The Days Are Long, but the Decades Are Short

Last week, I turned 33. A friend asked me if I’d gathered any life advice worth sharing over the past decade. While I hesitated to write this — because these lists can sometimes feel superficial — I decided to organize my thoughts and share them. This blog is inspired by Sam Altman’s reflections, with a touch of my own perspective.

Relationships

1. Prioritize Your Loved Ones: Never let family, friends, or your significant other fall low on your priority list. Value deep relationships over numerous acquaintances. Keep in touch with old friends and make time for meaningful conversations, even if it means staying up until sunrise. Celebrate life with parties and gatherings.
2. Be Kind and Generous: Go out of your way to help people. Acts of kindness, even small ones, are incredibly fulfilling. Be nice to strangers and kind even when it doesn’t seem to matter.
3. Forgive and Let Go: Carrying grudges weighs you down. Forgiveness frees your mind and heart.
4. Express Love: Tell your parents you love them often. Visit them as much as you can.

Time and Life

1. Make It Count: Life isn’t a rehearsal — this is it. Do what brings you happiness and fulfillment. Don’t waste time on things or people that drain your energy. Cut negativity from your life and stop making excuses for not pursuing your dreams.
2. Embrace New Experiences: Try something new every year, both personally and professionally. New experiences make life exciting, slow down time’s perception, and keep your mind sharp.
3. Avoid Regret: If you think you’ll regret not doing something, go for it. Regret over missed opportunities is worse than failure.
4. Set Goals: Have clear goals for each day, year, and decade. But remain flexible. When great opportunities come, take them — even if they seem risky.
5. Cherish Youth: Youth is fleeting. Take risks, explore, and don’t waste time worrying excessively. Financial discipline can wait a little while in your twenties.

Work and Success

1. Do What You Love: It’s hard to excel at work you don’t care about. Aim to find work that aligns with your passions, and you’ll feel more fulfilled.
2. Strive for Excellence: Aim to be the best in the world at what you do. Even if you fall short, you’ll still achieve greatness.
3. Work Hard, but Smart: Hard work is essential, but don’t let it consume your life. Create systems that optimize your productivity and minimize distractions.
4. Take Risks Early: Especially in your career, take calculated risks. Most people choose their career paths randomly — think deeply about what you enjoy and what’s likely to thrive in the future.
5. Surround Yourself with Talent: Spend time with smart, ambitious, and interesting people. Work for them, hire them, and build deep relationships. You’ll become the average of the people you spend the most time with.
6. Minimize Cognitive Load: Clear distractions from your life. Don’t let trivial tasks take up mental space, especially in your work life.

Money and Resources

1. Value Financial Freedom: Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy freedom, which is invaluable. Focus on having enough money to avoid stress rather than chasing excess.
2. Spend Wisely: Invest in friends, experiences, saving time, travel, and causes you believe in. These often bring more joy than material possessions.
3. Keep Burn Rates Low: Maintaining a low personal burn rate gives you more opportunities and flexibility in life.

Personal Growth

1. Keep Learning: Never stop learning. Read voraciously, explore new ideas, and seek out long-form content instead of quick bites.
2. Stay Healthy: Exercise regularly, eat well, and prioritize sleep. Spend time in nature to recharge.
3. Be Grateful: Practice gratitude daily. It helps put problems into perspective and reduces unnecessary complaints.
4. Stay Curious and Excited: Remember how you felt as a child — full of excitement and wonder. Try to carry that joy into adulthood.

Life Wisdom

1. Moderation Is Key: Most things are fine in moderation but harmful in excess.
2. Existential Angst Is Normal: Moments of doubt and questioning are part of life, especially after major milestones. You’re not alone in feeling this way.
3. Think Before Acting: Pause for a few seconds before making decisions, especially when angry. Empathy and understanding go a long way.
4. This Too Shall Pass: Both good and bad times are temporary. Embrace the highs and persevere through the lows.
5. Be a Doer: Actions speak louder than words. Focus on making things happen rather than just talking about them.
6. Don’t Chase Status: Substance is far more fulfilling than superficial status.
7. Regret Less, Love More: Love intensely and live without regrets. Time passes quickly, so make the most of it.

Final Thought

The days are long, but the decades are short. Make your time count. Appreciate the journey and embrace the people and experiences that make life beautiful.