My 5 Biggest Life Lessons

I have two reunions in May 2023 📅 and it has me reflecting on how much I’ve learned about life over the last ten years or so.

My 5 biggest takeaways in the order that I learned them:

1. 🗺️ Chart your course: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. The best way to amplify your agency and take control of your life is by laying down a roadmap. It won’t unfold exactly as planned, but it’s a crucial starting point 🏁.

2. 💪 Persevere: Keep showing up. Doubt is trumped by action. Direction is more important than speed 🧭Experiment and course-correct in real-time to navigate your ideal path.

3. 🙂 Assume positive intent. You need to focus on what is, instead of what should or could be. We overestimate what and how much people think about us. 🧐 To believe that everyone is doing their best is a liberating mindset.

4. 🤝 Network: Your network is your net worth. Each connection brings something unique to the table. And there are network effects. Every additional connection you make amplifies the value for your whole network; there’s a multiplier effect. It's the perfect example of "the whole being greater than the sum of its parts". 🌐

5. 🍀 Cultivate serendipity: You can expand your luck surface area—it's done through fostering a growth mindset, feeding your curiosity, and being receptive to the unexpected. 🌱 Embrace making the most of the opportunities that come your way, and actively putting yourself in situations where those opportunities are more likely to appear.

As I gear up for these reunions, I'm excited to learn from my friends’ experiences and hear about the life lessons that have shaped them over the years 🍻🥳.