Curiosity Chronicle

The future feels wildly uncertain (and you don't need to look far to feel it). This is my open letter to anyone struggling to prepare for an uncertain future...First, we need to scrap the old linear mindset (Plan, Execute) and replace it with an iterative mindset (Execute, Adapt).In a 2012 interview, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos highlighted the importance of identifying what will stay the same in the future and building around that. Think of these timeless truths as your Lighthouse, and the skills that remain relevant are your Lighthouse Skills.Focus on the lighthouse.•••My book has sold 200,000+ copies around the world and has been a NYT Bestseller for 7 consecutive weeks since launch.If you've been wanting a copy (or are looking to gift copies to family or friends), there's a big 30% sale. Now’s a great time to get it.Order The Book Now!

This is one of my favorite parables:A sower went out to sow.And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.He who has ears, let him hear.- Matthew 13:3-9This passage offers a powerful reflection on one truth:Your environment creates your reality. Choose Wisely.

Programming Note: The most common piece of feedback I receive is from readers who love the newsletter but find the Friday Five has too many ideas to digest in a single email. Over the next two weeks, I'm going to experiment with something new: The Friday Five will be split across four short weekday emails that will take 1-2 minutes (max!) of your time. The Wednesday deeper dive will remain the same. My goal is that this change will mean more of you are able to take action on these ideas and experience the growth that follows. 1% better, every single day. Stay curious, friends.

Question: Who would you call to get you out of a foreign prison?Framework: The Stoic Archer•••My book has now officially spent 7 straight weeks on the NYT Bestseller List!It has a crazy "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" offer on the hardcover right now.Order Here

In 2022, after making a rash emotional decision to pause my book process, I got a piece of advice from a mentor that changed my life: Nobody cares.Here's the truth: You aren't afraid of failure. You're afraid of what other people will think of you if you fail.The Spotlight Effect is a psychological phenomenon whereby we overestimate the degree to which other people are noticing or observing our appearance, actions, behaviors, or results. Nobody cares. So, go do the damn thing.•••My book has sold over 200,000 copies around the world in under two months.It has a "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" offer on the hardcover right now.If you've been wanting a copy (or are looking to gift copies to friends), now’s a great time to get it.Order Here

Question: Are you allowing a missing nail to destroy your kingdom?Framework: The Zone 2 Practice Session***My book, The 5 Types of Wealth, is a 6x NYT bestseller! If you haven't grabbed your copy yet, there's no better time.It's 30% off right now. Get it HERE

Inversion is a mental model that flips the script on traditional problem-solving. It forces you to think differently about the problem—to see it from a new angle, from a fresh perspective.Take the foundational problem: How do you live a good life? Let's harness the power of inversion to address it: How do you live a miserable life?Here are 20 ways to guarantee you live a miserable life...***My book, The 5 Types of Wealth, is a 5x NYT bestseller! If you haven't grabbed your copy yet, there's no better time.It's 30% off right now. Get it HERE

Question: Which wolf will you feed?Framework: Three Men Make a Tiger•••My book was a New York Times Bestseller for the 5th consecutive week since launch! The hardcover currently has a 30% sale. Reply to this email with your receipt and I'll send you the 50+ page companion workbook to go deeper on the most important exercises from the book.Order The 5 Types of Wealth Now!

Consistency is the common thread behind every major success story. But no one ever tells you how to be consistent—and let’s be honest, it’s easier said than done.Fortunately, I've spent hundreds of hours thinking about this exact problem—and I've distilled that thinking into a short list of practical strategies to help anyone become more consistent.7 strategies to be more consistent: (1) Every day is easier than most days; (2) Fire in the act, grace in the amount; (3) Mornings are your cheat code; (4) Harness the power of peer accountability; (5) Use progressive overload to build the muscle; (6) Never try to make up for a miss; and (7) Focus on the trend, not the position.•••My book was a New York Times Bestseller for the 4th consecutive week and was the #3 bestseller for the entire month of February! The hardcover has a 30% sale. Order now and reply to this email with your receipt and I'll send you the 50+ page companion workbook to go deeper on the most important exercises from the book.Order The 5 Types of Wealth Now!

Question: Do I want this job, or do I want other people to see me having this job?Framework: Sapere Aude•••My book was a New York Times Bestseller for the 4th consecutive week and was the #3 bestseller for the entire month of February!The hardcover has a big 30% sale. Order now and reply to this email with your receipt and I'll send you the 50+ page companion workbook to go deeper on the most important exercises from the book.Order The 5 Types of Wealth Now!

