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Introspecting, Reframing, Executing

Introspecting, Reframing, Executing

I crossed off the last 2 goals of 2022 on the last day of 2022, and you can too. This is how you act on any intention with no frustration of perfectionism or time restrictions.

Oumaima Talouka
December 31, 2022

Hi Friends,

It's finally HERE!

You cannot imagine how happy and sleep deprived I am at this exact moment, couple hours before sending out this first piece of my new newsletter journey 😇.

Let's start with the order of the day

I'm sharing the backstory starting this newsletter, hoping it can sparkle a start to an idea that has been itching you for a little while, using a simple 3️⃣-steps framework.
My first ever fully written article on the internet is out 😱. It makes the 2 last goals of 2022 officially crossed-off, “2 birds 1 stone”. You'll understand why in a bit.
Couple resources I’ve found insightful lately 🧠
Quote of the moment ✨

📝 Diving in…

Let me take you back to December 15, 2022... that’s right, exactly 2 weeks ago!

I was introspecting over my 2022 goals and thinking through the foundations of 2023. When I came across the "Newsletter" bullet point, I got in a flow of thoughts to how I'd launch it right at the start of 2023. My first inspiration looked like this (I am copy-past’ing it straight from my journal entry) :

"This is the intention I am putting into action for 2023. And it starts now. We're setting up a draft for 2023 before we even get to it. To be fully honest one of the goals I was really hoping to tackle this year was to launch the newsletter. Technically, it is not too late and I can actually still make that happen. What I am realizing again, is that it is never too late and every opening is an opportunity to create what best can come out of it."

I paused and started visualization ahead what it would look like it I made it happen, on short notice to my own plans, that moment when I will be hitting the "Publish" button for Edit #1 of a newsletter. Adrenaline was skyrocketing.

Now, remember the "2 birds 1 stone" above?! Well, in my early vision of the newsletter couple months ago, one of the sections would have a reference to new publications on my platform (www.oumaimatalouka.com). So the facts looked like this:

Goal 1 is publishing articles and new material on my platform
Goal 2 is publishing a newsletter, which, according to the purpose of it, requires Goal 1 to be fulfilled first

It makes it 2 actions to plan for in 2 weeks left: publishing an article, then figuring out the newsletter piece.

With that context covered, the next day, December 16th I went through this mental framework to breakdown my thought process. We’ll start with the WHAT and move into the WHY and HOW:

1. What?

Writing an article on my website and launching the first edit of a newsletter.

2. Why it hasn't been done, yet?

“Perfection” - I know you know what I mean 😪

Reality is, the ideas for couple articles were drafted and the newsletter backbone was in my mind since the day I decided on it. Perfection was playing me for that long. It needed to be written in a certain way, ready in a certain way for it to be published. And if you ask me “what is that way you were imagining” … well I don’t know. I literally have no idea.

3. How can I move forward?

Reframing the context.

On December 15th, I had that random smile and inspiration to put these thoughts in writing. And I realized, why not now, why not in the last days of 2022. Who said I should have done it last month or at a "double digits" number of days before end of year, for it to be considered "achieved". Well, the monkey mind did and it is our responsibility to realize we are in control and take that power back. The purpose is rooted more in the value that it can provide and the growth coming from it. A level of growth I get to experience as I am writing these words, at this exact moment.

✍🏼 Published

If you are wondering whether the inaugural article is out… guess what 🥁

December 31st, 2022 at 1:25 PM PST ✅

4 practical lessons in leadership and growth we learned from Morocco’s journey making History at the World Cup 2022 — Oumaima Talouka

This is for the soccer fans and non-fans, the professionals, the amateurs, the leaders, the inspiration junkies, the identified dreamers and rising ones.

http://www.oumaimatalouka.com/trainofthoughts/4-practical-lessons-in-leadership-and-growth-we-learned-from-moroccos-journey-making-history-at-the-world-cup-2022

🧠 Onto the Resources

In the Tech / AI world

Allie K.Miller has written an amazing detailed article on the Open AI new ChatGPT. The piece is for anybody curious about real world use cases of the technology, for Teachers, Sales, Marketing, Recruiting, Product Management, Project Management ... even creative birthday idea for your best friend.

ChatGPT and The Professional's Guide to Using AI

ChatGPT: the latest artificial intelligence release from OpenAI. If you're anything like me, this new technology has taken over your entire social media feed and social life.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/chatgpt-professionals-guide-using-ai-allie-k-miller/?trackingId=Ea3k8XSJQfWddh%2FNpulRyw%3D%3D

In the Leadership / Continuous growth world

"Networking" was a huge pillar for me in 2022. Don't even get me started. It can change your whole reality when you understand the value of it. We are not taught enough about the subject, or should I call it the "vital skill" instead.

Are You Taking Full Advantage of Your Network?

If you’re networking only to land a new job or meet a new client, you’re missing out. There are three big ways to leverage your network, and grow your career, beyond the obvious: Use your network to exchange expertise with others. Interestingly, we are most likely to learn from our “dormant ties,” or former colleagues, peers, and friends with whom we’ve lost touch. The people who we’re not constantly engaging with often have the most to teach us. Reconnecting allows us to exchange information, share knowledge, and introduce each other to the new skills. Use your network to help others. When we help someone out, they are more likely to help us out in return. Play the long game. Think about your long-term career goals (one to three years from now), and identify people in your network who may be able to help you down the road. Now is the time to offer them help. Use your network to sharpen your communication skills. Networking allows us to sharpen skills that will help us in every other part of our careers: curiosity, persuasion, confidence, and executive presence, as well as learning how to speak engagingly and keep the attention of an audience. Identify one or two communication skills you’d like to improve (such as listening without interrupting or describing what you do succinctly) and practice those skills during an upcoming networking conversation.

https://hbr.org/2022/11/are-you-taking-full-advantage-of-your-network

In the Wisdom world powered by Podcasts

One of the most thought provoking podcasts I came across this year is from The Diary of a CEO, Steven Barlett with Mo Gawdat. I am going to leave it here with no spoilers. This episode hit so many levels of grounding beliefs. It provokes some questioning of things at your core you might have never been taught you should question. It can resonate differently at times depending on the phase of life you are in. Definitely a good one for this time of the year.

✨ Quote of the moment

"If you try 5 things, you're gonna win at 3 of them. But it you're afraid of trying, you won't get anywhere"

Barbara Corcoran

💌 Final words

I would love you to be an active contributor to the making of this newsletter. One where your ROI on the time you invest in reading it is worth it. Thus, your opinion matters. Here is a quick request form, I’d like to hear about your suggestions of what to cover in the upcoming edits. Short and Simple - LINK

Spread the word for this newsletter to whomever you think it can provide value to!

Onto 2023 ✈️ I am wishing you the most fun, experimental, and joyful new year to date!

Stay Curious, Stay Unique & Explore more... Until Edit #2.

Oumaima Talouka