Maps to a Meaningful Life

Posted on April 25, 2026 by dailyplanit

How can we make a meaningful life? The answer to this question is outlined in a TED talk by Joshua Hicks: A scientific approach to a meaningful life. He describes four pillars of meaning: mattering, experiential appreciation, purpose, and seeking coherence.

Mattering is about feeling significant to others and leaving a positive lasting mark. Mattering to others often means having good relationships with friends and family members, while sociocultural significance may come from the work that we do. We can build relationships and cultivate friendships, and help others through work or volunteering. Make time to CARE.

• Communicate well
• Authentic awareness
• Relate with listening
• Emotional intelligence

• Take time for others
• Include, invite, introduce
• Make connections
• Entertain and have fun

Key skills for mattering are communication, emotional intelligence, and other social skills. Learn helpful skills with TED talks at the Relate and Communicate Pathways, plus the book (Amazon affiliate links provide a small commission that helps to support the Daily PlanIt) and TED talk below:

Appreciation of experience is about noticing the world around us. We may enjoy a conversation or the taste of food, be moved by hearing music, or seeing the beauty of a rainbow or lightning. We may feel joy or awe in natural settings. We can increase our ability to be aware with meditation, by reducing distractions, expressing gratitude, and by exploring with curiosity. Be made SANE:

• Be observant and open
• Embrace mindfulness
• Make music and create art
• Add awareness of self and world
• Delete distractions and devote time
• Enhance workspaces and home
• Seek and see beauty
• Appreciate with awe and wonder
• Notice nature
• Express gratitude

Learn more with TED talks at the Create Pathway, plus the books and TED talks below:

Purpose is the pursuit of goals that are both personally meaningful and make a positive mark on the world. Identify strengths, reflect on priorities, and plan purpose with vision, mission, and values for meaningful goals. Break large ambitions into smaller, actionable steps. Overcome procrastination and other obstacles. Maintain motivation and focus on what energizes you. Regularly review progress and re-align daily actions with your “why.” SMART MOVES for purpose:

• Start with strengths
• Master attention
• Act with agency
• Reach for vision and mission
• Target priorities
• Manage distractions
• Overcome procrastination
• View progress with reviews
• Engage energy and flow
• Stay on track for results

Key skills for purpose are self-reflection, knowledge of the career search process, goal setting, planning, and time management. Look for Clues to Purpose and Ikigai. Learn helpful skills for purpose with TED talks at the Purpose, Work Engagement, and Aspire Pathways. Start with the following book and TED talk:

  • Get It Done by Ayelet Fishbach, TED talk How to set the right goals and stay motivated.

Seek Coherence – the feeling that your life makes sense. Regular routines provide the rhythms that help us feel that life is meaningful. Experiencing a traumatic event, shattered expectations, and overthinking can leave us feeling that life is beyond our comprehension. Seek clarity when life feels UNCERTAIN:

• Uplift with compassion and self-care
• Navigate change and uncertainty
• Choose to cultivate courage
• Expand thinking and examine beliefs
• Regulate emotions
• Take small steps with a structured routine
• Act with agency to control or influence what you can
• Integrate influence
• Notice with experiential appreciation

Key skills for coherence are emotional intelligence, resilience, positive self-talk, psychological distance, courage, and realistic optimism. Learn helpful skills with TED Talks at the Clarity Pathway (which includes emotional intelligence) and the Psychology Pathway. Plus the following book and TED Talk:

Learn more at The Choice to Act. Find more TED talks by speakers who are also authors at TED talk book discussion.

Posted in personal development

Navigating Change

Posted on April 12, 2026 by dailyplanit

Change is a part of life, and that is a truth often resisted. It can take courage to face change. FLARES that can light the way and help us as we navigate change:

• Focus with awareness
• Look for a supportive crew
• Accept uncertainty
• Rely on resilience
• Embrace a growth mindset
• Steer the ship around obstacles

“We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.” the origin of the quote is unclear, but ironically, the truth of it remains constant.

Remember that sometimes change can be a good thing. Practice awareness of yourself, others, and what is happening in the world for clarity.

Relationships with others who support us are important as we navigate change. Develop connections with those who will provide honest feedback and encouragement.

Renew your ability to bounce back from difficulties with resilience. Practice self-care and focus on what you can control or influence.

Resisting change can sometimes make it harder. Accept the reality that change happens, and that uncertainty and the unknown will be encountered, when trying something new and reaching for goals. Courage is when we act despite fear.

Rely on a belief in your ability to learn and grow. Act with agency, and know that failure and mistakes are opportunities to learn.

Regardless of what is happening, look for ways to steer around obstacles and adapt.

