How to live your perfect week
Let's see if we can do it better this year, eh?
It’s the first working day of 2025. Nothing like a date stamp to create an instant museum of your thoughts.
I’ve been thinking about the principles for life shared by human experts such as Kevin Kelly.
As a result, I’ve put together what I think is the ideal way to spend my first week of this new year.
I’m looking forward to you following in our footsteps. Keep me updated how you’re getting on.
For week one, our key focus is rapid action, deepening self-awareness, and fostering meaningful connections.
We’ll try doing this another 51 times this year. Thank christ it’s not a leap one, again. They mess everything up.
The week’s overarching theme:
Figure out what your primary focus is and make progress on that every day, first thing in the morning. No exceptions.
Monday (6 January)
Attack the core, embrace “no” and connect deeply.
Morning
90-minute focused work block on the hardest part of your goal.
When you are stuck or overwhelmed, focus on the smallest possible thing that moves your project forward.
If you hit a wall, apply this immediately.
For small tasks the best way to get ready is to do it immediately.
Tackle a smaller, related task if the main one is blocked.
Lunchtime tease
Once you are ok with people telling you ‘no’, you can ask for whatever you want (make reality say no to you).
Ask for at least two things, embracing the “no.”
You owe everyone a second chance, but not a third.
Consider this as you navigate potential “no” responses.
Admitting that “I don’t know” at least once a day will make you a better person.
Be open to admitting when you don’t know the answer during your requests.
Afternoon
Think about what makes you ‘imbalanced’ as a personality, and do things where this gives you an edge. Spend 60 minutes leveraging your “imbalance.”
If you think someone is normal, you don’t know them very well. Normalcy is a fiction. Your job is to discover their weird genius.
As you engage with others, look for their unique strengths.
“Interview your parents while they are still alive.” Consider starting this process with a phone call or scheduling time.
Evening
15 minutes of sensory journaling.
Don’t save up the good stuff (fancy wine, or china) for that rare occasion that will never happen; instead use them whenever you can.
As you reflect, think about enjoying the “good stuff” in your life right now.
Whenever you hug someone, be the last to let go.
Be mindful of your interactions today.
Tuesday
Joy of creation, speed, and unconventional thinking.
Morning
Your 90-minute focused work block.
You have 5 minutes to act on a new idea before it disappears from your mind.
Be ready to capture any sparks of inspiration during this time.
Aim to be effective, but unpredictable. That is, you want to act in a way that AIs have trouble modeling or imitating.
Consider how to approach your task in a slightly unconventional way.
Midday
Fun is underrated. The best and most creative work comes from a root of joy and excitement.
Your 60-minute “joy session.”
There should be at least one thing in your life you enjoy despite being no good at it.
Embrace the playfulness of your joy session without pressure to be perfect.
Try to make the kind of art and things that will inspire others to make art and things.
Let your joy fuel something potentially inspiring.
Afternoon
Do things fast. Things don’t actually take much time (as measured by a stopwatch); resistance/procrastination does.
Attack a delayed task with focused speed using a timer.
When you find yourself procrastinating, don’t resist. Instead lean into it. Procrastinate 100%.
If you’re struggling to start, try this technique before setting the timer.
Multitasking is a myth. Don’t text while walking, running, biking or driving.
Be fully present during your focused burst.
Evening
Pay attention to your production/consumption balance.
Review your day and plan a creative act for tomorrow.
Once a month take a different route home, enter your house by a different door, and sit in a different chair at dinner. No ruts.
Consider a small disruption to your evening routine.
Forget trying to decide what your life’s destiny is. That’s too grand. Instead, just figure out what you should do in the next 2 years.
Reflect on your production goals in this shorter timeframe.
Wednesday
Environment, bold action, and the power of perspective.
Morning
Your 90-minute focused work block.
What is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important. To get the important stuff done, avoid the demands of the urgent.
Double-check you’re working on what truly matters.
When you are right, you are learning nothing.
Be open to questioning your assumptions during this time.
Midday
Environment matters a lot; move to where you flourish maximally.
Work from a new environment.
Where you live — what city, what country — has more impact on your well being than any other factor.
Reflect on your current location and whether it aligns with your goals.
To make a room luxurious, remove things, rather than add things.
Consider applying this principle metaphorically to your workspace or mindset.
Afternoon
You don’t do anyone any favors by lurking, put yourself out there!
Identify and take one action to “put yourself out there.”
Ask dumb questions. The people who matter won’t judge you for it, and you’ll learn things as a result.
Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification or input.
What others want from you is mostly to be seen. Let others know you see them.
Make a conscious effort to acknowledge and appreciate someone today.
Evening
Lean into the good kind of fear.
Reflect on a fear and analyse the worst-case scenario.
Asking “what-if?” about your past is a waste of time; asking “what-if?” about your future is tremendously productive.
Shift your “what-if” thinking towards possibilities.
Read a lot of history so you can understand how weird the past was; that way you will be comfortable with how weird the future will be.
Consider incorporating historical reading into your routine.
