A Year of Living Fearlessly…
Happy New Year! One of my personal philosophies is to treat my life like a product. Every year I set goals to give myself focus. They aren’t meant to force me to live life with every moment planned, instead they’re meant to be a compass to remind me of what my priorities are so I remember them in my daily actions.
To be honest, this year I’m terrified to share my goals with you because of how REAL my health issues feel. As a young and otherwise healthy man, it makes me feel particularly vulnerable to admit that I’m injured and can’t do all the physical activities I used to do a couple of years ago. A big part of my identity for years has been being able to lift heavy things and push myself HARD, but this year is a reminder that I need to slow down so I can do all those things 10 years from now and beyond.
I’m going to be undergoing hip surgery on February 6th to help me recover from those injuries, which means I won’t be able to be active for a good part of the year. This means that for months I won’t be able to do the things that make me feel the most alive… traveling, visiting friends and family, raving, exercising… but despite how afraid I am, I promise myself that I’ll face every moment with courage. The pain will be temporary and shall pass and I’ll be able to return to life as normal.
Below you’ll find my 2025 goals as well as a reflection on my performance against 2024 goals. Also, here’s a baby picture of me with my parents if you want to see something cute today.
2025 Goals
Commit to living the life my dad wanted me to live
Live fearlessly, make decisions based on courage
Believe in myself and in my ability to achieve my dreams
Be optimistic, remember every day that we choose how to feel and experience life
Health & Wellness: Reclaim my health in 2025
Undergo surgery and fully recover by the end of the year.
Finish a full course of immunotherapy so my dust mites allergies don’t ruin my days
Rest more! Rest intentionally!
Community: Feel connected with the people I love the most in the world, no matter where they are.
Host more small intimate catch ups.
Travel home (or with my family) at least 2 times this year so I can be there for the moments that matter the most to my family.
Commit to 1 trip with my close friends.
Personal Growth: Nurture my creative passions.
Learn to produce and release original music
Release at least 5 remixes and 1 original song by end of year
Release content that inspires others to believe in their potential
Release a monthly YouTube video or Substack publication sharing my reflections on daily life, sharing my habits or explaining how I approach any of my side projects
Plan a solo trip so I can experience the same type of spiritual reset I did during my Japan trip this past Spring. Note that execution of this one may get pushed back to 2026
Professional Development: Build products that are loved internationally
Successfully bring one product scale from my list of 2024 launches.
2024 Goals
Health & Wellness: Deepen practices that consistently help me feel physically and mentally healthy.
Prioritize sleep as the foundation of health.
I made big inroads here! I focused on feeling ok saying NO to going out during the week so I could have time to myself.
Cook more! You are what you eat!
I cooked way more this year and feel like I have an incredibly healthy diet.
Be scientific with my workouts to allow for greater gains, while avoiding injury
Here I had a major setback. I got injured despite following a clear plan and I’m still unfortunately injured. It’s honestly been a big source of concern as I go into my 30s and it’s my #1 priority for 2025 to fully heal.
Community: Deepen my connection with the people I love the most in the world, no matter where they are.
Plan intentional trips with my mom and extended family in Puerto Rico
I knocked this one out of the park! I went home for Easter, July 4th, and Christmas. I also took mom and my aunt to Japan and Taiwan
Visit friends who have been a major part of my life, but don’t live in NYC
I got to visit my best friend Frankie, hung out with friends in Asia and Europe, and attended multiple weddings.
Take a group of my closest friends on a trip to Puerto Rico
This one was harder than I planned because when I did go home I decided I wanted to prio family
Personal growth: Nurture my own sound as a DJ and share it with the world.
Remix 1 song by the end of the year.
Thanks 4YU for helping me achieve this one! Check out our remix of the Cyberpunk Edgerunners song I Want to Stay at Your House here
Perform at least once in an international destination.
I got to wrap this one out nicely by performing at Drunk Play in Taipei!
DJ at 5 different clubs in NYC.
I still can’t believe I got to play at all the awesome venues below this year!
Mission
Den
Brooklyn Mirage
Sugar Mouse
High Bar
Brooklyn Monarch
Professional Development: Become a product leader with the capacity to guide teams, people, and products to grow into the best version of themselves.
Build 2 new experiences that bring joy to people’s lives through music
I launched voting for idol show winners on Spotify and a Birthdays experience! Can’t wait for 2025 launches!
Form deeper connections with my teammates
I got to know a lot of my coworkers better this year. I’m particularly thankful for Lilian for guiding me on my content creator journey.
Biggest surprises
The #1 was that because of my injuries I focused a lot more on internal growth and training my mind this year. It was tough because one of my coping mechanisms for loss is intense exercise. Not being able to just grind at the gym forced me in a good way to make peace with my dad’s passing.
I have a way bigger capacity for creativity than I ever imagined! Not only did I DJ a ton more than I thought I would, but I also got to start creating content!
Conclusion:
This wasn’t the year I anticipated. The cards really haven’t been in my favor lately between losing dad and getting injured, but what’s important is that I’m using the agency I have to take control of what I can in my life. And I have so much gratitude that I am young, healthy, and employed so I can get the medical treatment I need to be back to normal in no time!
Sending you lots of kale smoothies! 💪
Good luck!