New year, new you? No, thank you.

The Sunday Essay ☕️

New year, new you? No, thank you.

This year, I will not be building or adding anything new; instead, I will channel my energy into refining the aspects of my life that already work well. My nutrition, fitness, and rituals are all good, my businesses are growing, and my relationships are fulfilling. My life is good—really good.

But “good” doesn’t become “great” by piling on more complexity and new ideas.

Greatness comes from removing distractions and focusing on the most important thing. Extraordinary results don’t come from grand gestures—they come from doing the ordinary extraordinarily well, over a long period of time.

This year, my focus is on consolidation. I will do less things than ever before. I will do those things better than ever.

Expansion might make you good, but specialization makes you great.

But how specialized are you willing to be? How far are you willing to take it?

Not as far as some.

I could pick any world-class athlete - but for familiarity, I’ll go with Michael Jordan.

Jordan was not a balanced man. By many accounts, he wasn’t a particularly engaged father, and he struggled as a husband. Yet, he is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time.

Jordan made a conscious choice to prioritize basketball above all else, and his greatness in the sport reflects that decision. The consequences, however, included an estranged relationship with his son and many personal sacrifices.

I’m not here to pass judgment; rather, I aim to learn. Jordan’s story teaches us a fundamental truth: our choices define our outcomes, and those outcomes come with their own set of consequences.

Similarly, I follow a well-known business guru who advocates working 90 hours a week. He preaches that entrepreneurs should begin the year by working 100 days straight before taking a day off. By his metric—financial success—this method is undeniably effective. In his 30s, he has amassed a net worth exceeding $100 million. He has chosen to structure his life around this single metric, and it’s a choice that works for him.

While I admire his discipline and learn a great deal from his strategies, I sometimes find myself judging his approach. When he extols his relentless work ethic, I can’t help but think, That’s because you don’t have kids. Or, What’s the point of working so hard if you don’t take time to enjoy life? But then I catch myself—those thoughts are projections of my values onto his life. He’s made his choices, and I’ve made mine. Neither is inherently right or wrong; they’re simply different paths with different consequences.

Unexpectedly, the most important aspect of my life has become my relationship with God. In 2024, I was baptized and became a born-again Christian—something I never could have predicted just a few years ago. This newfound faith has reframed my priorities. I refuse to miss family dinners with my three boys because building and maintaining a close relationship with them is non-negotiable. Similarly, having a cup of coffee with my wife is one of my life’s greatest pleasures. After nine years of marriage, I’ve learned that the quality of any relationship is directly proportional to the effort you invest in it.

Fitness and adventure are also key pillars of my life. Being in the top 0.1% of global fitness levels is something I am adamant about. Each year, I challenge myself with a few races, including at least one major endurance event. Last year, I completed a 100-mile endurance run through the mountains of Southern California. It wasn’t something one could just step off the couch and do—it required countless hours of training and preparation. These activities enrich my life but inevitably take time away from my business.

It’s easy to feel guilty about this. It’s tempting to measure myself against specialists in every area of my life. As a father, I compare myself to the most engaged, dedicated fathers I know. As an athlete, I measure myself against professionals. As an entrepreneur, I stack my accomplishments against those of household names. And when it comes to wealth, I find myself looking up to the wealthiest people I know.

This constant comparison isn’t particularly enjoyable, but I imagine it’s a feeling many of us can relate to. It’s a strange habit we have—holding ourselves to impossibly high standards across all aspects of life. Yet, this introspection has led me to an important realization: success isn’t about being the best at everything. It’s about defining what matters most to you, committing to those priorities, and accepting the consequences of those choices.

This year, my commitment is to refinement. I will not chase more; instead, I will optimize what I already have. After all, greatness isn’t found in excess—it’s forged through clarity, consistency, and purpose.

Have a great Sunday.

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That’s all for today. Have a great week!

Jay