ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Every new year we make the same promise. We buy the planner, set the goals, and charge forward with our eyes on the horizon, because that is what winners are supposed to do. But there is a quiet cost to running forward with your head turned away from where you have been. In this episode of Healthy Mind, Healthy Life, host Sana talks with author and former global marketing executive Jobert Abueva about why honest reflection is not the opposite of ambition, and how the past can become a compass instead of a cage.
Jobert shares the story of his own burnout and breakdown at the height of a high-flying career, and introduces step one of his Janus Plan: ponder the past. They explore simple ways to look back without getting stuck there, including writing about the year, reviewing the "artifacts" on your phone and calendar, and listing the good, the bad, and the ugly. Jobert also explains why Janus, the Roman god of thresholds who looks both backward and forward, became a symbol for a life full of beginnings and endings.
About the Guest:Jobert E. Abueva is an author, speaker, and former global marketing executive who spent years opening new markets for products in the beauty care industry. Born in the Philippines and raised in Nepal, Thailand, and Japan, he developed an early understanding of life's beginnings and endings. He is the author of The Janus Plan: A No-Resolutions Path to Begin Your Year with Intention, a reflection-first approach to goal setting, and the memoir Boy Wander: A Coming of Age Memoir. Jobert has practiced his own year-end reflection ritual since the mid-1990s.
Key Takeaways:- Goal setting is not only forward-facing. Honest reflection on the past year helps you choose better goals before you chase them.
- Success that looks good from the outside can hide misalignment on the inside. Pay attention to signals from your body, mind, and soul before burnout forces you to stop.
- Step one of the Janus Plan is to ponder the past: review the luminous moments, the losses, and the lessons of the year.
- Writing down what is taking up mental space helps you see it clearly before you try to solve it.
- Use the artifacts you already have, like photos, social media, calendars, and diaries, to audit what mattered and what wasted your time.
- Try the good, the bad, and the ugly exercise. List the wins, the disappointments, and the things you regret or cringe over, then live with them for a while.
- Looking back is meant to teach, not to indict. Past experiences, even difficult ones, can uncover opportunities and perspectives you would not otherwise have found.
- Threshold moments such as a new year, a new job, a new relationship, or retirement are sacred chances to honor what has passed before moving ahead.
- The Janus Plan has six steps. Step one is to ponder the past and step two is to frame the future.
Website: https://joberteabueva.com
Book: The Janus Plan: A No-Resolutions Path to Begin Your Year with Intention
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jobertabueva
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joberteabueva
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jobert_abueva
Episode Chapters:00:00 Why Looking Back Matters Before Moving Forward
01:17 Welcome and Meet Jobert Abueva
03:48 The Misconception About Goal Setting and Progress
06:17 A Burnout and Breakdown in a Hong Kong Hotel Room
09:02 Sana's Own Story of Burnout After the Pandemic
10:26 Write It Down: Lessons From the Past Year
12:47 Why Pondering the Past Supports Your Well-Being
14:34 Looking Back Without Fear of Failure
16:06 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Exercise
18:32 The Story Behind the Janus Plan
22:52 Beginnings, Endings, and Sacred Threshold Moments
24:23 Where to Find Jobert and His Book
26:14 Closing Reflections
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