A Blueprint for Your Dream Life

Welcome to the Inner Edge, where I explore insights on wealth, fulfillment, growth, and mastery.

Have you ever thought about what your dream life would look like?

It’s easy to live life in default mode. You go with the flow:

• You’re told to study, so you study.

• You’re told to work, so you work.

There’s nothing wrong with this if that’s what you like.

But most people live on autopilot.

They wake up to an alarm, follow a schedule they didn’t design, and spend most of their time waiting for Friday, vacation, or “someday.”

What if you could stop waiting?

What if you could live life on your own terms?

Today, I’ll be exploring how we can break that cycle.

Step 1: Reverse-Engineer Your Goals

Personal Story

I wanted to go to UC Berkeley since I was in 10th grade.

I made it happen because I knew where I wanted to go—and I broke it down step by step.

I needed solid grades and a standout extracurricular.

This wasn’t just about Berkeley—it was about aiming for something bigger and making a plan to get there.

Up until then, I’d spent most of my life without a clear goal. I was just drifting.

But drifting doesn’t get you anywhere. I realized I needed to set real goals and work backward to figure out the steps.

Enjoying the ride is great, but it’s even better when you’re the one choosing the destination.

If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you ever figure out how to get there?

Dreaming big wasn’t enough. I had to reverse-engineer every piece to make it happen.

Reflection Story

A man came across three workers laying bricks. He asked the first, “What are you doing?” The man replied, “Laying bricks.” He asked the second, who said, “Building a wall.” When he asked the third, the man smiled and said, “I’m building a cathedral.”

Years later, the first man was still laying bricks, the second had become a foreman, but the third? He was the architect, designing cathedrals across the country.

Moral: The difference between the third worker and the other two wasn’t just his vision. It was his ability to see the end goal and work backward. He didn’t just see bricks. He saw the cathedral they would become. By understanding the bigger picture, he knew how every brick fit into his plan. That clarity and purpose shaped how he worked and, over time, shaped his life.

Tactical Tip

Imagine you’re trying to reach a specific goal weight. You’d think about your target and reverse-engineer how many calories you’d need to hit.

The same principle applies to your dream life.

Start by thinking about your ideal day. Imagine a day you could live over and over again for the rest of your life.

• Who would you be with?

• What would you be doing?

• How would you feel or look?

Write it all down in detail. This gives you a clear vision of what you’re working toward.

Once you know what it looks like, you can break it down into actionable steps.

And remember, even if things don’t go according to plan, that’s okay.

Preparation is what matters.

Step 2: Remove and Replace

Personal Story

There was a time in my life when I’d go out clubbing almost every weekend.

It felt like an escape, like I’d made it just because I’d saved some money from creating content.

But without anything I was truly passionate about, I found myself going out whenever I had the chance, chasing that rush.

It took time to realize how much it was affecting me.

My sleep was terrible. I felt groggy all day. And honestly, the only thing I looked forward to was the weekend.

Stopping wasn’t easy.

If I wasn’t going clubbing, how would I spend my Saturday nights? What would I even do?

So, I started scaling back. Each month, I’d go out less and less.

By the time the semester ended, I was barely going at all.

At first, it felt boring. I had nothing else to do.

The removal sucked, because I was left in a void. But I pushed through.

And slowly, I started adding other things instead.

• I started reading more - which led to more knowledge on topics that served me

• I started creating content again - which led to a podcast and a newsletter

• I started spending more quality time with my family - which led to a deeper connection with them

Before I knew it, my weekends became something I genuinely looked forward to.

And I realized that fulfillment feels much better than a rush.

Reflection Story

A farmer wanted to grow a beautiful orchard, but his land was covered in thorny weeds. Every day, he watered the weeds, complaining that his trees weren’t growing. A passing gardener stopped and asked, “Why do you keep watering the weeds?”

The farmer replied, “I don’t have time to clear them out—I’m too busy trying to grow the orchard.”

The gardener laughed and said, “You can’t grow fruit in a field of thorns. Pull the weeds first, then plant your seeds.”

Reluctantly, the farmer took the advice. He stopped feeding the weeds, spent a few days clearing them, and planted his trees. Within months, the orchard began to thrive.

Moral: Most people spend their lives watering weeds. They focus on habits that keep them busy but don’t bring them closer to their goals. Pulling those weeds isn’t easy, but it’s the only way to make space for growth.

Tactical Tip
If you want to get to your dream life, you need to cut out what doesn’t serve you and add in what does.

Let’s take an example: You want to travel the world every single day.

• To do this, you need two things: time and money.

• Time, because you’ll want to travel on your own terms. Money, because you’ll need to afford it.

What’s one small thing you can remove and replace to move toward that?

Maybe it’s stopping scrolling on the weekends and replacing it with a side project.

This could eventually free up your time and create an income stream independent of your job.

Most people default to factory settings. Don’t do that.

Step 3: Building Systems

Personal Story

I was always that skinny guy.

At 6’1” and barely 130 pounds in 9th grade, gaining weight felt impossible.

