Just because you’re not drinking doesn’t mean you can’t socialize. Studies show that engaging in a commitment with a partner (or three) increases your chances of succeeding greatly. If you’re thinking about spending February to get your life together, we recommend doing it with the help of a friend. Below is everything you need to have a productive and happy February. Read on to get some ideas for stuff to keep you sober (and sane) this February and then hop on Glue to find people to do it with ;)
Put all that money you will save to good use: Learn. Start. Refresh.
Learn.
Learn to code!
As Marc Andreessen said:
You never learned to code? Start here to learn what to learn.
Then take a class at General Assembly or Flatiron School . There are plenty of free options for learning to code in the next section.
Learn the thing you suck at.
It has never been easier or cheaper to learn the skill you’ve always wanted to nail. The spread of online classes from leading schools has put world-class lectures are your fingertips. However, online classes have abysmal completion rates since their students have no accountability. Get over that hump by tackling a class with that partner (s) we already talked about.
One, don’t do that. And two, you dropped a hundred and fifty grand on a education you coulda got for a dollar fifty in late charges at the Public Library. — Matt Damon AKA Will Hunting
Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, has the best advice on the topic: become very good (top 25%) at two or more things. If you add that talent to any other, suddenly you’re the boss of the people who have only one skill.
Read this Business Insider article to figure out which class to take.
Start.
Start a side project.
Hate your job? February is the perfect time to start your side project. A side project is a great way to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. Working on a project while you still have a salary gives you the flexibility of being able to pay rent while you figure out what your true calling really is.
We HIGHLY recommend doing this with another person, or group of people. Having another person keeping you honest and interested in work is one of the only ways to turn an idea into a reality. Burnout and/or the lack of motivation needed to overcome challenging obstacles along the way are both very real things….and will undoubtedly happen. Don’t think they won’t.
Below are the resources we recommend running through for brainstorming as to how to start on your side project / 5–9 / future career.
Brian Chesky Blitzscaling Session — This incredible talk where Brian Chesky (AirBnB) and Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn) talk about how Brian never wanted to be an entrepreneur, but a side project turned into AirBnB.
Tim Ferris w/ Naval Ravikant — Tim Ferris talks with Naval Ravikant, founder of AngelList and investor in Uber, Twitter, Yammer, Postmates etc… This talk walks through what it takes to start your own company; even if you have zero interest in startups or angel investing, this episode is well worth your time. This is really about the habits and beliefs of a highly successful (and happy) person.
The Startup Playbook — YCombinator is the religion of startups these days. This is their bible.
How To Start a Startup — The YCombinator guys were nice enough to host a class for Stanford about starting a startup. They recorded all the classes and put them online. We have watched all of them….twice.
Peter Thiel’s CS183 — Peter Thiel taught Stanford’s CS183 in the Spring of 2012. Blake Masters, a student with a curiously awesome name, took copious notes and generously posted them for the world. This would eventually turn into Zero to One.
Come talk to us! — We are happy to talk about how we went from full-time jobs in the corporate world to Glue. Our office is in Brooklyn, but we’re constantly in meetings in NYC…but we have free beer in Brooklyn ;) We are happy to share our advice and network to get you moving in the right direction while avoiding all the mistakes we made.
Start creating. Stop consuming.
In David Bowie’s last music video, Lazarus, he hauntingly warns of waiting to express yourself. Bowie urges you to stop constantly consuming and start creating.
Creating content has never been easier. Below are a list of easy to use tools to start creating today.
Write — Medium.com — Medium became the blog of record after The New York Times and Amazon aired their grievances on the platform instead of in their own editorial spaces. That says a lot.
Engage — Quora.com —If you’re passionate about a topic, but don’t have the time to maintain a blog, submitting questions and answers to Quora discussions is a great compromise
Pro tip: Delete instagram. Bare with me for a second. I’m not suggesting you get off the social network for good. I’m suggesting you delete the app for one month (the shortest month) and gain some of your life back. The first time you pick up your phone to check Instagram, but it’s not there, you’ll feel like you just found an extra 5 minutes for your day. Those minutes add up, and may create the time for you to….create something ;)
Refresh.
Take the time to refresh your life. Whether it be finally redecorating your apartment, refreshing your mind or body via wellness, just do it. (SINS, Nike)
Refresh your living space.
Does your apartment look like your old dorm room? Time to get it looking like a real deal grown-up lives there. Trust me, it will feel good.
Fuego — Their affordable art project has great stuff for getting started. Brooklyn
Objectify — They won NY Mag’s Best Affordable Wall Art Award. Awesome selection of table books too. LES
Furnish Green — Awesome, but affordable second hand furniture. This place is cheaper than Ikea, but its real furniture with some character. Best for: picking up a new coffee table. Flatiron
MoMA Design Store SoHo — Unique stuff galore. More than just a print of your favorite piece hanging at the MoMA. If you like design and architecture than check it out. SoHo
Furniture with A Soul — The name says it all. Shabby chic furniture for cheap. Union Square
Coming Soon — Weird, but endearing collection of smaller objects for around the apartment. LES
Refresh your body.
A lot of people go to the gym… at least some. A lot of people take a class or two… here and there. But the majority of people fail to stay on a regimented schedule. Whether its because a routine can be boring or you don’t have a partner to push you, it is easy to fall off course. With your new February outlook, grab a buddy and try something new — mix it up.
We suggest trying Cyc Fitness. Cyc is a relatively new method of beat based, full-body fitness on a bike. They have two awesome studios in NYC, and as a kicker, the awesome peeps at Cyc are offering 20% off to everyone in the Glue community during the month of February; simply use discount code “Glue4692”.
Refresh your mind.
Meditation is one of those practices that everyone is aware of, and most are likely intrigued by, but seldomly try out. Many think its tough to do, or you need a full Buddhist monk’s outfit not to stick out (like this guy), but its not tough to try, and you don’t need a Halloween costume. Again, just do it.
This spot just opened in the East Village and has been getting great reviews. It is aimed at making beginners feel welcome…and chic, which isn’t not important. It’s also only $15. Learn there, then take your practice home for free!
We hope you enjoyed this post and maybe inspired you to consider a new type of February. And again, come see us in Brooklyn…we can swap the beer out for herbal green tea.
