In theory, a good life is simple.
It’s easy right? Move your body, eat right, save money, nurture relationships, etc. So simple.
Unfortunately, life’s realities get in the way. We end up gaining professional success by sacrificing things like our health, our relationships, or our purpose. We keep delaying a truly meaningful life until “later”. We end up in patterns we didn’t actively sign up for.
Undoing this requires a) understanding your emotions, b) embracing tradeoffs, and c) having data-driven systems to make progress.
I believe emotions can hijack decisions
“I don’t need pants to play in the snow! I’m hungry!” – My kid
Real talk: We’re all just big bags of emotions. We like to think we make thoughtful, rational decisions based on facts, but we’re not robots. Whether it’s choosing appropriate attire for sledding or having difficult conversations with loved ones, emotions can take over our brains. We must respect and understand our emotions (says this former Wall St. financial analyst). Only then can we make thoughtful choices and tradeoffs.
I believe tradeoffs should be actively, not passively, chosen
“There are no solutions, only tradeoffs.” – Thomas Sowell
You can’t have everything you want (sorry). It’s the same basic principle as business strategy. The key is whether you’re satisfied with the tradeoffs you’ve made, or ended up here by default based on a decision you made when you were 17 when you chose your college and major (asking for a friend). Occasionally review your tradeoffs: will they serve the next you, or are they anchored in the former you? Only after you understand your emotions and embrace your tradeoffs is it time to apply systems to make change happen.
I believe systems turn goals into reality
“You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” – James Clear
Systems separate goals from dreams. They comprise clear and realistic goals, feasible plans, reinforcement mechanisms, and data to track progress. And they don’t start “some day”. They start today, with small, consistent habits that start to shape your new identity.
I believe a good life doesn’t just happen. It’s engineered.
“We have two lives. The second life begins when we realize we only have one.” – Confucius
I’m wired like an engineer: breaking down problems and designing pragmatic solutions. My work is shaped by my record of great successes and awful failures. I specialize in helping high-performing professionals who want to design better lives for themselves to get holistic (not one-dimensional) fulfillment, starting today. As your life engineer, I’ll help you diagnose what’s not working for you, design solutions that work, and co-create systems for the life you want, all while respecting your emotions and tradeoffs.
The Dad jokes are non-negotiable free.
Your Life Engineer 