I turn 28 today and am reflecting on “things I know for sure or have learned in 28 years”. Really appreciate this video! Lots of great insight

SUMMARY NOTES: 00:11 - Setting intentional defaults - Ali talks about the importance of setting intentional defaults in order to improve your life. - One default to consider is how you spend your spare time. - Instead of defaulting to work, try defaulting to reconnecting with friends or doing something intentional with relationships. - He has been testing this out over the last few weeks and has found it to be beneficial. 02:14 - Lowering the bar - The idea of lowering the bar is helpful for dealing with procrastination because it allows you to get started. - If you are struggling with procrastination, it is likely because your standards are too high. - Telling yourself to lower the bar and embrace mediocrity can help you get started. - Once you get started, it is easier to continue going. 03:25 - Embracing mediocrity in certain areas - We cannot do everything and we need to accept mediocrity in some areas. - Oliver Bergman's book "Four Thousand Weeks" talks about this idea. - We should focus on what is important to us and let go of the things that are not. - This can help reduce stress and anxiety in our lives. 04:52 - Living with a background music track - Ali suggests that listening to background music can help increase energy levels. - He finds that when he doesn't have background music, his energy levels are lower. - Music can help with focus and concentration. - Having background music can make life more fun and high energy. 06:12 - Consistency and quantity generally leads to quality - Consistency and quantity leads to quality. - This is a standard life lesson that everyone who is aware of personal development and stuff knows, but always needs reminding of. - You need to just do a lot of something in order to get good at it. - This can be applied to things like making videos, writing songs, or even going to the gym. - As long as you've done at least one thing that counts towards your goal, that's a win. 07:18 - Quantity and consistency lead to creativity -Quantity and consistency leads to creativity. -The more you do the thing, the more creativity flows from you. - In order to be creative, you have to let all of the crap flow out first. - Doing anything daily makes me way more creative than I would be otherwise. 08:08 - Sending physical thank you notes feels good - Sending physical thank you notes feels good for both the sender and the recipient. - There is something about a handwritten note that makes it extra special. - Students in KZfaqr Academy love receiving handwritten notes from their teachers. - Sending physical thank you notes is a great way to make someone's day. - Writing thank you notes is a small but impactful gesture that can make a big difference in someone's life. 08:34 - Planning and doing are two different modes of operating - Planning and doing are two different modes of operation. - It is hard to get started if you try to be the pilot and the plane at the same time in the same sitting. - Procrastination can be beaten by separating planning and doing. - Coming up with a plan before starting something can help you execute better when you're in the middle of it. 09:42 - Choosing to be satisfied - It’s better to choose to feel satisfied with one's accomplishments at the end of the day, rather than beating oneself up for not having done more. - Feeling dissatisfied with one's progress does not lead to increased productivity the next day. - Choosing to feel satisfied instead can lead to a positive spiral of feeling good about one's progress. - Feeling dissatisfied with one's accomplishments can be a negative spiral that leads to less productive days. 10:52 - Move towards things that energise rather than drain - We should try to move towards things that energize us, rather than things that drain us. - This can be a useful mental model for making decisions about how we spend our time. - If we have the option, we should choose things that energize us over things that drain us. - This can help us to enjoy our time more and feel more motivated. 12:10 - Fantasy fiction books are amazing - Fantasy fiction books are amazing and can transport you to another world. - The Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson is a great place to start. - Stardust by Neil Gaman is also a great choice. - Anything by Brandon Sanderson is next level and not to be missed. 12:41 - Use a face towel - A face towel should be used to wipe your face instead of a shower towel because the shower towel can harbor bacteria. - Since using a face towel, Ali has found that their skin is clearer with less breakouts. - Pat drying with a hand can work in a pinch if a face towel isn't available. -This tip was life-changing for Ali 13:31 - Skincare compounds over time - The earlier you start caring for your skin, the better your skin will look as you age. - A proper skincare routine should include sun cream, moisturizer, and retinoid. - Cleanser is an optional extra. 15:27 - Try to wake up at the same time every day - The importance of maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. - How this can help to regulate the body's natural circadian rhythms. - The benefits of getting a good night's sleep. - How this can help to improve energy levels and overall health. 16:21 - Don’t keep your phone on the bedside table - Having your phone on the other side of the room, instead of by your bedside, can change your life. - This forces you to get out of bed in order to switch your alarm off, making it more likely that you'll actually get up when you want to. - You can use a Kindle instead of your phone at night so you're not tempted to scroll through social media before bed. - Doing this has helped people establish a better sleep routine and stick to it. 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I’ve learned so much from you over the years and it’s incredible to see how much you’ve grown. I hope you had an incredible birthday and an even better year 🥳💜

He’s so productive, his 28 minute long video is only 27 minutes long.

