Old School: A New Approach to Happiness, Health, and Wealth

This month in our Extraordinary Leader Program, we're focusing on goals. Why goals? And why now, in June?

Because by June, most people have already abandoned the goals they set in January. By June, the excitement fades. The year is no longer new and the motivation wears off. Life gets busier. And before we know it, we're back to familiar routines, hoping for different results. It's easy to drift, and yet, the demands of life are still high.

Over the past few decades, we've had the privilege of coaching leaders, teams, and organizations on goal achievement. We've also spent plenty of time setting goals ourselves and we continue to learn valuable lessons.

One thing we've observed consistently: setting the goal isn't usually the hard part. Achieving it is. Most people spend more time on the setting, not the achieving. That's why we've learned to approach goal setting with the result in mind. Not just "What do I want to accomplish?" but "Why do I want to accomplish it, and what kind of person do I need to become to accomplish it?" One of the big keys to achieving goals is deeply rooted in habits. There are countless books and resources on building habits, and two of our favorites are Atomic Habits by James Clear and Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg. Both reinforce a simple truth: small actions, repeated consistently, create extraordinary results over time.

It isn't glamorous. It isn't complicated. In fact, it feels a little “old school”. And if you know us, you know that while we appreciate innovation and new ideas, we have a soft spot for old-school wisdom.

For years, we've encouraged our clients to focus their goals in three key areas: Happiness, Health, and Wealth. You get to define what each means for you and determine which area deserves your attention right now. The point isn't balance every day; it's intention over time. And lately (as usual), we've been hearing a common theme from leaders everywhere: overwhelm, always busy, struggling to balance work and life, exhausted, life is expensive, and health issues. Maybe you can relate. We believe focusing on Happiness, Health and Wealth is the place to find the answers for life’s challenges.

And what if the answer isn't adding more apps, more productivity hacks, or another complicated system? What if getting a little old school could help you become happier, healthier, and wealthier?

Here are a few simple ideas that may seem almost too basic to matter, but when practiced consistently, they can become life-changing habits. Yes, they are a bit old school.

• Turn off your social media accounts for a day, a week, or even a month. Notice what changes.
• Turn off your phone for one hour every day. No notifications. No checking. Just uninterrupted life.
• Keep your phone out of arm's reach when you sleep.
• Avoid looking at your phone during the first hour of your day. Start with your own thoughts before consuming everyone else's.
• Share one healthy meal each week with family or friends (you guessed it—no phones).
• Visit a coffee shop or restaurant and simply be present. Enjoy the food, the conversation, and even a little people-watching. (once again, no phones).
• Take a 20-minute walk without earbuds. Let your mind wander. Some of the best ideas arrive when we stop trying to find them.
• Play a board game or card game with family or friends. Laugh out loud for real—not an emoji.
• Listen more than you speak during a conversation.
• Watch a sunrise or sunset without taking a picture of it.
• Make a daily list of three things you are grateful for.
• Write a thank-you note by hand. Deliver it in person or send it via snail mail.
• Learn to cook one meal well from scratch.
• Spend 20 minutes each day in silence. No podcasts. No music. No scrolling.
• Call or visit a friend you haven't connected with in a while.
• Pay cash for something. Notice how you think about money differently.
• Read a timeless book on money and wealth-building, such as The Psychology of Money.
• Live screen free for an afternoon.
• Go somewhere new in your community—a place you have never seen before, an event you have never attended.
• Write a love letter to your children, parents, grandparents, or significant other.
• Track your spending for one month. Notice what you notice.
• Learn the names of your neighbors.
• Invest a few hours volunteering.
• Acknowledge a co-worker in person. Tell them what you appreciate about them. Tell them why they matter to the team.
• Arrive ten minutes early instead of rushing in at the last moment.
• Tell the important people in your life what you’ve been meaning to tell them.

Many of these ideas aren't new. In fact, that's exactly why they work. They remind us (Shelley and Kevin) of a time when life moved a little slower, conversations were a little deeper, and attention wasn't constantly divided. Sometimes progress in life isn't about adding more. Sometimes it's about simplifying and eliminating.

As you move into the second half of the year, consider revisiting your goals with curiosity. What is one old school habit you could adopt today that your future self would thank you for?