Books and TED talks

Amazon affiliate links to books provide a small commission that helps to support the Daily PlanIt.

Find more TED talks by speakers who are also authors at TED talk book discussion.

Posted in personal development

Affirmations and Self-Talk

Posted on April 3, 2026 by dailyplanit

The voices in our head can sometimes be quite critical and unkind. When we pay attention to the things we are saying to ourselves, we can learn to change negative self-talk into positive. We can speak to ourselves as we would to a friend. Learning to treat ourselves with compassion and kindness leads to more compassion for others as well. Our ability to be kind to others increases.

Affirmations are phrases that describe the results of adopting a positive belief that can help change our mindset when repeated frequently. Affirmations should be:
• Always positive
• First person or name: “I am, I can, I do…” [your name] is, can, does
• Friendly: speak to self as you would to a friend
• In present tense: happening now
• Reality based: believable
• Meaningful: express belief in self, resilience, agency, and ability to grow

Simply saying something does not make it so, but words can be powerful! Affirmations do not possess a magical power to change reality, but a close look at the accuracy of our thoughts and beliefs can be a good choice. Our feelings can be shaped by the things we tell ourselves. Our relationships can be altered by the things that we say. Striving to always be honest and kind with your words will go a long way toward creating the life that you want.

To REAP the benefits of affirmations:
• Repeat daily
• Expand emotion
• Add visualization
• Post where you will see often

EXAMPLES: I am loved. I can breathe deeply and fully. I practice compassion. See more examples at The Not So Big Life.

THINK before you speak – to yourself or others. Is it:

  • True
  • Helpful
  • Inspiring
  • Necessary
  • Kind

Automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) are habitual, involuntary thoughts that pop into our brains. They are often false, unhelpful, and directly contribute to anxiety because a fear response is triggered by the perception of danger or threat. Lindsay Bramman has an Intrusive Thought Flowchart.

There are two approaches for dealing with ANTS in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) is a form of CBT developed by Albert Ellis that shows how beliefs about events lead to emotions. You learn to spot irrational thoughts, challenge them, and substitute rational thoughts instead.

With Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), you don’t fight the ANTs. Instead, you learn to notice and sit with them, but to not allow them to be in charge. It helps to gain a sense of meaning and purpose by taking actions that line up with your personal values. Whether you choose more realistic thoughts or a shift in attention to what really matters to you, automatic negative thoughts don’t have to control your life. (From https://therapyinanutshell.com/automatic-negative-thoughts/)

DIRECT Self Talk
• Deliberate distance
• Irrational to rational
• Re-frame
• Emotional congruence
• Coach not critic
• THINK before you speak

Speaking to yourself in third person can help you gain psychological distance and regulate emotions. An example is “[Your name], you’re okay, you’ve got this.” Re-frame with rational thoughts and a growth mindset. Align outward expression with internal emotions. Focus on solutions rather than dwelling on mistakes.

Books and TED Talks:

Books purchased with Amazon affiliate links below provide a small commission that helps support the Daily PlanIt. See more TED talks by authors at TED Talk Book Discussion.

See also: Creating Clarity, Examine Mental Beliefs, Overcome Obstacles, 6 Rs of Resilience. Coping Skills, plus Positive Self-talk at PsychCentral and Positive Affirmations at coping.us.

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Psychology Pathway

Posted on March 15, 2026 by dailyplanit

Want to learn more about yourself and other people? The twelve TED talks and books by the speaker below guide you along the way.

Links to the TED talks (plus more) can be found at the Psychology Pathway board at Pinterest. Amazon affiliate links to the books provide a small commission that helps to support the Daily PlanIt.

I. BASICS
↳ THE BRAIN (learn more at Brain Basics)
Your Brain at Work by David Rock, TED talk Learning about the brain changes everything
↳ BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS (learn more at Behavioral Economics and Weight Loss)
Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely, TED talk Are we in control of our own decisions?
↳ PERSONALITY (learn more about Personality)
Who Are You, Really? by Brian Little, TED talk Who are you, really? The puzzle of personality

II. ABILITIES (learn more at Discover U)
↳ STRENGTHS
The Freak Factor by David Rendall, TED talk How our weaknesses can become our strengths
↳ TALENTS
Frames of Mind by Howard Gardner, TED talk Beyond wit and grit
↳ SKILLS
The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman, TED talk The first 20 hours, how to learn anything

III. DIFFICULTIES
↳ STRESS
The Organized Mind by Daniel Levitin, TED talk How to stay calm when you know you’ll be stressed ↳ ANXIETY
Thriving With Anxiety by David Rosmarin, TED talk How to make anxiety your friend
↳ DEPRESSION
Lost Connections by Johann Hari, TED talk This could be why you’re depressed or anxious
↳ GRIEF
The Hot Young Widows Club by Nora McInerney, TED talk We don’t move on from grief. We move forward with it

