Perspective Upgrade

Thank you friends (Amigos):

As we reach Issue 10, I want to pause and say thank you.
Thank you for reading.
Thank you for thinking.
Thank you for choosing to be part of a journey where introspection becomes fuel, and self-improvement becomes a way of life.
Life happens in the quiet moments where we examine ourselves — and I’m grateful to share those moments with you.

With that being said, let’s continue to grow together.

❝

_{Each issue begins with a moment of awareness.}

The Stimuli:
A 5-Minute Timed Writing Invitation.

Before you read on, take five minutes and answer this question without stopping your pen:

“What is one piece of advice you would give your former self?”

Don’t edit.
Don’t judge.
Don’t overthink.

Timed writing forces your defenses to drop and your deeper mind to speak — and that’s where the real insights live.

GOOOO!

So in honor of issue 10…here are 10 pieces of hard-earned advice I’d give my former self… and maybe they land for you, too.

1. Never Hit Snooze

The snooze button feels harmless, but it’s not.
Every time you hit it, you’re delaying your life — postponing the day that’s already waiting for you.
Set one alarm, stand up, and begin. That single act builds discipline, self-trust, and momentum.

Book Recommendation: The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod.

2. Travel as much as you can.

Travel is perspective.
When you step into another culture — watch how people greet the morning, navigate problems, raise their kids, carry their burdens — you realize two things simultaneously:

Your life is bigger than your zip code.
Everyone is fighting a battle you don’t see.

Seeing how other cultures adapt, struggle, and thrive expands your empathy and shatters narrow thinking. You return home with a wider mind and a softer heart.

Book Recommendation: Vagabonding by Rolf Potts.

3. Invest early — earlier than you think.

Time is the most powerful wealth-building force on earth.
You don’t need perfect timing, a finance degree, or a big salary.
You just need to start — even small amounts compound into life-changing freedom over decades.

Investing early also teaches responsibility, patience, and long-term thinking… traits that bleed into every area of life.

Book Recommendation: I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi

4. Learn a skill that compounds.

Skills stack.
And the right ones make you valuable in any room.
Pick something that rewards repetition — writing, coding, sales, communication, design.
Mastery compounds faster than money.

In the beginning of learning a new skill you will embody the “fool”, but with hard work you will be the “master”.

Book Recommendation: So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport.

5. Know your way around the kitchen.

Cooking is independence.
It’s health, confidence, creativity, and adulthood wrapped into one.
If you can feed yourself well, you’ll always be okay — and you’ll save money, time, and stress.

Book Recommendation: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat.

6. Listen to your intuition.

Your intuition is ancient intelligence.
It notices what your conscious mind ignores.
Every time you betray it, you pay.
Every time you trust it, your life gets simpler and more aligned.

Book Recommendation: The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker.

7. Be ready for a “wolf” in every situation.

There’s an Italian idea: “Expect a wolf.”
Meaning — be prepared for surprises, hidden motives, or the variable you didn’t see coming.
Not paranoid.
Just aware.
Preparedness gives you calm power — because nothing can blindside you when you’re ready for anything.

Book Recommendation: The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene.

8. Move your body daily.

Motion is medicine.
Strength is a form of self-respect.
Even 20 minutes a day rewires your mind and mood.
Your body is your first tool — sharpen it.

Book Recommendation: Atomic Habits by James Clear (specifically for identity-based fitness habits).

9. Avoid sugar — it steals more than it gives.

Sugar is a short-term comfort that creates long-term chaos.
Energy crashes, inflammation, mood swings — all preventable.
Cutting sugar is one of the fastest ways to feel like a clearer, sharper, calmer version of yourself.

Book Recommendation: Why We Get Sick by Dr. Ben Bikman.

10. Speak only truths — especially uncomfortable ones.

Truth cleans your life.
It attracts the right people, repels the wrong ones, and builds a spine of integrity you can lean on for decades.
Your younger self needed courage.
Truth is how you cultivate it.

Book Recommendation: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.