What I Learned in 2022 (Annual Edition)
What I Learned in 2022
It is the most wonderful time of the year, or so they say. For me, I do like year-end as it always gives me a chance to recharge the battery. The other custom I like to do is my annual, “what I learned this year” reflection. I find that I go a million miles an hour always and that if I do not stop to reflect on lessons learned then it is all for nothing. As a matter of fact, I take a lot of pride in the fact that I never want to stop learning. Whether it is by reading something new, watching something insightful, or learning by doing/observing. With that all said I’ll do my best to share what I learned this past year. I would be curious if any of you reading this partake in a similar exercise, and if so, what great lessons learned the past year has given you?
My lessons:
- Everyone has a plan: until they get punched in the face – I love that Mike Tyson quote. It also, no pun intended, hits on so many levels. This past year was the epitome of this quote. We all went into this year with a plan, especially with our investments. Then we all got the proverbial punch in the face when nothing worked entirely well this year. Stocks, bonds, alternatives, basically all of it had a trying year. The moral here is although a great plan is critical to fall back on it is also important to adjust on the fly. It speaks to that never stop learning or don’t rest on your laurel’s mindset. I believe in my core that planning works. I also believe in my core that a good plan needs constant adjustment.
- You got to have faith faith faith– Regardless if you are a Limp Bizkit or George Michael fan (as I refuse to believe anyone reading this could not be a fan of either) this saying simply resonated with me this year more than ever. During the seemingly endless market downfall this year, I kept reminding myself and others, that faith is a powerful remedy. The reality is, no one knows for sure how, or when markets recover. But if we put our faith in a financial model or system, we know is intended for long-term growth, then honestly you know we’ll get through it. It is when we stop believing and lose faith that we cease the ability to see the forest through the trees, and that is when panic sets in. Faith can get us through sickness and tragedy, it can also serve as a powerful reminder of the big picture, which to me helps us get through rough times.
- What got us here will prevent us from getting there– For me this was a year of learning I must change to continue to grow. Like a lizard who sheds its skin so it can grow into a new one (or at least that is what I am telling myself lizards do) I too must shed my skin. For instance, this year brought us new offices at Diversified and even a new business in Diversified Tax. That said I quickly learned the same tactics and growth I have adopted in my own business for years now, don’t translate equally to these other endeavors. For me, they require a new skill set and to look at things differently.
- You can’t unlive– I believe I heard this saying on one of my endless tv binge events. Regardless of what the show was, this saying clearly stuck with me more than the show. The saying says it all, you simply cannot unlive. All we are is a series of life events. Each one of them shapes who we are today. I have a choice as to how and what I spend my time living on, as do all of us. Since we can’t undo living, might as well embrace it to build the most impactful series of life events possible.
- Choose happiness- We all have a choice of our outlook on life and how we choose to let events shape our happiness. I learned that happiness is a choice as there can be beauty in almost anything. I also witnessed this from many of you this year. I even wrote a blog about it earlier this year calling it the great change. More than any other year I saw people make drastic changes in their lives, so they can choose happiness. I saw relationship statuses change, people switch careers, big moves, or embrace some other change in their lives in search for happiness.
- Meaningful work & meaningful relationships– I heard this saying recently from the great investor Ray Dalio. He was asked about what makes him happy, his answer basically was a life filled with meaningful work and meaningful relationships. Think about that for a moment. If you wake up next to someone that is meaningful in your life, then go work 9-5 doing meaningful work surrounded by meaningful people, then in your non-working time are filling your life with meaningful people in your life how enriching does that sound? I already am blessed to do meaningful work for years now, but this made me realize I want to spend my free time with those that are most meaningful to me.
- I am blessed and so are you- I truly am blessed in life. I get to do well by doing good, work with some of the most genuine and talented people on the planet, have my health, the best friends a guy could ask for, 3 children that are my reason for living, 2 fur babies, a support system of the best family ever, and a beautiful wife that supports me in all my endeavors. What are the blessings in your life? Now I could sit here and write a list twice as long with all the shortcomings or failures in my life (and trust me the list goes on). That said I am reminded of the saying, if you put all your problems in a barrel with everyone else’s you’d dive in and get your problems back real quick. So yes, I am blessed, but I’m certain if you think about it in the right context, I’m willing to wager so are you.
- Let people know you appreciate them- Somewhere along the way this year I really started letting people know how much I genuinely appreciate them. Almost anything good in my life is a function of other great people. Sometimes it is nice to both tell someone how important they are and appreciative you are, and equally as nice to hear how much you are appreciated. Try this social experiment for a week. Go around letting people in your life, no matter how small or large a role, that you truly appreciate them. Then observe what starts to happen around you as it is quite a powerful thing.
- Stop hearing, start listening- I have always fancied myself a good listener, although I am never shy about sharing my thoughts. This year I put a lot of emphasis on working on my listening skills. I took a course or two, did a lot of reading on the topic, and tried to implement it into my life as much as possible. I found there is a real mind shift that happens when people feel like you are really listening to them. You learn more, your relationships get more meaningful, and people feel more comfortable speaking freely when they feel the person on the other side truly is caring. It is a hard skill set, but one worth investing in if you ask me.
- Always order the good wine– Did you think I would get through a life lesson blog without quoting something Bruce Springsteen? Oh, how much you have to learn grasshopper. Although this saying comes directly from Clarence “The Big Man” Clemons as he used to say to his good friend every time, they said goodbye. He and his best friend’s standard goodbye was “always order the good wine.” This was his way of saying, if you have a chance to live it up today, just do it. I love this sentiment and these days are ordering a lot of good wine so to speak. If the decision is there, I am choosing the expensive wine because, why not. I love this saying and more importantly this style of living.
My 10 lessons – what are yours?
Sticking with the theme, I’d love to hear what you think of these lessons. More importantly, if there is something you learned this year that you think is worth sharing shoot me a note. Perhaps it will even make it in next year’s edition!
Hope you all had a meaningful 2022, and let’s make 2023 the most impactful year yet. Stay wealthy, healthy, and happy!
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