The ancient Babylonians are said to have been the first people to make New Year’s resolutions, some 4,000 years ago.

They were also the first to hold recorded celebrations in honor of the new year—though for them the year began not in January but in mid-March, when the crops were planted.

Thus, the new year’s celebration indeed marks the beginning of a new cycle of life. So do yourself a favor and filter out all the negative people who claim that a new year is technically not a new beginning. Because it is.

Few days are left in 2018. The closer I get to what I want to become, the less need I feel to justify the mean or the end.

However, it is always a healthy practice to stop and acknowledge the wins and loses of that year. Not in a way to dwell on the past, but in an attempt to steer the future into a more favorable direction.   

The Past: Lessons Learned

1. You can outlast your bad luck.

If you keep showing up. If you just keep pushing forward. Your luck will turn around. Tough times don’t last. Tough people do.

So if you felt that luck wasn’t on your side this year, just keep doing your thing.

For the ones who don’t believe in luck: welcome to planet earth.

2. The power of saying NO.

There is a time in your life (early-mid 20’s) where you should be saying “Fuck Yes” to almost everything and anything. You need to try as many things as possible and fail as often as you can. Travel as far as you can go. Break hearts. Quit your job, and take big risks.

In that phase, life is about quantity. But later on (early 30’s), your life should be naturally shifting towards quality. You should do less things, but do them more often and do them better. You should have less friends. Go out less often. You should develop a specific taste in music, films and literature.

Time becomes valuable more than ever, and every decision you make should resonate with who you are and what you want from life.

You should say no to junk food. Say no to long nights of binge drinking. Say no to hanging out with people who don’t inspire you. You should stop going to places you don’t enjoy.

Everytime you say no, the universe brings you one step closer to the things (and people) you love.  

3. You have to get worse before you get better.

When you start learning a new skill, trying to get in shape or improve any area of your life, you are going to suck. Big time. You will feel helpless. You will be ridiculed.

But stay on the path. Have faith in the process. Be resilient. And once you achieve success, don’t be humble. Don’t play small. Shine like a burning star

The Present: This Year’s Obsessions

1. Body movements.

2. Money.

And I am a novice at best in both fields.

The funny thing about movements and money (and movement of the money) is that you are either an expert at this field or a complete novice. There is really no middle ground.

I couldn’t meet anyone who I considered to be on an intermediate level. You either get it or you don’t. You are either a master or a nobody.

But such is the nature of greatness; it has no maps and no blueprints. You have to find your own way.

The Future: New Year Resolutions

1. Celebrate your wins.

Develop the habit of celebrating your wins -even the small ones.

You aced a test, good! Now go for a round of drinks with your friends.

You got a new job. Congratulations! Now buy yourself a nice gift.

Don’t rush through these beautiful moments.

What are you most proud of these days?

Go brag.

2. Normalize your perception of risk and blind luck.

Unlike a school exam, the real world is a tricky and very unpredictable place; it is extremely difficult to control the outcome of any situation. The funny part though is always the spectators. When you win, they praise your luck. But when you lose, they blame you for taking the risk. Not really knowing that both are faces of the same coin.

Every time you take any risk (big or small), you flip that coin.

You walk up to a random girl at the bar to tell her she looks gorgeous.

You send a cold email to a recruiter asking for a job interview.

You bet money on fights on a shady gambling website.

You buy a stock.

Whatever you do, understand that ACTION IS PRIMARY. RESULTS ARE SECONDARY.

Your job is to take the risk, maximize your chances of winning and flip the coin. The rest for the universe to figure out.

But regardless of outcome, you have to believe the attitude / mindset behind that action was the only thing that matters.

People who are close to you will always fight that, not because they don’t love you or they don’t want to see you win, no. Because, once you go all in, you polarize everything and everyone around you.

You simply become too real for them.

3. Fuck everything that is not love.

This one’s self-explanatory.

Happy New Year, you cocksuckers!

Make 2019 the best year, yet!