I'm 40. I spent 12 years obsessing over self-improvement like an...
Tim Denning@Tim_Denning
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Jun 03, 2026
~4 min read
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I'm 40.
I spent 12 years obsessing over self-improvement like an absolute psycho.
Here's what I learned in 4 mins so you can save 2000+ hours.
1. Growth for the sake of growth is ego in disguise.
I spent 12 years obsessing over self-improvement like an absolute psycho.
Here's what I learned in 4 mins so you can save 2000+ hours.
1. Growth for the sake of growth is ego in disguise.
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2. You don't improve by acquiring more information. You do it through failure, rejection, and humiliating embarrassment.
3. The thinking that got you here isn''t the thinking that will get you to where you want to go.
3. The thinking that got you here isn''t the thinking that will get you to where you want to go.
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4. The smartest people I know are broke. The delusional ones are rich.
5. Nobody is coming to save you. But nobody is coming to stop you either.
5. Nobody is coming to save you. But nobody is coming to stop you either.
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6. Be crazy enough to chase your obsession.
7. Being able to deal with uncertainty is far more important than having a good plan or strategy.
7. Being able to deal with uncertainty is far more important than having a good plan or strategy.
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8. Every time you say "I'll start in 3 months" you train your brain to delay taking action which forces your brain to adopt a lazy mindset.
9. The anger you have toward someone else is a reflection of a flaw inside of you.
9. The anger you have toward someone else is a reflection of a flaw inside of you.
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10. If you lack confidence, take action and get the sort of results that make the proof of your success undeniable.
11. Don't obsess over saving money. Just make more f*cking money.
11. Don't obsess over saving money. Just make more f*cking money.
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12. A scarcity mindset is the cause of most money problems. And until you become conscious of it, it'll rob you of a fortune.
13. Everything compounds. All you need to do is ensure you have no zero days. There must be a tiny bit of progress each day.
13. Everything compounds. All you need to do is ensure you have no zero days. There must be a tiny bit of progress each day.
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14. Depression comes from thinking too much about the past.
Anxiety comes from thinking too much about the future.
Peace comes from living in the present.
Anxiety comes from thinking too much about the future.
Peace comes from living in the present.
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15. Working toward a goal is far more fulfilling than actually reaching the goal.
16. Unless you're forced to take action, you'll take the default path and say "one day."
16. Unless you're forced to take action, you'll take the default path and say "one day."
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17. Chaos is useful. If you can experience chaos and get through it, you'll be primed to thrive no matter what happens in your life.
18. Unless you go all in, your old life will become a Plan B that distracts you. Burn all your f*cking bridges back to the old life.
18. Unless you go all in, your old life will become a Plan B that distracts you. Burn all your f*cking bridges back to the old life.
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19. If you want it badly enough you'll make it a daily habit. If you don't, you'll do it when you have time which is almost never.
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20. A purpose-driven life will take you further than chasing money.
21. True success is a happy, healthy family – not changing the world in isolation like Elon.
21. True success is a happy, healthy family – not changing the world in isolation like Elon.
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22. Coming from an extremely broken family is one of the greatest predictors of success.
23. You should find the person you were a year ago to be a deeply stupid and unsuccessful person compared to who you are now.
23. You should find the person you were a year ago to be a deeply stupid and unsuccessful person compared to who you are now.
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24. Your rate of iteration matters more than one big transformation or moonshot that'll never happen.
25. When you're about to give up that's when the biggest breakthroughs happen.
25. When you're about to give up that's when the biggest breakthroughs happen.
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26. Passion isn't enough. You must be obsessed like a psychopath.
27. The boring grandpa life is the best way to live. Exercise daily. Eat healthy. Spend time in the community. Go to bed early. Sleep 8 hours.
27. The boring grandpa life is the best way to live. Exercise daily. Eat healthy. Spend time in the community. Go to bed early. Sleep 8 hours.
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28. Most fears are just boogie monsters that will never eat you because they live in your imagination.
29. If you're burned out, you'll only see problems instead of solutions.
29. If you're burned out, you'll only see problems instead of solutions.
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30. High expectations make you disappointed. Have low expectations and everything in life will pleasantly surprise you.
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31. Only when you hate yourself and are fed up with your current life will you actually change. Then you'll build the habit and do what it takes. Until then it's nothing but painful procrastination.
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32. Madness is genius in disguise.
33. On the days when you don't feel like doing it are the days when the most muscle is built.
33. On the days when you don't feel like doing it are the days when the most muscle is built.
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34. Every goal you've ever wanted to achieve is hard. Choose a form of hard that you like doing and will happily do for the next decade.
35. Making calculated decisions fast is a prerequisite to becoming a master in your field.
35. Making calculated decisions fast is a prerequisite to becoming a master in your field.
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36. Consistency without iteration is just ego in disguise.
37. Without a system it's just a fantasy.
38. Betting on moon shots as a way to feed your family is the dumbest thing you can do.
37. Without a system it's just a fantasy.
38. Betting on moon shots as a way to feed your family is the dumbest thing you can do.
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39. Closing open loops gives your mind more peace than 2 hours of meditation with a monk.
40. You may as well believe in yourself because no one else will.
40. You may as well believe in yourself because no one else will.
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41. Learning without behavior change is just memorisation that AI can do faster and cheaper.
42. Once you've helped yourself go and help someone else so you can reinforce the wisdom.
42. Once you've helped yourself go and help someone else so you can reinforce the wisdom.
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Building a business is the best form of self-improvement there is.
Here's the business model that will get you to 6-figures and beyond: timdenning.com/6-figure-busin…
Here's the business model that will get you to 6-figures and beyond: timdenning.com/6-figure-busin…
