Birthday letter: A True Resolution

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Have you ever questioned the efficacy of New Year's resolutions? Join me as I reveal a personal ritual I've honored for 17 years—celebrating my birthday not with cake and candles, but with pen and paper. On the Magnificent Ones podcast, I'm sharing my unique tradition of setting annual goals from birthday to birthday, rather than following the crowd each January. It's a method that's reshaped my outlook on success and allowed me to consistently accomplish my aspirations. This isn't just about goals; it's about forging a path of self-reflection and growth that's tailored to the rhythm of your life.

This year's birthday marks a moment of introspection and candid self-conversation. I unbox the intimate contents of my annual birthday letter, exposing the core of my humanity across the roles that define me—from grandson to warrior. We walk through the corridors of truth, love, and peace, weighing the anchors of pain against the buoyancy of forgiveness. There's no guest beside me, just the raw, unfiltered musings on life's transient nature, the richness of the soul, and the potency of kindness. Witness as I dissect past challenges and triumphs, offering up hard-earned wisdom, and inviting you to craft your own narrative of authenticity and resilience.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Take a breath, let's dive in.
Hello and welcome to theMagnificent Ones podcast.
Today's episode is going to bea little bit different than the

(00:24):
others, because today is mybirthday.
I was born on April 2nd 1993,31 years ago today, and I'm very
happy to be able to share oneof my traditions with all of you
.
Each year since the age of 14, Ialways wrote a letter to myself

(00:46):
on my birthday, and that becamethe tradition of how I would
set my goals.
I would base my goals on oneyear after my birthday, as
opposed to January 1st, toJanuary 1st.
I always believed that wheneveryone sets their goals or

(01:06):
resolutions on the 1st ofJanuary, everyone else is doing
the same thing.
And if everyone's setting theirgoals and you're constantly
seeing that people aren'tachieving their goals, then
psychologically all you'reseeing is failure.
However, if you were to measureyour goals simply from your

(01:31):
birthday to the next birthday,then you're measuring your goals
on a different metric.
You already tell yourselfthings that you can't do this,
you can't do that.
So by watching everyone elsefail and watching everyone
saying they're not going to meettheir goals, that has a

(01:53):
negative psychological effect onyou.
And so I found that when Istarted to base my goals from my
birthday, as opposed to theJanuary 1st New Year's
resolution way of doing things,I started to achieve my goals

(02:15):
quite frequently.
And because I was measuring mygoals, you know, in my own way,
I never had to worry about thestress of not necessarily
achieving my goals, but I got totake the time to just analyze

(02:36):
and assess.
You know where I was likethroughout the year.
And then I would say to myselfokay, if it's January 1st, I
have roughly three months untilI get to set my goals.
So I had a, you know, whileeveryone else was setting their

(02:56):
goals, I had three months toprepare for my goals.
So sometimes you have to createthe playing of your own playing
field and play, you know, byyour own rules, and that's where
that comes in.
So thank you for joining todayand if you're new, you know,
please like and subscribe.

(03:17):
And I just want to say thankyou for tuning in and let's dive
into my birthday letter.
I am Invictus.
Truth, love and Peace, for allthat I seek.
I will not always be happy, andfor these seasons I shall

(03:37):
endure, for in pain truestrength is revealed.
There is a calm before everystorm, but there is also a calm
after.
I am grandson, son, husband,father and warrior.
I am also very much human too.
I have hurt, for I too havebeen hurt, but these things do

(04:02):
not define me.
Riches are only temporary, sodo not chase them.
But true wealth is in the heartand in the mind, and a truly
wealthy person does not needmaterial things to showcase
wealth.

(04:28):
Always be grounded and be humbleenough to understand that you
are not always right.
Your own ears can deceive youand your own eyes can fool you.
It is important to understandthat forgiveness is a freedom
and hatred is a burden thatimprisons you.
Stay in the company of thosewho know who you are and also
those who can remind you of whoyou are and the times that you
forget.

(04:48):
There will be times where youcan lose your way and you will
always need a reminder.
But regardless, take time toknow and have the strength to be
you.
There is only one of you, so betrue to you.

(05:11):
You won't always be right andyou most certainly won't always
be wrong.
Take a time to enjoy victories.
Take the time to reflect on thelosses and know that in defeat,
so long as you learn a lessonyou've already won Anger and

(05:35):
hatred are like a sword thatcuts both ways.
It harms you and it also harmsyour enemy.
That cuts both ways it harmsyou and it also harms your enemy
.
Kindness is also a weapon,because only through kindness
can you truly conquer hate.
Life is not always ideal.

(05:56):
There is feast and there isfamine.
We do not chase the material,because that will pass.
We chase what is ahead, and wedo so knowing that the things

(06:16):
that are behind us can eitherhinder us or propel us forward.
There is strength inunderstanding, and so long as
you choose truth, there's alwaysgoing to be a better tomorrow.
Endure, be strong and rememberwho you are.
I am Invictus, I am Imperatorand I am me, and today I turn 31

(06:42):
.
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