When I started working for myself a year ago, I felt bombarded with suggestions on structuring my days. I was overwhelmed by conflicting advice and struggled to find a balance between hustle and rest.

This is the article I wish I’d had when starting to work for myself. I skipped the self-help fluff and distilled what made my days such a massive force for achievement and joy.

The following structure helped me earn a consistent +$5K monthly income, generated through writing, podcasting, and consulting.

You may not like all of these suggestions, or you might have great routines for some…

Most management books are self-help fluff by people who’ve never done what they’re preaching. So when a fellow founder recommended Julie Zhuo’s The Making of A Manager, I didn’t expect much.

Turns out I was wrong.

Zhuo’s book is a bible for entrepreneurs who want to help their team achieve better outcomes. I wish I’d read this book before founding my first company. Reading it would have helped me avoid many pitfalls.

What follows are the top four lessons from the book with actionable questions on how to use them.

Use these 3 pillars for stellar 1-on-1 meetings

These meetings are an essential lever to building healthy relationships…

Naval Ravikant once said:

“The most important skill for getting rich is becoming a perpetual learner.”

And while life-long learning pays great dividends, many people struggle to make it a habit for life. They never learned how to learn or don’t know where to start.

Continuous learning is one of the most powerful habits you can build. The following three ideas will spark your desire to learn and help you make learning a habit you’ll stick with.

1) Create your want-to-learn list.

The best motivator to continue learning is a long list of things you want to learn in life. Similar to a want-to-read shelf…

“You have to start collecting emails today,” Sinem Günel told me in one of our first coaching sessions.

I had just published my first article, and asking my 7 readers to sign up for a non-existing newsletter seemed hilarious.

But Sinem insisted: “Now is the right time to start one. If you’re trying to make money online, your email list is one of your biggest assets.”

A year and 1K+ subscribers later, I know she was right. Platforms change. Emails don’t. Your follower’s email address is their most permanent online identity.

Whether you run a newsletter or are about to…

Taking smart notes is the fast-track to improve your productivity and creativity. Yet, most note-taking systems are ineffective.

Niklas Luhmann, a notable sociologist, was living proof for a system that is effective. During his life, he wrote 70 books and 500 scholarly articles. He attributes his success to a note-taking system called the Zettelkasten, which is the German word for slip box (Luhmann’s system was done on index cards or “slips,” stored in boxes, and later digitized).

I read a book and 50 articles a week. But I struggled to manage the input and my ideas for creative output. While…

Do you remember the rush from the school gates to the store, eager to exchange the few coins in your pocket for one of your favorite candies?

Whether you were young in the 70s or the 90s, you have memories that make you feel the warm glow of the good old days. And these memories don’t just brighten your day— they can also help you on a deeper level.

Different studies found nostalgia promotes psychological growth, increases self-esteem, helps you cope with stressful situations, and fosters social connectedness.

What follows are surefire entryways to your younger self’s best memories.

Create the Soundtrack of Your Life

What’s…

Knowledge is useless unless applied, but to acquire the knowledge, you need a system to learn and remember.

Two years ago, I consumed tons of high-quality content. Yet, no peer-reviewed article, neuroscientist online course, or ancient book seemed to make a difference. I deeply believed learning equals power, but I didn’t know how to store and act on what I discovered.

Whenever I had an insight, it was gone a few hours later.

Fast forward to today, and I bridged the gap between knowledge, management, and application. Whenever I start a new project, speak at a panel discussion, or write…

For the last 12 months, I’ve been absorbing advice from world-class writers.

One of the most useful books I read is Stephen King’s On Writing. He describes his writing journey and applicable lessons he learned along the way.

To date, King published 62 novels and is among the richest authors of our time. Here are his best tips.

1. You can learn only by doing

“You don’t need writing classes or seminars any more than you need this or any other book on writing. …