Traditional wisdom says you have to live life with an On-Off Switch Mentality: If you want to do well, you can have two areas switched ON, but if you really want to win, you can only have one area switched ON. The other areas are, by default, switched OFF.The problem with this approach: If you leave an area OFF for too long, it becomes very difficult (if not impossible) to turn it back ON.My solution is the Dimmer Switch Mentality: It says that each area of your life exists on a dimmer switch. If you want to focus on building one area, you turn that switch up, but rather than turning off the others, you just turn them down low.•••My book has reached over 100,000 people around the world in just one month since its release. It currently has a big 30% sale. Order it now and reply to this email with your receipt and I'll send you a 50+ page companion workbook to go deeper on the most important exercises.Order The 5 Types of Wealth Now!

Question: What would happen if you gave just a little bit more?Framework: The 5 Levels of Financial Wealth•••My book is officially a three-peat New York Times Bestseller, hitting the list for the third consecutive week since launch!The hardcover has a big 30% sale on Amazon right now.Order the book and reply to this email with your receipt and I'll send you the 50+ page companion workbook, along with a few other special bonuses!Order The 5 Types of Wealth Now!

Last weekend, I experienced an overnight success that was years in the making. It was a seemingly lucky break that had very little to do with luck.The story of how it happened carries several important lessons for life—principles any of us can apply to create more luck in our own lives.4 principles to create more luck: (1) Increase your luck surface area, (2) Work hard in the darkness, (3) Shoot your shot, and (4) Follow through.•••My book is officially a back-to-back New York Times Bestseller! The hardcover has a big 30% sale on Amazon right now. Order the book and email me at [email protected] with your receipt and I'll send you the 50+ page companion workbook, along with a few other special bonuses!Order The 5 Types of Wealth Now!

Question: Are you allowing their narrative to impact your life?Framework: The Skyscraper Mentality•••Order My First Book to Unlock Exclusive Bonuses:The 5 Types of Wealth is the compass for your journey to a life of wealth that goes far beyond money. It provides the actionable tools to define, measure, and design your life around the pillars that truly create lasting happiness and fulfillment.It will help you find your True North and build your life around it.Order now and you'll unlock several new, exclusive bonuses:The 5 Types of Wealth Workbook: A step-by-step companion guide designed to help you work through the book’s key concepts and exercises.Access to The 5 Types of Wealth Digital Community: Join a vibrant group of like-minded individuals committed to creating a life of comprehensive wealth. Connect, collaborate, and grow together.Access to The 5 Types of Wealth Launch Workshop: Get exclusive access to the full recording of this transformative virtual workshop, where I’ll guide you through specific exercises designed to help you apply the principles of the book. Watch it anytime at your convenience!

A few months ago, I had an experience that stopped me in my tracks. It was a reminder that sometimes in life, the things we pray for can become the things we complain about, but only if we let them.How many times has the thing your younger self dreamed of become the thing you complain about after you’ve gotten it?There are a lot of beauties in life that are easy to miss if you’re moving too fast to appreciate them. Sometimes, you are quite literally living out your prayers. Remember that.•••Order My Book to Go Deeper on This Topic!The 5 Types of Wealth provides the actionable tools to define, measure, and design your life around the pillars that truly create lasting happiness and fulfillment.Order now and you'll unlock several new, exclusive bonuses:The 5 Types of Wealth Workbook: A step-by-step companion guide designed to help you work through the book’s key concepts and exercises.Access to The 5 Types of Wealth Digital Community: Join a vibrant group of like-minded individuals committed to creating a life of comprehensive wealth. Connect, collaborate, and grow together.Access to The 5 Types of Wealth Launch Workshop: Get exclusive access to the full recording of this transformative virtual workshop, where I’ll guide you through specific exercises designed to help you apply the principles of the book. Watch it anytime at your convenience!Order The 5 Types of Wealth Now!

Last week was the biggest moment of my professional life: The release of my first book into the world. But I feel it's important to be honest here: The external reality seemed great—but my internal reality was a completely different story.The day of release, rather than happiness and joy at the accomplishment, I was in the grips of a common psychological phenomenon: Imposter Syndrome.This piece shares the exact mindsets and tools I used to navigate the experience—the playbook you can leverage the next time you find yourself in its grips.•••Order My First Book to Unlock Exclusive Bonuses:The 5 Types of Wealth is the compass for your journey to a life of wealth that goes far beyond money. It provides the actionable tools to define, measure, and design your life around the pillars that truly create lasting happiness and fulfillment.It will help you find your True North and build your life around it.Order now and you'll unlock several new, exclusive bonuses:The 5 Types of Wealth Workbook: A step-by-step companion guide designed to help you work through the book’s key concepts and exercises.Access to The 5 Types of Wealth Digital Community: Join a vibrant group of like-minded individuals committed to creating a life of comprehensive wealth. Connect, collaborate, and grow together.Access to The 5 Types of Wealth Launch Workshop: Get exclusive access to the full recording of this transformative virtual workshop, where I’ll guide you through specific exercises designed to help you apply the principles of the book. Watch it anytime at your convenience!Order Now!

