Feathered Frameworks: The Official Newsletter of PatrickMeeker.com

Dear Family, Friends, and Colleagues,

First off, I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to you for taking the time to read my very first newsletter. Writing to all the closest people in my life has been an endeavor I've long aspired to, and your support by reading and giving me feedback will mean the world to me.

The goal of this newsletter is become a regular series that gives you the reader some (very) brief updates in my own life, provide some product management perspective in the digital landscape, and finally finish off with a productivity tip or two. I intend to send these either monthly or quarterly - however I’m still figuring this whole thing out and the frequency is still yet to be determined.

So that being said, let’s jump right in!

Goodbye 2023, Hello 2024!

While I don’t intend to dwell on the past too much, I figured it would be prudent to pause and reflect on the journey we all embarked on in 2023 but at the same time, anticipate the exciting prospects that 2024 has to offer.

For me, the past year was certainly one of challenges, but it also included several moments of growth, joy, and valuable learning. My family and I are incredibly lucky to have such a supportive and wonderful circle to share these experiences with.

Some of my 2023 milestones included:

🎉 Celebrating Life's Miracles: This year was nothing short of extraordinary, particularly as we celebrated the first birthday of our daughter, Nina, who joined our family 7 weeks early in November 2022. Her journey from a premature birth to a thriving one-year-old has been awe-inspiring. Her resilience and strength continue to be a beacon of hope and inspiration in our lives.

🏰 Magical Moments at Disneyland: A family highlight was the kids' first trip to Disneyland. Witnessing their wonder and excitement as they met Mickey and friends for the first time was a moment etched in joy and magic.

☀️ Summer in Southern Cape Cod: Our summer retreat to a quiet beach town near New Bedford, Massachusetts, has always been a rejuvenating experience for me and my family. This cherished place, so close to my heart, offers us the invaluable opportunity to reconnect with extended family, get closer to nature, and work on my golf game plenty.

🔄 Unforeseen Career Transitions: 2023 marked a period of significant professional evolution for both my wife and I. The unexpected departing of ways with both our jobs was an emotional journey, filled with moments of self-reflection and going deep to try and understand our personal and professional worth, something especially stressful going through the holidays together.

🚀 Embarking on a New Chapter: Embracing the aforementioned personal and professional development, I joined the Inspirational Product Leadership Coaching Program led by former tech executive Lynne Levy. This transformative experience has equipped me with enhanced confidence and skills, preparing me for exciting new career opportunities.

🤝 Joining a Job Search Council: My wife and I are also currently embarking on a journey through Phyl Terry’s “Never Search Alone” job search council. This experience has been enlightening and empowering, offering new perspectives on career developments and our “Candidate-Market-Fit”.

Looking Ahead: Prioritizing and Aspiring to Be Your True Self

In addition to my own personal updates, I wanted include an additional section to provide you with some helpful tips I have used over the years that have helped me get more organized and grow in my own professional and personal life.

Much of this inspiration has come from Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and Rick Rubin’s “The Creative Act”. I hope you find value in these nuggets of wisdom

So without further ado:

🎯 Make Priorities Over Resolutions: Rather than setting New Year's resolutions, consider mapping out your priorities for the year. Break them into manageable, achievable weekly goals that can be allocated to specific days of the week. Try to keep track of how high of a priority they are and the level of effort they will take.

If you make 10 priorities for the week, that’s 520 you’ve made in 2024 alone! Even if you accomplish 75% of them, that’s 390 things towards your goals you’ve accomplished in one year!

🎭 Embody Your Desired “Role(s)”: Reflect on the kind of person you want to be aka the “role” you want to embody - whether as a “loving parent”, “transformative leader”, or “compassionate friend”.

Set specific goals (3-4 each) for every role you intend to embody to guide your actions and decisions and use your weekly priorities to achieve those goals.

🧘 Embrace Patience: Amidst the hustle of daily life, it’s incredibly important that we make the time to enjoy the little moments. Patience is a cornerstone of growth and development, and together, we should be mindful however big or small the moment may be. Whether you’re folding your laundry or doing a home remodel, try to savor moments in each stage of the process.

📢Shameless Plug Announcement!

Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to speak to a local organization on one of my favorite subjects - birdwatching! In this talk, I explored the fascinating world of birds, their behaviors, and the joys of birdwatching. This talk experience allowed me to go into full passion-mode and share some practical tips for both novice and experienced birdwatchers.

I’m excited to share the recording of the video with you all. Additionally, I’ve made the slides from the presentation accessible for anyone interested in a deeper dive into the subject. You can watch the video and view the slides using the following links:

• Watch the Talk: Link to the video of my talk

• Access the Slides: Link to the presentation slides

I hope you find these resources informative and inspiring, and perhaps they might even ignite a newfound interest in birdwatching among some of you! As I bid farewell to 2023 and warmly welcome 2024, I am filled with hope, excitement, and gratitude for the future. I eagerly look forward to continuing this journey with each of you, cherishing every moment and embracing the challenges ahead.

Wishing you all a joyful, prosperous, and immensely fulfilling New Year!