IV. DOING (learn more at the Aspire Pathway)
↳ EFFORT
Unstoppable Mindset by Alden Mills, TED talk How to train an unstoppable mindset
↳ DETERMINATION
Grit by Angela Duckworth, TED talk The power of passion and perseverance
↳ SELF-TALK
Chatter by Ethan Cross, TED talk Do you talk to yourself? Here’s how to harness your inner voice

Find more pathways and TED talks by speakers who are also authors at TED Talk Book Discussion. Find more Great Reads Pathways at Pinterest. Learn more at Discover U and Creating Clarity.

Posted in Books

Pathway to Work Engagement

Posted on March 6, 2026 by dailyplanit

Work engagement means being actively involved with impactful work that absorbs attention. Engaging work is important for well-being. Four Cs of work that is meaningful are:

• Contribution (impact) – Work that has purpose and makes a difference.
• Challenge (growth) – There is a balance of challenge and skill that leads to flow, opportunities to use strengths, to learn and develop skills.
• Choice (autonomy) – Agency to act independently and influence outcomes.
• Community (belonging) – A supportive environment with positive relationships.

The TED talks and books below are a guide through finding meaningful work, planning, and developing teamwork and leadership skills.

Links to the TED talks (plus more) are at the Work Engagement Pathway Pinterest board. Amazon affiliate links to the books provide a small commission that helps to support the Daily PlanIt.

I. SIGNIFICANT WORK (learn more at Career Search Process)
↳ CALLING
Make Your Job a Calling by Brian Dik, TED talk How to find and live your calling
↳ MEANING
The Purpose Effect by Dan Pontefract, TED talk the The purpose effect
↳ FIT
Unsuited by Ryan Clements, TED talk What they don’t teach you about career fulfillment in school

II. TEAMWORK (learn more at Teamwork)
↳ COMMUNICATION (learn more at Pathway to Communication)
Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazi, TED talk Interdependent leadership
↳ EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (learn more at Emotional Intelligence and the Clarity Pathway)
Radical Candor by Kim Scott, TED talk How to lead with radical candor
↳ PERSONALITY (learn more at the Psychology Pathway)
The Five Dysfunctions of Teams by Patrick Lencioni, TED talk Are you an ideal team player?

III. PLANNING (learn more at Purpose Planning)
↳ VISION
Winning Tools by Matthew Mitchell, TED talk Building vision
↳ PURPOSE (learn more at Purpose Pathway)
Body of Work by Pamela Slim, TED talk Finding purpose in the new world of work
↳ STRATEGY
Your Strategy Needs a Strategy by Martin Reeves, TED talk Your strategy needs a strategy

IV. LEADERSHIP (learn more at Leadership Skills)
↳ ASSESS and ALIGN
Principles by Ray Dalio, TED talk How to lead a company where the best ideas win
↳ INSPIRE with INTEGRITY
Start with Why by Simon Sinek, TED talk How great leaders inspire action
↳ MOTIVATE CHANGE
Beyond Great by Jim Hemerling, TED talk 5 ways to lead in an era of constant change

This is one of a series of pathways through TED Talks for building a life of meaning. The Aspire Pathway Pinterest board includes more TED talks and books for learning about productivity and goal setting. See also posts about Motivation, the Career Search Process, the Work Skills List, Top Skills Employers Want, Learning Activities for Work Engagement, Skills for Career Advancement, Work Goals, and the Work Skills Toolkit. Find more pathways and TED talks by speakers who are also authors at TED Talk Book Discussion.

Posted in work skills

Goal Skills – Overcoming Obstacles

Posted on February 28, 2026 by dailyplanit — 6 Comments

Progress toward goal achievement can sometimes be blocked by challenges and obstacles. Handling challenges can take courage, creativity, grit, and resilience. Some of the biggest obstacles are the ones that we create ourselves as we attempt to avoid discomfort. Here are some ways to deal with discomfort.

• Distractions – find focus, manage notifications
• Indecision – find options for solutions and decide.
• Self-sabotage – be mindful, practice compassion, learn about behavioral economics
• Confusion – if the path is unclear: gain clarity, make a plan, and be aware.
• Overwhelm – break projects down and prioritize tasks. The physical manifestations of stress are similar to excitement. Manage stress with self-care and try to re-frame it as excitement.
• Motivation – don’t wait to feel motivated, action doesn’t come from motivation. Motivation comes from action. Start with one small step. Can you tip the scales to up the benefits of results to overcome inertia?
• Fear – limit fear to the back seat: author Elizabeth Gilbert wrote a Letter to Fear.
• Obliviousness – notice what you are avoiding and understand why.
• Resistance – expect it will take effort, develop skills to get prepared.
• Triggers – recognize procrastination triggers and know how to deal with them.