After three years, I can't believe I finally get to say this:The 5 Types of Wealth is now available everywhere books are sold!It's time we all reject the default definitions of success that have been handed to us and start living by design.This book is a guide to doing just that.Order The 5 Types of Wealth Now!Also available at ​Barnes & Noble​ and ​more​!This is the start of a movement.A movement to redefine what it looks like to build a wealthy life. A movement to identify the things that truly matter to you. A movement to run your race.A movement to reject the default and live by design.Join the movement. Your dream life awaits.

Status can be defined as the standing or positioning of one person in relation to another person or group. Status is a basic form of social currency—it dictates our interactions with those around us.There are two types of status: Bought Status and Earned Status.Bought Status is the improved social positioning garnered through acquired status symbols (cars, watches, etc.). Earned Status, however, is the real respect, admiration, and trust received through hard-won treasures (healthy body, meaningful relationships, strong purpose, etc.).Status games are a part of life. You will never escape them—you simply need to play the right ones. Focus on Earned Status games and you'll live a more fulfilling life.We're less than one week away from the launch of my first book, The 5 Types of Wealth.Order today to Unlock Exclusive BonusesThe 5 Types of Wealth provides the actionable tools to define, measure, and design your life around the pillars that truly create lasting happiness and fulfillment.Order now and you'll unlock several exclusive bonuses, like a ticket to our virtual launch event, a companion video series, and more.Order your copy today!

Question: Do you need to allow the things you want to come to you?Framework: The Right Now TestWe're less than two weeks away from the launch of my first book, The 5 Types of Wealth.Order today to Unlock Exclusive BonusesThe 5 Types of Wealth provides the actionable tools to define, measure, and design your life around the pillars that truly create lasting happiness and fulfillment.Order now and you'll unlock several exclusive bonuses, like a ticket to our virtual launch event, a companion video series, and more.Order your copy today!

I spent time with Arthur C. Brooks, the world's leading expert on happiness science.As I was writing my book, I asked Arthur to collaborate with me on collecting a list of some of our best ideas for living a happy, healthy, wealthy life.This piece shares 22 happiness hacks we wish we knew at 22.We're two weeks away from the launch of my first book, The 5 Types of Wealth.Order today to Unlock Exclusive BonusesThe 5 Types of Wealth provides the actionable tools to define, measure, and design your life around the pillars that truly create lasting happiness and fulfillment.Order now and you'll unlock several exclusive bonuses, like a ticket to our virtual launch event, a companion video series, and more.Order your copy today!

Question: Are you holding onto something that you no longer need?Framework: Helped, Heard, or HuggedWe're two weeks away from the launch of my first book, The 5 Types of Wealth.Order today to Unlock Exclusive BonusesThe 5 Types of Wealth provides the actionable tools to define, measure, and design your life around the pillars that truly create lasting happiness and fulfillment.Order now and you'll unlock several exclusive bonuses, like a ticket to our virtual launch event, a companion video series, and more.Order your copy today!

"Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response." - Viktor FranklThis piece shares a monthly space-creating ritual that changed my life (and may change yours): The Think Day.The Think Day is a single day each month where you disconnect from your day-to-day professional responsibilities and spend a few hours thinking on bigger picture topics and questions. There are five question prompts you can use to guide your process.We're less than a month away from the launch of my first book, The 5 Types of Wealth.Order today to Unlock Exclusive BonusesThe 5 Types of Wealth provides the actionable tools to define, measure, and design your life around the pillars that truly create lasting happiness and fulfillment.Order now and you'll unlock several exclusive bonuses, like a ticket to our virtual launch event, a companion video series, and more.Order your copy today!