I tried everything—or at least I thought I did. But nothing worked.

The problem wasn’t my effort. It was my systems.

One day, I’d be full of motivation, eating everything in sight. The next, I’d skip meals because I was tired or just didn’t feel like it.

It felt like a never-ending struggle to put on weight. I was stuck.

Finally, I decided to stop winging it and start building systems.

From 9th to 12th grade, I gained over 60 pounds. By the time I entered college, I weighed 205 pounds (still am —L).

So, what changed?

Systems.

Here’s what I started doing slowly over the years:

1) I ate the same breakfast every single day (I’ve updated it since then—email me if you want the recipe).

2) I hit the gym at almost the same time daily (having friends as accountability partners made it easier).

3) I planned out my meals for the day and stuck to a routine (okay, I didn’t have a calendar back then, but I had some plan).

Once I had systems in place, everything became easier.

I didn’t have to wonder what to eat or whether I’d hit the gym. The decisions were already made and I just had to follow through.

That’s when the real progress started.

It turns out, you don’t need to rely on motivation when you have systems that work.

But the takeaway is simple: systems aren’t just helpful—they’re everything.

I’m still sticking to the systems, they’re just a bit outdated now. But remember, it’s important to update your systems from time to time.

Reflection Story

A man wanted to fetch water daily from a well at the bottom of a hill. At first, he carried buckets, but he got tired quickly and spilled half the water. Frustrated, he decided to build a pipe system instead. It took weeks of effort.

His neighbors laughed at his “wasted time,” but when he no longer needed to carry buckets, they realized who had the last laugh.

Moral: Motivation may seem easier in the moment, but it often leads to exhaustion and boredom later. True progress requires effort upfront to build systems that make success sustainable. The time you invest in building the right foundation will save you countless hours down the road.

Tactical Tip

Goals are great, but systems are what make them achievable.

Systems create consistency, and consistency is what drives results.

This is the same for lifting weights, working on a side project, or anything else.

Step 4: Take Action Today

Personal Story

There was a point in my life (around 10th grade) when I was honestly just lazy.

My routine was the same: wake up, go to school, come home, try to talk to girls (pretty unsuccessfully), hangout with friends, and go to bed.

I kept telling myself that someday I’d get serious and actually do something.

But the months passed, and that "someday" still hadn’t shown up.

Meanwhile, I noticed my close friends pulling ahead of me for the first time ever.

They were taking tougher classes, getting better grades, and mapping out their futures.

Meanwhile, I was a sophomore stuck in a freshman math class (a big deal when most of your friends are taking calculus). And on top of that, I was on track to get a B.

That was my wake-up call (thank you friends who push me to achieve more).

I knew I had to change something.

So I started taking school more seriously (still took an L in math) and decided to work on myself in all areas of my life.

At first, the progress was slow, but momentum began to build.

Slowly, things started to click.

If I hadn’t taken that step, I have no idea where I’d be today.

All I know is this: I would definitely be starting today.

It’s never too late to start. But starting is what makes all the difference.

If you’re sitting there waiting for the “right time” to do something, let me be blunt: it’s not coming.

I know because I felt that too. I was unsure, unmotivated, and waiting for some perfect moment that never showed up.

Every day you waste is pulling you further away from the life you want. You wonder why things aren’t clicking, why you feel stuck, why you’re not treated the way you want.

But the truth is, most of it comes back to this.

The only way things will ever change is if you make them change.

Momentum doesn’t find you. You have to create it.

I started small and unsure, but I started. That’s all it takes.

So ask yourself: do you really want it bad enough?

Reflection Story

A king once asked his advisor, “When is the best time to plant a tree?” The advisor said, “20 years ago.” The king frowned. “And the second-best time?” The advisor replied, “Today.”

The king went out and planted a forest. Twenty years later, his kingdom thrived with shade, fruit, and lumber.

Moral: The best time to start was yesterday. The second best time is today. The sooner you begin, the sooner you’ll reap the rewards. Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Start now because momentum is the key to growth.

Tactical Tip

The biggest mistake most people make is thinking, I’ll start tomorrow. 

Tomorrow turns into next week, and next week turns into next year.

Before you know it, you’re stuck in a routine that feels impossible to escape.

If you are not living a life you love, start taking action today.

Things that help:

1. Carve out time each day to work on your side project, health, or dreams.

2. Set up a space where you can focus without distractions.

3. Create reminders of your goals—keep your gym bag by the door or your notebook on your desk.

Ideal Life Blueprint

• Write out your ideal day (from morning to night).

• Identify the top 3 habits that would support that day.

• Write down 1 thing you’ll remove from your life this week and 1 thing you’ll add.

• Set up one system to make your life easier (meal prep, a work schedule, etc.).

• Take one bold action today to move closer to your dream.

I hope this serves as a reminder that your dream life isn’t impossible to get to.

It’s just up to you to make it happen.

And always remember, we’re all figuring it out.

Feel free to reply directly to this email. I’d love to hear your reflections.

Thanks for reading!