Hello changemakers 👋

Have you ever felt stuck in life? Like not enough to feel terrible, but just enough to feel… “meh”?

This feeling often gets within us, especially when the year is coming to a close. We look at our goals and think, “Eh, maybe next year.” I’ve been there myself. It’s tempting to put things off, but here’s the truth: time is flying by faster than we think.

So today, I want to talk about a concept called The “Meh” Zone, and why it’s the biggest obstacle to achieving the goals we’re chasing.

The 3 Zones We All Experience

Let me paint you a picture.

The Happy Zone:

This is where we all want to be! You’re thriving, crushing your goals, and life feels genuinely fulfilling. Think:

• “I make more money than I’ll ever need!”

• “I’m finally in the best shape of my life!”

• “Hey Siri, how many zeros can I add to my bank account before it breaks?”

Eventually this is where we all wish we could be, and I hope for all of us we will be there one day.

The Pain Zone:

You’d might find it surprising, but this is the second-best place to be. Why? Pain is a great motivator. It pushes us to make changes. This is where you think stuff like:

• “I’ve had enough of this!!”

• “If I don’t figure this out, I’m in big trouble, something needs to change now.”

• “What am I doing with my life…?”

The “Meh” Zone:

And then there’s this dreaded middle ground: the “meh” zone. You’re not unhappy, but you’re far from fulfilled. You’re stuck in a loop of tolerating mediocrity.

• “I’m not where I want to be, but it could be worse.”

• “There’s always next year.”

• “I’ll get serious about it next month…”

Why the “Meh” Zone is Dangerous

Here’s the thing: the “meh” zone is sneaky. It’s comfortable enough to keep you there indefinitely. You’re not in enough pain to change, and that’s what makes it so risky.

But here’s a question for you: Do you really want to look back in five years and realize you’ve been stuck all along?

The year is coming to an end, and I dare you to use these final weeks to attack one big, ambitious goal. Not five, not ten, just one. It could be the thing you’ve been avoiding all year or the project that feels a little scary because it’s outside your comfort zone. The point is, don’t postpone it to 2025. After all, all these dates are human inventions and there’s no reason why you should only start on January 1st.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Identify what you’ve been tolerating: What’s one area of your life where you’re stuck in the “meh” zone?

2. Visualize your Happy Zone: What would that area of your life look like if it felt truly fulfilling?

3. Take action: What’s the smallest step you can take this week to start moving out of “meh” and toward “happy”?

Let’s not wait for the next big crisis or some magical January reset. The time to break free from “meh” is now. Because guess what? 2020 was nearly five years ago. Doesn’t it feel like yesterday? That’s how quickly the years slip by. Let’s make sure we don’t waste any more time.

Wishing you a powerful finish to 2024,
Ignasi 🚀

PS: Recently I’ve been quite absent from this newsletter as I just moved to Shenzhen in China for a new role in my company. But I’ll be back with my regular posting frequency as I settle in the city and job.

Things I’m liking this week 🥰

📰 Article - Harnessing the Science of Persuasion - By influence researcher Robert B. Cialdin, persuading others is a critical skill to have in a corporate job, and also very helpful in life. This article gives some nice insights on how to perfect your persuasive techniques, and the science behind it.

📼 Video - Secrets of Hong Kong - Before moving to Shenzhen I started watching a lot of videos about the city and about Hong Kong, and this one definitely captured my attention, really nice cinematic video from Reilín Joey.

Question of the week 🤔

If you fast-forward five years, would you be proud of the decisions you’re making today?

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