2021: what’s your NY resolution ?

We started 2021 with another milestone. No, I am not talking about new market highs. Our ever-increasing family of #happykuverians now trusts us with over Rs 18,000 Cr of assets under advice.

Thank you. And a cue to your first good deed of the new year ? Invite your friends and family to #WhereTheSmartInvestorsAre

And just in time, we have a 5-step program to help you achieve them. They are based on our experiences – which includes learning to invest right after college, giving up processed grains, and losing weight through a diet and exercise regimen. We have tried, we have succeeded and we have failed – this is what we have learnt.

I will also add my learning from a personal example here. Last year i.e in 2020, I decided to cycle 7,000 km through the year.  Actually, the goal was to cycle 5,000 km in 2020, but then with work from home, I started cycling longer distances and more regularly so upped it to 7,000 km in May. Just to give some background, I started cycling in earnest in late 2018 when I made it my primary mode of transport to and from work.

Now onto the 5-step program and how it helped me.

Change requires a lot of mental effort so don’t divide it among a few different resolutions. Identify what is most relevant for your happiness and well being and dive headlong into it. Research shows that willpower is a limited asset, so spend it wisely on what matters most to you. So, if cleaning your financial house is top of your mind, then let losing weight and starting yoga wait for another day. When it comes to resolutions – do not diversify

This one is simple but very important. Choose one thing that is most important for you. With a long list, you have lost the battle even before the year has started. In 2020 my only resolution was to bike 7,000 km.

So, keep it to one thing at a time.

2/ Keep it simple

And realistic.

Say you have never invested before, but in 2017 you want to start investing like Warren Buffet or Peter Lynch or Bill Gates. Odds are you will be overwhelmed by the knowledge and work required to invest like them. So, keep it simple. Start with a monthly investment plan (SIP) and build your knowledge of how the market works. If you realize you have the time and the interest to do better, then go for it, become a full-time investor.

My objective function was very clear.

Rule 1: Cycle 7,000 kms
Rule 2: Lookup Rule 1

Tell everyone what you want to achieve this year. Make it public on Facebook or Twitter and follow up monthly on your progress. Get people to help you with insights and keeping you honest. This may sound hard, but friends love getting behind you for a good reason.

It is easier to achieve a goal with friends!

I update my progress periodically on twitter. I also joined a cycling group on fb for tips and routes. It is my own little tribe.

4/ Habits! Habits! Habits!

A resolution is good, but to succeed you need to convert it into actionable habits. Yes, regular habits that help you achieve your larger goal. Say you want to invest like Buffet. Some habits you may want to inculcate would be –

1. Read 5 investing books every month
2. Analyze 5 company balance sheets every month
3. Invest money every month to get a sense of market volatility

Without establishing habits it would be hard to get to the larger goal. I try and cycle every weekday. Anywhere from 25 – 50 km a day. It has become a habit.

5/ Believe

Finally, believe you can bring about the one change that will make you better. It is possible – millions do it every year and there is no reason you won’t be able to. Follow the calendar approach to augment your self-belief and visualize your path to success – for every day that you follow your new habit mark it as an X on a wall calendar. And for every 60-90 X marks reward yourself for your hard work.

Here’s hoping your new year is as life-affirming as you want it to be.

Ps: I followed the same plan for a “No Buy” resolution I did in 2017.