Rebuilding Your Life With Small Systems

There are periods in life when big goals feel completely unrealistic. You might know what you want in theory: more energy, more clarity, better health, stronger finances, a calmer home, a more meaningful life. But when you are tired, emotionally stretched, or rebuilding after a difficult chapter, the idea of “transforming your life” can feel absurdly far away. This is where small systems become powerful. Not dramatic reinvention. Not a perfect morning routine copied from the internet. Not a 90-day personal reset with colour-coded trackers and impossible standards. ...

April 6, 2026 · 6 min · James M

The Universe Has a Plan for You

On Adversity, Awakening, and Rediscovering Who You Are Most of us don’t find our life’s purpose in a single moment of calm reflection. We find it in the wreckage. We find it in the sleepless nights, the boxes we didn’t pack, the home we no longer live in. We find it when we are forced - absolutely forced - to stop, strip everything back, and ask: who am I without all of this? ...

March 12, 2026 · 10 min · James M

List of Personal Development Books

Books 100 Mental Models (Wisdom Theory) - the most important ideas of each science: philosophy, mathematics, physics, statistics, engineering, chemistry, biology, psychology, economics & history Almanack of Naval Ravikant - a guide to wealth and happiness - timeless wisdom on wealth, happiness, and philosophy Choose Yourself: Be Happy, Make Millions, Live the Dream (James Altucher) - generate real inward success (personal happiness and health) and outward success (fulfilling work and wealth) Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time (Brian Tracy) Ego Is the Enemy (Ryan Holiday) Get the Edge (Tony Robbins) High Performance Habits (Brendon Burchard) How to Win Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie) Moonwalking with Einstein (Joshua Foer) Screw It, Let’s Do It (Richard Branson) Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R. Covey) The Influential Mind (Tali Sharot) The Power of Positive Thinking: A Practical Guide to Mastering the Problems of Everyday Living (Norman Vincent Peale) Ultralearning (Scott H. Young) Audio Books 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos (Jordan B. Peterson) 25 Stories I Would Tell My Younger Self (Dr. Julian Hosp) Awaken the Giant Within (Tony Robbins) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Techniques for Retraining Your Brain (Jason M. Satterfield) The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment (Eckhart Tolle) The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations (Ori Brafman, Rod Beckstrom) The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F^ck (Mark Manson) Your Deceptive Mind: A Scientific Guide to Critical Thinking Skills (Steven Novella) Zero to One (Peter Thiel)

May 28, 2023 · 2 min · James M

List of Personal Development Videos

Absolute Motivation … Actualized.org … Be Inspired … Big Think … etthehiphoppreacher … FightMediocrity … Improvement Pill … Matt D’Avella … Motivation Madness … Podcasts … Team Fearless … TED Talks 5 hindrances to self-mastery | Master Shi Heng YI - serene talk about self-discovery A simple way to break a bad habit | Judson Brewer - Psychiatrist Judson Brewer studies the relationship between mindfulness and addiction Extreme Ownership | Jocko Willink - Jocko Willink explains from personal experience how war teaches you the most when things go wrong Getting stuck in the negatives (and how to get unstuck) | Alison Ledgerwood - Alison Ledgerwood investigates how certain ways of thinking about an issue tend to stick in people’s heads Got a meeting? Take a walk | Nilofer Merchant - Nilofer Merchant suggests a small idea that just might have a big impact on your life and health How To Eliminate Self Doubt Forever & The Power of Your Unconscious Mind | Peter Sage - Peter Sage exposes some of the hidden reasons and unconscious patterns that cause us to self-sabotage and explains what we can do to change them How to Grow as a Person (And Why It Sucks) | Johnny Crowder - Johnny Crowder details the difficulties and pitfalls of trying to grow as a person How to Love Yourself to the Core | Jen Oliver - there is an epidemic of low self-worth on this planet that will only be remedied with one person at a time committing to expressing unwavering gratitude, compassion and reverence within How to motivate yourself to change your behavior | Tali Sharot - Tali Sharot reveals three ingredients to doing what’s good for yourself Sleep is your superpower | Matt Walker - in this deep dive into the science of slumber, Matt Walker shares the wonderfully good things that happen when you get sleep The art of choosing | Sheena Iyengar - Sheena Iyengar studies how we make choices & how we feel about the choices we make Power of Fitness | Vincent Lam - why exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle What I learned from going blind in space | Chris Hadfield - Chris Hadfield paints a vivid portrait of how to be prepared for the worst in space (and life) Why reading matters | Rita Carter - speaking is already in our genes. But reading is not. Until about 100 years ago most people didn’t do it all. When we read fiction especially, we create new pathways in our brain The School of Life … Thomas Frank … Tony Robbins …

May 28, 2023 · 3 min · James M