40 things I’ve learned in my 40s

“Life really begins at forty. Up until then, you are just doing research”—Carl Jung

1. Health, relationships, and wealth—in that order
2. Doing something at 100% is easier than doing it at 99%
3. The top 1% do what 99% are unwilling to do
4. A good day starts the night before—a good life starts in the morning
5. Meditate, read, write, exercise, and create something every single day
6. Big results come from simple habits known by many but practised by few
7. Cheap dopamine hits come at a high cost
8. Choose carefully what you feed your body, mind, and calendar
9. Your body, mind, and spirit are always talking—listen closely
10. Listening isn’t free—you must pay attention
11. Thought is what you have; thinking is what you do—have more by doing less
12. Most solutions come from removing the problem, not adding more effort
13. The right choice often feels right but looks wrong
14. If you constantly discover something new every day—you’re living in the present
15. New ideas never come from the majority—success always belongs to the minority
16. Don’t get trapped in the results of other people’s thinking—develop your own perspective
17. Never seek advice from people who have never taken risks or say it can’t be done
18. Most rules don’t apply when creating exceptional work
19. Good decisions come from experience, and experience comes from bad decisions—be brave
20. Success and failure are both temporary—what matters is your mindset toward them
21. Today’s win is tomorrow’s baseline—fall in love with the process
22. Do it for the love of doing it, not for the outcome
23. Don’t let titles or others define you—live by your values
24. You can’t control others, only how you respond
25. Create space between emotion and action—this pause helps you choose the better response
26. Space and time aren’t empty—they’re full of possibility
27. Waiting is the key to growth, increasing value, and compound interest—learn to be patient
28. Solitude, boredom, and stillness give birth to the best ideas
29. Great work comes from a non-thinking state—it flows through you
30. If it’s not simple, something’s wrong. Don’t obsess over the complex—master the basics
31. Gestures, tone, facial expression, and music—universal language
32. Kindness, humility, and service—universal currency
33. The financial goal is growth—not saving—but save first, then invest, then spend
34. Invest in preparation, not prediction—expect surprises but be ready
35. The more flexible you are, the less you worry about changes
36. Never lower your price—raise your value. Price is what you pay; value is what you get
37. Simplicity, solitude, and inner joy are luxury
38. Everything you need is already within you—you are enough
39. Happiness is simple—but impossible without awareness
40. Winners read all

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These are the 40 research findings I chose to share this year—see you next time.

Warmly,

Kocha 😊