The things we do when no one is watching.

"If you don't have ideas, read.

If you have ideas, but can't articulate them, write.

If you have ideas, and the clarity to execute, build."

This is a quote from Dan Koe.

As I get older I become increasingly frustrated with my life. I am not where I want to be both professionally and personally, which is a continous source of anxiety. In turn, this anxiety becomes paralyzing, almost to the point where I do not even want to try to succeed.

The quote I included above was something I stumbled upon last year, and it awoke something in my mind. I have always enjoyed reading but it was never something I forced myself to do, and I only read what I enjoyed. That is to say I wasn't trying to broaden my horizons at all and stayed in the comfort of my little sci-fi bubble. In 2025, I decided to try and read as many books as I could as well as trying new genres. I ended up reading 15 books, both fiction and non-fiction. Doing this I was able to see that I actually do enjoy reading different genres and I ended up with a newfound love for the non-fiction. All of the smartest people I know read a lot of books, why can I not be one of them?

In 2026, my reading has slowed down but now I am back on the horse, trying to expose myself to as many different books as I can. So up until now, I have been on Dan Koe's first point.

I've always considered the idea of writing a blog, which I define differently from keeping a journal. I keep my own journal regularly but it's mostly filled with writings about my feelings and the goings-on in my life. Whereas a blog would be a place for more polished ideas that I may have. Anything from book and film reviews, fleshed out ideas, and more researched takes on current events.

This is going to be my first step into Dan Koe's second point. Not only do I think it will be a good outlet for me, but I believe it will help me get rid of my quote unquote reliance on social media and other such "cheap" entertainment, which is something I have been putting a non-inconsiderable amount of effort to avoid. I do have my relapses, or days where I binge a bit too much but I would say it has been working for the most part.

In addition to my desire to read and write more, I have actually started drawing again. I used to be an avid artist when I was younger (read: 10 years ago) but as I entered university, and then entered the work force, my artistic output reduced to zero. I started my art journey around May of this year and have been drawing almost daily. Seeing the change in skill from then to now, and the joy of embarking on this journey has been one of the most rewarding times in my past two years (what does that say about the other parts of my life?). This has inspired me to do more in other areas of my life. If I can become a decent artist and make decent portraits in the span of 3 months. What else can I train myself to do with daily efforts?

Finally, I want to keep this blog because it will force me to consider what I am writing. In my journal I usually just write about whatever pops up into my head, which is fair because I believe a journal should be a record of one's day to day emotions and streams of thought. In my personal life, I usually speak first and think later. It doesn't get me in trouble as I am not an inconsiderate jerk but it is something I have worked hard to change. On this blog, I want to spend time thinking about what I want to say, and refine those ideas. It is in this way that I believe I will strenthen my reasoning skills and overall ability to articulate my thoughts. It will also be another my way for me to create, in addition to my art.

If this resonates with you, follow along and lets build a community together :)

    With regards, the Lost Man.