36 Lessons For 36 Years

I turn 36 this year and am officially in my “late 30’s.” I was pondering a while back if I should write down the lessons that I have learned in the past 36 years of my life. Well, no more pondering here they are: 36 lessons for 36 years.

Health

1) Strength training is the fountain of youth

Not all exercises are made equal. Strength training improves/maintains quality of life as you age. Once we hit the 4^th decade in life we begin to lose1-2% of our muscle mass each year and with up to 50% of mass being lost by the 8^th decade of life. Given that muscle mass accounts for up to 60 percent of body mass, loss in muscle mass will have profound consequences as you age.

If you want to be independent, still be able to function at full capacity, pick yourself up off the ground, hike the highest mountains, get up from the toilet without assistant, strength training should be a vital part of your routine.

Yes, I know you do a lot of cardio and although that is exercise, it only improves the quantity of your life. A healthy heart is important, but you can gain a healthy heart from lifting heavy and improving your function at the same time. Quality over quantity.

2)  Sleep like a dog

Get a full night’s rest, it is important. This is the time when your body actively repairs itself so that you can function at full capacity the next day. Having a good night’s rest also prevents heart disease, depression, inflammation and develops a stronger immune system.

3) Nutrition

As Hippocrates says: “Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food.” You can eat whatever you want in moderation, and you have to eat like a responsible adult. What you put in your body are the building blocks for your cells/physiology. If you eat like crap, you will feel like crap. If you eat well, you will feel well.

4) Stress is the root of all illness

Stress is good, we adapt and become stronger, and what was once very stressful is less stressful. But if one is unable to adapt and manage their stress, overtime it becomes chronic stress. This becomes dangerous as research shows that almost every system in the body can be influenced by chronic stress. This, in turn, weakens our immune system and may ultimately manifest as illness. Manage your stress well and seek help if you need to.

5) Stay hydrated

I am bad with this one myself. But staying hydrated is important for overall health. Its good for the skin, helps with transportation of nutrients, it keeps you regular, increases energy and impacts your mood. When I do not drink enough water, I feel more fatigued and loose mental clarity.

6) Lift heavy, sprint hard, walk often

This is the mantra I stand by. Lifting heavy improves muscle mass/bone density and strength, but as we age, we lose power as well (Strength X Speed). Have you seen an old person move? Yes, real slow. I got the solution for you, run like a child and chase after that ball, tag that person and run after your friends. Sprinting is a high burst of explosive power that uses every single muscle in your body, so while you are working your heart real hard, you are developing muscles and increasing your human growth hormone which is critical to anti aging. You will stay fast as you age. Always start slow and talk to a doctor before you start any physical activity.

Finally, why walking? As humans we are born to walk. Walking is a simple form of exercise that anyone can do. It keeps the body moving so that it doesn’t stay stagnant. So, if you find yourself always sitting on a chair get up and go for a walk, I guarantee you will feel better.

Rehab

7) Sometimes you just got to let Mother Nature do its thing

As much of a magician I wish I was, sometimes you just got to let the body heal on its own and on its own time You can’t beat physiology.

8) Training = Rehab, Rehab = Training

There is not much difference between training and rehab, just modification, regression to progression of exercises at the appropriate stage of rehab.

9) Active vs Passive Modalities

Always choose the active modality during rehab. Be a participant of your own health, that is the only way to get better. Passive modalities have its place, but active modalities always win.

10) Listen to your patient, mind your words

Actively listening to your patient builds trust and shows respect. Your patient knows themselves better than you know them, listen carefully, pay attention and take notes.

Words are powerful and conveying the wrong words can cause more damage and instill fear in the patient.

11) Posture isn’t everything

Earlier in my career posture was the root of all evil. If you had back pain must be because you have one hip higher etc… but after the 1000th person walked in with a similar posture but not pain, I began to question my own logic and what I have learned so far. Instead of focusing on posture we should focus on restoring strength, function, confidence and resilience in the individual.

12) Educate and Empower your patient

Instead of having your patients rely on you; educate them, inspire confidence and empower them to take care of themselves. Knowledge is power. We went to school in this profession to get educated so that we can educate others that didn’t.

Life

13) Life’s too short

As I sit here writing this, I see news of “Kobe Bryant Killed In Helicopter Crash”. Kobe Bryant known as the greatest of all time dies at age 41. You never know what will happen tomorrow. Don’t wait to go on the next vacation, chase after your dream, visit an old friend, spend time with family. Plan it today and do it. And don’t waste time on unimportant matters or unworthy emotions. If you were to die today, would you have lived your life to the fullest?

14) Get a dog

Dogs are the best. Even on your worst days they will brighten up your day. They have unconditional love, they are loyal, will protect you, keep you company, make you happy and are always the most excited to see you. They will also keep you fit by making you walk them daily. They will complete your life.

