I stole a secret from a $100M company CEO: the Aspiration List.

Do you feel you are often drifting from your goals and you want to get more out of every day of your life?

I do.

I have dreams, and I set goals to get closer to them, but regularly, day after day, I see myself shifting focus and doing stuff that doesn’t align with my goals. By fear, due to old habits, or past mindset.

But today, this comes to an end for you and me.

I stole a secret tool from Noah Kagan a tool that can help keep the direction you set, keep your actions aligned with your goals and your values.

I call this tool…the Aspiration List.

Intrigued? Keep reading!

What is an Aspiration List?

This is a list of values, attitudes, directions that you want to follow in your life.

I made up the name, but I took this concept from this video by Noah Kagan:

The principle is to write down a list of items related to your values (or the ones you want to cultivate) and aspirations. Then you want to set the habit of reading this list every morning.

This will help you stay on track and don’t drift and make decisions not aligned with what you aspire to (hence the name).

OK, but how do you make that list?

That’s what I will show you in the next section.

How to create one?

The first thing to do is find those aspirations and list the values and attitudes you want to cultivate or maintain.

Find your core values

Knowing your core values can help you understand yourself better (always good!). And to define what is essential for you. Thus what you want to stand for.

How can you find them if you don’t already know your values?

I will let two experts, James Clear and Scott Jeffrey, guide you. You can read a list of values on their sites (here or here) and peak the one you resonate with.

I also suggest that you go to Scott Jeffrey’s website for a step-by-step guide to find them.

List what you aspire to become

It comes from your vision. What is your purpose? Who do you want to become?

If it is not clear right now, that’s ok. It will come through experimenting with things and reflecting on your experiences and feelings.

If you need it, I wrote a guide to find your vision.

It may take some time, and you may feel overwhelmed for now. What if you used an example and built it from there? You would feel more confident that you will write your Aspiration list, right?

If so, you want to check out what comes next

The Aspiration list I stole from Noah Kagan

I admit it.

I stole the aspirational list from Noah Kagan, the brilliant (and fun) CEO of AppSumo.

In fairness, I stole it for you so that you can get inspired as well.

I copied it below since it is not very convenient to read and copy from a screenshot.

Please note that it is not exactly the original version. I adapted it with my own words and added a few ideas. But I kept the same points.

• Greatness: look up to higher goals, go forward to your dreams, be fearless. Don’t let the past define you and dictate your actions. Do your best. Don’t let yourself stop by limiting beliefs or fears. Be relentlessly curious and fearless like a child. (Hint: If no asteroid is falling onto your head, you’ll be good.)

• Recharge: take time to recover, recharge your energy. Meditate, exercise daily.

• Be a stable foundation: be reliable, be consistent. This will build up trust from others, but more importantly, from yourself. You will feel more confident.

• You have everything you need: the feeling that you are missing out on something is dopamine-craving. You have all you need. The answers are in you.

• Show up: be present for those you want to serve, no matter what. Be present for your loved ones.

• Sit in silence: This goes with recharging yourself. Allow a quiet moment in your day, for example, when lying in bed before starting your day. Don’t put too many things in your calendar.

• Today: make it your best day ever. If it is not the best, you still have the choice to make it better, anytime. You may have a rough start, but you can offer yourself a brilliant ending.

What should I do with this list?

Once you have a least a first version of your aspiration list, keep it in evidence somewhere you will see it every morning.

Noah pinned his in Apple Notes. You can print it out, write it down on a post-it that will decorate your computer screen or your mirror.

Read it every morning, when you start your day.

With time, you will certainly change it. Be flexible and remove what doesn’t resonate anymore with you. Add new aspirations you discover through your experiences.

Takeaway

You now have a secret tool to empower your days and your life. Use it wisely, and let me know how it goes for you.

I would love to see your list, and if you want to share it publicly (even anonymously), I will be happy to publish it in an updated version of this article.