As we get older (and hopefully wiser), our thinking about the important things in life changes. We learn new things. We have amazing, good, bad and awful experiences. We try things that work and don’t work. We slowly build informed opinions and beliefs from all of this.
I’ve noticed that in the first 35 years of life, my thinking on certain things has changed a lot. As I’ve got closer to 40, things are starting to settle. I’ve had a few epiphany / mid life type movements. These have either solidified how I think about something, or significantly changed my thinking — probably for the rest of my life.
Here are two examples:
When I was 35, I had no knowledge of investing. Anything I had, was in property or cash. Over the course of three years, I got interested in investing and my strategy changed a lot. I settled on something which felt right, which I wrote about in Investing, simply. Two years on, it still broadly reflects my approach to investing. I say broadly, because recently it’s shifted a little bit — but it’s more of an iteration, than a big shift in thinking.
Throughout my whole life, I’ve tried lots of different ways to eat. Around 35, I stumbled across paleo and intermittent fasting and haven’t looked back. I’m lighter and feel better than I’ve ever felt. Importantly, it fits my lifestyle and doesn’t feel like a huge sacrifice. Again, it’s shifted recently, but it’s more of a slight change to how I’m eating paleo and fasting.
Looking back at Investing, simply, got me thinking. It’s useful to look back at how you used to think about something. You get to notice what you’ve learned, what’s changed, and reflect on how you think about it now.
I’m going to start doing it at the beginning of each year. I’ll summarise how I think about an area and then reflect back on how I used to think about it a year ago. I’m going to force myself to stick to a 240 twitter style character limitation to keep things concise.
Health
Get 7+ hours of sleep every day. Be able to move freely, and without pain before anything else. Eat Paleo and fast 12-14 hours a day. Be active and get outside as much as you can. Vary your exercise and do things you enjoy. GMB + Crossfit + being active outdoors sum it up for me.
Money
Be frugal. Live below your means. But, spend lavishly on what adds value. Save. Have 6 months in the bank. Start investing early. Invest in indexes — contribute regularly and hold for the long-term. Once you have a lump, invest 5-10% at higher risk. Get into a fuck you position.
Work / Career
Get good at something. Do something you like and is helpful to others. Work with people you like and can learn from. Find work that fits your personal life. Learn to self-promote. Joining a rocketship startup is the holy grail.
Learning
Make being the best version of yourself a conscious effort. Be open minded and try new things. Read. Surround yourself with smart, positive people — both at work and outside of it. Do 1-2 things a year that push you outside of your comfort zone. Oh, and read.
Life & Being Happy
Wake early. Learn to build habits. Spend most of your time focusing on the present. Don’t take things too seriously. Be minimal. Learn to cook. Don’t have a smartphone. Live the principles of How to Win Friends and Influence People. Be positive and see life as full of opportunity. Do less things, better. (Yes, that’s 296 characters, but I couldn’t get it down!)
Relationships
Cultivate strong friend and family relationships. Consciously spend more time with people that make you happy, are positive and supportive. Spend less time with those that aren’t. Experiences with people you love are more important than anything else. See you in 2019!
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