At 26, I had a career plan. At 34, I quit my corporate job forever....
Tim Denning@Tim_Denning
72 views
Apr 21, 2025
~3 min read
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At 26, I had a career plan.
At 34, I quit my corporate job forever.
At 38, I have no rules and am free.
If you’re feeling lost, read this.
15 life lessons I wish I knew sooner:
At 34, I quit my corporate job forever.
At 38, I have no rules and am free.
If you’re feeling lost, read this.
15 life lessons I wish I knew sooner:
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1. Optimize for mental health, not wealth
Plenty of careers can make you rich. But you end up stressed out 24/7.
And stuck in meetings with time wasters.
Real wealth is peace of mind
Plenty of careers can make you rich. But you end up stressed out 24/7.
And stuck in meetings with time wasters.
Real wealth is peace of mind
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2. Losing everything is spectacular
The humility + struggle forces you to be better. There's only one way out: survive
“Sometimes it takes losing everything to realize what you had." – Todd Saville
The humility + struggle forces you to be better. There's only one way out: survive
“Sometimes it takes losing everything to realize what you had." – Todd Saville
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3. Life plans are stupid
Nothing ever goes to plan. Entropy runs the world. Learn to embrace chaos.
Every bad news event is an opportunity
Nothing ever goes to plan. Entropy runs the world. Learn to embrace chaos.
Every bad news event is an opportunity
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4. The meaning of life is to experience nostalgia
Use it as a decision-making framework. Ask yourself: "Will this help me experience nostalgia?"
Nostalgia is why I stayed in banking for 10 years. I look back on it every day & love the wild stories.
Use it as a decision-making framework. Ask yourself: "Will this help me experience nostalgia?"
Nostalgia is why I stayed in banking for 10 years. I look back on it every day & love the wild stories.
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5. Understand the circle of life
There's no avoiding the circle. Embrace it instead of fight it. Life gets easier.
Credit: Pascal Campion
There's no avoiding the circle. Embrace it instead of fight it. Life gets easier.
Credit: Pascal Campion
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6. Become a ruthless action-taker
If you want to truly learn, you have to do stuff.
• You have to leave the cocoon of your home and take risks.
• And travel to other countries to see how people live rather than being told by the news how they live.
Action produces wisdom.
If you want to truly learn, you have to do stuff.
• You have to leave the cocoon of your home and take risks.
• And travel to other countries to see how people live rather than being told by the news how they live.
Action produces wisdom.
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7. Comfort is a sign of a lack of growth
Comfort feels good for a while until it turns into a plateau. Then you feel terrible.
Experience more discomfort.
• Gym
• Sales
• Public speaking
• Building a business
If you're not growing you're dying.
Comfort feels good for a while until it turns into a plateau. Then you feel terrible.
Experience more discomfort.
• Gym
• Sales
• Public speaking
• Building a business
If you're not growing you're dying.
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8. Figure out your biggest expense: tax
It's the difference between poverty & being a millionaire.
The goal is to operate like a business so you spend mostly pre-tax dollars instead of post-tax dollars.
It's the difference between poverty & being a millionaire.
The goal is to operate like a business so you spend mostly pre-tax dollars instead of post-tax dollars.
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9. If you're thinking about having kids, you probably should do it sooner than later.
I did it in my late 30s. I should have done it in my 20s. There's never a good time
But having kids when you have high energy is better. They wanna play a lot.
Also, 3 of my friend have had their baby die during pregnancy.
The older the mother the higher the chance of this. Youth makes parenting less stressful
I did it in my late 30s. I should have done it in my 20s. There's never a good time
But having kids when you have high energy is better. They wanna play a lot.
Also, 3 of my friend have had their baby die during pregnancy.
The older the mother the higher the chance of this. Youth makes parenting less stressful
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10. Do what you know you must do
(But have been avoiding)
This is how you will feel better about yourself and be less anxious.
(But have been avoiding)
This is how you will feel better about yourself and be less anxious.
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11. Get rejected & fail with a smile
Otherwise you learn nothing and drown in courses, books, TV.
Real education is execution, not access to information.
Otherwise you learn nothing and drown in courses, books, TV.
Real education is execution, not access to information.
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12. Be closer to your best friends.
Instead of 100 shallow friendships, spend more time with your 5 closest friends.
Instead of 100 shallow friendships, spend more time with your 5 closest friends.
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13. Someone is always going to hate you
The problem is them, not you. Just ignore the $0 critics. They want what you have
When you ignore all opinions you become free.
Choose to be free.
The problem is them, not you. Just ignore the $0 critics. They want what you have
When you ignore all opinions you become free.
Choose to be free.
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14. Money is the worst form of retirement.
Retire on memories.
Retire on memories.
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15. Forgive your parents sooner
They probably made mistakes. They did their best. Spend whatever time you have with them
They'll die sooner than you wished.
They probably made mistakes. They did their best. Spend whatever time you have with them
They'll die sooner than you wished.
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At 26, I was an idiot & a drunk.
At 38, I feel at peace & am chasing my one true obsession.
A simple life is a good life.
If life still doesn't make sense, keep going.
At 38, I feel at peace & am chasing my one true obsession.
A simple life is a good life.
If life still doesn't make sense, keep going.
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Money is one of the biggest problems in life that I wish I solved sooner.
If you're not as wealthy as you'd like to be, start here with my free eBook: timdenning.com/auto-book-xc/
If you're not as wealthy as you'd like to be, start here with my free eBook: timdenning.com/auto-book-xc/