28 Life Lessons in 28 Years

Every once in a while, I like to use certain events as an opportunity to reflect on the things I’ve been through, the life lessons I’ve learned, and how those things have changed me. And one of said events is today; my birthday.

Like any kid, I always looked forward to my birthday. Being the center of attention for one day, getting presents, and of course, cake, is pretty awesome for any child right?

Like most people though, as I got older, my birthday became less and less of a big deal. I’ve never been one for big celebrations, or going out and partying with friends. I much prefer a quiet dinner, followed by a relaxing evening at home of movies, sex, and cake…not necessarily in that order.

Probably the biggest thing that’s changed about my birthday however, especially since I started my own business, is it’s become a yearly time of quiet reflection and personal assessment.

How have I changed in the last year? What have I learned? Yes I’ve grown older, but have I grown in other ways?

Not that all these questions don’t spin around in my mind the rest of the year, but my birthday is a good time to take stock of the answers.

This year, for my 28^th birthday, I decided to take stock of some of the most important life lessons I’ve learned in my 28 years on this earth. I know 28 isn’t old by any measure, but I hope that you can take some of the things that I’ve learned and apply them to your own lives.

Here are 28 life lessons I’ve learned in 28 years…

1. You’re allowed to say no to shit you don’t like. Yes, there are certain things you should do, but nothing you need to do.
2. Keep people in your life who make you better. Limit those who bring you down.
3. Worrying about things literally accomplishes nothing, other than making you more stressed. Make a plan, take action, and then move on. Stop wasting time and energy thinking about what may or may not happen, and starting making something…anything…happen.
4. No one can make you do or feel anything. Every choice we make, every feeling we have, is a direct result of our minds telling us what we want, not someone else.
5. Material things can be broken, lost, used up, or taken away from us. Experiences can’t.
6. Contrary to popular belief, your job or career does not need to make you miserable. You don’t just have to “work for the weekend”. Follow your passion, start a business, go after your dream job. The average working lifespan of an American is 48 years. Do you really want to spend all that time doing something that you hate?
7. The work week for those who really want success is no longer 9-5, Monday thru Friday. It’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year of hustle and grind.
8. There is absolutely no one who won’t benefit from strength training.
9. If you eat a diet 80-90% full of whole, nutrient-rich foods, enjoying some drinks or a night out on the weekends isn’t going to hurt your health or fat loss progress.
10. Drink alcohol because you like the taste or you like getting fucked up. Not because you’re stressed or to escape your problems.
11. If you’re going to do something, do it 100%. Otherwise it’s really not that important to you. How you do one thing is how you do everything.
12. Find a mentor. If you really want to make it in your own business, the best way is to learn from someone who’s where you want to be. Reach out, ask questions, and most importantly, provide value to them…you’d be surprised how many successful people are willing to give back to those looking to put in the work and make something of themselves.
13. There is nothing in your life that you can’t change if you really want to. It just requires hard work, a willingness to change, and most importantly, being okay with feeling uncomfortable for a while.
14. You can learn something from every single person you come into contact with. It’s up to you to find out what that is.
15. Realize that no matter how hard you work, not everything in life is going to turn out the way you want it. What separates those who are strengthened by these events from those who are weakened by the is the ability to accept it, change what needs to be changed, or move on.
16. You cannot change the past. You cannot control the future. The only thing you can change and control is yourself, in this moment, right now.
17. Save money…out of every single paycheck…as soon as you can. Open a Roth IRA and start growing your money tax-free so you can retire as early as possible.
18. Time is your number one asset. You can’t make more of it, and you cant get it back. Spend it wisely. Give it sparingly, and only to those who deserve it.
19. Read every single day. I don’t care if it’s something informative, or just something you enjoy. Make it a habit. It will make you better.
20. Get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. There aren’t many things much more detrimental to your health than being chronically under-slept
21. Calories count, and carbs do not cause fat gain.
22. Supplements are not necessary, but they can help. Some of the only ones I recommend are Athletic Greens, Alpha Brain, vitamin D, protein powder, and probiotics.
23. You do not need to explain who you are to anyone. Own your personality. Be goofy, nerdy, or whatever else you want to be. Sing along to your music in the gym, or squat in short shorts. There’s nothing more attractive or admirable than someone who’s comfortable with who they are and doesn’t care what anyone else thinks.
24. Experience new places. Being from a small Midwest city, my view on life was pretty narrow. Nothing has broaden my horizons more than traveling to different locations like New York, Texas, and Germany, among others, and experiencing different ways of life.
25. Learn to follow your heart. Your mind can rationalize anything, but your heart always knows what you really want.
26. Get comfortable with the phrase “I was wrong.” Learn how to swallow your pride, and apologize if necessary. Some of the most successful people are wrong far more often than they are right.
27. Happiness is not given or bought; it’s created. How it’s created is up to you. For me, happiness comes from giving to the people that I love, and making their lives better. It comes from being there when they need me, and the knowledge that I am always going to do everything I can to be the best version of myself for them.
28. Never let those who matter most to you, forget how much they matter to you.

There you have it; 28 life lessons I’ve learned in 28 years. Obviously there are a lot more, but I feel these are the most important.

Do you live your life by one, or more of these? What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your life? I’d love to hear it.

Now, before you go, I have one last thing for you…

Like I said, today is my birthday. And each year during this time, I like to run a little special for all my readers: A Birthday Coaching Sale.

And since I’m turning 28 today, I’m offering a 28% discount on my monthly one-on-one coaching rate to anyone who applies between now, and midnight tomorrow, Wednesday August 24^th.

One of the lessons I learned, as I talked about, is that for me, helping someone is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have. And helping someone change not just their health, but their lives, by giving them the tools they need is one of the best decisions I’ve made.

And when I can, I like to make that experience as affordable as possible for my clients. That’s why I run this sale each year.

So if you want to learn how to change your health, and life, the way you’ve always wanted, I encourage you to head on over to the coaching page, read not just about my own personal transformation, but those of some of my clients, and fill out an application.

We’ll talk more about you, your goals, and how the program can help you. Plus by applying, you’ll automatically be locked in to the discount.

Appy now, and see what the power of online coaching can do for you.

And as always, thanks for reading.

Jorden Pagel