This newsletter is a fortnightly meditation on living a more intentional, fulfilled life.
Every edition includes exclusive updates, intriguing ideas, and meaningful content recommendations.

Today: On the right time to start and the longness of life

Hey there!

For quite some time now I've been wanting to tackle my next big project: building a website. You know, a little piece of internet where I can express myself more effortlessly than on algorithm-dominated platforms. And I have all these great ideas like building an encyclopedia of book notes, creating a searchable library of ideas, and writing exclusive articles.

But I simply don't start. And here's why...

• Well, first of all, I have no idea how to build a website.
• Then I look for inspiration on other sites and think, "Wow, my website will never be this good."
• Then I realize, "this is gonna be a lot of work."
• And as a result: "this will take way too much time."

But I also know these are all just excuses. Fifteen months ago, I hadn't written a single word in a creative context, let alone published one. So I know that I can figure everything out. That is, if I put myself to it.

And then, there's this unhelpful thought cycle that I should've built a website long ago because that would've saved me a lot of organizing and pushing around notes and articles. So I keep reminding myself of this one saying (I actually hate it because it's so true):

"The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now."

Note to self: The best time to start is always now. It doesn't matter how many great opportunities already passed. If you want to create something worthwhile, start now. Every day of procrastination only costs time and regret.

Idea: The longness of life

This also made me think: Why are we so scared of big projects anyway?

Now, I don't want to get too existential here, but one crucial reason is our belief that life is short. We want to make the most of our time here. And so, we fear that big projects waste too much of our lifetime because it might be better spent on other things.

But what if life is long? What if big projects are short?

Let me back up a bit to explain:

When discussing the length of life, we talk about a "profound truth." This means that the opposites are both true. On one side, you can say that Earth was created 4.6 billion years ago whereas the average human live expectancy is 70 years. That's laughable. Therefore, we're nothing but a drop in the ocean. Life is short.

But then again: in those 70 years, a human can taste every imaginable flavor this planet has to offer, experience the full range of complex emotions, explore the civilizations of our long-dead ancestors, watch the rise of AI, read thousands of books, write a book, sail the world, see how we step foot on another planet --

This is an inexhaustible list. Life is long.

So why the dread? Seneca has an answer which I really love:

In other words: Life is long if you use it wisely.

So the million-dollar question is: How do you use life wisely?

For this, the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau has some insight:

Here's how I interpret this: fill your life with things that you don't want to pass quickly.

If you spend 40 years working in a job where you wish at 9 am on a Monday that it was 5 pm on a Friday -- well, of course, you're going to say life was short at the end. Because all you ever did with your time was wishing it to go by faster.

Conversely, life goes by slowly if you stay rooted in the present without ruminating about past and future. If you enjoy the good moments without clinging to them. And if you dare to pursue big, meaningful projects.

Stop saying life is short. It's up to you to make it long.

Content: A library of cool ideas (and a tiny dose of cringe)

Today is actually a very special day because this is the 26th edition of Thoughtful Thursday. Which means that this newsletter turns one year old! Hooray! Here's a cake, a piñata, and a balloon: 🎂🪅🎈

To celebrate, I thought I'd share the entire library of newsletters with you. I made everything public, so you can access all of it for free. Although I have to warn you: some post might contain tiny doses of cringe (or maybe that's just me).

These are the times life feels long to me. It felt like an eternity has passed since I sent out the first email. But in reality, it only took one trip around the sun. 52 Thursdays.

Something to think about

There's this popular quote by author Gretchen Rubin:

"The days are long, but the years are short."

But just like with looking at the length of life, the opposite is also true:

The days are short, but the years are long.

Depending on the season of your life, one might be more true than the other. It's nice to structure your days thinking about which one applies right now.

A 30-second favor

If you enjoyed this edition, share it with others!

You can either forward this email or copy and paste this link: [ARCHIVE URL GOES HERE]

This won't take you longer than 30 seconds, but it'd mean the world to me. 🌍

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Until next time,

Stephan

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Bonus: friend links to newest blog posts

1. ​3 simple ways to become a minimalist (without selling all your stuff)​

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