I really can't believe Ali the amount of progress you've made on this KZfaq channel and providing value to your audience. KZfaq is blessed with creators like you. Following you since the "How to type fast" video

Can't believe Ali is only a 28-year-old. You have grown up so fast and thanks for your informative videos which always teach and inspire me whenever I am confused. I really appreciate it.Happy birthday.

The vibe of this video is so wholesome. It feels like a get together with a friend at a park and having one of those quality conversations. Happy 28th birthday Ali!

"Embrace mediocrity" this thing changed my mindset and make me realize how big mistake i was doing. Thank you so much brother. Love from Pakistan ❤️

I was so mesmerized and blown away by some thoughts in this video that I haven't even noticed how half an hour passed, and it came to an end. I need another one, preferably an hour long, with you casually ruminating about life :D But, honestly, thank you! You gave me a lot of food for thought on how I manage some areas of my life. The one about consistency and quantity leading to quality and creativity is the greatest of them all. Wish you all the best 🌸

Great stuff Ali! Learned a ton from you over the past 2 years :)

This video has been one of your best! I actually love how casual this is. I think I'll revisit this video every quarter for some great reminders. I love how you stress that relationships are important on this channel. Thanks for all you do Ali! I'm glad to have your influence on my life. Cheers to 28 years of intentional living!

Happy birthday Ali.. I have also turned 28 last week.. but you have achieved that all what I can dream right now.. you are inspiration to millions.. keep going

1. Setting intentional defaults 2. Lowering the bar 3. Embracing mediocrity 4. Living life with background music 5. Consistency and quantity leads to quality and creativity 6. Sending physical thank you notes 7. Planning and doing are different modes of operation 8. Choosing to be satisfied 9. Move towards things that energize you 10. Fantasy fiction books are amazing 11. Use a face towel 12. Skincare compounds over time 13. Trying to wake and sleep at the same time 14. Not have phone on nightstand 15. Don’t press the “try harder” button 16. Monetizing your passions can be fun 17. Monetizing your passions can not be fun 18. It’s ok to leave a party without saying goodbye 19. Enjoy each day on its own merit 20. Everyone is friendly, but go first 21. Successful people underinvest in relationships 22. Morning exercise feels great 23. The sting of rejection is better than the pain of regret 24. Read 1 star reviews of your favorite books 25. Travel on trains 26. Journey before destination Apparently I missed 2 😂

Congrats on turning 28. You have been such an inspiration to my daughter. God bless you. Love from 🇮🇳

You’re 28 - and you changed my life in a few minutes with video “How writing online made a millionaire”. After that, I started my blog. Months later, I started on Twitter, when I got exposed to incredible business opportunities, friends, and nearly 2k audience. Keep inspiring 🙏

I can sense PURE wisdom here Ali. Been following you for a lifetime now and there’s sth in you that has changed. Maybe its the maturity that comes with age or the perspective towards life in general. But whatever it is, you LOOK more at home with yourself and your thoughts. And I’m all here for it ! 😄

Thanks man! This is not the average life lesson video. I’m turning 22 soon and you gave me some really useful input about self expectations, daily routines, personal relationships and so on. Keep it up!

Same age squad

This video honestly feels like a breath of fresh air, don’t get me wrong the sitdown videos at your home/studio are great too but this one feels like talking a walk through a park with an old friend and just talking about stuff… also I’ve been following you since last 3 years and as someone who is studying to get into medical school your videos have been a HUGE help, not just academically but whole mindset wise too, sometimes you’ll say the simplest and obvious thing during an video and I just go “why didn’t I think of it like THAT?”… idk if you’ll even read this but if you do then know that you’ve had a really big impact on my life… happy belated 28th birthday Ali!

