From Heartbreak to Self-Discovery

Hey there, fellow life-hackers and data nerds! Buckle up, because I’m about to take you on a wild ride through my year of obsessively tracking every aspect of my life. Why did I do this, you ask? Well, let’s just say a mix of heartbreak, career confusion, and a dash of masochism led me down this rabbit hole.

So I started tracking nine aspects of my life that I saw in Ali Abdaal’s video, ‘How to Make 2024 the Best Year of Your Life.’ Every last Friday of the month, I rated each aspect on a scale from 1 to 10. Here’s what I’ve got so far…

The rollercoaster of my life in numbers (Yeah! its a mess…). Notice that steep drop in the ‘Friends’ category? Yeah, we’ll get to that.

It all started at the end of last year when I found myself nursing a broken heart. You know the story — girl meets boy, boy falls hard, girl…well, not so much. I had gone all in with the grand gestures of love, only to realize we were on completely different commitment levels. She left, and I hit rock bottom.

The Self-Improvement Obsession

Instead of wallowing (okay, maybe there was a little wallowing), I decided to channel my energy into becoming a “better version” of myself. You know, the kind of guy she might want to come back to. Spoiler alert: That’s not how it works, folks.

So, armed with spreadsheets and an unhealthy dose of self-reflection, I began tracking everything from my bank account to my meditation minutes. The results? Well, they were… interesting, to say the least.

My life in numbers. Apparently, I’m killing it in the ‘mind’ department. Romance? Not so much.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

First up, the good news: My mind, body, and sense of mission saw the biggest improvements. Turns out, when you’re trying to distract yourself from heartache, you can accomplish quite a bit. Who knew?

But here’s the kicker — while I was busy “improving” myself, I was also inadvertently neglecting some pretty important areas of my life. Romance and family? Yeah, those took a nosedive. I was so caught up in my self-improvement project that I barely saw my family for most of the year. And romance? Let’s just say Tinder and Bumble became my new best friends, but they were poor substitutes for real connection.

Speaking of friends, that category showed the biggest decline. Turns out, when you’re burning the candle at both ends at work and then quit dramatically in June, it doesn’t do wonders for your social life. Who would’ve thought?

Watch my social life take a nosedive. December was great, but it was all downhill from there.

The Corporate Hamster Wheel

Now, let’s talk about work. This year taught me a valuable lesson: working for a company that doesn’t align with your values is soul-crushing. I found myself turning into a corporate pawn, doing work I couldn’t be proud of. I was working 12 hours a day, even on weekends. The money was better, sure, but at what cost?

I was spending almost 15% of my income on Uber rides just to get to work, losing 2 hours a day in traffic. If I used public transport? Make that 4 hours. My diet consisted of overpriced takeout and restaurant meals. Healthy home-cooked food? That was a distant memory.

Where did all my money go? Apparently, on Uber and overpriced sushi.

I had this dream of becoming a partner at work. Spoiler alert: it never happened. I even left another company where I had equity to fully commit to this new role. Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket and then watching that basket catch fire.

A Glimpse of the World Beyond

But here’s where it gets interesting. In March, I flew from Brazil to China for work. For the first time, I saw how big and diverse the world really is. I felt a glimmer of hope for humanity. But as soon as I returned to Brazil, that spark fizzled out. I couldn’t find the space to do new things or feel fulfilled again. It was like I had a taste of something amazing, only to be thrust back into my boring, overworked reality.

The Power of Simple Routines

One of the most surprising insights? The power of simple routines. I started doing this whole “Bryan Johnson's - Don't Die” thing — waking up with the sun, yoga nidra meditation, cold showers, gym sessions, sunbathing. I know, I know, it sounds like I joined a cult. But here’s the thing — it worked. As someone with Crohn’s disease, I was used to regular, painful flare-ups. But with this new routine? The pain almost disappeared. It was like discovering a superpower I didn’t know I had.

Watch those ‘body’ and ‘mind’ scores skyrocket. Turns out, I’m not a lost cause after all!

The Big Takeaways

Now, don’t get me wrong — this whole experiment wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. I realized I was caught in this weird tug-of-war between chasing money and pursuing my mission. The more I focused on making bank, the less fulfilled I felt. My soul was staging a rebellion, and the data was backing it up.

So, what’s the big takeaway from my year of obsessive self-tracking? Well, for one, I learned that improving yourself doesn’t mean much if you’re neglecting your relationships in the process. I also discovered that sometimes, the simplest changes can have the biggest impact. And perhaps most importantly, I learned that true fulfillment comes from doing work that resonates with your soul, not just your bank account.

Looking Ahead

Will I keep tracking my life like this? Honestly, I’m not sure. On one hand, it’s given me some valuable insights. On the other hand, I’m worried I might turn into a robot if I keep reducing my life to numbers on a spreadsheet.

What I do know is this: life isn’t about achieving perfect scores in every category. It’s messy, it’s unpredictable, and sometimes, the best thing you can do is put down the spreadsheet, step away from the 12-hour workdays, and actually live it.

So here’s to another year of growth, mistakes, and hopefully, a little less obsessive tracking. Who’s with me?

How close am I to my ideal life? Well, there’s always room for improvement, right?