I just turned 25. So I spent several hours aggressively reflecting on my existence and writing down the life & business lessons I’ve picked up so far. Here are some of my favourites... 𑣲 If you have to constantly convince yourself that something is right for you, it probably isn't 𑣲 Ask for what you want. At the first company I worked at, I left because I thought I couldn’t get ownership. But I never asked??? Lmao 𑣲 Hard work combined with delusional belief makes anything possible. But hard work becomes a LOT easier when you have delusional belief. Most people try to work hard without delusional belief, which makes hard work feel like... hard work (instead of fun!) 𑣲 Being self-aware without changing your behaviour is more lame than lacking self-awareness in the first place 𑣲 Each human has a unique combination of experiences, opinions, skills and innate talents. NO ONE else has your exact mix, which means there’s something YOU are positioned to do better than anyone else. Very few people figure out what that is. So if you feel a pull toward something, follow it. You CAN build a life without a mission, but the best businesses & projects are deeply mission-driven e.g. @SpaceX and @oneractive 𑣲 Reading something like “you must find true alignment with yourself” only sounds cheesy if you haven’t found true alignment with yourself 𑣲 You should pay very close attention to what fuels & drains your energy 𑣲 Feelings are data, especially if you’ve done the work to become emotionally intelligent/attuned 𑣲 Every element of human performance is downstream of how people FEEL. Which is why it’s SO important to talk about feelings with your co-founders/biz partners/employees/romantic partners/family/friends. Literally everything humans do is shaped by emotion, so it’s absurd we still talk about feelings as if they’re “soft” or “irrational” 𑣲 If someone bothers you, it’s usually because they’re holding up a mirror to you. Figure out WHY they bother you. It’s important information about yourself 𑣲 The right people make you feel more like yourself, not anxious about saying all the right things. And honestly, you should never feel anxious in social situations because the best you can do is be who you already are. Authenticity is so so so much more charming than being performative 𑣲 Real-time calibration is so important. If something feels off, SAY IT. The longer you let something fester, the more BS stories your brain will tell you about it. There is almost always a conversation you’re avoiding that would make your life significantly better 𑣲 Mimetic desire is a bitch and will ruin your ONE chance to live YOUR life the way YOU truly want to (if you let it) And finally, I'm convinced writing is the most important skill you can learn. To write well is to think well, and if you can think clearly enough to articulate exactly what you mean, you can communicate, connect, persuade and solve almost anything.