Week 11 - 19 lessons from 19

This week’s newsletter is a little different than the rest. I turn 19 today and wanted to do something special to celebrate. So here are 19 of the most important lessons, pieces of advice, and general rules I’ve learned over the past 19 years. I tried my best to avoid making any of these cliche, but that’ll be up to you to decide. Cheers :)

19 Lessons from 19

1. Take every piece of advice with a grain of salt, especially the next 18

2. Comparison ≠ Competition.

   1. Comparison is about focusing on what someone else is doing while competition involves working together or against others toward something. Recognizing this difference allows you to focus on what you can control instead of external factors.

3. You can make any misfortune the best thing that’s ever happened to you

   1. The only determinant in how something changes you is your propensity to use it as fuel and work

4. Perspective is everything

5. At one point in your life, it’s worth it to go all in on something

   1. See week 10

6. Sometimes you have to learn things the hard way

   1. see week 9

7. Being comfortable being alone is necessary

   1. If you can’t enjoy solitude, you’ll have a hard time finding fulfillment in life

8. Never negotiate on sleep, unless it’s to spend time with friends or family

9. A daily 7/10 performance is better than an inconsistent 10/10 performance

10. Discipline sets you free

11. It’s better to spend time alone than with people who don’t share the same interests, goals, or passion

    1. Spending time with individuals who don’t support your growth is bound to lead you down an undesirable path. By focusing on your interests and passions, you’ll inevitably attract like-minded individuals.

12. Do something uncomfortable/hard every day

    1. We aren’t built to live as comfortably as our environments allow. It’s up to us to seek and find hard things to do outside of our normal obligations.

13. Money spent on an experience is never a waste

14. Starting the journey is half the battle

    1. Most people are so occupied with the minute details of a situation that they’ll never take the first step toward their goals

15. Setting unrealistic goals forces you to work harder than you thought you could

16. The finish line isn’t real.

    1. The closer you get to the proverbial “finish line”, the more it’ll move away. That’s why it’s so important to enjoy the process.

17. You learn something from every relationship you have

    1. Regardless of how good or bad they are/were, relationships serve to teach us more about ourselves

18. Vulnerability is a requirement for love

    1. If you aren’t willing to be vulnerable, you’ll never know what true love is

19. The moment things get hard and you’re ready to quit is the moment when you start to grow and adapt

    If you enjoy receiving and reading this series, please consider sharing it with anyone you think may be interested. I love sharing the way I think with others and would love to hear others’ opinions on my ideas. Thanks!

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That’s all for this week! If you have any thoughts or suggestions on ways to improve this newsletter or parts you think could be in or excluded, please let me know!