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I’m finally 30 years old.
It’s a very different birthday for me, but not in the way you might expect. You might expect me to be anxious or depressed or upset about it, but I’m actually ecstatic. It’s not about being 30, it’s about the start of a new decade and I love that. So in the same spirit, I’m committed to thinking on a longer time horizon.
This decade, I’m determining now, will be the most pivotal one.
The one that defines all others.
Here’s what’s stirring in this freshly 30 brain of mine:
It’s really this one graphic that sums it all up:
Or like the guy digging for diamonds who stops just a bit too soon:
As I recently heard somewhere, “Let Time carry most of the weight.” It’s genius. We’re so wired and tricked into short-term thinking, the pervasive now now now yearning, that we don’t let Time take its time. We’re gifted with a pretty long life and to lean into that with some long-term plays makes a ton of sense. Whether it’s your marriage, your relationship with your kids, your professional pursuits, or your health - let it compound.
Stack wins. Stack effort. Stack invested time.
Then wait.
There’s an uncomfortable amount of wiggle room with the level of intention I’m leaving on the table each day.
I’m already fairly purposeful with my behavior and thinking, but that’s not good enough. I want to raise the bar.
There’s more intention to infuse into my day-to-day. And this doesn’t mean I seek to be robotic in what I do, although I do geek out for a well-implemented process. I want to make art with the way I live.
I want it to be a masterpiece in and of itself, irrespective of circumstance.
No more small boy stuff.
One thing I definitely do not struggle with is coming up with new ideas. My mind will race with them if I let it. They just pour out of me, but that’s of no use when you’re a human being limited by time, resources, and the laws of physics. So, I have to ruthlessly prioritize and especially cut out even the top-tier ideas in my head. Maybe even some I’m already invested in. If I’m ever to get anywhere close to the pinnacle of my pursuit, I have to play the best card all out, all in. This is drastically easier said than done. It’s simple to cut out the bad ideas or even the pretty good ideas. But it’s damn near impossible to cut out great ideas for the sake of one coming to fruition. James Clear nailed it when he said:
"You're not focused enough unless you're mourning some of the things you're saying no to."
Even my most precious tasks, priorities, and desires must be let go.
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I greatly appreciate you being in this moment as I kick off the first day of the next decade.
It’s a mindset.
It’s a heart on fire.
It’s rebellious optimism.
It’s better than you can imagine.
