A collection of rules, thoughts, and ideas I try to live by. I’m posting them here as a reminder to myself, not for you to copy, though you’re welcome to steal a few and make them your own. They might not apply to you at all, but publishing them forced me to sit down and shape them. Otherwise, they’d still be gathering dust in my notes app.
These are not complete and will be updated over time. Also, read about my philosophy.
1. Mind & Learning
- Curate your inputs. Cut the noise. Cut the hatred.
- Always be reading: One book a week, minimum.
- Learn by doing. You don't need more information, you need more reps.
- Journal daily.
- Don’t shy away from “hard”.
- Meditate like a Stoic, a Buddhist, and a writer.
- Look at the sky more.
- Sleep on big decisions.
2. Creativity & Expression
- Boredom is sacred. Don't replace it with screen time.
- Make weird shit.
- Start before you’re ready.
- Use constraints: They sharpen ideas.
- Document, don’t perform: Be real. Don't lie to yourself or others.
- Writing is magic: It creates something out of nothing.
3. Body & Health
- Eat whole foods. Not everything needs to be “clean”, but your grandmother should recognize it. (Thankfully she was Italian, and recognized pizza.)
- 160g protein/day.
- Train 3–4x per week.
- Run 3x per week.
- Prioritize sleep. Aim for 8 hours.
- Skincare is self-care.
- Hydrate.
- Walk daily.
- Supplements support habits, not replace them.
- Limited to no alcohol: No benefit, so only use it for social reasons, and only in moderation. It's a poison.
- “Mens sana in corpore sano”.
4. Work & Focus
- Batch deep work: Don’t let shallow tasks bleed into it.
- Offload your brain. Write to think. Untangle thoughts with a pen.
- Silence distractions: Phone off, tabs closed.
- Create before consuming.
- Respect the reset: Wind-down is productive.
- Don’t multitask.
- Time is the only currency you can’t multiply.
5. Values & Vibe
- Be useful. Be kind. Be decent. Don’t be an ass.
- Own your weird: Taste is not a flaw.
- Act like you have agency.
- Never half-ass anything: Whole-ass or skip it.
- Be better by 1% daily.
- Don’t skip two days in a row.
- Smile often.
- Own the L, then take the lesson.
- Fuck hustle culture: Discipline, yes. Grind, no.
- Play like it’s a game: Level up, explore, enjoy. Level up again.
- Stop giving unnecessary fucks: Save them. Spend them with intention.
6. Relationships & Social Life
- Be the person people can count on. Show up. Ask questions. Listen. More than you speak.
- Prioritize connection: Small circles, deep roots.
- Respect time together: Be present, no phones. Seriously. No phones.
- Let people surprise you. Don’t write scripts for others.
- Stay open to opposing views. But never at the cost of tolerating bigotry or harm.
- Everyone’s faking something. That includes you.
- Focus on quality time with yourself so you can show up for others.
- Leave things better than you found them.
7. Aesthetic & Space
- Dress with intention, even for yourself.
- Declutter often: Physical mess = mental noise.
- Minimal ≠ boring: It’s edited, not empty.
- “Draw your own lines in the sand”: Set boundaries. Choose your game.
- Your space is your brain’s reflection.
- Curate, don’t decorate.
- Let in air and light.
- Treat your desk like an altar: Magic happens there.
- Digital clutter counts too: Clean your files, phone, desktop.
8. Finance & Independence
- Live below your means: Always.
- Money is freedom, not status.
- Pay yourself first.
- Avoid bad debt: If you can’t buy it without credit, don’t.
- Wait before buying: 2-week rule. Still want it? Go ahead.
- Quiet money > loud money: Buy freedom, not applause.
- You don’t need every shiny new thing: They won't fix you.
- Your financial game is not someone else’s. Write your own rules.
9. Tech & Tools
- Use tools that respect you.
- Learn shortcuts.
- Fix what annoys you.
- Tech is your sidekick. Keep it lean.
If you have questions, drop me an email.