The principles I'm trying to live by (so far)
I've been keeping a list of the principles, values and lessons that have guided me through life so far.
Some were passed down to me and I've refined them over time, others I've learned the hard way.
It's very much a work in progress, and the plan is to keep adding to it and one day pass it on. Here's where it's at, in no particular order 👇
Compare upwards spiritually and downwards materialistically
The world teaches us to compare in the wrong direction.
Materially we look up, at the nicer car or the bigger house, so we always feel behind.
Spiritually we look down, telling ourselves we show up for our community more than a friend does or gave to charity when someone else didn't, so we feel we've done enough.
Reverse both. Compare down on what you own and be grateful for how much you already have, and compare up on who you're becoming and keep reaching higher.
You can't do wrong by doing right
The late birthday message, the apology you keep putting off, the kind word you think is too small to bother with... send it and do it anyway.
It's always received far more meaningfully than the effort it took, and you'll never regret doing the right thing, only the times you talked yourself out of it.
Free lunches exist, but never for those waiting in line
My dad would always remind me there are no free lunches in life.
He was right that nothing worthwhile comes from nothing, and anyone promising you a get-rich-quick scheme isn't worth listening to.
But taken too far, the saying teaches you to keep your head down, take the standard path and wait your turn.
The better and faster ways are real. They're just sitting where most people never look, because most people never think to question the line they're standing in.
So be proactive. Question what you're told, don't take things at face value and go against the grain when the grain is only habit.
Nothing illegal, ever, but everything short of that is fair game.
You take the stairs up to build your reputation and the elevator down
Be a good person and do the right thing, even when it feels like nobody's noticing.
A reputation gets built one step at a time, but one badly informed misstep and it can all come crashing down, quickly.
So play the long game.
Increase your surface area for luck to strike
When the downside is limited and the upside is uncapped, take the shot.
The maths is lopsided in your favour, so the only real move is to give luck as many chances to find you as you can.
The worst case is almost always smaller than it feels. Someone says no, and you're exactly where you started.
But every so often one shot opens a door you couldn't have planned, and that one is worth all the noes.
You can't control what happens to you, but you can choose your response
You have limited control over what happens to you.
What you do control is how you respond, and choosing to see the positives and take agency is a skill you can build like any other.
Growth and comfort can't co-exist
Being comfortable being uncomfortable is most of the game.
If everything feels easy, it's usually a sign you've stopped pushing the envelope forward.
Easy decisions, hard life. Hard decisions, easy life.
Self-discipline mostly comes down to noticing the easy option and actively choosing the harder one.
It rarely feels good in the moment, but it compounds.
Play infinite games
Don't get stuck in races where success is decided by being 0.1% better than the person next to you.
Find the games you can keep playing for a long time, where you're mostly competing against who you were yesterday.
Remember people's names
Remember them, and try to say them. Be polite and show respect.
Judge favourably
Have some consideration for people's backgrounds and what they might be going through.
Most people aren't out to do the wrong thing, so give them the benefit of the doubt.
Do work that makes the world a little better
To me, career success is making the world a better place and getting paid for it.
Do something with purpose, and if you can, make work feel like play, because then you'll never really work a day in your life.
Invest in relationships
Family, friends, community. It's easy to lose sight of them when you're busy building, so don't.
Look after yourself
Your physical health and mental health are all interrelated, so don't trade one away for the other.
Life is both long and short
It's short enough that you should make the most of it and live it to the fullest.
But it's long enough that you shouldn't lose sight of the long term either.
Be an optimist
Choose to see the positive in people and the world, and see challenges as opportunities.
This list will keep changing as I do.