Question: Are you aware of the finite, impermanent nature of your time?Framework: The Donkey Mindset

I just turned 34. Every year, I use my birthday as a moment for reflection, an opportunity to zoom out and consider what I've learned along the way.I hope you see yourself in one or more of these lessons, that they connect and spark a positive ripple in your life.This piece shares 34 life lessons from my 34 years.We're less than a month away from the launch of my first book, The 5 Types of Wealth.Order today to Unlock Exclusive BonusesThe 5 Types of Wealth provides the actionable tools to define, measure, and design your life around the pillars that truly create lasting happiness and fulfillment.Order now and you'll unlock several exclusive bonuses, like a ticket to our virtual launch event, a companion video series, and more.Order your copy today!

Question: Are you afraid of your own light?Framework: The Starfish RuleWe're just over a month away from the launch of my first book, The 5 Types of Wealth.Order today to Unlock Exclusive BonusesThe 5 Types of Wealth provides the actionable tools to define, measure, and design your life around the pillars that truly create lasting happiness and fulfillment.Order now and you'll unlock several exclusive bonuses, like a ticket to our virtual launch event, a companion video series, and more.Order your copy today!

I've never been a fan of New Year's resolutions: They're too rigid and require a belief that you can choose the perfect set of resolutions that will be relevant throughout the entire year.I prefer to set New Year's intentions: Big picture, open-ended ideas and mindsets that I want to focus on for the year ahead.The 5 intentions I'm setting for 2025: (1) Recognize time as the most valuable asset, (2) Control the controllable, (3) Find joy in the small, (4) Let go of the things that no longer serve me, and (5) Go All In.We're just over a month away from the launch of my first book, The 5 Types of Wealth.Order today to Unlock Exclusive BonusesThe 5 Types of Wealth provides the actionable tools to define, measure, and design your life around the pillars that truly create lasting happiness and fulfillment.Order now and you'll unlock several exclusive bonuses, like a ticket to our virtual launch event, a companion video series, and more.Order your copy today!

Question: Are you allowing your head to outsmart your gut?Framework: The 4-7-8 Breathing Method

Welcome to the final Wednesday issue of 2024. For the third year in a row, I sent out over 100 newsletters to my subscribers—two per week, every single week. In fact, I haven't missed an issue since I started this newsletter in May 2021.This newsletter is all about ideas—actionable ideas to help you build a high-performing, healthy, wealthy life.I shared thousands of ideas here this year. Here were my 9 favorites: (1) The Main Character Question, (2) Taxes of Life, (3) 2 Pillars of Strong Relationships, (4) Winner's Game vs. Loser's Game, (5) The Stories You Tell Yourself, (6) Solomon's Paradox, (7) Seasons of Loneliness, (8) Make the Coffee, and (9) The Wealth Score.

Framework: The Grow30 ChallengeQuestion: What answers are hidden in the actions you avoid?

The Annual Planning Guide includes: (1) my simple goal-setting framework, (2) three system-building mental models, and (3) a strategy for tracking and adjusting throughout the year.This annual planning process has been an immensely helpful exercise to which I would credit many of my greatest achievements. I hope that it will spark you to conduct your own annual planning process for 2025.You can download a beautiful (and free!) printable PDF template ​​here​​.

Question: What are you doing to reveal the invisible opportunities?Framework: The Four Quarters Technique

The end of the calendar year presents us with a unique and valuable opportunity: To reflect on the year that was and plan for the year that will be.I started conducting a Personal Annual Review over ten years ago. It has been a transformative exercise—one that has had an outsized impact on my personal progress and growth.The Personal Annual Review is 7 simple questions that may change your life.ANNOUNCEMENT: I'm hosting a Personal Annual Review workshop on December 16. Attendees will also receive the 2024 Personal Annual Review E-Book. To register, preorder one copy of my book and submit your information and order number here.

Question: Who are your Darkest Hour Friends?Framework: The Nova Effect

I see a lot of bad advice out there when it comes to how to do that—most of it trying to sell you on the easy way to make money.This piece is my attempt to offer some good in a sea of bad: My honest advice to someone who wants to make a lot of money.A sampling of the advice: The only way to make a lot of money is to create a lot of value, there's no such thing as making it, "doing your own thing" isn't for everyone, and salesmanship is more valuable than intelligence. Read the full piece for more!

Every month, I receive hundreds of messages, emails, and questions from people all around the world. The single most common question that comes up: "I feel lost. What should I do?"Here's an open letter to my lost younger self—with the five things I'd like to tell that version of me that would have accelerated his path to the other side.(1) Reclaim your power; (2) Remember that the answer is found in the action; (3) Trust in the trend, not the position; (4) Create value for everyone you come across; and (5) Find your challenge-seekers.

