Warning: Today’s article contains graphic and gory images. Do not read at work!
What makes a year good? And how do you turn a bad one around?
By all accounts, 2017 should have been the worst year of my life. But it actually became one of the best.
In this article I’ll explain why.
This isn’t a “dear diary” entry either. You’ll find several powerful techniques for reversing a lousy situation, finding the positives in an otherwise terrible event.
These are easy to implement strategies for enjoying life to the fullest.
Appreciate What You Already Have
Last February I was visiting my parents in Iowa. One night, a huge wind storm erupted, knocking over a massive tree in our front yard.
The next morning, my Dad went to survey the damages. While inspecting the tree, it rolled over (I think he tried pushing on it) and crushed him. I spent a good 15 minutes, waiting for the ambulance and standing next to my Dad while he bled out all over the lawn. When the paramedics arrived, they weren’t sure if he’d live. And they were certain he’d never walk again.
(Here’s my Dad’s Leg)
Luckily, my Dad’s okay now. And he can walk around just fine.
But, in life, you usually take the people closest to you for granted.
You think they’ll always be around, then one day they’re not. This goes for family, friends, role models, and even people you know online. Because of this, I just want to take a moment and say thank you.
You don’t have to read this site, comment, or interact on Twitter. But you do. And it means a lot to me.
Alright, that’s enough sappy content. Let’s see what’s next.
Take More (Calculated) Risks
This is something I’ve written about before, but using Expectation Value allows you to take “gambles” where the rewards greatly outweigh any risks.
The $20 bill is a great example.
A few years ago, the government was debating whether or not they should remove Andrew Jackson from the $20 and replace him with Harriet Tubman. Most people fought about this online, or argued around the water cooler. A smart person would have simply walked into the bank, withdrawn $1,000 in new $20 bills, and put the money in a protective Mylar sleeve.
Why?
Because if Jackson was replaced, those old bills would have gone up in price. And, if he wasn’t, they’d still retain their full value.
No risk, all reward.
This is applicable to regular life too. I remember being 18 and depressed, so I decided to visit Central America for Christmas break. Everyone warned that “You’ll have a sh*tty time,” and “It won’t be fun.” Had I stayed home, I’d have a bad time too.
So on one hand, you have a guaranteed bad time. On the other, there’s only the possibility of a bad time, while the amount of fun you’ll have is virtually unlimited. It’s a little bit like standing on a sinking ship. If you stay you drown, if you take the lifeboat there’s a good chance you live.
When you think about risk and reward like this, it’s easy to avoid situations where failure is the default.
Likewise, you’re often able to find events where there’s very little at stake, but the payoff is huge.
If you play cards or do any investing, you’ll often hear people ask the question: “Where do I get the money to start?” The general response is “Cut down on unnecessary expenses.” This sounds like eye-rolling lame advice, but it’s true. There are professional poker plays (Tom Dwan’s initial $50 bankroll comes to mind) who started with pocket change and worked their way up.
A lot of times the money that’s spent on trendy brunch cafes, or drinking, is enough get you started in some other venture.
Last May I decide to cut back on my expenses for one month (cooking at home, no coffee shops, etc) and used the excess money to pay my rent a month early. The next month I went back to my normal routine. But, I had some surplus cash, so I paid the rent early again. That kept compounding and compounding, all from one tiny decision.
In many cases you can take something you’re guaranteed to lose (your time, money, whatever) and “swing for the fences” instead.
Lose and you aren’t out anything extra. But if you win, the rewards are limitless.
Focus On The Future
Specifically, the idea of building something that continues to grow and prosper over time. There’s a certain joy in looking to the future and knowing every year is better than the last.
The power of compounding is incredible, and taking advantage yields insane long-term results.
Workout every day for a year and you’re going to get big.
If you write an article a day, you’ll end up with 365 pieces of content. Law of large numbers says you’ll attract an audience.
Having a project makes bad days near impossible.
Because you’ll always know the next week, month, or year is going to be infinitely better.