Hello, my friend!
This can save you 30 years.
I’ve been building businesses for three decades. And yeah, I’ve had my wins.
In 2016, I sold my agency, Fluid, to PwC for more money than I’ll ever need. Built HelpBnk, now worth $50M in just 12 months.
Grew a brand that reaches millions of people worldwide.
But let me tell you something… I’ve also screwed up.
I’ve wasted a ridiculous amount of time and money. Built the wrong businesses. Learned the hard way.
If I could go back and give my 20-year-old self a few lessons that would’ve saved me decades of struggle, here’s exactly what I’d say:
1. Learn a skill and be useful
Look, if you take nothing else from this email, take this: Get really, really good at something.
A lot of people miss how important this is.
And I don’t blame them. In school, we’re taught to focus on what we’re bad at. We get told, “You’re not great at math? Well, you better work harder at math.”
That’s bullshit. Forget that.
Double down on what you’re good at.
If you enjoy something, and you feel like it’s something you could actually get great at, that’s where you put your energy.
It’s way better to be world-class at something you love than to become average at something you don’t even care about.
2. Work very hard
People love saying, the harder you work, the luckier you get. That’s a lie!
The truth is simple. The more risk you take, the luckier you get.
When you’re out there taking risks, building something, chasing your dream, you need to put in the extra energy.
I’m 50 now. I don’t have the same energy I did when I was 20. Back then, I could have done anything. I just didn’t realize it.
This is your time to push past your limits.
Your mind will tell you to stop. Ignore it.
People will tell you to find balance. Forget balance.
Apply yourself. Go all in. Right now, you have the energy to do it.
Do hard things. Work like hell. So you don’t have to grind forever.
3. Pick the right life partner
I can honestly say that the number one reason I got rich is because I chose the right life partner.
People spend years chasing the right job, the right career, the right qualifications.
But almost no one spends enough time making sure they choose the right person to share their life with. No one really trains you for this.
You need someone who inspires you, who lifts you up, who is willing to take risks, who would be poor with you if that’s what it took.
You need someone who will have your back when everything is falling apart.
If I could talk to 20-year-old Simon, I’d tell him to be picky. Don’t get blinded by lust and beauty. That stuff fades.
Be with someone who challenges you intellectually, who sharpens you, who is always learning, who’s with you through everything.
When you get this part right, everything else in life falls into place a lot easier.
If you found this lesson valuable, I just posted a video where I go deep into these ideas and share 12 more lessons that will save you decades.
Click the image below to watch it now.
Quote
“The purpose of life is a life with purpose.”
Most people spend their whole lives searching for meaning.
They chase money, titles, validation. Thinking that once they have enough, they’ll finally feel fulfilled.
But here’s the truth. Fulfillment doesn’t come from what you get. It comes from what you give.
You’re not here just to exist. You’re here to build something, help people, make a difference.
The world convinces you that life is about accumulation. More money. More things. More status.
But none of that matters if you don’t wake up every day feeling like you’re doing something that actually means something.
Find your purpose. Build around it. Give to others.
Because a life without purpose isn’t really a life at all.
Alright, that’s it for today!
I’m gonna go and eat some chicken now.
If you liked this newsletter, send it to someone who needs to read this today. Let’s build this community by helping people turn their dreams into reality.
Dream BIG,
Simon