Overcoming the blank page. — When I was 18, a friend of mine was doing a research project for a class at school. The topic for their research project was “inspiration”. Their assignment was to collect a series of images that inspired people, and each interviewee was supposed to explain in a sentence or 2…

This simple strategy has been the key to maximizing my learning over the last 2 years. — I don’t have a problem with waking up at 5 am. If that’s what you want to do and you like getting up at that time, then that’s what you should do. But this sentence drives me crazy. “Doesn’t waking up early make you more productive?” No. It doesn’t. Unfortunately…

Learning is the way out. — The Covid-19 pandemic was a huge wake-up call for me, as it was for many people. When the world “ended” in 2020, I was a college senior finishing up my senior year, and I was sent home to live with my mom and dad. I finished my college degree online…

And how those subscribers can help you build your online business. — I’ve been writing a newsletter for about a year and a half, and if there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that building a newsletter is harder than it looks. The big guns in the writing world seem to find a way to make everything seem easier than it actually is. They…

I wasn’t ready for this. — When I was in college, I dreamed of being an entrepreneur. I wanted the unpredictability, the excitement, the thrilling victories, and even the agonizing lows. I was prepared to not make any money for a while trying to do what I love. I was prepared to try things and fail…

Remember when Meryl Streep said that martial arts were not arts? Yeah, that pissed me off. — Whenever I go on trips, I’m usually hungry because I’m cutting weight. I usually have a scale in my backpack and I’m monitoring how much water I’m allowed to drink over the course of the trip. If I’m not cutting weight, I’m anxious because I know I’m about to get…

Being 25 shouldn’t be this exhausting. — When I was 22, I told everyone that I wanted to do Jiu-Jitsu and write for the rest of my life. Most people didn’t say anything, but those who did have comments said things along the lines of “oh nice, have fun being broke and broken for the rest of…

I can’t believe that people consciously do this stuff. — As a writer and martial artist, I spend pretty much all day everyday learning. These are 2 activities that require constant self-evaluation, exploration, and repetition. I read books and write articles to test my mind and make it more effective. I study Jiu-Jitsu techniques and test them in the gym…

You’re probably doing better than you think. — I thought I had it figured out. For a stretch of about 9 months last year, I was thriving — at least, I thought I was. I was making money doing what I love, I was having the best relationships (with others and myself) I’d had in years, people were…