20 ideas that changed the trajectory of my life

Everyone needs to hear #12.

1. It’s never too early or too late to reinvent yourself. 40s are the new 30s! 60s are the new 50s!! You can be a ‘I-have-my-shit-together’ high flyer on Monday and a ‘what-am-I-doing’ portfolio careerist by the weekend. You’re meant to shed layers that no longer serve you and abandon labels that no longer represent you. The perfect time to become a better version of yourself is always.

2. Imposter syndrome has nothing to do with being an imposter and everything to do with being a contender. It’s not a syndrome, it’s the act of stretching yourself beyond that which you know, not because you are a fraud but because you are searching for the most authentic version of yourself. Being out of place means you’re in exactly the right place, because feeling unqualified is both the precursor and byproduct of realising your potential.

3. A great life is measured not by the number of followers you have, the awards you’ve won or how much adulation you’ve received from others. A great life is measured by whether you wake up peacefully each morning and can choose how to spend your one finite resource - time. By whether you can freely spend your days building, creating, writing, chatting, negotiating, deal-making, lazing, cooking, meandering, grinding, pushing, pulling or allowing. Or anything else, for that matter.

4. If you’re feeling stuck, shake things up. Do one thing differently from the day before. Make one different decision, one different choice, one different movement, one different step. Because when you change today, you also change tomorrow. And the next day. And forevermore.

5. The best people to learn from are experts in nothing and students in everything.

6. You’ve stayed in a place, space or relationship too long when you look in the mirror and realise that you’ve become someone you don’t like or recognise. This is the greatest cost of outgrowing an environment and the greatest reason to leave.

7. Follow your intuition, your creativity, your obsessions and your moral compass. Unfollow everything and everyone else.

8. Perfection is nothing but a glistening oasis visible on an ever-expanding horizon. It’s a vanishing point that can never be reached, so instead of seeking perfection in an outcome, aim for excellence in the process. Life will be far more fun.

9. Everything worthwhile and meaningful in life is also uncertain. Nothing exquisite or profound emerges from a fully ticked checklist or a flawlessly executed plan. Uncertainty creates space for surprise. Some curve balls. A little spice. The key is to breathe and accept that even though you might not see the destination, you’re confident that one day you’ll arrive.

10. Other people’s opinions, judgements and projections are not your destiny. They never were, they never are, they never will be.

11. You’ll have horrible experiences in life. There will be endings. There will be tragedy. There will be injustice. But every tear you’ve ever shed, every argument you’ve ever had, every impossible decision you’ve ever made, every hurt you’ve ever caused…they’re all coats of paint that layer and harden to make you the resilient human being that you are.

12. The story you tell the world is far less important than the story you tell yourself.

13. Just because something is conventional, doesn’t mean it’s right, good or true. Just because your parents, friends, boss, community and culture tell you one thing, does not make it so. Just because the world says that you should or shouldn’t, doesn’t mean you have to listen. What is right, good and true is whatever you decide.

14. You’re not supposed to nail it on your first attempt, nor are you supposed to bypass the failed experiments and giant fuck-ups. You’re supposed to feel defeated, low, rejected, hurt, hopeless, hopeful, excited, disbelieving and triumphant. You’re supposed to experience the full spectrum of human emotion for the blink of an eye that you’re here.

15. Failure is not defined by what does or doesn’t happen in the moment, it’s defined by what you do next.

16. Work to become, not to acquire. Work to contribute, not to extract. Work to evolve, not to regress. Work to be free, not to be chained. Work to feel full, not to feel empty.

17. There are no silver bullets or smoking guns. There are no hacks. The fastest way to arrive at your destination (wherever that may be) is to put one foot forward, again and again, for as long as it takes. The only shortcut is the long road.

18. You can hold onto negative experiences with the clutch of a drowning woman or you can let go and be free. It’s your choice.

19. Ambition isn’t always the relentless pursuit of more. Sometimes it’s the pursuit of less. Other times it’s the pursuit of peace.

20. Sometimes the goal is simply to have fun. To laugh. To feel awe. To connect. To love. To be.

21. Underpromise and overdeliver, and people will remember your name.

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🎙️ A deep dive into idea #12.

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