I used to think annual reviews were self-centered and uninteresting to anyone besides the person writing them.
I still think that yet here we are, so what does that say about me? This post is a look back at my highlights and lowlights of 2023 along with a photo dump at the end.
I’m writing this for four reasons:
I’m selfish.
I’m too cheap for a therapist.
This will be fun to look back on decades from now.
Encourage you to pause and reflect on what went well and not so well from your prior year of existence so you can do more of the former and less of the latter.
I’ve got four categories — healthy, happy, wise, wealthy (in that order). Cute, right?
Let’s begin.
Healthy
Highlights
Group workouts. I joined a gym called F45 in June that changed my mind about something I’ve always thought was lame — working out with others. It brought images of Richard Simmons and neon onesies to mind. I thought I preferred being a lone wolf in the gym but I saw the benefits after the first class. There’s power from the pressure of knowing coaches and peers are watching you.
Getting a dog. My wife and I scooped up her dad’s german shepherd puppy Xena on January 1, 2023 because he was going to give her away. I was hesitant at first because I work remotely and knew I’d be responsible for her five days a week. But having a dog made me do something I say I like doing but wouldn’t do as often without her — going for long walks in nature.
Lowlights
Fast food. Austin is famous for its BBQ and breakfast tacos, which I ate loads of. But I also lived dangerously close to a couple of burger joints (P. Terry’s and Shortstop) where I lost count of how many double cheeseburgers I inhaled.
Hoop dreams. Basketball is one of the few activities where I lose all sense of time while playing. But I neglected this last year and paid the price in lost joy and conditioning. People wonder why I grin from ear to ear while on the court until they see me drain threes like I’m Steph Curry. Then they get it.
Happy
Highlights
Marriage. I got married in September! Easily the happiest moment of my year. I used to think it was silly to need a legal document to prove you love someone. No more. It’s the ultimate form of commitment.
Electronic media fast. I got this idea after reading a book written in 1985 called Amusing ourselves to death. It’s simple but not easy. No electronic devices for 24 hours. None. Nothing. Zilch. No phone, no Kindle, no TV, no podcasts, no music. I did this twice last year and it was two of my most memorable days. Fasting from food is good for the body. Fasting from devices is good for the mind (and soul).
Lowlights
Getting fired. My entire team got the axe out of nowhere last January. I freaked out for a day or three. But then I chose to view it as a forced sabbatical and writing about it was quite therapeutic.
Friends. It’s hard maintaining friendships as you get older. It’s even harder when you move 1,000 miles away. I dropped the ball by not keeping in touch with old pals. I need to do a better job of checking in whenever I think about them. And I want to plan regular visits to keep friendships strong.
Wise
Highlights
Reading. 90+% of the wisdom I claim to have has come from great books. I wrote about six of them here. So I’ve made it a habit to reread my favorites to really internalize their content. A book is a screaming bargain containing the wisdom of the greatest minds to ever exist.
Writing. But if you really want some wisdom to stick it’s even better to write about it. You often realize how unwise you are when you force yourself to put thoughts down on the page. I feel a duty to not only write, but also share any wisdom I’ve stumbled upon with you, my dear reader. It’s an honor to have over 400 of you who have granted me access to your inbox and your mind. Thank you.
Lowlights
Learning the wrong lesson. It’s easy to think you learn the right lesson from every failure. But what if you don’t? Then it’s like that failure was a waste. And you’ll probably fail in the same way again. I fear this happened to me on numerous occasions last year.
Envy. It’s easier than ever to drool over the glamorous lives of those who have “made it” thanks to social media. I envy Tim Ferriss, Naval Ravikant, and Nassim Taleb. But would I want to do a 100% swap with them? I can’t say, “I want Tim’s fame, Naval’s wealth, and Nassim’s intellect.” It doesn’t work like that. Everyone has demons in the closet. Envy is a fool’s emotion and I’m the fool of all fools.
Wealthy
Highlights
Net worth. I don’t want to sound douchey here but even after getting fired and paying for a wedding I still increased my net worth by 29%. That’s easier to do when you aren’t worth millions, but this still felt like a big win. The stock market and crypto had some nice surges towards the end of the year so I can’t take too much credit.
Combined finances. One thing that doesn’t get talked about much is the upside of combining your finances after you get married. It’s like getting an instant big fat raise! And it helps better align you both to work together towards your financial goals.
Lowlights
Crypto. I typically like to keep it simple and safe when it comes to investing but I finally gave in to the crypto hype. The problem? I started investing at the literal peak of the market back in 2021. Only to see it nose dive day after day for a majority of the past two years. It finally picked up towards the end of last year, but I’m still in the red big time. Never invest money you can’t afford to lose (note to self).
Moving the goalpost. If you would’ve told fresh-out-of-college-me that he’d be earning 3x as much money now as he was back then I would’ve thought, “I’m rich!”. But the most difficult part of earning more is not spending more. Every time I reached a new financial milestone I just thought, “OK cool, now how can I earn more?” I suspect this will continue until the heat death of the universe unless I learn what enough is.
Photo dump
All in all, 2023 was an incredible year. One I’ll never forget thanks to writing this. Will you do the same?
Likes, comments, and restacks below.
Congrats on all the big wins, and you're taking the Ls with such great humility and grace. See them as opportunities for something even better out there for you!
Wish you an even better 2024, Arman.