30 Lessons I Learned Before 30 🎂

Today, I turned 30.

I’ve done a lot and learned a lot in that time. From student to math teacher, and from jazz guitarist to entrepreneur - it’s been a journey.

Here are just 30 of the most impactful lessons I’ve learned before turning 30.

1. If you’re feeling mentally down, first make sure you’ve had enough water, sun, and rest. If you’re still not feeling well, go exercise hard for 30-60min. If you’re STILL not feeling well, go be around other people.
2. At some point in your late 20s your body will decide it won’t digest lactose very well. Enjoy dairy while you can.
3. Travel is overrated but having new experiences is underrated.
4. “Focus is saying no to things you really want to do.” - Steve Jobs quote paraphrased from Alex Epstein
5. Compound interest applies to more than your bank account. Mastering a skill, building relationships, and improving your health all benefit from compounded gains. Act accordingly.
6. Go deep on the things you connect with. Find your favorite author and read everything they’ve done. Find your favorite director and watch everything they’ve made.
7. How you do anything is how you do everything, so approach all action with a spirit of excellence.
8. If we are the average of the 5 people we surround ourselves with, who are the 5 mentors you are surrounding yourself with? What impact do their ideas have on your actions?
9. Living in the past creates depression and living in the future creates anxiety.
10. Life gets way more interesting than more skills you develop. My jazz guitar academy (Chase’s Guitar Academy) is only possible because of skills I developed from learning guitar, photography, and jujutsu, and teaching calculus.
11. It’s always better to have the hard conversation as soon as possible.
12. “Show me your calendar and I’ll tell you what your priorities are.” - paraphrased from Ramit Sethi
13. Life’s too short to only play one genre of music. Apply that to your field of work.
14. Many times pain that manifests in one area is caused by tension in another. For example, low back pain can be relieved much of the time by stretching your hip flexors (look up: couch stretch). This phenomenon is true in other areas of life too.
15. Build things that you want to exist in the world. Build things that you wish existed when you were first starting out. Build things for the long term. For me, this is why I’m creating my Master Standards Blueprint program which will take me years to complete.
16. Leverage your work in a way that makes you better and sharpens your skills. The work I do to teach my students forces me to improve and practice daily.
17. Do the things that scare you. Your fear of failure is a sign that you’ll grow from the experience.
18. Dedicate significant time each day to making. Don’t let all your time get taken up with managing.
19. Understand when your energy is at its peak for certain activities and schedule your most productive activities accordingly.
20. Train jujutsu. Beyond all the physical, mental, and social benefits, there is a level of self-confidence that can only come from knowing you can handle yourself in a physical confrontation.
21. Pair an activity you like with a habit you are trying to develop but don’t like doing. I hate doing Zone 2 cardio but it becomes bearable when I listen to my favorite podcasts at the same time.
22. Learn to cook well. Your health, wallet, and significant other will thank you.
23. “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.” -Naval
24. No caffeine after noon.
25. Going for a walk and getting sunlight is underrated for improving your mood and helping you sleep better.
26. Good lighting makes a massive difference in how you feel in your work and home. Improve your lighting environment.
27. Much of our personality and identity can be changed with directed effort. I went from being too nervous to call people on the phone to talking to people for a living.
28. Your health is the #1 priority. Don’t neglect it and spend what you need to fix any problems that come up.
29. Developing mastery is a key source of self-esteem and happiness.
30. Learn from other people’s experiences, but filter any advice through what you know works for you personally.

I hope you got something out of these 30 ideas. And if you did, please share it with someone who you think will also benefit.

For anyone learning jazz guitar, check out “Chase’s Guitar Academy”.

To your success,

Chase