Phil Rosen's Blog

Phil Rosen's Blog

Share this post

Phil Rosen's Blog
Phil Rosen's Blog
3 non-obvious ideas that can change your life right now
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

3 non-obvious ideas that can change your life right now

Force your future into your present by embracing failure, learning your blind spots, and acting out your ideal.

Phil Rosen's avatar
Phil Rosen
Nov 06, 2023

Share this post

Phil Rosen's Blog
Phil Rosen's Blog
3 non-obvious ideas that can change your life right now
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
Share

Here's a question I think about often: If I repeated what I was doing today for a year, who would I be? Ideally, you in one year more closely resembles the person you aspire to be, compared to who you are today.

Below are three ideas that should help all of us do just that.

1. Learn your blind spots

In September I wrote an essay on how writing is a skill everyone can learn to clarify and improve what they do on a daily basis, in nearly any line of work.

In one sense writing is just a more concrete version of thinking, and it always pays to be a better thinker. The best part is it's practically free today — all you need is pen and paper.

Writing for me has helped me discover my own blind spots, and this alone I think makes the practice worthwhile. Experienced writers know that the point of writing is not to show off your expertise, but to figure out how little you actually know.

Putting thoughts into words changes your original ideas because it specifies them.

It's an attempt at coherence and understanding. Learning your blind spots is ultimately a tool to determine how much more you can learn, do, and create.

2. Prioritize failures

If you want to do quality work, you have to be comfortable producing an enormous amount of inadequate work.

And, you have to come to terms with how your first attempt at something will not resemble someone else's final product. Most ideas are short-lived, and few survive contact with reality.

The bigger the idea, the smaller the chance it works as expected.

In theory, then, fears of not being good enough should be ruled out.

It's hard, but embracing its likelihood is the only way to get better.

Imagine if no one was able to stomach failure. Society, in turn, would produce fewer good ideas, and eventually we would have no examples of excellence to look to for inspiration. 

3. Act out your ideal before you become it

A powerful and simple concept but difficult in practice. Any material change in your character or role in life can only happen one day at a time.

That means you have to adopt the habits you think the best version of yourself would adopt, dress the way you think you'd dress, and speak and act as if you've already achieved your vision.

To transform yourself, you must force your future into the present.


Subscribe to Phil Rosen's Blog

Essays at the intersection of work, business, and personal growth from the desk of an award-winning journalist building a financial media startup.

Share this post

Phil Rosen's Blog
Phil Rosen's Blog
3 non-obvious ideas that can change your life right now
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
Share

Discussion about this post

User's avatar
I asked 2,800 people for the best life advice they’ve ever received. This is what they said.
The wisdom of crowds is rarely wrong. Here's what 2,800 people told me about the best life advice they've ever heard.
Jan 1, 2023 • 
Phil Rosen
7

Share this post

Phil Rosen's Blog
Phil Rosen's Blog
I asked 2,800 people for the best life advice they’ve ever received. This is what they said.
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
The Genius of Mad Men: How Don Draper tells his own story to create meaning from nothing
The brilliant story of how one man uses storytelling to control everything and everyone - and what it means.
Mar 7, 2023 • 
Phil Rosen
2

Share this post

Phil Rosen's Blog
Phil Rosen's Blog
The Genius of Mad Men: How Don Draper tells his own story to create meaning from nothing
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
George Orwell lays out 6 rules for clear writing and forceful communication
One of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century prioritized clear communication and warned against complex language.
Jan 16, 2023 • 
Phil Rosen
1

Share this post

Phil Rosen's Blog
Phil Rosen's Blog
George Orwell lays out 6 rules for clear writing and forceful communication
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

Ready for more?

© 2025 Phil Rosen
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share

Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

Create your profile

User's avatar

Only paid subscribers can comment on this post

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in

Check your email

For your security, we need to re-authenticate you.

Click the link we sent to , or click here to sign in.