Justin Welsh Profile picture
Jul 18 25 tweets 6 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
How I redesigned my life with 100% intention at age 42:
First, what does it mean to design an intentional life?

Here’s what I’ve landed on:

- Doing what I want, when I want, and with whom I want
- Doing very little of what I don’t like & more of what I do
- Being free of traditional full-time employment
- Having limited obligations
Your first reaction might be this sounds childlike or fantastical.

I’ve made peace with the potential judgment.

I believe it’s a more natural way to live than the assembly-line, 8-hour workday life we’ve inherited from the 1860s.

Let's start with 3 buckets:
1/ Purpose

Our first bucket is purpose.

And I believe purpose is made up of 3 drivers:

- Time
- Motivation
- Environment Image
Time

We all know that time is our most finite resource.

The currency of life.

But we tend to forget when faced with the day-to-day work, family, and obligations.

Understanding that time is the ultimate currency is the fundamental driver of intentional life design.
Motivation

Motivation is what drives you. Why are you creating time freedom?

If you’re creating it without specific motivation, it's likely that you will be unfulfilled.

The goal isn't to do nothing.

The goal is to avoid what you dislike and do more of what you love.
Environment

Your environment is what & whom you surround yourself with.

Time and purpose like a seed, & environment like soil & water.

It’s tough to grow around pessimists, the unreliable, or untrustworthy.

Curating the right environment creates the ecosystem to thrive.
2/ Discipline

Our second bucket is discipline.

Discipline is the group of behavioral drivers that create the proper accountability to grow your purpose:

- Ownership
- Change
- Habits Image
Ownership

Ownership is understanding that you are completely in control of your own life.

Nobody is coming to save you.

Yes, some people have it tougher, while others have it easier. This is factual.

But believing you don't have control fundamentally destroys the concept.
Change

Change means breaking away from the routine & false comfort of the traditional system.

It means doing new & interesting things with new & interesting people.

Only when we extend our comfort zone can we truly grow.

The fishing is often best where the fewest go.
Habits

We have our own internal systems & processes called habits.

If, “how we spend our days is how we spend our lives” is true, then habits are how we spend our days.

Because better habits mean better days, then it’s easy to believe they are a core driver of a better life.
3/ Action

Our 3rd bucket is action.

Action moves us from the old life to a new, intentional life.

To create freedom, we must create income.

That comes from owning a corner of the internet.

Action is:

- Creation
- Opportunity
- Momentum Image
Creation

The most common form of failure is a failure to start.

Creation is the act of getting started.

We can have motivation, become disciplined, and take accountability for our lives.

But without action, we’re simply dreamers.
Opportunity

Opportunity is one outcome of sharing your ideas.

It attracts other interesting thinkers.

Doing so will help you develop skills.

Use those skills to build assets, and those assets to create income.

With that income, you create more time. The cycle continues.
Momentum

Momentum in life design is no different than momentum in business.

Creating & seizing opportunity compounds over time, and compound work wins over short-term hacks.

When something works, double down.

When something fails, eliminate or iterate and try again.
The Problem: Most people get 2 out of 3

When I speak with people who are attempting to design their life with more intention, they generally fall into the “2 out of 3” camp.

These are the 3 combinations that never seem to make it. ↓
The Passionate Dreamer

This is someone who understands their purpose & has started to put in place discipline.

They talk often about recreating their lives. The challenge? They never start.

They can’t pull the trigger and they never move forward.

It becomes just a dream. Image
The Aimless Producer

This is someone with discipline that takes action, but they lack purpose.

They are heads down on work & in competition with others. Moving full speed ahead.

They never stop to consider purpose, making it an unfulfilling hamster wheel with no end in sight. Image
The Undisciplined Creator

This is someone with motivation & action but no discipline.

They share freely & shine a spotlight on their work. But the success isn’t immediate.

Then they crumble. The world isn’t fair. Why should I change? I want to keep doing things my way. Image
In Summary

The journey toward designing a life of intention never ends.

