Whether you realize it or not, you’re here because you want more out of life.
You look around the modern world and something feels off.
You can’t quite place it.
Sure, we’ve got convenience. An app for everything.
But somewhere between signing up for your third streaming service and watching yet another Reel about cold plunging, life started feeling more and more like working a job you didn’t apply for.
That’s why this Substack exists.
A little about the guy writing this
I’m not a lifestyle guru who read a book and started a newsletter.
I’ve been in the arena for a while now.
Here’s how it actually went down:
Built an over 9-figure track record in commercial real estate, which was entirely self-generated: no inbound, no handouts.
I know what it takes to perform when no one’s handing you anything.
Put my body through the wringer and came out with the belief that health is the whole foundation. I’ve had the highs (boxing, BJJ, grew up playing hockey and skateboarding) and the lows (spine surgery at 25 forced a full rebuild from the ground up), and everything in between.
These days it's lifting and tennis, but the lesson stuck: you can improve every other part of your life, but none of it matters if the vessel's falling apart.
For whatever reason, I’ve found myself the leader at every stage of my life- on teams, in business, in the room. I don’t write theory. I write what I’ve had to figure out the hard way.
None of this is a flex for its own sake.
It's the reason this isn't "Top 10 Productivity Hacks!" dressed up as a newsletter.
It's honest work from a man with skin in the game and the scars to show for it- the grind, the injuries, the wins that didn't fix anything- writing about what's actually true underneath all of it.
Two Things I Ask of You
1. Get involved, let your voice be heard.
In the comments, in an email, over on IG or TikTok, wherever you’re comfy. Discourse is how we grow.
I read all the feedback I receive and love to hear how other people think.
2. Subscribe. Share what resonates with friends or family.
We grow together.
Also, I'm a little weird, and I've made peace with it.
Fair warning: people who meet me tend to walk away thinking I’m a little different.
My whole philosophy is a blend that probably shouldn’t work: practical advice sitting next to spiritual and esoteric stuff, with a healthy dash of broscience thrown in because sometimes that stuff is just flat-out correct.
It’s lessons and stories from boardrooms, long drives, the ring, the bar, meditations, spreadsheets, meetings, and everything in between.
Part of that comes from the people I’ve collected along the way.
People and relationships are the greatest currency we have outside of time.
My circle is a unique mix on purpose: creators, real estate killers, tech people, healthcare professionals, artists, pro athletes, working moms, you name it.
Different worlds, different problems, but the same underlying stuff keeps coming up.
What I believe
Authenticity over performance. Endurance over optimization.
Leave people better than you found them.
Refuse the flattening effect that modern life tries to impose upon us.
There’s no political slant here.
No guru BS.
Just honest stories, essays, tips and tricks from the journey so far.
The Starter Pack
One last thing.
If you’re the more visual type, I’m active on TikTok (Live often!) and Instagram.
Happy to have you here 🫶🏻
-John Abbate