2024 Annual Review
This year was one of the most important and life-changing years of my life. I just wrapped up my annual review from my incredible coach, Behzod, and thought I'd share some insights.
I'm also stealing Michael Karnjanaprakorn's substack format, so thanks, Michael!
- My biggest lesson was to stop "outsourcing responsibility." There's a lot to unpack here (and probably worthy of its own post), but long story short, I realized how much I've outsourced responsibility to others – whether it was wealth, health, fun, etc., it's a terrible thing to do. This year, I take full control.
- The second equally impactful lesson was the power of presence. It's so impactful that I started building an app around it, making content, and diving deep into the philosophy of presence. I tend to be an avoidant person. Whether it's pain or conflict, I just don't want to feel those things. Now, I have the ability to sit with discomfort and pain and let it pass. I think this is something I'll be studying for the rest of my life.
- Gaining real control over my finances changed my mental health. This year was financially painful (especially in the beginning), so I wanted to change that. Through conversations with my friend Alex and by listening to Ramit Sethi, we redid our finances, and it's completely changed my daily anxiety. Knowing how much is being spent, saved, and invested is incredible. Also, Angela and I opened separate checking accounts where we have our own "guilt-free spending," which has changed our marriage for the better. It's not much, but the few hundred bucks I can call "my own" is liberating.
- I had 7 major goals for the year and hit 4 of them (get to 1000 subscribers on Youtube, get a new job, launch a business, build freelancing income). I knew 7 was lofty, but better to go big IMO.
- Cutting is more physically challenging but better mentally than bulking. In April, I hit about 192 lbs. I'm currently sitting at 213 at the end of my bulk. This next cut I am aiming to get to about 180 lbs. It's wild to see how much my body has changed already while also acknowledging there's so much more to come.
- It's okay for me to want stuff. For the longest time, I thought living this minimalistic and ascetic lifestyle was the pinnacle of gratitude and self-control, but there's a line. If I genuinely like and appreciate the quality and craft of something, it brings me joy and spurs me to work harder – that's not a bad thing. Long story short, I want a Porsche.
- I started doing "homework for life" from Matthew Dick's Storyworthy. Basically, it requires you to note anything that makes you feel something every day. I failed because I didn't do it every day, but it's helped me so much in not letting the days just pass. Having to notice what's moving my spirit every day is a really important exercise.
- Travel is as important as exercise. This year, I was able to travel a lot (Hawaii, Vancouver, New York, Oregon, San Francisco, and Europe). It's so important for me to experience this displacement.
- I now identify as a builder. We are the stories we tell ourselves. And it's important for me to say this out loud. The building is made possible due to advances in AI and tools like Replit and Cursor, but the spirit of building is all mine. I have a voracious appetite and curiosity to build more things that serve me and others well.
- I have to trust my gut. This year I cut ties with someone that I trusted a lot. My gut was always speaking, but it remained ignored – until the end.
I'm sure I missed some things, but I'm moving into 2025 with determination and resolve that I haven't felt before.
I don't really want to make predictions or goals – all I want is to experience the full impact of taking my life by its proverbial balls. I think there'll be a lot to write about in my 2025 review.
Happy New Year. Thanks so much for sticking with me through everything, it means the world to me! <3
DKC