25 things I know at 25

I turn 25 today. On this occasion, I will talk about 25 things that have served me well.

1. Life is absurdly fascinating; entertain yourself with it.
2. Always be sincere, serious and committed in everything you do. Half-hearted coasting is for the walking dead. Counter-intuitively, true seriousness comes from committing to the bit to an unbelievably absurd degree.
3. Permit yourself to take up quests. Go email the person who made your favourite piece of art. Go and start the business you joked about starting.
4. The world is a malleable place for those who can think in systems. Learning to think in these terms will turn you into an optimist, whether you like it or not.
5. The true knowledge from your elders come not from what they tell you, but from how they behave and navigate the world.
6. Read because reading is fun. There is no right or wrong way to read. Read halfway. Skim books. Read backwards. Doesn't matter.
7. Revere active production over passive consumption. Cooking > Eating. Writing > Reading. Writing tweets > Reading tweets.
8. Be sensitive to opportunity.
9. Notice that your self-conception is a label you have given to various contractions in your field of awareness. Also notice that those contractions can be released.
10. Invest in tactile things. Go for walks. Engage the senses.
11. Resilience is not achieved by toughing things out. Resilience comes from the ability to navigate the world with a buoyant and unencumbered spirit. Humour is compulsory.
12. Curiosity and critical thinking are the most precious assets that are constantly under siege from the mainstream structures of society. Protect it, for if it dies, you die.
13. If a thought or opinion makes you uncomfortable, lean into it, articulate where that discomfort comes from.
14. "Yes, and" far more than what seems reasonable. The only way to win an argument is to create a shared understanding.
15. Call your Mom. Check in with your friends and family. Articulate your appreciation for them. Write notes and letters.
16. Understand the non-linearities that drive the world.
17. When trying to fix your health, start with fixing your sleep.
18. Be a little bit obsessed with protein and cutting down sugar. Mindfulness helps with this massively.
19. The optimal amount of ambition is lots of it.
20. The best way to cut spending isn't stinginess—it's having pointed clarity for things that truly give you joy.
21. Transcend the numbers and metrics that our institutions would love to box you in with (this does not apply to medical reports).
22. Do not ask "Can I believe this?" or "Must I believe this?". Instead ask "is this true?"
23. Never ever read the news. Pick up a history book instead.
24. Never define your identity by the things that you don't like and things that you don't do.
25. If you're feeling a big strain in your head while trying to learn something, that's a great thing. That means it's working.