It sucks to suck.
That’s what I told myself two years ago while looking in the mirror when I found myself at a crossroads.
I was so unhealthy in body, mind, and spirit that I wasn’t sure there was going to be a redemption story.
But there is. And it’s still going on.
🧵👇
Have you ever gazed into the mirror and realized you are your own worst enemy?
I hope you haven’t.
That “man in the mirror” moment actually happened to me.
The moment when you see the truth and wonder how.
How you let yourself become what you swore you’d never be?
It’s times like this where the answers become clear.
You must face down the demons else be lost forever.
That day in the mirror, I decided to take back my life.
An hour later, I strapped on my running shoes for the first time in over 2 years.
I wouldn’t call it a run. I wouldn’t even call it a jog.
It was a painful shamble through the neighborhood.
And it sucked.
There’s no shortcut around the pain at first.
But I kept showing up.
And I got better.
The bad weight started falling off and over the next 6 months I went on to lose almost 60 pounds (27 kgs).
And for the first time in years I was running injury free.
Turns out Voltaire was right. We are free the moment we wish to be.
With a healthier body, I started rebuilding a healthy mind.
I read 20 books that year. I joined an online writing cohort (#ship30for30) that fundamentally changed my life for the better. I got back into meditation.
I still suck at meditation.
But I got better.
Being healthier naturally led me to seek being wealthier.
Examining my spending, I noticed far too much on fast food and booze. It occurred to me that if I wanted to be around to old age, this was not a good formula.
So I cleaned up my diet.
And quit drinking. Forever.
Cleaning up my health cleaned up my finances too.
Without the frivolous spending, my savings rate doubled from 14% to 30%, started investing in new asset classes and lost $30 on Gamestop but learned a valuable lesson in greed.
I’m still far away from FIRE, but I got better.
Renewed focus on my finances led me to realize my greatest economic ROI activity currently available to me was my job.
Daily writing had made me disciplined and focused, and I started getting after it at work like never before.
Brutal consistency became my new calling card.
That consistency led to a promotion and opportunity at work I’d long sought.
And with it came a nice raise.
Who knew that daily writing would indirectly make me richer?
Now being healthier and wealthier, it was time to get wiser.
I took up new hobbies. I got into gardening, which taught me patience. I ate food that I grew. I got pretty good at making Bolognese sauce.
I accidentally killed some plants and ruined some sauce, but I got better.
I reconnected with family and friends. I sent thank-you notes to people who meant something to me.
Like the prodigal son returned, I’d been lost but now found.
I’m still not the best dad, the best husband, the best friend, or the best brother; but I got better.
People noticed these changes, slowly at first and then all at once.
And today?
Today I am an altogether different person than the one that stared blankly back at me in the mirror that fateful day.
The best part?
We’re just getting started.
Are you tired of feeling average because you know that’s not what you are?
Then reclaim what you know is yours. Take back your life.
One-day-at-a-time works for lots of things.
So get started today.
When you look up in a year, you’ll be amazed. I promise.
I’ll be cheering.
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