Happy Holidays from The Quiet Rich— the weekly email to get “rich” in what matters most (like time, health, and a house full of love).

In my opinion, there are too many frameworks out there for reflecting on 2024. Today, you’ll get the only one you actually need. 😅 

And with that, let’s do our 2024 reflection…

CONTEXT

Tim Ferriss is the best-selling author of The 4-Hour Workweek, and hosts one of the top podcasts in the world.

He often gets asked how he sets New Year’s resolutions. Here’s his powerful “Past Year Review” technique.

THE METHOD

Step 1: Prep Your Sheet

• Grab a notepad and create two columns: POSITIVE and NEGATIVE.

• Pro tip: You can also do this digitally so you never lose reflections from past years. I created a free PDF template for you here!

Step 2: Review the Year

• Scroll through your calendar + your photo library from 2024. 

• Jot down any activities / people / moments that triggered peak positive OR negative emotions. Put them in their respective columns.

Step 3: Spot the Positive Patterns

• Look for consistent themes through an “80/20 analysis.” (Btw, I love Mark Manson’s explanation of the 80/20 rule.)

• Which 20% of your POSITIVE column produced the most powerful peaks?

• Maybe you were:

  • Traveling somewhere new?

  • Bringing your side hustle to life?

  • Spending time with a particular friend?

Step 4: Spot the Negative Patterns

• Which 20% of the NEGATIVE column produced the most consistent lows?

• Maybe you were:

  • Not sleeping well?

  • Not setting boundaries with loved ones?

  • Burning yourself out at work? (Here are my 6 minimalist habits to avoid burnout. That was one of my most popular LinkedIn posts ever).

Step 5: Calendar it in 2025

• Here comes the important part:

• Schedule your POSITIVE patterns into your 2025 calendar now:

  • Set dates for the next family vacation. (We all need more “moments that matter.”)

  • Plan a monthly dinner with that one energizing friend.

  • Block off a weekend to just work on your passion project.

Step 6: Remove the Bad

• Write a “NOT TO DO” list with your NEGATIVE patterns.

• Always keep this list somewhere visible (so you don’t add them to your calendar out of obligation, guilt, FOMO, or other nonsense).

• In the words of Derek Sivers, “If it’s not a ‘hell yeah,’ it’s a no.”

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Remember: It’s not enough to JUST remove the negative. That only creates a void. Get the positive things in your calendar early. We all know if they’re not in there, they won’t happen.

Cheers to designing your best life in 2025. 🥂

To dive deeper, listen to Tim Ferriss’s full podcast episode: Forget New Year’s Resolutions and Conduct a ‘Past Year Review’ Instead.

I’m wishing all of you a happy, healthy, and quietly wealthy New Year. ❤️

Jade

P.S. Thinking about growing your personal brand? There has literally never been a better time. What if growing an audience on LinkedIn was your New Year’s Resolution? 🔥 Ben Meer and I just opened our January cohort — and spots are selling out FAST. The program starts on January 12th, but I wouldn’t wait to apply. We’ve run this for 1 year and sold out every time… Learn more (and read member reviews) at JoinArchimedes.com. Ben and I can’t wait to get to know you!