I do something quirky each night.

When I turn to the new page in my journal, I write two things on top of it:

• How many days of the year have passed?
• What percentage is that?

I’m writing this newsletter on June 7^th, 2025, one day before it is scheduled to go live. That’s 158/365 days or 43.3% of the year.

After months of doing this, I’ve recognized that each day equals 0.25% to 0.3% of a whole year. 

Is that a bit obsessive? Sure. But it is a reminder of a reality we forget way too often: our time on this planet is limited. 

And when you are aware that each day makes up a chunk of that time, you live that day meaningfully, or at least you don’t waste your time on things that don’t matter.

You may not think of this as important, but it is. Because in the blink of an eye, almost half of this year has gone by. If nothing changes today, the other half will go by the same way. 

And if that translates into a year you’ll regret, ask yourself these three questions and bring your life back on track while you still have the time.

#1 Am I transparent?

No, not like the glass on a window.

But like the late-night conversation you have with your best friend where your guard is down and you’re speaking your heart out—knowing that they’ll listen to you without judgment.

Can you do the same for yourself?

It sounds weird, right? You’re not used to having that conversation with yourself. More importantly, you’re probably not used to looking at yourself through a non-judgmental lens.

But it’s important that you do it because the first step to creating any change in your life is to be honest with yourself.

And you’d be surprised to hear this, but that honesty isn’t always built in the high-pressure moments where you face an uncomfortable truth. It’s built every single day through the tiny things you say to yourself, the not-so-funny jokes you laugh at inside your head, and the open, non-judgmental conversation you have with yourself on nights when sleep isn’t there to keep you company.

It’s these tiny moments that build up the trust you have in yourself. The higher that is, the more transparent you are, and the easier it becomes to notice your flaws, overcome your blind spots, and achieve your goals.

So, ask yourself, am I transparent? And if the answer is a murky one, pick up the cloth of self-compassion and clean until it sparkles bright.

#2 Is this worth it?

There’s a reason this question comes second.

If I’d put it first in order, you wouldn’t have been fully transparent. Even if you figured out that some of your actions weren’t worth it, you would have found ways to justify them.

But now you can’t because you’ve already promised transparency to yourself.

Thus, I present to you one of the most important questions you could ask (and should ask from time to time): Is this worth it?

You will be surprised at how many things just aren’t.

You will be even more surprised by how much of your valuable time you spend on them.

And this is the right time to tell you that worthiness doesn’t just equal higher productivity, but higher positive impact too—whatever form that may take.

Because, according to some motivational (but questionable) accounts online, spending a Sunday watching Netflix is an abomination. In their hyper-optimized version of success, this is a path straight to hell.

But if you’re an aspiring filmmaker, and this Sunday is all you get for gathering inspiration and studying how stories are told through film, then this is the most important thing you could do for your growth. Is it as quantitatively productive as writing 5 new scripts? No. But does it matter? Absolutely.

This was just one example, but it goes on to show how many of our generalizations about the world (and ourselves) are wrong.

When we ask, ‘Is this worth it?’ we take the first step to set them right.

#3 Am I setting a high standard?

This is where things get uncomfortable, but for good reason.

Because if you’re reading this newsletter, I know you have big goals. You dream beyond your reality and aspire for a better, stronger, happier, more successful life.

That’s a good thing. In fact, it’s an amazing thing because we are way more likely to underestimate our potential than overestimate it. We can easily see the potential and skills in others, but when it comes to our own, we are suddenly not so sure.

We’re not used to thinking about ourselves through the lens of possibilities. Daydreams? Yes. But possibilities go beyond them. When you start to believe something is possible, it goes from a passive fantasy to an active goal you pursue every single day.

And that’s where this question matters.

Because the barriers to success aren’t over yet. Just because you’ve stopped underestimating your potential doesn’t mean you’re automatically entitled to success.

It takes hard work, and if you’re not up for it, you will fail. Without actions, the power of your belief will only remain a fantasy.

To turn it into reality, you must become a master at being a practical visionary: someone who dreams big but is also aware of what it takes to get there and figures out the exact actions they can take right now to make their dreams come true a few years down the line.

That ability comes from setting the right standards of excellence, work ethic, dedication, conviction, and other principle-led qualities that are essential for success.

This question helps you get specific about them.

Then, it’s a simple game. Check in with yourself every day: Did I live up to my standards? Did I stick to my principles? What can I improve? How can I do better?

And before you know it, your dream life will start unfolding in front of you.

Ask these questions today so that when this year hits ‘100% complete,’ you can look back with pride and say, “I made it!”

Today is a great day to kickstart your dreams!