As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned key lessons in life that I wanted to share with you. I hope this helps you live the best life possible.

Here are the top 8:

  1. Find your spark – A few times in life you will find your spark. It could be that art class you took in Italy. It could be the startup that you work late into the night for. It could be that best friend of yours that inspires you to start a motivational website. When you find that spark, hold on to it. Nurture it. It will propel you to new heights and help you grow in ways you can’t even imagine.
  2. It’s either an absolute “Yes” or “No” – Is it an absolute “Yes” or “No?” Don’t settle.
  3. To find the truth, observe actions, not words – It’s easy to say what you’re going to do. It’s easy to say what you feel. But more times than not, words can be very empty. For example, it’s easy to talk about a business idea that you have – but can you execute on it?
  4. Time heals – In a moment of stress, it can feel like the world is coming to an end. Our brains and bodies have been conditioned to be in “fight or flight” mode. So when we encounter tough situations, a lot of times we’ll have a physiological reaction to a perceived threat. That’s why humans are so quick to react in bad situations. We stress. We worry. We panic. The evolutionary purpose of this is really evident during prehistoric times. Often times a person would be in a position where they would have to make a choice quickly. If they didn’t react quickly, they might end up being dinner for a predator like a lion. Thus, the fight of flight response effectively removes “thinking” from this equation so that we could respond quickly to survive. However, times have changed and this type of reaction can often be a detriment. Nowadays, if you run into a moment of stress, anger or extreme sadness, don’t react immediately. Let yourself feel the emotions and give yourself some time to calm down and to think before reacting. Often times what I find is that by the time the next day has come, a lot of those heightened emotions have passed. Time heals. Embrace it.
  5. Buy experiences to maximize happiness – Those new shoes you just got? Sure, they look nice on you. When you’re laying on your death bed many years from now, do you think you’ll think about those shoes? No way. You’ll think about all the amazing life experiences you had. Whether it’s a trip to Spain, a biking trip across the Golden Gate Bridge, a last minute trip to Las Vegas, a moment of cuddling on the rooftop with a view of the city or a night of laughter with old friends over a bottle of wine. These experiences have the power to change and shape your life.
  6. You’re responsible for your own life – It’s easy to blame others. And yes, sometimes people will do things to you that suck. So what? Control what you can. Stop spending time with those people. Choose people that actually inspire you and make you a better person. You’re responsible for your own life. Make the hard decisions – you’ll have a better life for it. Even if you’re wrong, you’ll quickly learn from it and become a better person. You’re the CEO of your own life. Take control.
  7. Being authentic is important – Life’s too short to pretend you’re someone you’re not. It takes a tremendous amount of energy and effort to put up a facade. Be true to who you are. Own it. People appreciate authenticity. The best part about being authentic? You’ll know exactly who really enjoys being around you. Those that do not won’t stick around.
  8. Add value to people’s lives first, the money will follow – When you start a business, don’t just think about how it makes money. Yes, that’s important, but a better foundation for a business is based on one simple question: “How does this make people’s lives better?” Having a user centric approach is critical to your success. If you’re driving a huge amount of value for people, they’ll pay for it. Want examples? Robinhood (the finance app) makes it incredibly easy for people to trade stocks and removes the worry around trading fees. According to CNN, they had a waitlist of over 340,000 people. It became viral because the value they provided to the user was so incredible. Want another example? Companies are constantly struggling to find great development and design talent.

If you can’t run, do 100 pushups.

If you can’t do 100 pushups, do 100 sit-ups.

If you can’t do 100 sit-ups, do 100 squats.

If you can’t do 100 squats, do 100 lunges.

If you can’t do 100 lunges, do 100 bicep curls.

If you can’t do 100 bicep curls…

Write 100 words.

If you can’t write 100 words, brainstorm 100 writing ideas.

If you can’t brainstorm 100 writing ideas, read 100 posts from writers on Quora.

If you can’t read 100 posts from writers on Quora, listen to 100 minutes of an audiobook.

If You can’t listen to 100 minutes on an audiobook…

Cook a healthy breakfast like a 2 egg omelette.

If you can’t cook a healthy breakfast like a 2 egg omelette, make a green smoothie.

If you can’t make a green smoothie, eat a piece of fruit.

This list could go on and on…

Want to know the secret?

Step 1: Substitute “run,” “write” or “cook” with any action.

Step 2: Substitute “100” with any number that works for you. 50, 15, 5…it doesn’t matter.

What does matter is that you take action.

The inertia will get you going.

Make the choice to get up every day, to look at life with a full and open heart and to take massive action.

Our lives begin the moment we decide to start.

Start. Now.