Here’s a short blog on what I’m up to in 2021.

Listening is a skill I need to improve. Quite frankly I’m terrible. Things go in one ear and out the other.

I’m also hardheaded, stubborn, so even if I hear, I don’t listen. Another defect I need to improve. This is going to be a fun challenge, and I’m excited to see the transformation that this focus on listening brings me in 2021.

Here are my four goals for 2021.

This is it. Instead of focusing on an arbitrary end, I want to enjoy the journey. That may mean crushing work or enjoying life, but I want to do whatever I feel in the moment, make no apologies for it, nor feel any guilt.

Alec and Ambra Torelli New Years 2021

I’m taking a quality over quantity approach in 2021.

I don’t care as much about how much I work, but I want every project I do, and on a micro level, every hour I spend, to be meaningful.

If it doesn’t bring me great joy or move the needle, forget it.

Alec Torelli San Clemente

I’m likely going to spend half of 2021 in Italy and, for the first time, I want to actually become Italian. That means living the culture as the locals do, for better or worse, and adopting their routines.

Tangibly, that means reading in Italian, watching their movies, following current events, speaking in Italian, and learning about the culture, history and mindset of the people. It also means acceptance and trying to see the positive in the way they do things, even if it’s different than what I’m accustomed to.

Perhaps I’ll even write a blog and/or create a video series, ‘becoming Italian,’ about my journey, joy and struggles in this process, both for accountability and to document the process.

Would you like to read it?

A key for me in integrating myself into the culture is going to be reading (and translating) for 15-30 minutes a day.

I’m already making headway on this by following Italian people on social media, subscribing to Italian newsletters, as well as watching tv and movies in Italian (with subtitles).

A great, ambitious goal would be to take a class in Italian when I return to Italy.

What do you have but your memories? On her death bed, my grandmother told me to ‘create great memories because that’s all you have when you’re older’. I’ve done a good job of creating them, but I want to be able to remember all the ones I would otherwise forget.

So much of life passes us by when we’re going through it or planning and waiting for the next moment. I want to document the big things, sure, but also the day to day, because that’s ultimately what life is.

That means writing about experiences, taking photos, and creating short videos about my days.
(The vlog above is my first attempt at this).

San Clemente Pier Sunset

1. Having more fun adventures with Ambra.

2. Documenting them to store wonderful memories.

3. Sharing my journey with my following to inspire them.

4. Cultivating and maintaining relationships that matter.

5. Picking up new hobbies that allow me to be creative (baking, videography/photography, learning new things and returning to writing).

6. Creating new meaningful content about things that inspire me.

7. Growing the Conscious Poker business and continuing to make asymmetric bets.

What’s your focus? What are you excited about?

More to come.
Alec