35 things i wish i knew.

35. Unbelievable. As a reckless psychopath, I never thought I would make it this far. But here we are. The last couple of years have been a time of reflection, hardship, and growth. Since I enjoy making lists, I think it’s time to make another one. This is also a revival of my dusty old journal, for no other reason than to tap into my creative energy. Some lessons I’ve learned the hard way; some are sayings from my favorite mentors.

After much reflection, here are 35 (or maybe some more 😉 )things I wish I knew at 25 :

1. Being well-rounded and balanced is overrated. Become exceptional at at least one thing. Let everything else stay on the back burner while you chase excellence.
2. Work in seasons. Trying to allocate a little time every day for everything is a fool’s errand. Dedicate a season to get one mission accomplished. Keep everything else on maintenance mode until the next season.
3. Life is too short to hang out with negative people who complain. There’s always something wrong with the world: the economy, the traffic, the weather, the neighbor, the neighbors wife, the neighbors wifes lover. Avoid people who complain about everything — they’ll never get anywhere.
4. The word you need to start using more often is “NO.” We’re conditioned to say “yes” and please people we don’t even like.
5. Learn to cook at least one dish really well that your friends love, and invite them over for dinner often.
6. It’s not the journey nor the destination. It’s the company.
7. It’s okay to be disliked by many as long as you are loved by a few.
8. If someone tries to manipulate you into doing what they want, see right through it and give them exactly what they want. Let them think they’ve won; you don’t have time for their low-intelligence games.
9. Walk away from mediocre people with mediocre goals.
10. Going through hardships is a prerequisite to an interesting life.
11. Play at least one sport as often as you can. That’s the best way to clear your mind.
12. A fit body, a calm mind, and a house full of love — these things can’t be bought; they have to be earned.
13. “We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one.” ― Confucius
14. Your parents lied — there’s no prize for obedience. In a world full of “good, obedient kids,” be a fucking rebel. Rebels change the world.
15. It’s okay to do things just because you want to, because it makes you feel alive. Those “meaningless” goals and hobbies become your life.
16. When there’s a snowstorm, go out. You may never see one like it again. Never let the outside environment stop you from getting after it.
17. If you spend all your time trying to get others to like you, you’ll end up hating yourself.
18. Don’t be nice. Be kind, be generous, be helpful — but don’t be nice.
19. The magic you are looking for is in the work you’re avoiding.
20. Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life.
21. There’s no such thing as the right time, but you can make the time right. And that right time is always now.
22. In a world obsessed with fitting in, be unapologetically yourself and stand out.
23. Whenever you feel anxious for too many days in a row, it means there are decisions you’re procrastinating on. Make the decision and move on.
24. The hardest respect to earn is your own. Keep the promises you make to yourself and constantly do hard things to prove to yourself that you are who you say you are.
25.  Be delusional. Kanye-level delusional. It’s the delusional who get what they truly want in life.
26. Take 100% ownership of everything in your life. No excuses. Everything wrong is your fault and your fault alone; everything good is thanks to the blessings of others.
27. Create more than you consume.
28. When at a cross road, take the more the path that will lead to a more interesting story.
29. If you think the cost of failure is high, wait till you get the bill from regret.
30. It’s not what you wear, it’s how you wear it. It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.
31. Put your body through hell as often as you can if you want to forge an iron mindset.
32. It’s supposed to be hard. Otherwise, everyone would be doing it.
33. Never listen to people sitting on the sidelines criticizing those who are trying. Victory or defeat, the only person who counts is the man in the arena, fighting.
34.  Follow the Misogi principle. Do one crazy-hard challenge each year. Something so hard that most people will think you’re crazy — but that’s the only way to stay sane.
35. This one is hard: don’t always follow logic and data. Follow your intuition. Your heart already knows what’s right for you.
36. The key to happiness is having no expectations from anyone.
37. The days when you don’t feel like it are the ones that count. Just 1% better. One small step each day, 1.01 * 365 = 37.78%. You’ll be nearly 40 % better by the end of the year. The math be mathing, it ain’t lying.
38. Love with every fiber of your being. You never know when you’ll feel that feeling again.
39. If you spoke to your friends the way you speak to yourself, you’d have no friends left. Treat yourself with some kindness. You’re trying your best. You are all you’ve got, and they’re all counting on you.
40. No risk, no story.
41. “The cowards never started and the weak died along the way. That leaves us, ladies and gentlemen. Us.”- Phil Knight
42. Embrace your weirdness and go all in on what makes you you. Your nerdiness, quirkiness, weird dark humor. Your weirdness is what makes you you. In the words of Kendrick Lamar: “They not like us.”