I read 48 books last year - one for each year I've been alive....

Could this be some sort of mid-life crisis as I approach 50? I'm not sure. However, since moving down to Provence, I've been doing a lot of thinking and soul-searching. Why did it take us so long to liberate our minds and stress levels from the normal square-ish 9-5 framework? My wife and I have had numerous deep conversations on the topic. Even though we weren't going anywhere in the morning, the feeling of stress was deeply ingrained in us when we first moved here, and it took nearly two years to shake it off. We didn't need to stress, we weren't going anywhere, we were going to stay home, all day. Working at our own pace, living slow, living squareless. But that took a while for our programmed minds to accept.

This life shift also made me realize that 25 years in the music business had worn me down quite a bit. The final years in Norway had been quite hard personally, even though I don't think I really admitted it to myself at the time. I found myself walking in the same footsteps, essentially doing the same thing for most of those years, without really challenging myself or approaching life from new angles. 

So, when we moved down here I initiated my 'learn something new every Sunday' project. This commitment meant that every Sunday, I had to pick up a book, read a blog, watch a YouTube video, or explore any other source of information that would teach me something new.

This journey made me discover an array of impactful books. Some of them have proven to be truly life-changing in themselves. And I've learned so much.

I was never a big reader growing up, and I'm not sharing this to brag. Instead, I'd like to encourage you: if you ever feel a little stuck in life, pick up a book. Challenge yourself to learn new things, and witness the transformation unfold. Knowledge has been the single most important factor in shaping and developing me, at least in my experience.

Additionally, 2023 was the year when I completed my first book as an author. I'll share more about that later. 

A BIG thank you to to the people who wrote these amazing books. @timferris @danmartell @austinkleon @thegrahamcochrane @nathanbarry @russellbrunson @hormozi @jamesclear @aliabdaal @jeffwalkerco @dominiquebroadway @drbenjaminhardy @donaldmiller @amyporterfield @therealkiyosaki @netzley @jimpiddock @mikemichalowicz