Thursday
Integrity, Small Groups, and Internal Reflection
Morning
Figure out what your primary focus is and make progress on that every day, first thing in the morning, no exceptions.
Your 90-minute focused work block, tackling a task with high integrity.
The most common mistake we make is to do a great job on an unimportant task.
Ensure your efforts align with your priorities.
Work on your tone. Often ideas are rejected because of the tone of voice they are wrapped in. Humility covers many blemishes.
Be mindful of your communication style.
Midday
Always be high integrity, even when it costs you. The shortcuts aren’t worth it.
Make a conscious choice to act with integrity.
You have no obligation to like everyone, and you are free to intensely dislike a person. But you owe everyone — even those you dislike — basic respect.
Practice respectful interactions even with those you find challenging.
If someone is calling you to alert you to fraud, nine out of ten times they are themselves the fraudster. Hang up.
Maintain your integrity in unexpected situations.
Afternoon
At some point in your life, work on a startup, or at least a thing driven by a small group. Small group energy is amazing.
Connect with a small group for brainstorming or collaboration.
When you try to accomplish something difficult, surround yourself with friends.
Leverage the support of your group.
The very best way to win a friend is to be one.
Focus on being a supportive member of the group.
Evening
Memorize a few old poems, or texts that mean a lot to you.
Dedicate time to memorisation.
Try to define yourself by what you love and embrace, rather than what you hate and refuse.
Let your chosen texts reflect what you cherish.
Changing your mind about important things is not a consequence of stupidity, but a sign of intelligence.
Be open to new interpretations as you engage with the text.
Friday
Travel, ideas, and a mindset of abundance
Morning
Figure out what your primary focus is and make progress on that every day, first thing in the morning, no exceptions.
Your 90-minute focused work block, experimenting with a new approach.
Every mistake is an opportunity to improvise.
Be flexible and resourceful if things don’t go as planned.
Fail fast. Fail often. Fail forward. Failing is not a disgrace if you keep failing better.
Embrace experimentation as a learning process.
Midday
Being able to travel is one of the key ways the modern world is better than the old world. Learn to travel well.
Plan a mini-adventure for the weekend.
When shopping for anything physical (souvenirs, furniture, books, tools, shoes, equipment), ask yourself: where will this go?
Apply this mindful approach to your travel planning.
Once a month take a different route home…
Consider exploring a new route even within your city.
Afternoon
Figure out what gives you new ideas, and make sure you incorporate that into your routine.
Engage in your idea-generating activity and actively harvest them.
If you are out of ideas, go for a walk. A good walk empties the mind — and then refills it with new stuff.
Use this as a specific technique if you feel stuck.
Think in writing. Write Google Docs, scrawl in notebooks.
Capture your ideas in written form immediately.
Evening
Wealth can be created, there is not a fixed amount of it in the world.
Read or listen to a story of value and wealth creation.
The most selfish thing in the world you can do is to be generous. Your generosity will return you tenfold.
Reflect on the abundance that comes from giving.
If you are more fortunate than others, build a longer table rather than a taller fence.
Consider how you can share your resources and opportunities.
Weekend
Reflection, recharge, and long-term vision
Saturday
Fun, fitness, feedback, and friendship.
Morning
Pick some kind of fitness/athletic activity to get addicted to.
Enjoy your run!
Don’t text while walking, running, biking or driving.
Be fully present in your physical activity.
Afternoon
Fun is underrated.
Enjoy your day of fun.
Every now and then throw a memorable party.
Consider planning a future gathering.
Discover people whom you love doing “nothing” with, and do nothing with them on a regular basis.
Focus on connecting with these individuals.
Evening
The most valuable feedback usually hurts a lot.
Reflect on the week’s challenges and lessons.
Get good at being corrected without being offended.
Approach self-reflection with openness.
If you are impressed with someone’s work, you should tell them, but even better, tell their boss.
Consider how you’ve given and received feedback this week.
Sunday
Review, recharge, reset, and purpose
Morning
Do a review of your year, every year…
Begin your annual review process.
Write your own obituary, the one you’d like to have, and then everyday work towards making it true.
Use this as a guiding perspective for your review.
Afternoon
Learn how to meditate, even if you don’t end up doing it regularly.
Dedicate time to meditation practice.
It is impossible to be curious and furious at the same time, so avoid furious.
Cultivate a state of mindful curiosity.
There is a profound difference between thinking less of yourself (not useful), and thinking of yourself less (better).
Focus on the latter during meditation.
Evening
Doing things is energizing, wasting time is depressing.
Routine: Plan your upcoming week based on energizing activities.
Think in terms of decades, and act in terms of days.
Balance your long-term vision with immediate actions.
If you have a good “why” to live for, no “how” will stop you.
Reconnect with your core purpose as you plan.
Useful reminders for this week
Focus on how the new advice enhances and deepens your understanding of the original principles.
Don’t try to cram everything in. Choose a few specific pieces of new advice each day to focus on applying intentionally.
Some advice will resonate more strongly than others. Pay attention to what feels most impactful for you.