Unsolicited advice to myself – ISSUE N.07
Life is like the ultimate “choose your own adventure” game. Yet so many people settle for the most mundane storyline. Here are some unsolicited advice to myself, feel free to read them too.
I’ve been away for a while, I started writing with the intention of just writing what ever came to my mind. Instead, I got carried away with triple-checking the grammar and had each word proofread. These things created blockers for me instead of just me focusing on writing.
So I’m going to be unapologetic about my writing style, there will be grammar mistakes, and you just going to have to live with it. I’ll seek to improve, but won’t let that stop me from writing these newsletters.
Enjoy this collection of advice to myself.
Life is a gift, live it, fully. Because in a brief moment it will all be gone.
Seek to unite, not divide.
We all share the most basic feelings, it’s what unites us, no matter who we are or where we’re from.
Happiness, sadness, anger, peace.
Universal feelings we all know too well.
Explore off the beaten track.
Challenge yourself to look beyond your preconceived ideas of the world.
Life happens around you, not in newsfeeds, podcasts, or on TV.
There is so much beauty in the world if you just choose to see it.
We truly are a product of our environment so place yourself in the best possible one.
One that allows for you to be the best version of yourself.
Ironically don’t let other people tell you what to do.
Be your own steward.
Lead by doing.
Do what makes you happy, truly happy. Skip the rest.
Life is too short for bad compromises.
Everything you’re told about the world is probably a lie.
Go see for yourself.
Most people, 99.9% of them are great people.
Yet we’re bombarded with an idea that feels like the opposite.
Read books. Loads of them, you can spend time with some of the most incredible people who walked this earth.
All, more or less for free.
If you don’t read books, you have no advantage over the person who cannot read.
Read more books, so important.
Spend time doing nothing. Honestly.
Doing nothing helps you perform something better than before you did nothing.
Easy as that.
Friends don’t come from childhood, some might have, but friends come from all over.
Even the ones that slide into your dm’s. Probably some of your best friends came that way.
Go for long walks, without distractions, listen to the world around you, noise, nature, nothing.
Be there.
Feel the ground beneath your soles.
Feel the little pebble in your shoes that won’t jump out the same way it magically came in.
Be spontaneous. Say yes to things, even if they seem scary. Go on adventures, surprise yourself by doing something you usually don’t do.
Learn to say NO. In a good way.
Learn to be a master of your own time and to do that you need to learn how to say No.
Show gratitude.
Give more than you take.
Give to friends, and people you just met.
Build lasting connections with people you care about. Gratitude is one of the finer things in life.
Don’t buy crap you don’t need to impress people you don’t like.
Don’t let idiots live rent-free in your head. Forgive and move on, regardless of how damn hard it is. Because each second some idiot occupies your head without paying rent is seconds lost to living your life fully.
You age like a fine wine. You get more humble and wiser with time. Find time to taste the fruit of your labor.
Stay on top of your finances, compounding interest is a true marvel. Become a master of this, and think decades not quarters. You’ll create generational wealth. Give back.
Find a cause greater than yourself, contribute, with time, money, or both, and more.
Find meaning.
Find purpose.
Pledge to improve.
Be a good father. Be the best possible version of yourself and some more.
Be grounded with your kids.
Teach them how to love, how to be loved.
Be there. Always. Stay present, engage, be curious, be interested in them and what they like.
Clear your head of crap. Mental clarity helps with physical clarity and that helps with clarity for the soul.
The holy trinity. Mind, Body & Soul.
Practice being still. You won’t solve a maze by running into it like a headless chicken.
Instead take time to observe and analyze the maze, understand its complexity, and then methodically clear the maze. Do this often. And skillfully.
Surround yourself with people who give energy and not those who steal it.
Nothing is more important than this.
Have fun. Loads of fun. Life is too short to waste on not having fun. So have fun, laugh a lot, with friends and family.
I have so much more good advice for myself and I will continue to drop them here, as a short-form journal. You can read the original version of this thread if you like.
Thank you for reading my newsletter, I'm trying a new format and I'm happy to hear your feedback on it. If you miss any content from previous newsletters let me know. Excited to hear from you.
All the best / Linus