2024 was an interesting year for me, with ups and downs and more drama than usual, which actually made me feel more alive.

2024 Recap

Key Events

Work: Taking More Risks Paid Off

  • Took bold steps on three major 0→1 projects, and all delivered results.
  • The biggest lesson: Risk-taking leads to growth. I need to push myself further outside my comfort zone.

Personal Study: Lack of Focus and Commitment

  • Struggled with energy, prioritization, and consistency in studying.
  • Constantly listed study materials but rarely committed to finishing them.
  • Need to shift from passive learning to hands-on problem-solving.

Health: Weight Gain and Less Physical Activity

  • Gained 15 lbs at my peak, then lost some later in the year. Net gain: ~6 lbs.
  • Skated less and gradually lost interest in it. Need to find a new physical activity to stay engaged.

Information Consumption: Expanding My Reading Habits

  • Previously, I only read non-fiction, but I started reading biographies and fiction—and I found them far more engaging and expressive.
  • Read my first sci-fi book in a long time: The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect.
  • Read two biographies:
    • Fei-Fei Li’s biography
    • Elon Musk’s biography
  • Built a consistent reading habit: As of 1/25/2025, I’m on a 114-day Kindle streak.

Travel: Lessons from Different Trips

  • San Diego trip → Realized that traveling without a plan makes trips boring. Need to plan better.
  • Florida trip → Learned that traveling with friends is energizing, even with minimal planning. The company matters more than the itinerary.
  • Toronto trip → Changed my perspective on experiencing life more actively. Inspired me to start my YouTube channel, largely influenced by listening to The Minimalist Entrepreneur while exploring the city.

Productivity & Tools: Reducing Digital Distractions

  • Started using Jomo to block distracting apps and reduce mindless phone scrolling, which was keeping me up late and wasting time.

Frustrations & Lessons Learned

1. Low-Yield Long Working Hours

  • Working long hours didn’t translate to better results.
  • Projects fall into two categories: valuable and non-valuable.
    • Non-valuable tasks: I failed to deprioritize or delegate. Instead, I took them on, cluttering my mental RAM. I need to say no more often and delegate better.
    • Valuable tasks: Working late didn’t help—it drained my energy and lowered my productivity the next day.
  • The fix: Prioritize rest and recovery (exercise, socializing, reading) to maintain peak performance. A machine that isn’t well-maintained slows down.

2. Weight Gain and Emotional Eating

  • Emotional eating played a huge role in my weight gain.
  • The root cause: I wasn’t fulfilling my needs for adventure, self-care, or social connection. This led to boredom, loneliness, and binge eating.
  • My parents’ visit for three months was a turning point:
    • Having emotional support made a huge difference.
    • Talking about my frustrations, even without solutions, helped.
    • They encouraged me to build workout habits, which improved my well-being.

3. Lack of Commitment to Personal Study

  • I kept listing technologies I wanted to learn but never fully committed.
  • The main issue:
    • Poor goal setting → Following tutorials is a task, not a goal. I’m motivated by solving real problems, not passively consuming content.
    • Lack of commitment → I left too many options open, thinking I might do something better instead. I need to commit and follow through.

4. Lack of Planning and Prioritization

  • San Diego trip was forgettable because I failed to plan ahead.
  • Not planning fun activities with friends and family meant I missed opportunities for meaningful experiences.
  • The fix: Make intentional plans for quality time with people I care about.

Looking Ahead to 2025

Work: Limit Working Hours & Prioritize Effectively

  • Set clear work boundaries to avoid burnout.
  • Every Monday morning, plan and prioritize key tasks for the week.

Personal Study: Commit & Publish

  • Every study session must result in a blog post, YouTube video, or both.
  • Learning should be goal-driven—not just passive tutorial-watching.

Commitment: Make My Goals Public

  • Public accountability will keep me on track.

Health: Build Workout Habits

  • Develop a structured fitness routine and stick to it.

Plan Ahead for Fun & Social Time

  • Prioritize planning trips, activities, and time with friends and family.