Rules for Life / Life Philosophy

Introduction

The intent of this document is to write down what my values, thoughts and beliefs are so that I have a physical document to refer to. This will allow me to update over time as well as see how true to my values I am living.

Rules

  1. Don’t get greedy / Be grateful
  2. Try to eat a veggie with every meal.

Philosophy / Mission

1. Adventure Near and Far with Others and Alone

Excitement is a key aspect to my values. This can look very stereotypical (think trampoline park, Silver Dollar City, skiing etc) but adventure and excitement can also be the less glamorous things like starting a compost pile, doing yard work, or researching subjects.

2. Make the World Better within your Circle

Work

  • Do high quality work that you are proud to give to the municipalities we’re serving
  • Do my best to understand our clients, what their needs are and to make them feel heard and understood
  • Serve my coworkers by making the place they spend the majority of their time the best experience I can provide
    • Being helpful to them both with projects and in their real life
    • Creating opportunities to bond and know each other better. A lot of times this will end up pushing people to and beyond their perceived limits
    • Pushing for the highest benefits we can receive
    • Pushing others to the above values

Business

  • Providing high quality housing to those in NWA, including repairing old houses and building new
  • Achieving financial independence

Service

  • Spend time serving my local and global community with my time and money
  • Currently saving for an endowed scholarship at NWACC
  • Currently giving $12/mo to Khan Academy and looking for others

Community

  • Develop a core group of people that you can be your full self with
    • This group would have good boundaries
    • Be emotionally healthy or making active strides towards health
    • Can weather hard things and be in hard situations
    • They would be close enough to you that they could be called out for lack of the above, and equally would call you out if any of the above values are lacking in you
  • You will have good boundaries with them. If they cannot or are unwilling to be the friends you need you will pull back until they are ready. You will not fall victim to the sunk cost fallacy of friendships.
  • You will be there for others even when it is inconvenient. You will develop safe spaces for others to be themselves fully.
  • You will maintain the mindset of a student and will always be working on your relationships via practice, therapy, books, and you will call others to those values.

3. Health (still developing)

Books read: Lifespan: Why We Age

  • Avoid gene damage (sunscreen, avoid nitrates etc)
  • Be hungry
  • Get cold/hot
  • Exercise

4. Ongoing Pursuit of Knowledge (still developing)

“Knowledge makes men gentle; reason leads to humanity; but prejudices can only be eradicated by both these dispositions.” — Montesquieu

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” — Socrates

5. Optimization and Efficiency (still developing)

I generally gravitate toward this concept. Still working out why and to what degree it should play a role in my life.

Version 1.4 — Last updated: March 2026. This is a living document.