Love the point about investing in friendships and relationships; the analogy with a bank account and the 20 years thing. Beautifully articulated and I totally resonate with the same.

So much wisdom packed into 28 years! I’m a year younger and I’ve been watching for years! I truly believe you’ve helped so many people with all the knowledge you share! You’ve certainly helped me! Thank you and Happy birthday btw 🥳

"Moving towards the things that energizes you rather than drain" I do not actually agree to this, as I have followed this law in my life and it was only later I realized I was straying further away from Growth zone and slowly entering my COMFORT ZONE. I used to avoid parties, meetups, dates, as I said to myself I would rather listen to music which energizes myself. But its only later I realized the importance of going out of your COMFORT zone, your cozy little bubble, break out of the mediocrity and PUT yourself out there, might suck at first, but that's the point! sticking to your comforts blinds us. BESDIES that, it was an absolute banger of a video, GREAT lessons, my god this will really help the younger aswell as the older ones. THANK you ALi, GODBLESS.

Happy Birthday Ali!!! You are one of the most inspiring and sincere youtubers, and I have learned a lot from you, I am grateful that found your channel!

Love this type of chatty video. I'm excited to see where you are in 5 years per your email about where you'd like to be in life😉"Embrace mediocrity." Love that. Handwritten notes are one of the simplest pleasures in life. Agreed about enjoying each day as it comes instead of fixating on how much better it'll be in the future. Such sage words, Ali. Thanks for sharing!

Don't press the "try harder" button - it is the best one from this video. That's literally what I have been doing for the last almost 3 years, and my productivity didn't increase. Now I know why 😅 Thanks for sharing this video Ali; all the tips are amazing!

Holy! The „lower the bar“ is exactly what I’m trying to establish in my life right now, motivated by the book „atomic habits“ -> make the habit EASIER. Exactly as you mentioned for me now running one step is the measure for success. Before I always was blocked by too high expectations which lead to procrastination and not running at all! Thanks for the video!

Happy birthday & year ! What helped me with procrastination : “ I don’t have to do this perfect, I just have to get it done” - started with vacuuming and cleaning but it carried over to other important tasks. “ my future self will thank me.”

Happy birthday Ali, can’t say how much your vids mean to me and have helped me through the years in university and recently starting my own KZfaq channel.. You’re the best!

I turn 28 tomorrow, it's scary, I feel like I haven't done much with my life... I am learning and I will do my best to achieve my best life, amazing video. Greetings from Mexico!!

Alternate title- Ali Abdaal becoming more of a human and switching off from the robot mode. So glad to see him this way. He was amazing the other way too but this version of him is so nice too. 😄 Happy Birthday Ali Abdaal!! Wishing the best for you. Thank you for the content you put out there. It has been really helpful. May you find more joy and love throughout your life. ❤

Hi Ali, really enjoyed this style of video, just you, your voice and the ambience of nature or some nice garden, 10/10!

I turned 18 recently and it was fun watching 28 Life lessons I will try to apply them and come up with some other good Life lessons when I'll be 28... Wonderful Video ,Happy birthday !!!

I've watched you for 5 years and you're more of an older brother to me, in the absence of an actual one. Thank you for sharing your thoughts (with us in mind) and showing the realities of your life, overcoming them throughout the years, never hesitating to admit your mistakes and embracing limitations yet striving to constantly improve ourselves. Happy 28th, kuya Ali! May you keep blessing others with what you do best!

Ali - I think you follow an incredible strategy of inspiration, keep transforming - do the hard/new stuff, do it in a fun way & keep doing it consistently. We all are here following you along. Bless you a good health and mind.

Ali of all ur videos ...Everytime you talk of the lessons you have learnt, that's where I learn the most please continue making these kind of videos thank you

Your videos are indeed comforting. Sooo much comfort. Its just like talking to a friend. It gives me so much butterfly.

Loved seeing your channel grow overtime. You are incredibly generous with the information you offer to others. I certainly found encouragement in starting my own channel after listening to your videos, and definitely found I had been procrastinating while convincing myself it needed to be perfect before starting! So I completely agree with your point about lowering the bar. Loved the point about refocusing that default time to improving the relationship in your life also.