Here are the three groups and nine key drivers to always be improving, in the form of simple questions you can ask yourself ↓ Image
Your purpose:

1. Do you truly appreciate time as currency?

2. What is your motivation for time freedom?

3. How have you curated an environment that supports your goal?
Your discipline:

4. Do you assume full responsibility for your life?

5. What changes have you made to help design a life with more intention?

6. What system(s) have you built for creating strong habits?
Your action:

7. How often are you sharing your opinions and work freely online?

8. When interesting opportunities come your way, are you seizing them?

9. Are you staying consistent and creating compound momentum?
That's a wrap for today.

If you enjoyed this thread then:

1. Give me a follow @thejustinwelsh for more Solopreneur tips.
2. RT the first Tweet below to share:
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More from @thejustinwelsh

Jul 11
Today I turn 42.

Here's every unique lesson someone taught me in my 20-year career:

1. Don't fuck around in your 20s.
2. Build meaningful & modern skills ASAP
3. Travel internationally before you're 25.
4. Don't burn bridges at work.
5. When you become successful, check your ego.
6. If you party hard, work harder.
7. Don't date people you know you have no future with.
8. Don't take roles at work that you don't have interest in.
9. When someone gives you an opportunity, do your absolute best.
Read 13 tweets
Jul 10
My content has been read 267.9M+ times this year.

Here's my very simple 5-step writing process:
Step 1: Ideate rapidly

What’s the fastest way to come up with ideas?

Use systems.

I created my own content matrix in Notion.

- Choose a topic
- Match it to a style
- Write a quick headline
- Repeat until you have 10 ideas

Much of writing is about systems.
Step 2: Choose a solid format

Struggling to format your writing?

There are so many tools out there to help.

I love using @typeshare_co

They have beautiful templates built right in for inspiration.

No better way to get started.
Read 8 tweets
Jul 5
Why every solopreneur needs an enemy:
Having an "enemy" means being very specific about what you're for and against.

It helps group your audience into 2 very distinct camps:

1. I'm with you
2. I'm against you

It's very common in both politics & activism.

Here's how you do it as a solopreneur:
1. Identify Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP)

Your UVP is what sets you apart.

It's the hill you're willing to defend.

Look at your business and content through a unique lens - what do you believe in that others don't?

The opposite is your "enemy".
Read 9 tweets
Jul 4
Working 60 hours per week for 45 years is a tough pill to swallow.

Instead, think about your life using these 5 rules:
1. Scale Yourself:

It's important to find a way to move from earning 33% of the day (9 to 5) to earning 100% of the day.

Think 1x, publish 10x.

"You can create software and media that works for you while you sleep. An army of robots is freely available..."

- Naval
2. Diversify Yourself:

We're all familiar with the phrase, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket", but that is exactly what the average person does with their income.

Diversify how you earn:

- Coaching
- Courses
- Community
- Subscriptions
- Sponsors
- SaaS

Start with one.
Read 7 tweets
Jul 3
Back in 2019 I inhaled the book, Company of One, by Paul Jarvis.

4 years later, it still remains my favorite book on Solopreneurship.

Here are 15 killer lessons any solopreneur should read & follow:
Start Small, Stay Small:

The book really emphasizes the importance of starting small.

This allows for minimal risk while testing the viability of all of your ideas.

Plus, staying small means both reduced expenses and a more personal connection with your audience & customers.
Growth Isn't Always Good:

Uncontrolled growth can lead to inefficiency and loss of personal freedom.

The aim is not to build a massive empire of employees, but a sustainable, profitable business that satisfies your lifestyle needs.

Your "Personal Monopoly."
Read 19 tweets
Jul 1
How to lose your massive ego:

(and improve your relationships, development, & well-being)
Practice mindfulness:

Pay attention to the present moment & how you act.

Become aware of your thoughts and feelings and how your natural behaviors are often driven by your ego.

Always seeking validation? Notice it, stop, & think rather than being driven by impulsive behavior.
Cultivate self-compassion:

Be kind to yourself.

Let go of perfectionistic or self-critical thinking.

You'll feel more at ease and more open to learning and growing, rather than being driven by a need to constantly show off or prove yourself.
Read 12 tweets

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