How to Get a Life
Discover the essential steps to transform your life and find true fulfillment. This guide will help you get a life worth living, inspired by wisdom from thought leaders and practical strategies.
Getting a life isn’t luck. It’s a skill you can learn and design.
Naval Ravikant—entrepreneur, philosopher, and angel investor—didn’t just build companies. He built a life of freedom, clarity, and joy. His philosophy blends ancient wisdom with modern practicality. Here’s how to do the same.
1. Redefine “Getting a Life”
Most people think “getting a life” means checking off milestones—career, marriage, possessions. It doesn’t.
Naval’s wisdom: “The purpose of life is to get away from purpose.”
A fulfilling life isn’t about chasing endless goals. It’s about living by your own values, not someone else’s checklist.
Action step:
List three things that truly matter to you—and three things society tells you should matter but don’t.
Delete the second list from your mental operating system.
2. Set Clear Intentions, Not Just Goals
Goals can enslave you to the future. Intentions free you in the present.
Naval’s quote: “Desire is a contract you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want.”
Instead of saying “I’ll be happy when,” say “I choose to live aligned now.”
Action step:
Every morning, set one intention for how you want to show up—calm, creative, curious. Let your behavior follow from that.
3. Prioritize Mental and Physical Health
Your mind and body are your ultimate leverage.
Naval’s insight: “A fit body, a calm mind, a house full of love. These things cannot be bought—they must be earned.”
No external success matters if you’re burnt out or anxious.
Action steps:
- Move your body daily. Resistance training and walking are underrated longevity tools.
- Meditate or journal to declutter your mind.
- Eat real food, sleep deeply, and quit doomscrolling.
Read: The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson and Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker.
4. Build Authentic Relationships
Wealth without connection is poverty.
Naval’s wisdom: “Be present above all else.”
The less you need from people, the more you can love them freely.
Action steps:
- Ask better questions. People open up when they feel seen.
- Listen without waiting to reply.
- Remove anyone who drains your energy or feeds your ego.
Read: The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi & Fumitake Koga.
5. Find Your Ikigai
Ikigai is your reason for being—the point where what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what pays you intersect.
Naval’s quote: “Find three hobbies: one to make you money, one to keep you in shape, and one to be creative.”
Key principle: True wealth is freedom—the ability to spend your time doing meaningful work.
Action step:
Map your Ikigai: write four circles labeled Passion, Talent, Demand, and Income. Find the overlap.
Read: Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles.
6. Embrace Discomfort and Uncertainty
Growth never happens in comfort.
Naval’s insight: “Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life.”
Every time you avoid discomfort, you choose stagnation.
Action step:
Do one thing every week that makes you uncomfortable—pitch an idea, speak in public, or take a cold shower. It’s exposure therapy for your potential.
Read: The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.
7. Practice Radical Self-Acceptance
You can’t change what you refuse to acknowledge.
Naval’s wisdom: “Self-esteem is just the reputation you have with yourself.”
Hard truth: No one is coming to fix you—and that’s liberation.
Action step:
Write an honest self-inventory: strengths, flaws, fears. Accept every part. Self-acceptance isn’t self-complacency—it’s the foundation for growth.
Read: The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer.
The Ultimate Hack: Consistency
You don’t need extreme effort once. You need steady effort daily.
Naval’s quote: “All the returns in life, whether in wealth, relationships, or knowledge, come from compound interest.”
Consistency compounds. Systems outlast motivation.
Action step:
Design small, repeatable habits that reinforce your values—journaling, reflection, gratitude. Measure your life by alignment, not achievement.
How Life Note Helps You Build a Life That Feels Like Yours
At Life Note, we’ve built a system for people who want to live intentionally—not reactively.
Define Your Life Goals
Craft your why—what kind of life you want to live. The app helps you turn vague dreams into clear direction.
Journal with Great Minds
Reflect with AI mentors like Naval Ravikant or Marcus Aurelius, who offer wisdom to help you realign with your values.
Stay Consistent
Track your reflections and progress over time. Life Note keeps your habits visible—because what gets written, grows.
Don’t just exist. Design your life consciously.
Start journaling with Life Note today → mylifenote.ai
Recommended Reading
- The Almanac of Naval Ravikant — Eric Jorgenson
- Ikigai — Héctor García & Francesc Miralles
- The War of Art — Steven Pressfield
- The Untethered Soul — Michael A. Singer
- Atomic Habits — James Clear
