For J.D., the voice behind the popular personal finance platform Get Rich Slowly, the opening months of 2023 mark a profound turning point. Following a challenging period marked by the passing of his mother two months ago, J.D. has announced a deliberate shift in focus toward his own physical and mental well-being, designating the upcoming year as "The Year of Me."
In a personal update shared with readers, J.D. described how the heavy fog of grief has finally begun to lift, restoring his motivation to engage in productive pursuits. After weeks of deep soul-searching alongside his partner, Kim, he arrived at a clear realization: to best serve others, he first needs to prioritize his own needs.
The concept of thematic years is not entirely new to J.D. More than a decade ago, he regularly assigned themes to specific spans of time—a habit that yielded positive results across various areas of his life, including fitness, writing, and dating. Over time, however, that intentional practice fell by the wayside as other responsibilities and distractions took precedence.
"Well, I’ve spent too long putting myself second. Or third. Or ninth," J.D. wrote. "Starting yesterday, my aim is to put myself first for the next year (or more)."
Acknowledge that prioritizing oneself can initially feel uncomfortable or counterintuitive, J.D. noted that the mindset shift borders on feeling selfish. Yet, he recognizes that neglecting his own health and wellness has been a persistent pattern fueled by excuses. By making himself the primary focus, he anticipates becoming a better presence for those around him, including the loyal readership of Get Rich Slowly.
For regular readers of the financial blog, the practical impact of this personal shift is expected to be minimal. J.D. emphasized that the transformation is internal rather than external. While he is granting himself permission to place his own desires ahead of external demands, he believes this renewed focus will naturally generate fresh material for future articles and finally bring about the long-awaited completion of the site’s redesign.
At the same time, J.D. is deliberately removing strict publishing schedules from his routine. Rather than forcing content production, he intends to write only when inspired, favoring organic, conversational updates over rigid output quotas. This flexible approach allows him to integrate exercises from the book Designing Your Life and other personal development practices into his daily routine without the pressure of traditional deadlines.
The Courage to Be Disliked
During a Thanksgiving road trip to visit Kim’s family in California, the couple listened to the audiobook The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga. The book explores the psychological theories of Alfred Adler, presenting a worldview that resonated deeply with J.D. and sparked new ways of thinking about personal autonomy and happiness.
Although the audiobook format made it difficult to bookmark specific passages, the core ideas left a lasting impression. J.D. noted that while the book’s Socratic dialogue format can occasionally feel cumbersome during a continuous listen, the underlying wisdom regarding human motivation and interpersonal relationships is substantial. He plans to re-examine the text in digital format to extract key insights and may eventually publish a comprehensive review or summary of the book on Get Rich Slowly.
The themes of the book tie directly into J.D.’s broader philosophy for the year, reinforcing the importance of breaking free from external expectations and focusing on intrinsic motivations.
A Values-Driven Life
To reinforce his commitment to personal growth, J.D. highlighted a passage from Stephen R. Covey’s widely read book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which surfaced recently via his Readwise highlights:
"The ability to subordinate an impulse to a value is the essence of a proactive person. Reactive people are driven by feelings, by circumstances, by conditions, by their environment. Proactive people are driven by values—carefully thought about, selected, and internalized values."
Reflecting on Covey’s words, J.D. admitted that he had temporarily lost the ability to manage his daily impulses while drifting away from his core values. Recognizing this misalignment, he has already taken proactive steps to curb distractions, such as removing the Reddit and Hearthstone applications from his iPad.
Looking ahead, J.D. intends to maintain this intentional approach to content creation. Rather than adhering to a predictable template, future updates on Get Rich Slowly may vary in length and style as he navigates his personal journey through the Year of Me.
