Chapter 23: How To Build A Life You Love

Disclaimer: This might piss you off, or it might inspire the hell out of you.

Let’s dive in.

99% of people are asking the wrong question:

But balance is overrated.

It implies compromise. Caution. Playing small.

The better question?

The one where your natural curiosity gives you an unfair advantage.

The one where others burn out, but you could keep going for hours.

That’s your thing.

You’re Uniquely Qualified for Something

I fundamentally believe everyone has a unique edge.

Something they’re wired for.

A weird obsession. A natural curiosity.

A life experience that gave them perspective most people don’t have.

Your job isn’t to chase someone else’s version of success.

It’s to find the thing you’re uniquely built to do — and double down.

Here’s what that can look like:

1. Michael Phelps and His Flying Fish Body

Michael Phelps wasn’t just a talented swimmer — he was built for it.

Double-jointed elbows.

A torso 8 inches longer than average.

Size 14 feet.

And he produces half the lactic acid of a normal human.

He was born to glide through water.

But more importantly — he found it.

He leaned in.

He trained like a savage.

Result? 23 Olympic gold medals.

2. Shaan Puri and the Anti-CEO Path

Shaan built and sold a tech company… and realized he didn’t want to be a CEO anymore.

So what’d he do?

He became a podcaster and investor.

He shoots the shit with his buddy Sam Parr on My First Million.

Midway through, he plugs HubSpot.

And just like that — he’s built a 7-figure media business doing something he’d probably do for free.

Why?

Because he found his thing.

3. Miss Excel and Her Spreadsheet Empire

Miss Excel (Kat Norton) makes $2M+ a year teaching Excel on the internet.

She loves it.

Personally? I hate Excel.

But to her? It’s flow. It’s fun. It’s effortless.

She’s not grinding through a career that sounds cool on LinkedIn.

She’s teaching what lights her up — and building a business around it.

What This Looks Like for Me

I’m not trying to live a normal life.

I’m also not trying to build the next tech unicorn.

I’m designing a life where I have the flexibility and freedom to work on things I care about — every day.

I’m obsessed with stories & content strategy.

I’m obsessed with hats & unique businesses.

I’m obsessed with adventure, exploration, and freedom.

So I’m doing something about it.

My plan:

→ I’m turning stories into leverage — and helping others do the same.

→ I’m exploring hosting one of a kind retreats & making hats I wish existed.

→ I’m building businesses that are basically just me, pushed out to the world.

I don’t have all the answers.

But I do have a vision — and I’m betting on it.

Try This Today

Instead of asking “How do I find balance?”

Ask:

• What feels like fun to me, but looks like work to other people?

• What have I always been oddly good at or interested in?

• What are people willing to pay for?

Now take one small step in that direction.

Post about it. Teach it. Build something around it.

That first step won’t solve everything.

But it will get you moving in the right direction.

Remember — most people overestimate what they can do in a year…

But underestimate what they can do in a decade.

Start playing the long-term game.

What do you want your life to look like 3–5 years from now?

Start designing that reality.

Wrapping Up

The people who win long term?

They’re not forcing it.

They’re playing a game they’re built to win.

They find the thing that feels like play to them — and like work to everyone else.

Then they go all in.

So stop trying to win someone else’s game.

And start building around who you already are — quirks, obsessions, and all.

Rooting for ya,

—Dodds

P.S if this idea resonates and you want to dive deeper on this topic — read this and this. two blogs from Shaan Puri that inspired this week’s letter.