Other things that can slap us in chains:

  • Self-limiting beliefs – learned helplessness can prevent action. Choose realistic optimism to act with agency. Re-frame thinking to become resilient.
  • Laziness – focus on the satisfaction that comes from hard work for a meaningful goal.
  • Attitude – change from a negative attitude to an action oriented, can do attitude.
  • Perfectionism – seek progress rather than perfection and begin to get important stuff done.

We also dislike taking a chance: as we learn and try new things, we explore the unknown. We might make a mistake, or experience failure or setbacks. We MUST overcome obstacles that might be encountered:

  • Mistakes – mistakes can happen. Adopt a growth mindset.
  • Uncertainty – face the unknown with courage.
  • Setbacks – failure is a possibility. Try with an experimental mindset. Handle setbacks with grit and resilience.
  • Take considered risks – build confidence with competence to live at the edge of the comfort zone.

Don’t let your own limiting beliefs, the comfort zone, distractions, or fears prevent you from doing what you want to accomplish, or from connecting with others. Examine your mental beliefs and RECLAIM agency to overcome obstacles.

Of course, there can be external obstacles, and unknown obstacles that are not possible to plan for. Don’t let uncertainty, failures, or setbacks stop you. Gather all your resources, know how to solve problems, develop strengths, deal with time wasters, and keep trying.

The Victor poem by C.W. Longenecker

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you like to win but think you can’t,
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s [person’s] will.
It’s all in the state of mind.
If you think you are outclassed, you are.
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win the prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man [person who ran].
But sooner or later, the man [person] who wins
Is the man [person] who thinks he [they] can.

If you want to get ahead, use the one you’ve got!

Learn more about How to Set Goals, use time well, and develop Self-Esteem.

Posted in goals

Resources For Goals

Posted on February 18, 2026 by dailyplanit

When setting goals, consider the benefits of achievement and the resources required. The Economy of Goals means that benefits must exceed the cost in order for us to invest the needed resources. Goals are challenging, by definition. We can expect to encounter risk, uncertainty, perhaps failure, and quite likely fear along the way. The resources we need to accomplish goals can also reveal the strengths we need to persevere. Resources that are often needed to accomplish goals include:

  • Time
  • Energy
  • Abilities
  • Mind (and Money)

To set and reach for goals means embracing effort, expecting challenges, and expanding to the edge of the comfort zone. Facing challenges takes courage, because it means there can be setbacks. Amy Shoenthal delves into this topic in her TED talk How to turn setbacks into success, and her book The Setback Cycle (Amazon affiliate link to the book provides a small commission that helps to support the Daily PlanIt). There are things we can do if we experience failure or make mistakes. We can confront fear and change our mindset. Before we get to resources, the cycle she describes includes:

  • Establish: Recognize and acknowledge that you are in a setback.
  • Embrace: Get uncomfortable to analyze what went wrong, taking responsibility for your part while understanding external factors.
  • Explore: Experiment with new ideas, merge passion with strengths, and lean on your community to find clarity on what’s next.
  • Emerge: Take action, even if it’s scary, to move forward with the new clarity gained, understanding that this process builds resilience and creativity.

My extended thoughts about how skills can help us prepare for setbacks:

Here is how resources can reveal strengths.

  • Time. When do you lose all track of time and feel flow? When did you solve a problem? How can you start to manage time?
  • Energy. What tasks excite you and consistently energize you? What is a project you are proud of? How can you manage energy effectively?
  • Abilities. What are you good at? What is easy for you to do or learn about? (see Discover U) How can you develop skills and be your best?
  • Mind. What do you love to learn about? When are you most creative? How can you increase awareness, tend to focus, direct self-talk, and cultivate creativity?

Supportive community is another resource that can help us reach goals.

• Gain input from others
• Learn in public
• Outline thoughts
• Work collaboratively
• Spark creativity with social connections

Learn more at Discover U, and find more TED talks by speakers who are also authors at TED Talk Book Discussion.

 

Posted in goals

Pathway to Communication

Posted on February 6, 2026 by dailyplanit

Want to learn valuable communication skills? The twelve TED talks and books by the speaker below guide you along the way.

Links to the TED talks (plus more) can be found at the Communication Pathway board at Pinterest. Amazon affiliate links to the books provide a small commission that helps to support the Daily PlanIt. Learn more at 12 Communication Skills.