Question: Do you want to be liked or loved?Framework: Amor Fati

One year ago, my family came together to mourn the loss of my grandmother. Reflecting on the experience later, I was struck by one thing: The card for the memorial had her date of birth and date of death, with a simple dash in between.That dash holds everything. Every ounce of a person's life captured in that single, small, insignificant line.The experience sparked one idea I can't stop thinking about: Make the dash count.This piece is derived from concepts explored in depth in my upcoming book, The 5 Types of Wealth. Preorder and unlock exclusive bonuses here.

One of the greatest joys of my life is that I often get to spend time in rooms surrounded by big thinkers. Rooms with an extraordinary idea density.There are certain times when, even long after leaving the room, the ideas linger in my mind. I wrestle with them to develop my only lens for each.This piece shares 24 short ideas I can't stop thinking about.

Question: Are you embracing your Pattern Interrupts?Framework: Zeigarnik Effect

Success isn't what you think. You're sold a glossy, filtered version of success. The reality looks different.In today's piece, I want to share the harsh truths about success—the reality that no one sells you (because it wouldn't sell very well).13 harsh truths about success nobody told you: (1) You will have to endure long seasons of loneliness; (2) Your anxiety will scale proportionally to your ambition; (3) To shine in the light you have to embrace boredom in the dark; (4) The climb is always better than the view from the summit; (5) You have to pay your rent daily; (6) Adaptability will always beat planning; (7) Your imposter syndrome and self-doubt never go away; (8) It will always take longer than you expect; (9) The good and the bad get amplified; (10) The money only solves money problems; (11) There's no such thing as later; (12) You never really figure it out; (13) You'll never feel successful unless you create your own definition of success.

Question: Does your situation need to change, or just your outlook on it?Framework: The Cobra Effect

“Hard times create strong men, strong men create easy times, easy times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.” - G. Michael HopfWe live in an ease-obsessed world. To build the life you want, to earn the things you want, your resistance is the cost of entry.Remember: Nothing worth having in life should be easy. The things that matter in life are hard to build.

Question: Are you allowing self-protection to become self-rejection?Framework: Hedgehogs vs. Foxes

It's easy to allow your weeks to spiral out of control as you try to navigate your personal and professional responsibilities. Fortunately, I developed some tricks that helped me fight back.4 tiny habits that dramatically improved my weeks: (1) Defining what a "win" looks like, (2) Creating an awareness of my energy, (3) Executing a daily management sprint, and (4) Investing 30 minutes in a vision.Remember: Extraordinary change is simply the result of ordinary acts done well, over and over and over again. Always take the small things seriously, because small things become big things.

Question: How can you decide to be happy today?Framework: The Ludic Fallacy

More intensity is not the answer. To achieve the things you want in life, you must pursue them with balance. Unfortunately, in the modern era, to pursue things with balance is almost indistinguishable from laziness.The single greatest challenge for any ambitious person is reframing slowing down as an essential part of your performance, not a reward for your effort.When you're constantly moving fast, everything is a blur. When you slow down, you start to see the world more clearly.5 strategies you can use to slow down more regularly: (1) Take pride in unitasking, (2) Take more breaks, (3) Take a power walk, (4) Embrace the power of no, (5) Find your garden.

Question: What are the beliefs that no longer serve me?Framework: The Dartmouth Scar Experiment

In my 20s, I nearly drove myself mad adding more and more new things to my life. Today, I'm 33, happier, healthier, and more successful than I've ever been—but in today's piece, I want to share the secret that unlocked all of that: I quit.The truth is that the fastest way to improve your life is not adding new things to serve you, but quitting what no longer does.Here are 11 things I quit to transform my life: (1) Focusing on my potential, (2) Complaining, (3) Worrying about the opinions of others, (4) Allowing negative people to drain my energy, (5) Allowing overthinking to hold me back, (6) Hitting the snooze button, (7) Planning for perfection, (8) Treating my house like crap, (9) Seeking novelty, (10) Grazing on low-value tasks, (11) Relying on motivation.

Question: How can you change your outlook by changing your perspective?Framework: The Theory of Constraints

I've come to believe that there is one common theme that holds people back from living the life they want—and the life they are capable of living: Overthinking.In today's piece, I want to share what worked for me: Three simple mindset shifts—reminders and reframes you can reliably turn to—that helped me conquer overthinking for good.Three mindset shifts to conquer overthinking: (1) The decision is less important than the actions that follow it, (2) Trust in your adaptability, not your plan, and (3) Most decisions are far more reversible than you think.