5 Lessons from 2024

Life is interesting, crazy to think that theres already an answer out there for every single question, scenario, and circumstance you can ever imagine, yet we as stubborn creatures truly only learn with experience.

Our most vulnerable & precious asset is wasted daily trying to learn things we already have answers to.

Sometimes you lose passion for things, find interest in other things, prosper, struggle, and learn just to grow and evolve. Life is a continuous journey of change and discovery, where each experience shapes who you are and guides you toward new paths and opportunities.

As time keeps flying by I continue being grateful for every lesson, every person, and every experience I encounter whether good or bad because ultimately everything comes with something I can carry with me forever.

2024 was one of the craziest years of my life and as I reflected on it earlier this week I kept digging deep trying to figure out what I could do to top it, to be quite frank, the answer I came up with is kind of cliche, I just need to keep focusing on myself.

I need to value myself, humble myself, train myself, remind myself, and overall continue making myself the best me I can be, god will do the rest because what’s written for you will come.

Today I'd like to give you guys 5 life-changing lessons that I learned last year that can hopefully help you as you prepare to take on the next 12 months and make them the best months of your life:

1. Life Is Not Chess

Whoever came up with the saying life is like playing chess is a complete buffoon.

The last book I bought in 2024 was Thinking In Bets by Annie Duke, the book does a phenomenal job talking about Poker and how similar it is to the game of life.

Life is not chess. If you ever played chess before you would know that the game contains no hidden information, no luck is needed and it is all about strategy, strategizing your way into a win with visible information to both you and your opponent.

In life, we do not have that luxury - the rules of the game aren't clear, every other player is doing things you can't keep up with and most importantly the tools you are given are continuously changing just like the game.

Funny enough 2024 was the first time I ever played poker, at that instant it was when I realized life is just like poker.

In poker, the game consists of bluffing, deception, and theory, knowing the unknown, analyzing, counting, and being disciplined with real RISK on the table.

The idea of poker isn't just about "betting" and being right or wrong.

It's about having the confidence to think in possibilities and betting on the most likely outcome based on all the information that's presented to you at that moment of time.

As you go through the next 12 months, you need to start thinking in probabilities, what is the probability of you accomplishing a goal, are the odds stacked in your favor? What are the chances you can outwork your competitors?

Those are the questions you want to ask yourself. Those are the answers you should be looking for.

If you can figure that out, show up daily, and trust your ability to stack the odds in your favor you become unbeatable, that's the game you want to play.

2. Movement Is Progress

If you ever wonder how Elon Musk operates 4 multi BILLION dollar companies and still finds time to shitpost, tweet, and meme his way into the culture it's because his job is to create movement, not progress…

This is a trap I continuously fall into, thinking of ways how to stay busy when instead I should be looking for ways to create movement that allows my business to progress.

What do I mean by movement?

As entrepreneurs were usually one of the 2, operators or visionaries.

Operators focus on progress, they like to set tasks, work in sprints, see something start, and see it getting finished.

Visionaries, on the other hand, are the dangerous ones. That is what Elon is.

No benchmark is ever enough, they're always looking for the next big thing, they're always looking for ways to up the last win and that's where movement is formed.

Visionaries think, they learn, they speak with people, and by doing that they create movement, they find a destination that they want to start moving towards and they build the team around them to get them there.

Figure out which one of the 2 you are and focus on playing into your natural traits, without movement there's no progress.

3. Action Over Promise

Making real progress starts with the promises we make to ourselves.

The opposite of a promise is a lie and the definition of a lie is: a statement made to deceive or mislead.

With everything that happened to me in 2024, the good and the bad.

I think the root of it comes from misleading myself into things I don't think about thoroughly.

When you tell yourself, "I'm going to get in shape" or "I'm going to become a millionaire," it's not just a statement - it's a promise.

If your actions don't align with those goals, your brain starts to fall into a trap of misconception, it starts deceiving you into being the opposite.

When you make decisions based on feelings—like skipping the gym because you're tired or procrastinating on big goals—you're telling yourself that your logic and discipline are easily sacrificed. It's a slippery slope, and it carries over into other parts of your life.

So my lesson here is to not break promises to yourself.

Go through the year focused on making LOGICAL decisions not emotional decisions, because your feelings are always temporary.

So stop waiting for something to happen and go do it yourself, remind yourself that the person you want to become requires the effort you're capable of giving today.

4. Success Comes With Confusion

Success often comes with confusion because the path to achieving it is rarely straightforward.

Funny enough after having one of the craziest runs this year making the most amount of money I've made, there were moments where I was confused.

I was confused as to why I was making that much money, I was scared of not being able to maintain it, and I started having moments of self-doubt.

These are moments where you need to settle down, be grateful, and remind yourself that you deserve to be in that position and be ready to adapt and grow because with every level the stakes get higher.

With every level, you'll face new challenges.

The truth is, confusion is actually a sign you're growing. Think about it - if everything made perfect sense, you'd probably be playing it too safe, staying in your comfort zone. When you're pushing boundaries and entering new territory, things aren't supposed to make sense right away.

I've learned that successful people aren't the ones who have it all figured out - they're the ones who keep moving forward despite the uncertainty. They embrace the confusion as a signal that they're in uncharted territory, which is exactly where growth happens.

When you hit those moments of doubt, when imposter syndrome kicks in, or when success feels almost too good to be true - that's not a sign to retreat. It's a sign to double down on your fundamentals, to remember the work that got you there, and to trust that you'll figure out the next steps just like you figured out the last ones.

Success isn't just about reaching new heights - it's about learning to be comfortable with the discomfort that comes with altitude. The bigger the wins, the bigger the responsibilities, and yes, the bigger the confusion. But that's exactly how it should be.

What time builds patiently, impulse can destroy instantly

Think about it. Your reputation? Years to build, seconds to lose.

That business you've grown? One wrong decision can undo months of progress.

The relationships you've cultivated? A single moment can shatter what took years to develop.

But here's the thing - understanding this isn't about living in fear. It's about respecting the process. It's about recognizing that real success, the kind that lasts, is built on countless small decisions made day after day.

When I look back at my biggest L's of 2024, they weren't from the slow, calculated moves. They came from those moments when impulse took the wheel - when emotion clouded judgment, when FOMO overrode logic, when impatience pushed aside strategy.

And I wish I could live some of those moments back..

So as you step into these next 12 months, remember: The game isn't won by the person who makes the biggest moves, but by the one who makes the right moves consistently.

Take your shots, but make them calculated. Build with patience, protect with wisdom, and let time be your partner, not your enemy.

Hopefully, you enjoyed this one, happy new Year, and Ill see you next Sunday.

Yours truly
Moe,