If I had a year off, I’d spend the very first minute figuring out how to earn online, so I could homeschool my son starting next year. I’d buy a small sailboat (because the next virus will come, no doubt) and turn our backs on the madness of the world. The ability to raise a sail at any moment isn’t just freedom. It’s responsibility and courage, too.
Because in a world that screams “authenticity,” most people still run crying the second things get ugly. That’s not where I want my son to grow up.
On a boat, physics teaches itself in the rigging. Biology comes alive in the fish we cut open. And languages and culture drift in with every new harbor.
That’s the future I’d prepare for if I had a year.
Awesome piece, Ryan! I love how you have such actionable frameworks in your articles. They always offer something practical to take away from them! Thank you for sharing! I will definitely be doing this thought experiment.
Yes sir! I took last year off medical school and it was the best decision. Most of my blog is inspired from the journeys I undertook and the person I’ve become.
Taking next year off too. Doubling down on all the important stuff - writing, meditation, life learning - how good 🫡🫡
This dream gets harder before it gets easier, methinks, especially if you have family and kids, in particular. I second, third, and fourth the notion of procrastinating any procrastination and getting down and doing it.
Great take Ryan! I'm with you and have been hyper-focused on career, financial success ever since college. As someone who actually left my 9-5 job and took a year off, I'll share my experience a bit too of what it allowed me to do:
- Focus on my health, building better diet, exercise, and sleep routines
- Get in shape, commit to workouts, and train for races
- Get a fun job (I work at my gym part-time), build connection, expand my thinking of what constitutes "success"
- Heal from burnout, get sober from drugs/alcohol
- Dial in on meditation/journaling/therapy to help me figure out next steps for my life
- Pivot and find a direction for my career that functions from me prioritizing health & making an impact on others
Ended up starting a marketing company, and continuing to make content on social media. Good stuff and keep it up!!!
loved reading this! this is the first article I've read on substack in a while, so glad I did. Stop: quite difficult to answer, but it'll be in my head throughout the day. Start: getting back into sports I used to do competitively as a teen, and I'd write and read more. Double down: writing, sports, reading, drawing, and definitely learning
I really related to this, Ryan. I’m in my early 20s and, without planning it, I’ve taken a year off since leaving my last job in December. Grateful (and aware it’s a privilege) that I could lean on my parents during this time. It’s given me space to finally meet all my family members this year, since most of them live in different countries, and I hadn’t seen all of them together in the same year for the last 7 years, get back to writing and baking, read more, and explore topics I’d always been curious about. It’s been a great reminder that life exists outside of work.
Start: giving space to my athlete career and building a community around it.
Double down: on what already gives me energy, helping people grow and playing sports. It’s such a good framework. I am in my mind all the time so this post is very useful. Thank you for sharing.
This is so inspiring and relatable, you are definitely and inspiration for many
Thank you!!
If I had a year off, I’d spend the very first minute figuring out how to earn online, so I could homeschool my son starting next year. I’d buy a small sailboat (because the next virus will come, no doubt) and turn our backs on the madness of the world. The ability to raise a sail at any moment isn’t just freedom. It’s responsibility and courage, too.
Because in a world that screams “authenticity,” most people still run crying the second things get ugly. That’s not where I want my son to grow up.
On a boat, physics teaches itself in the rigging. Biology comes alive in the fish we cut open. And languages and culture drift in with every new harbor.
That’s the future I’d prepare for if I had a year.
Love this!! Thank you so much for sharing
Awesome piece, Ryan! I love how you have such actionable frameworks in your articles. They always offer something practical to take away from them! Thank you for sharing! I will definitely be doing this thought experiment.
Appreciate you! Looking forward to reading your reflection 😁🙌🏻
Yes sir! I took last year off medical school and it was the best decision. Most of my blog is inspired from the journeys I undertook and the person I’ve become.
Taking next year off too. Doubling down on all the important stuff - writing, meditation, life learning - how good 🫡🫡
Love it!
This dream gets harder before it gets easier, methinks, especially if you have family and kids, in particular. I second, third, and fourth the notion of procrastinating any procrastination and getting down and doing it.
Well said!
Great take Ryan! I'm with you and have been hyper-focused on career, financial success ever since college. As someone who actually left my 9-5 job and took a year off, I'll share my experience a bit too of what it allowed me to do:
- Focus on my health, building better diet, exercise, and sleep routines
- Get in shape, commit to workouts, and train for races
- Get a fun job (I work at my gym part-time), build connection, expand my thinking of what constitutes "success"
- Heal from burnout, get sober from drugs/alcohol
- Dial in on meditation/journaling/therapy to help me figure out next steps for my life
- Pivot and find a direction for my career that functions from me prioritizing health & making an impact on others
Ended up starting a marketing company, and continuing to make content on social media. Good stuff and keep it up!!!
Love to hear it man, happy for you!!
loved reading this! this is the first article I've read on substack in a while, so glad I did. Stop: quite difficult to answer, but it'll be in my head throughout the day. Start: getting back into sports I used to do competitively as a teen, and I'd write and read more. Double down: writing, sports, reading, drawing, and definitely learning
Love it! So glad that you gave it a read and that it was helpful. Looking forward to hearing what you’d stop, arguably the most important one 😉
Sorry for the very late reply😅I’d stop saying yes to things I don’t believe in, putting a stop to people pleasing
🙌🏻🙌🏻
I really related to this, Ryan. I’m in my early 20s and, without planning it, I’ve taken a year off since leaving my last job in December. Grateful (and aware it’s a privilege) that I could lean on my parents during this time. It’s given me space to finally meet all my family members this year, since most of them live in different countries, and I hadn’t seen all of them together in the same year for the last 7 years, get back to writing and baking, read more, and explore topics I’d always been curious about. It’s been a great reminder that life exists outside of work.
This is awesome. Loved reading your response. Appreciate you!
Great Post! For me I would Stop: chasing money.
Start: giving space to my athlete career and building a community around it.
Double down: on what already gives me energy, helping people grow and playing sports. It’s such a good framework. I am in my mind all the time so this post is very useful. Thank you for sharing.
Love this!
Pretty insightful huh 🤔