? If not, why?
- What were the top 3 big wins of the past 3 months and why?
- What were the 3 biggest challenges, and what did you learn from them?
- What are your top 3 aspirations for the coming 3 months? Optional: What’s the biggest risk they might not happen and what are you going to do to mitigate that risk?
Note that it doesn’t always have to be three things; you can change the number yourself as your life experiences differ.
Update from my Q1 2024 aspiration
- Create content 3x weekly (✅2/10). As my time was fully on my master’s degree and scholarship application, I could not put in much time to create content. Also, a pleasant surprise happened – my partner appeared in Jan 2024. I spent significant time getting to know him and nurturing our relationship. #noregrets
- Secure a fully sponsored master’s degree and a backup plan (✅9/10). I underestimated the effort to be put into the Master’s degree and scholarship applications. It involved asking connections for references and tips, countless hours of editing my essays and preparing for my interview. I’m glad it was finally completed and I’m just waiting for the scholarship and university offer till the end of June. Regardless of whether I’m getting the scholarship, I have learned much about myself and gained better clarity on what’s next for me in my career.
- Work out 3x a week (tennis 1x and yoga/pilates 1x a week) (✅10/10). Thanks to the AIA cashback program, which gives me cash every week once my workout reaches the threshold, I have doubled my workout amount compared to last year. Except when my schedule was extremely busy or I was under the weather, I worked out 3x a week. So far, I only missed one week.
Top Wins in Q1 2024 and Why
- A happy relationship with my partner. This is the biggest surprise in Q1 2024 as I did not expect to meet my partner so soon; it has been two years since my breakup. In the past two years, I have done a lot of work myself to prepare for my next relationship. Fortunately, it was all worthwhile as I unlearned many limiting beliefs and gained better insights into looking for a suitable partner and building a healthy relationship. Consequently, I quickly filtered out the wrong guy and moved on from those that didn’t work. Contrary to my preconceived notions about my future partner, he shattered those expectations, far surpassing anything I could have imagined. While I’m blessed to be loved by him and the Universe, I’m also proud of the hard work I made along the way to be in such a happy relationship.
- Big cross-team collaboration initiative launch at work. It has been six months since I transferred my role to a growth product manager. This big initiative took three months from ideation to launch and taught me a lot about leadership and product management.
Top Biggest Challenges and What I Learned from Them
- Juggling between commitments. My workload had gotten heavier this quarter, and I met my other half simultaneously. These two commitments caused me to neglect my side projects, friends, and family. In Q2, I will focus on Wondefull blog side project as I have a step-by-step guide from my coach to grow it.
- Addiction issue when I was stressed. I have learnt that when I am stressed, I binge-watch shows, eat and shop. Thanks to this awareness, I’m consciously curbing them. For example, instead of splurging whenever I want. I set a goal that I could only buy clothes in April once I produced four Wondefull articles for the month.
Top Aspirations for the Next 3 Months
- Complete weekly workout goal to earn AIA cashback program. This is a continued goal as this cash program spans over two years, starting in January 2024.
- Write 4 blog articles every month. I completed my private coaching (at the bottom of the page) with Aisha Preece in March 2024.
- Go on a trip with my partner. I need a holidayyyy. I have not taken any trips this year yet. I’m looking for a destination that has beautiful beaches and cultural places.
- Create a hand-drawn sticker set for Wondefull Etsy store. Stickers have been doing well in my store. I’m planning to expand the collection to include a hand-drawn series.
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