I. RECEIVE
↳ ACTIVE LISTENING
I Want to Hear You by John Igwebuike, TED talk Strategies for active listening.
↳ BODY LANGUAGE
Cues by Vanessa Van Edwards, TED talk You are contagious.
↳ VOICE
How to be Heard by Julian Treasure, TED talk How to speak so people will want to listen.

II. RESPOND
↳ FEEDBACK
The Feedback Fix by Joe Hirsch, TED talk The Joy of getting feedback.
↳ QUESTIONS
Ask by Jeff Wetzler, TED talk How to learn something from anyone.
↳ EMPATHY
We Need to Talk by Celeste Headlee, TED talk How to have a better conversation.

III. SEND
↳ SPEAK: CONVERSATION
Big Talk by Kalina Silverman, TED talk The art of meaningful conversations.
↳ COMMUNICATION TYPES
Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg, TED talk The science behind dramatically better conversations.
↳ COMMUNICATE CONFIDENCE
Let’s Go by Emily Jaenson, TED talk 6 tips for building your confidence.

IV. CONNECT
↳ PRESENTATIONS
The Compelling Communicator by Tim Pollard, TED talk Why communication goes wrong, and what you can do about it.
↳ STORYTELLING
The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr, TED talk The Science of storytelling
↳ PERSONAL BRAND/NETWORKING
How to Wow by Frances Cole Jones, TED talk How to present your best self in any situation.

Find more pathways and TED talks by speakers who are also authors at TED Talk Book Discussion. Find more Great Reads Pathways at Pinterest.

Posted in communication

Engaging Creativity

Posted on January 29, 2026 by dailyplanit — 7 Comments

A creative mindset can be critical in solving problems, connecting with others, and gaining clarity.

To cultivate creativity:

• Connect ideas
• Really look
• Explore
• Ask questions
• Take time to think
• Imagine and inspire ideas
• Value play
• Experiment
• Seek other curious people

To encourage engagement:

• Self mastery with autonomy
• Take on important work
• Add meaning with impact
• Recognition of good work
• Target skills to develop
• Invite participation in growth opportunities
• Nurture interest and involvement
• Gain results with relevant work goals

To develop design thinking:

• New perspectives
• Observe – look broader, closer
• Think younger – beginners mind
• Improve things
• Create new things
• Explore possibilities
• Reveal efficiency and beauty
• See surprising connections

TED Talks and books:

TED talk links are found at the Create Pathway Pinterest board. Books purchased through the affiliate links below provide a small commission that helps to support the Daily Planit. Find more TED talks by speakers who are also authors at TED Talk Book Discussion.

Creative websites:

Get ideas at Get Creative, try creative arts, and learn more about overcoming procrastination and getting motivated.

Posted in personal development

Sources of Strengths

Posted on January 25, 2026 by dailyplanit

When we know our strengths, we can be our best. Strengths are important for discovering purpose and choosing priorities and goals. Using your strengths for purposeful AIMS adds meaning and satisfaction to life. Below are details about the strengths you can find through the following sources. Find links at the end of the post to a printable list of strengths and a form to write your own strengths alongside your goals to maintain focus on them. Learn more about how to Identify Strengths at Discover U.

Gain clarity FAST:

• Find flow
• Assess abilities
• Spot strengths
• Take stock of talents

Find MATCHES with these sources of strengths.

• Myers-Briggs personality
• Assess strengths free → (Red Bull, High Five)
• Talents (Gardner)
• Character strengths (VIA)
• Holland code
• Explore DISC
• Strengthsfinder (Clifton) $

The Clifton Strengthsfinder is a good way to identify strengths, although this assessment has a fee. It describes 34 strengths in four domains. A free printable pdf describes the CliftonStrengths Themes.

The free Red Bull Wingfinder includes 25 strengths in four areas.

The free High Five assessment includes 20 strengths in four areas. A pdf with definitions of the High Five strengths is available from judsonu.edu.

Gardner’s multiple intelligences indicate talents.

VIA character strengths reveal personal qualities. Learn more at Map Your Values.

Holland codes indicate interests in six areas.

Myers-Briggs personality reveals strengths in eight areas.

DISC personality reveals strengths in four areas.

Knowing your strengths allows you to use them well. Download the pdf Sources of Strengths for a printable outline of all of these strengths.

Keep your strengths alongside your goals – Download a pdf of the Goal Shift Chart + Assessment Results to write your results on a form. Learn more at Identify Strengths, part of the Discover U series.

Once you identify your strengths, go FAR with:

• Focus
• Attention
• Resilience

Discovering and using your strengths adds meaning to life.

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