BENEFITS OF JOURNALING

I journaled every day for 270 days. Here are the three main benefits ⤵️ 📈Increased productivity 🥇Improved prioritization 🔍Micro-improvements on daily actions Increased productivity 📈 The increase in productivity came from being more focused in the evenings. When I have downtime in the evening, I write my journal entry. This results in clarity on what my future self wants me to do today. Instead of mindlessly scrolling or consuming, I guide myself to spend time on things I value.

WHEN YOU ARE NOT THE BEST: STACK SKILLS

Not The Best at Anything? You Need a Skill Stack ⤵️ Scott Adams introduced the skill stack in one of my favorite books: How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big. Here is the idea: No need for excellence or being world-class. You can raise your market value by being merely good — not extraordinary — at more than one skill.

EVOLVING CAREER CRITERIA

Job criteria evolution over the years Back in 2018, I had a checklist of requirements when applying for jobs: Industry: Tech or finance Good earning potential within five years Opportunity for rapid advancement based on performance Large task variability Location near Helsinki Unqualified for the role Back then, landing any three out of six would have been enough. The office location was essential because remote work wasn’t widespread. I even limited my applications to companies within a 45-minute commute.

JUDGEMENT

I could go to the movies on a Monday afternoon, but I never have. Worse than that, I would have judged others for that rather than find the flaw in my thinking. Since reading Semler’s Maverick, I have gone to the movies on a Friday afternoon, had a two-hour lunch with my wife on a Wednesday, and taken calls from my home gym. Zero people at work noticed. The only thing stopping me was myself.

HOME GYM

What if building a home gym was the key to workout consistency? Explore my space-saving setup, where determination meets convenience. By investing in a home gym, you can say goodbye to missed workouts and hello to a healthier life! Here is what I have in my home gym ⤵️

EASY OR HARD LIFE

For the longest time, when I thought about what my dream life looked like, I always thought of an easy life. Usually, it had components like these: working less less stress more time for relationships more vacations more spontaneous life etc. As far as I can remember, my actions have never aligned with wanting an easy life1. I have always strived to improve, learning more & faster, making more money, working more effectively & efficiently, etc. In practice, this has meant that I have only occasionally given myself a chance to taste the easy life — a life of leisure. Every time I did it, I was back in the “normal mode” within four weeks.

PROBLEM SOLVING FRAMEWORK: 0-1-3-1

The 1-3-1 method for problem-solving: Define the (1) problem Identify three (3) potential solutions Select the best (1) solution I suggest an improvement to the 1-3-1 method — adding a phase zero. Problem-solving method: 0-1-3-1 0-1-3-1 by Matti Label the feeling (0) Define the (1) problem Identify three (3) potential solutions Select the best (1) solution Let me explain. Phase zero isn’t about problem-solving. It is about ensuring there is a problem to solve. It is an easy step to miss because everyone using a problem-solving framework is a type-A problem solver.

RECOMMENDED READING

This list of books and resources is always growing. I consider all of these worthy of reading and re-reading. There are two sections: Non-Fiction Books and Children’s Picture Books. The latter is just a list of titles and authors, no explanations provided. If you believe I’m missing a banger from these lists, please email or direct message the missing book and the reason for reading & re-reading it. Non-Fiction Books I have read and re-read all these books. Some I re-read on schedule (e.g., every two years), others on an ad-hoc basis. In addition to cover-to-cover reading, I return to many of these books to remind myself of a specific section or to get a proper reference for something or someone.

EXPECTATIONS

SIGNS OF GROWTH

How I know if I’m still learning & pushing my limits: 🦋Butterflies in stomach? 💦Sweaty palms? 💗Elevated heart rate? 🥱Yawning? Rate of learning can be measured by qualitative and quantitative measures. One of my favorite methods is recognizing the feelings that I have when I’m pushing myself: discomfort, nervousness, anxiety. The frequency of these emotions are a good measurement for me that I’m pushing my limits. The more frequently I feel these, the more likely it is that I’m learning rapidly.