10 Things I Learned From a Decade of Doing 1 Thing

On July 7, 2015, I hit “publish” on a simple and short post about the power of saying no

I had just quit my corporate job, owned nothing but a laptop, and figured I had exactly zero reputation to lose by thinking out loud on the internet. 

Ten years, hundreds of articles, ten books, and millions of readers later, that single decision has paid the kind of compound interest no spreadsheet can capture. It taught me that mastery is less about talent and more about what you choose to do repeatedly.

A decade of doing one thing has burned certain truths into my muscle memory. Truths that matter whether you’re coding apps, raising kids, or trying to keep a side hustle alive after your 9-5.

What follows are the ten lessons that actually moved the needle for me. They’re simple enough to remember on your own journey. I hope this is helpful.

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Do You Have a Restless Mind? Try These 7 Things

restless mind

Do you have a vague sense that your mind is busy, even though you’re not sure what’s occupying it?

You’re not alone. Several readers have recently told me they’re experiencing an underlying restlessness that drains their focus and energy, even when they’re not consciously stressed or anxious.

Can you relate to that feeling of being mentally tired? You just can’t pick yourself up to do something useful.

This isn’t a “you” problem; it’s a natural mental state that most of us experience at times. I’ve gone through periods where I also had that sense of restlessness.

But here’s the good news. You can do something about it. Here are seven practical strategies to quiet a restless mind.

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Rule #1 of Stoicism: Know what’s within your control

Epictetus rule one of stoicism

The Enchiridion by Epictetus, a classic text of Stoicism, starts with this fundamental idea:

“Some things are under our control, while others are not under our control. Under our control are conception, choice, desire, aversion, and, in a word, everything that is our own doing; not under our control are our body, our property, reputation, office, and, in a word, everything that is not our own doing. Furthermore, the things under our control are by nature free, unhindered, and unimpeded; while the things not under our control are weak, servile, subject to hindrance, and not our own.

The key to happiness and inner peace is simple. No matter what happens in your life. And that’s not an understatement. No matter what happens, always remember to focus on what’s within your control. I can pretty much guarantee that every time you were overwhelmed, it was because you ignored this first rule of Stoicism.

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This Took Me 14 Years to Understand

I finished grad school 14 years ago. Since then, I worked hard to earn money.

I woke up every day with a fresh start. At that time I also had student debt so I had a long way to go.

My goal was always to become a millionaire. It’s something our society has always considered a marker of financial success. If you have a million bucks, you’ve made it.

We all know that’s no longer true because society has changed a lot over the past decade. We’re living in the age of decadence. People just want to live luxurious lives, which requires a lot of money. But that’s the topic for another essay. 

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