Remember that the size of your life is proportional to how uncomfortable you are willing to be.
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The 2 AM Principle
“Jon Levy is what happens when you mix a behavioral scientist like Robert Cialdini with Indiana Jones.” —Lewis Howes, New York Times bestselling author of The School of Greatness Jon Levy used to be a nerd. Now,
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Throughout all these experiences, I have almost never noticed a significant correlation between how luxurious or expensive something is and how much fun it is.
In 2008, a group of University of Michigan researchers led by Marc G. Berman gave us insight into how our environments affect us. These researchers were testing attention restoration theory (ART), which suggests that people can focus more effectively after spending time in nature. ART is based on th…
The idea that people shouldn’t or can’t have exciting lives is preposterous. You deserve an extraordinary life by the sheer fact that you are a living, breathing human being.
Let me be clear about this and say it in no uncertain terms: I don’t participate in amateur celebrations. I am a seasoned adventurer.
The question is: When you engage with your phone, is it advancing your experience, or is it because you can’t help yourself? How are you using technology? Much of the time, it functions as a distraction. It causes people to focus on something other than the people they are with and the experience th…
By 2:30 AM everything turned into a complete blur of falling blocks, photos, and incomprehensible dialogue. I’m not ashamed to say I probably used the phrase ‘We should buy an island’ at some point, a clear sign that I should not have been going drink for drink with my new sensei.
If you are feeling nervous, good. If you are getting butterflies in your stomach, I’m proud of you. You have a good challenge that is worth spending time on. If your heart rate doesn’t increase, then the challenge is too easy. If you want to live an interesting life, you should accept challenges you…
Every day, each of us has emotional struggles narrated by our inner voice. The worst part about this voice is that you think it is your friend when really it can be your worst enemy. If you had someone in your life that held you as far back, created as much doubt, and said as many awful things about…
The gift of the adventure is not just the great stories and memories; those will fade in time replaced by greater tales and more epic accomplishments. The great gift is that the person we are at the end is distinctly different from the person who started.
Regrettably, most nights we strive for something nonspecific or ephemeral, like ‘having fun.’ It took my years to realize that having fun isn’t a goal, rather it is a by-product of pursuing a goal. Fun isn’t a thing we can buy at a store; it is something we create from effort and participation.
Don’t wait for magic - create it!
When we are in a foreign environment, we have an opportunity to express aspects of our personalities that would otherwise lie dormant. In a new location, we have no one’s expectations to live up to and nothing to prove. You can be anyone, say almost anything.
I would always rather be with the right people at the wrong party than with the wrong people at the right party.
When you can’t decide where to go or what to do, or would like to add an element of excitement to your night, toss the metaphorical die. Set a timer, flip a coin, ask strangers, etc., but whatever system you use, take the decision completely out of your hands. You’ll find it’s an unbeatable way to g…
The quality of our lives is defined by the people we surround ourselves with and the conversations we have with them.
Nothing good happens after 2 AM, except for the most epic experiences of your life.
I know of few experiences that test a person’s character more than traveling unaccompanied. You are challenged every moment to make the experience extraordinary and have no one to rely on or blame if it does not meet expectations. It holds a mirror to you, showing you the discrepancy between who you…