Personal first principles

Wednesday. March 08, 2023 - 1 min

First principles are life’s immutable truths. They are facts that have always been true, always will be true, and, therefore, must be true at any moment. Leveraging first principles is an essential key to success. They are the fundamental building blocks of reality that underlie everything in our lives, including our thoughts, behaviours, and experiences.

These principles are immutable truths. They are unchangeable and non-negotiable, and they provide a solid foundation upon which we can build our lives. By understanding and applying first principles to our personal existence, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

The following 18 principles apply to most people in a similar life situation to me, much like the laws of physics, logic, and mathematics apply to everything between an atom and a galaxy.

Do you have any personal first principles?

The Principles

You should never walk up or down stairs with your hands in your pocket.

Good nutrition comes from countless tiny decisions compounded over time.

A healthy body and mind starts with wholesome food and a healthy gut.

If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit nothing.

Read just one book on a topic, and you’re amongst the most knowledgeable 1% of people on that subject.

Read just five books on a topic, and you’re amongst the most knowledgeable 0.1% of people on that subject.

You need to drink more water.

Bias your time towards action.

Bias your food towards fibrous.

What happened yesterday doesn’t matter. It cannot change. What you choose to do today does matter. Today’s decisions will define tomorrow.

You are your harshest critic.

A minute in the morning is worth two in the evening.

Choose time.

Select your distractions wisely.

You are the average of your five biggest inputs.

Drinking today is stealing happiness from tomorrow.

Your environment dictates performance.

Everything takes twice as long as it should, even considering that fact.