28 Bits of Short Life Advice

I turned 28 this year, and it’s been a ride.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Life advice is decision-making advice.

I subscribe to the idea that life doesn’t just happen to a person; we make things happen. So if we can affect an outcome through our choices, getting better at making them is the key.

And look, this list isn’t going to fix all your problems, but it’s nice to be reminded that whatever problem you have isn’t unique — millions of people are living it.

A simple line to remember, a question to ask yourself, or a thought to ponder is enough to guide you in the moment — and call yourself out on your own shit.

These have guided me over the years – especially going into next year.

I hope they serve you well, too.

1. Everything worthwhile is on the other side of discomfort.
2. If you’ve been thinking about going on a side quest in your life for the last year, it’s probably the main quest in disguise.
3. Sometimes, safety shouldn’t be first. Sometimes overcoming fear, taking risks, having fun, and being free come first.
4. All advice on the internet is contradictory, but it makes sense because we can imagine some scenarios where the advice will hold true.
   This makes things hard when we want guidance, so we should default to these foundational methods instead: Common Sense, Trial & Error, and Reflection.
5. If you can’t feel your “gut feeling,” here’s a simple rule of thumb: It’s the opposite decision to the thing you’re trying so hard to convince yourself is right.
6. Don’t assume a seemingly ever-present opportunity will always be there. In 2015, you could have seen Avicii perform. In 2019, you could have had superb travel experiences in Myanmar and Ukraine. I’m not even bringing up covid. You never know when tragedy will strike.
7. Accountability and Ownership are the foundations of any incentive structure that works.
   If you were genuinely responsible for others, accountable for your actions and outcomes, and owned whatever value created — every productivity book in the world would be useless.
8. A lot of indecision in most people’s lives is just fear of being…