It's my 25th birthday today. It's an exciting one, and also a bit of a weird one if I'm being honest. Of course I feel the same that I did yesterday. That's always the case. But in the context of status games and societal mental models for success, something about this particular number feels different.

You can only use age as a benchmark for success for so long. And on the whole, that's a really good thing. I always thought that leaning on youth as part of the success equation wasn't the healthiest thing in the world. By definition, you can't hold onto it forever. I'm being a bit dramatic of course, but if "Forbes 30 under 30" is any indication of societal views, then I'm not the only one.

The reality is that we get older and we figure it out along the way. Grow and spend time doing things that give you energy. The rest is just noise.

But enough rambling for now. Each year I go through my notes and journal entries and pick out the things that I resonate with most strongly. These are the ideas that shape where I'm at today. Let's get into it.

  1. Time moves fast. Mindfulness is the antidote.
  2. How you spend your time is who you are.
  3. Both bad and good things happen in waves.
  4. If you don't have systems, your environment determines your actions.
  5. Both in business and life, always double down on what works.
  6. Life is better with people you care about.
  7. Writing on a regular basis is the single most impactful habit.
  8. Take time to understand how you have been programmed.
  9. Work backwards from the outcomes you want to see.
  10. You can’t enjoy the highs without experiencing the lows.
  11. When you’re told you have two options, you almost always have more.
  12. Action trumps inaction, almost every time.
  13. Playing the long game is a superpower.
  14. If you feel comfortable for a while, change something.
  15. Mental health is just as important as physical health, if not more.
  16. Nobody can teach us the things that matter in life.
  17. Have strong opinions.
  18. Good input is the key to good output.
  19. Explore the perspectives that you disagree with most.
  20. The things that are worthwhile are never easy.
  21. When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.
  22. Most decisions should be made on 1-2 variables alone.
  23. Nothing is preventing you from being happy. Even if it seems like it.
  24. Don't identify with success. It won't last forever.
  25. A little gratitude goes a long way.

Another year in the books. Some of these principles had staying power from last year, and some are brand new. If you're interested, you can find previous reflections below. I hope you found something that resonated. Until next time.

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