Unsolicited advice from a 36-year-old
Hey everyone, Josh here.
Today is my birthday. I’m feeling thankful, sentimental, and approximately 2% wiser than I was when I was 35 years old.
It's my goal to check in on this thing only when I have significant news to share, value to add, or feel like I can make people smile. Now that I'm 36 and have life completely figured out (kidding), here are a few more life lessons I feel compelled to share:
1. The obstacle is the way. Most people look at problems as an obstacle in their path, but the reality is that the obstacle is the path. This is a perspective shift that will change your life if you can accept and lean into it. Everything that happens — good or bad — is a chance to learn and improve. You don't always have complete control of your circumstances, but you can have control of your attitude and how you respond.
2. Focus on the good in every situation. Being positive isn’t merely saying “something bad is good” — that approach can actually be toxic. Being positive is saying “I can make this bad thing better.” Too many people in life are quick to openly complain and bemoan the inconvenience, but few will actually manage to do anything about it. You're better off applying the energy you spend on complaining toward solving the problem. In general, this world desperately needs less problem spotters and more problem solvers. Perception is key (see point #1).
3. Stay the course. It's easy to overestimate what you can accomplish in a day and underestimate what you can achieve in a year. Improving a skill by 1% daily might not seem exciting or noticeable for some time, but the payoff is great in the long game. Keep showing up. This is how compound interest works and I've found that it's applicable to more than just money.
4. Read books. In my opinion, books are the single most undervalued commodity in the entire world. Reading books allows you to tap into the minds of some of the most brilliant individuals that ever walked the earth. Most of them dedicated large portions of their lives to learning and have summarized their endeavors in tiny little squares with pages and words. Amazing!
5. Intentionally define your circle of influence. You should associate with people who want the best for you, but that also means allowing them to demand the best from you. I have a group of men that I meet with every Friday at 6 am. We do life together. We challenge each other. We pray for each other. We confide in each other. In the past five years, this group has had the single biggest impact in my life. I love these dudes like they’re my brothers. Jacob, Rick, Austin, Sidney, Josh, Brenton — to name a few.
6. Challenge most things and form opinions based on research and data from a variety of trusted resources (maybe not just what you see on television or Twitter). We all have a cognitive bias, it’s best to acknowledge this in an attempt to increase overall self-awareness, understanding, and empathy. Facts might change your feelings, but feelings never change facts. Read this one twice.
7. Keep seeking God. He's there, I promise. He doesn’t hide from us, my hypothesis is that He hides FOR us. It’s in our best interest that we spend time seeking Him. His delight is in our discovery, and our reward is in the pursuit.
8. Macadamia nuts are the best nuts. Cashews are good, but still a distant second.
Ok, that's basically everything I have in my brain at the moment.
Comment below with who you voted for and whether or not you're vaccinated, so we can get back to what really matters.
Godspeed.
Disclaimer: I reserve the right to change my mind and get better every day.
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