It’s that time of the year when I reflect on another trip around the sun. I’m turning 27 years old and unsurprisingly I don’t feel different than I did yesterday. But if I turn the clock back a year earlier, it does feel quite different now. From an output perspective, I’ve been less productive. I’ve felt burnt-out and have lacked energy for periods of time. It’s been a bit of an internal roller coaster. I’m also happier and more at peace with where I am in my life than I ever have been before. Weird, right?

I don’t have all the answers, but things are good. I’m grateful. And that’s all there is to be. Now without further ado, here are the ideas and principles that are top of mind for me 27 years into this wild ride.

Author’s note: I’ve added a ⭐️ next to the items that are new this year. Part of the fun of this is seeing how my mindset changes from year to year. This should make that more evident.
  1. Nothing is preventing you from being happy. Even if it seems like it.
  2. There’s nothing more important than the relationships with people you care about. ⭐️
  3. Confrontation doesn’t equal conflict. It’s how you go about it.  ⭐️
  4. Both bad and good things happen in waves.
  5. Both in business and life, double down on what works.
  6. You’re probably taking parts of your life far too seriously. ⭐️
  7. Take time to understand how you have been programmed.
  8. Work backwards from the outcomes you want to see.
  9. You can’t enjoy the highs without experiencing the lows. Ride the wave.
  10. Playing the long game is a superpower.
  11. Therapy works. There’s a good reason people are passionate about it. ⭐️
  12. Nobody can teach us the things that matter in life.
  13. Explore the perspectives that you disagree with most.
  14. The things that are worthwhile are never easy.
  15. When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.
  16. Most decisions should be made on 1-2 variables alone.
  17. Don't latch your identify onto outcomes. They won't last forever. ⭐️
  18. A little gratitude goes a long way.
  19. Learning new things rarely disappoints as a source of fulfillment. ⭐️
  20. Comfort isn’t weakness.
  21. Intelligence doesn’t mean pessimism.
  22. Life doesn’t get easier as you age. You’ll never “have it all figured out,” and that’s okay. ⭐️
  23. When you don’t want to do something, interrogate the reason.
  24. Find little things to care about. Even if they are silly.
  25. Make time for reflection. It doesn’t happen naturally.
  26. Actively limit the things you depend on.
  27. Things aren’t nearly as black-and-white as you think they are. ⭐️

If you're interested in running back the tape, you can find all my reflections from previous years below. I hope you found something here that resonated. See you next year.

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