Pieces of Advice by Ali Abdaal

 

                                                       Photo by Frame Harirak on Unsplash

Some Advice to myself I’m hoping to take into my 30s:

1. Life is lived in the present moment. Don’t let the pursuit of more stop you from enjoying what you already have - enough.
2. If you’re going to pursue “more”, remember to keep your life balanced, especially in terms of your health and relationships.
3. Build systems into your life to help you focus on life rather than just work.
4. If you find yourself saying: “But the money’s just too good”, think twice. Then think a third time. Do you really want to do that thing just for the money?
5. A stress-filled life is bad for your health, your relationships and your lifespan. Chill out, and don’t take things so seriously.
6. Everything you’re doing is meaningless - a few years after you’re dead, no one’s going to remember you or anything you’ve done.
7. Everything you’re doing is profoundly meaningful - even the smallest action is drenched with meaning. Remember to get out of your own head and appreciate that.
8. It’s okay to trade consistency for joy… just don’t do it too often, lest the “costs” of bad habits build to the point that it reduces joy over the long-term.
9. With a little creativity, you can make absolutely everything 10-40% more enjoyable.
10. Your work would probably be better if you focused on enjoying it, rather than on trying to make it better.
11. Regularly ask yourself: “10 years from now, what will I be really glad I did consistently for 10 years?”. Do those things consistently for 10 years.
12. Train weights 3-4 times a week, forever.
13. Any money, time or effort you spend on your health will pay major dividends as you age.
14. Any money, time or effort you spend on cultivating deep relationships will pay major dividends right now, and also as you age.
15. Invite friends over for more often.
16. You don’t have to sit in a restaurant when meeting up with someone. You can grab some food or coffee, and go for a walk instead. It’s healthier and more fun.
17. If it’s not a “hell yeah”, it should probably be a “no thank you” 
18. Be the lead organiser of social events for your friends. They all want to hang out, they just suck at organising things.
19. Read before bed.
20. Do whatever you can to work with people in-person. It’s way more fun than remote. And what’s the point of working if it’s not fun?
21. Go to the cinema and/or to dinner, by yourself, once in a while.
22. Send more thank you notes to people.
23. Carve out some time for life admin and for replying to messages each day. It doesn’t have to be Deep Work for it to be valuable.
24. Keep your personal CRM maintained with birthdays, addresses and notes about each person you want to stay in touch with. It doesn’t take much time to send a birthday card or gift, and those things can maintain relationships for literally decades.
25. Take more photos, preferably with a proper camera, but your phone is totally fine if you don’t have your proper camera with you.
26. Carve out dedicated time each week for learning and exploring your curiosity. Life’s only going to get busier, and you don’t want to stagnate because you haven’t made time for continuous learning.
27. When you’re faced with a choice to prioritise work or to prioritise your life, choose your life.