15) Stay away from negative people/Toxic environment

Negative people drain your energy, they are like real life vampires. They corrupt your mind, waste your time and consume your soul. Stay as far away as possible from them, learn to cut them out of your life as fast as possible. Family or not. You are who you hang out with. Focus on the good and the positive and the good and positive will flow your way.

Like wise toxic environment destroys you mentally, physically and emotionally. If you feel like crap, always sick, depressed and you wake up to the same shitty environment its time to change to an environment that nurtures growth, healing, support etc…

16) Never stop learning

Be curious, always ask questions and be a lifelong learner. I have always been somewhat of a self-learner. Always reading, listening to podcasts, watching YouTube videos and asking “what’s next?” I feel uneasy when I have nothing to learn. Learning keeps the mind young, improves your life, keeps you humble and makes you happier.

As Albert Einstein once said “Once you stop learning, you start dying”

17) Take control of your own life, be the master of your own destiny

If you are not happy where you are today, visualize the life that you want to live in every detail, write a plan and take massive action. Having a plan and taking action will empower you, making you realize that one day you will be out of that shitty situation and in a better place, a place that you have worked hard and envisioned for.

18) Be thankful everyday

Be thankful that you wake up everyday alive. Be thankful for what you have and not what you don’t have. You will be much happier.

Family

19) The wife is always right

To all the men out there, need I say more?

20) Spend as much time with your kid as you can, they grow up way too fast

This is my second year as a dad and Harley has grown so much in the past 14 months. I remember every stage I tell myself “I am going to miss her at this stage.” I am fortunate enough to work at home so that I see her when she wakes up, through out the day and when she goes to sleep. I feel blessed everyday.

21) Respect your parents

Your family consists of more than you, your spouse, or your kids. They include your parents and grandparents. Take care of them, show them respect, lead by example and your child will follow.

22) Be a good listener and communicate more with family

As of now I am learning to be a better listener and communicator with my family. Majority of the little fights that me and my wife get into are due to me having bad listening skills or a lack of communication between both of us. For 2020 I will try to be better.

23) Tell your family that you love them every day

It shows that you cherish them, appreciate them and that they are everything to you in the world. Tomorrow may never come.

24) Travel the world and explore the world together

One of the best things to do together is travel. Creating memories, learning about the world, and seeing it through your child’s eyes.

Business/Career

25) It’s ok to say “No”

Not every opportunity is the right opportunity. Saying yes to everything will eat up your time in the long run, make you feel overwhelmed and possibly not accomplish anything at all. Instead, learn to prioritize and identify what is important for your business.

26) Focus

Focus on one thing at a time. If you do too many things at once you will accomplish nothing. Put all your energy into one area and watch it grow, the grass is greener where you water it. When that one thing has reached its goal, then you can focus on another area.

27) Perseverance

There will be good days and there will be bad days. Don’t give up and shut down your business just because you had a bad day, month, quarter or year. Find a solution and when the good days come you will be so much more satisfied knowing that you worked hard for it.

28) Don’t focus on the money, be the best at what you do

Passion creates practice, practice creates skill, skill creates a job, a job you’re skilled in and passionate about is indifferent from free time, and the combination of these creates more money than you know what to do with – Sam Ovens

29) Market yourself

Get out there. Let people know the service or product that you provide. If nobody knows you exist how will they come seek your service?

30) Get a mentor

Find someone that you look up to, can relate with and is successful in the field that you are in. Talk to them, learn from them and take their advice. It will save you a lot of time.

Finance

31) In the short term the stock market is a casino, in the long term it’s a cash flowing machine

The daily ups and downs will pass. Always invest for the long term and invest in high quality companies with good history of dividend payout or alternatively invest in index funds.

32) It’s time in the market not timing the market

Nobody can predict the future. Stay invested and dollar cost average (DCA). You will be better in the long run.

33) Don’t chase golden objects/eggs

When I first started investing, I always wanted the homerun. Chasing the newest weed stock, cryptocurrency, tech company etc… Did I hit a few homeruns? Sure, but majority of the time I got wrecked up even harder. Soon I found out the difference between gambling vs investing. Stay discipline and avoid the latest hype unless you understand what is going on.

34) Invest in what you understand

Always invest in what you understand. If you don’t understand it don’t touch it, you are just speculating.

35) Invest as early as possible time is on your side

The earlier you invest the better. Money takes time to grow.

36) Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world

Always reinvest your interest. Let your money make money for you, then make more money for you. Adding your interest onto your principal will grow your money significantly overtime and will lead to financial freedom. Adding interest on top of debt on the other hand will dig you deeper into the grave. Learn to use compound interest on your side.