If I could say a few things to my 27-year-old self (20 years ago), these would be towards the top of that list. 1- Don't get stuck thinking you are trapped in "the matrix" during your career; that will perpetuate unhappiness and malaise. 2- Be super patient and look at all the stuff that is ever dumped on your desk as an opportunity to pick up skills along the way, like a video game. In fact, make your job your first side hustle before ever considering another side hustle. 3- Be smart with your time; you are capable of more than you give yourself credit for. You just need time to think and do, and only you can give that to yourself. 4- Forever take the high road and be pleasant regardless. This is a dealbreaker for your soul every day. 5- In 20 years, you are going to make a weird and cringey vlog, just turn the edit around as quickly as you can the morning after so it can be posted on as people get into the office. I know this one makes no sense, but trust me, please. Love, Timm

This is how to escape the matrix in your 40s. In my humble opinion this actually starts with telling yourself You're not actually stuck in the matrix. Call me simple-minded But I always saw it as big clumsy Organizations and a bunch of people doing their best and it was not only my job to do my job But it was also my job to see it like a video game that I was playing for myself How many skills and coins and mushrooms can I grab along the way? In over 20 years that can be a shitload Because then if you can be comfortable with the value that you bring to any table Well, then it doesn't matter if you're in a suit and tie or in a hoodie filling a supreme bottle or a WeWork mug What you can do for other people based on what's in between your ears becomes your most valuable asset So if you don't tell yourself you're stuck in a matrix and you look at it like a long-ass video game where you just get To bag skills and the rest of it is what you do with your time and how well you get along with others Good morning. My name is Tim and I know all this from experience This was my Thursday, January 16th 2025 and the only one I would ever get I did a bunch of work said goodbye to my in-laws and went for a run at a time where I would have usually been in a meeting came home froze my junk said hi to my wife quick change and Headed out to have a meeting with a guy named Jake. He works at a place called top employers Institute Literally the number one global authority on HR strategies Then I saw somebody running into the borough hall station that just thought I made dope videos Went window shopping to meet a new friend a few hours at that WeWork And then I was a week early to dinner with an old friend somewhat ironically at a place I've been coming to since I was that old living in this building two doors down made a pit stop and then cruised right into Snack hour the kind of work day would have never imagined if I didn't think