When I wake up tomorrow, on January 6th, I will officially be 30 years old. A full adult. An official ‘unc’. But the big secret of 30 is that nothing really changes. There’s no cliff, no sharp turn, no immediate shift in your mind or body that automatically registers the moment you turn 30.
What does happen, however, is that this milestone may cause you to think back on the life you’ve lived thus far. It certainly has for me.
The last 30 years have been full of huge moments for me. I graduated from college, moved to NYC, worked for some of the biggest brands on the planet, ran a marathon, fell in love, started a family, and now work for myself.
But if we’re checking boxes, there are plenty of things I haven’t yet done, too.
I still rent, I’ll be paying off my student loans until my son is 4 years old, and I don’t exactly have a stable career path. And if I can be honest, my life today at 30 looks nothing like what I thought it would when I was younger: No corner office with a view of the skyline, no fancy title to impress people I meet at parties, and my suits, ties, and watches are collecting dust in my closet.
So even if nothing changes the moment you turn 30, looking back at where you were from where you are, and truly noticing what’s happened since, may have you reflecting on the life you’re living.
And I’m really damn proud of the life I’ve created.
Patience is not my strong suit. I have always been an incredibly self-motivated, driven person who sprinted towards whatever I had determined I wanted at that moment. And that usually served me well. But as my dreams got bigger, more complicated, and more involved, I realized that some things just take time.
I don’t mean waiting around for something to happen. But consistent effort across a long period of time will almost always get you what you want more effectively than bursts of manic work.
I’ve wanted to be on the Forbes Under 30 list since before I could afford a Forbes magazine subscription. But it took years of growing my platform, impact and influence before they noticed me.
I’ve wanted to hit certain income milestones in my business for years. But it took losing my job and making over 2,000 videos to create the body of work and the relationships to make that happen.
I heard this put into words during a podcast I watched last year with Matthew McConaughey, where his message of “time is on our side” really resonated. You can watch the full episode here.
Reflecting on time in general also has me thinking of who isn’t here to celebrate this milestone. My brother passed before my high school graduation, and my Dad never got to see me step into this current phase of my career. And now, especially as a Dad myself, I sometimes think about what my son Isaiah is missing because he doesn’t have these men in his life. But I do think it produces enough positive pressure to be the best role model I can be for him, and it’s encouraged me to seek out the village he needs here in New York.
Age is no guarantee of wisdom, but I thought I would share 30 pieces of advice I’ve found helpful over the last three decades. I’ve been sharing these on my Instagram, but I wanted to collect the full list here for you as well.
The videos for the last 10 lessons are still being made, so make sure you’re following me so you don’t miss them!
Skills may pay the bills, but relationships will make you rich
If your journey was different, it doesn’t mean you don’t belong in the room
If you don't schedule a break, your body will take one for you
Move with time, not against it
Confidence comes from completion
Rejection is redirection
Everything compounds
Nobody knows what they’re doing
If you want a seat at the table, you better be good at building tables
Money won’t make you happy. But the things you do with it might
Make sure you have the right fuel
Greatness is in the agency of others
30 is just the beginning
If you’re reading this, you are the first to know that I’m announcing a $3,000 scholarship at my alma mater, The University of Georgia, on my birthday tomorrow (January 6th). It would mean the world to me if you could like, comment, and share that announcement on my Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok when it goes live.
read previous notes here
register for my next For The Firsts event here
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