37 Lessons For My 37-Year-Old Self
Lessons I’ve gathered and learned so far plus a few realistic intimations for the future.
Lists are always fun. They help to condense and to summarize ideas in an organized and approachable manner. They bring structure to a body of text — purpose to what would otherwise seem an endless stream of information.
As I turn 37, I’ve decided to write myself a list; lessons for the future. It is a collection of ideas that will give me the best chance to live a purposeful life this year. I only hope that my 37-year-old self is listening!
- Learn to accept that you know very little. The world is full of information. Master your specific niche and expand your intellectual horizons at your tailored speed.
- Comparisons are deathly evil. Stay far away from them. They have the power to tempt you into corners that will leave you dissatisfied and unhappy.
- Social Media is not necessary; life is better without it.
- Be grateful. You’re in a better financial position than so many others in the world. You have your health and your energy. Put it to purposeful use.
- Empathize with those less fortunate. Give to people in need; share your time with others. It doesn’t have to be large gestures; a phone call will do.
- Stay fit. Exercise is an essential part of your day and represents the key to holding onto vitality for years to come.
- Don’t spoil this good ride by being lazy. Rest, but don’t waste time with listless nothingness.
- Read, and when you finish reading, read some more. Consolidate each finished book by writing about it or sharing its contents with a friend.
- Learn a new language, not because you need it to survive or to communicate with people but because it represents a positive challenge to your brain’s development and aging. Any language will do.
- Be more decisive in all aspects of life. One trifling example: choosing what to watch next on Netflix.
- Learn to discern your environments with more depth. Pay attention to details that surround you.
- Enjoy doing nothing. Unplug from the productivity trap.
- Go for walks more frequently. Leave the iPhone and the music player at home.
- Take a stab at learning Stoicism. Investigate its potential for the future.
- Consume alcohol in moderation, only with people.
- Be kind to everyone and resist the urge to generalize or judge those you haven’t sincerely interacted with yet.
- Learn frugality. Stop spending on overpriced restaurant food and drinks.
- Unglue from the habit of letting algorithms choose content for you. YouTube, Spotify, Netflix are feeding you content you have already seen but in a different version. Actively search for content that interests you. Don’t give the robots that much power over your life.
- Spend time untethered from technology — often.
- After this article is published, spend time untethered from technology!
- Loyalty is a virtue that needs practice. Appreciate the friendships that exist in your life and reach out often to those in your inner circle.
- Make a habit of calling home once a week — mothers need to hear their son’s voices.
- Quit your job. Take the next step with decisive action, regardless of what others are going to say.
- Stick to your promise: to travel the world post-covid. If the opportunity arises, leave everything and go.
- Wake up earlier. An extra 30 minutes of personal time in the morning can do a lot of good.
- Live for you, not for others. The public’s appraisal of your decisions means little; remain resolute in your actions.
- Try new things, and seek discomfort in safe and challenging ways.
- Be thoughtful of what you eat. Think about the choices you make when it comes to eating. Food’s purpose is to be nutritional.
- Stop eating when you are full!
- Listen to music more intently. Instead of repeating playlists over and over, choose new music and engage with them thoughtfully. Listen to the words and infer the meaning of the songs. Learn about the musicians behind songs as you would the authors behind a great book.
- Make an effort to wish others a Happy Birthday. While it means little to you, the impact it can have on others is worth its weight.
- Put yourself out there for possible criticism. Allow people into your private life by sharing ideas with others. Medium is a great start.
- Practice indifference. Things out of your control have no space in your emotional spectrum.
- Learn about the human body. How does this complex structure perform so many impossible tasks for you every single day? Take some time to learn how the systems work; it could even save you someday.
- Always look for the light in a dark situation. Focus on the positives, even when most of the arrows are pointing in the opposite direction. There is usually a silver lining.
- WRITE EVERY SINGLE DAY. Writing is the quintessential piece to my human puzzle. It unleashes a substantial wave of good vibes, good habits, and untapped rewards.
- And lastly: slow everything down. It seems counter-intuitive given the breadth of lessons and expectations that are now on this extensive list. But at the core of these lessons to myself lies a simple message: slow down and enjoy every moment as it whistles past. Work hard while maintaining a balance that is appropriate and settling.
Dread has quickly crept into my sordid mind as I look back at this extensive list. It’s a nice-looking list, one that brings me pride and excitement, but how am I suppose to stick to it for an entire year?
This list aims to provide guidance. It does not represent a checklist of goals and expectations. I am providing a road map to my 37-year-old self, a manageable pathway loaded with quips to inspire and enlighten my way forward.
I hope to embed this as a yearly practice. I plan on rereading the list on my following birthdate to reflect on how closely I have followed the advice given. The purpose is to summarize all that I have learned to this point and consolidate it into action.
What would you have differently on your list?