Literally just discovered you post-breakup, going into my senior year of high school, applying to colleges, and turning 18 in one month, and all I can say is wow. You have helped me more than you can ever know. Thank you to the moon and back!! 🫂 🙏💫

hey Ali, just wanted to say u were a big Inspiration for me the past 2 years. For sure if I hadn't stumbled on your channel I wouldn't have gotten into the 2 top universities in Pakistan. Stay blessed and thanks a ton. :p

Ali, you're my role model. Thank you for your videos.

Something on your energy level around the house: it could be just living in London is a lot more energy consuming than Cambridge too. You don't really realise it but when you live in a megacity like London there are so much going on it just gets to you. Verses a quieter life in a more rural area/town, it is apparent if you get away for a while and come back.

I can listen to you for hours.. thank you for being raw and honest with us ❤❤

I like that your intentional default is building relations and reconnecting. People often say they have no time for that well in fact they just don't opt to have time. I am one of them. I usually say to myself to reply later to messages and tend to forget or in my mind I thought I already replied. But I want to change that. Thank you for sharing these valuable life lessons.

Choosing to be satisfied.. I like that. Happy bday Ali.

9:42 - 10:52 This!! Exactly how I have been feeling lately. Thank you for this video

i was promised 28 minutes. i’m really missing out on the 26 seconds that could’ve made me successful in life Ali. jokes aside, good video, and happy birthday!

28 lessons from 28 years in 28 minutes (not exactly but around) Love your content by the way😁

You're so skilled and friendly, it's really pleasant and helpful to watch your videos.

Ali's Happy birthday treat to us are these life lesson videos and the only gift we can give him for all these years is just by liking this Video 🥳💜

So relateable when he said I can't reply to WA msgs. Really shows that he struggles with relationships. I also struggle.

I am sharing this with everyone I know and i am going to start every day watching this. Thank you so much. -a 20 yr old struggling w procrastination in college

Journey before destination always sticks with me the best. Live in the moment.

Happy birthday Ali, like others I have also learned so much from you and I can’t even tell you that how grateful I am. Thank you so much. May god bless you.

Happy birthday! I just turned 27 :) You’re really an inspiration, thank you for sharing so much helpful and meaningful content.

Happy birthday bro You are my inspiration Keep growing

Happy birthday, Ali! Thank you for being such an inspiration! Hope you had a wonderful birthday

Happy birthday man! I have learned a lot of things from you and hoping to learn more in the future. Have a great day!

Changing lives forever till the end of time. Been along for the journey since the early days.

Totally agree, sometimes we feel bad/ not ready/ not today to do what we are supposed to do and leave it later. But what if we feel bad as well in the future time? Hence, force yourself to work on it and treat yourself better for a moment to motivate yourself to stick on it.

Happy Birthday Ali. You have always been my inspiration

I think it is late, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALI🎉🎉🎊🎊 This video is very insightful learned a lot from this video.

"Journey before destination". Thanks for your videos. My life have changed since I started to watch your channel. Wish you good luck man! 👍

Happy birthday Ali Abdaal!

One of my favorite channel thank you Ali

Humble request. Please don’t stop making these kind of candid videos. They may not make you numbers but it helps to connect with you on a more personal level and isn’t that what we are all here for.

Taking initiatives with social interactions like friendships actually often leads to people taking your time for granted, a lot of the time you just end up with entitled friendships. I would add: get a sidekick involved and rotate that sidekick, people won't respond well to bossing around or assigning tasks, but they almost always respond to a "help me make this fun" approach

Thanks Ali, I did a workout while I listened when I really didn’t want to. Also, thanks for mentioning trains, they’re fantastic in so many ways and a super cool and relaxing way to travel 🥰

Thanks for sharing these life lessons, I am glad the algorithm led me to you. I hve been a Big fan since the anki days, I have also been listening to not overthinking pod. I wish you a happy birthday.

I love this!! Love you Ali. Learning so much from your Part Time KZfaq Academy. Got me to put my first short up and my long video is going up today or tomorrow. I’ve really been on the fence about going live with my channel since I’m a Hollywood attorney who is still practicing but creating and being creative sparks so much joy in me and putting myself out there is so scary but I finally feel alive. Truly, without you and Elizabeth and your whole team encouraging us on I think I would’ve been stuck in my perfectionist loop for another six months (or forever) before my first long video got done. Your Academy is so amazing I would recommend it to anybody and everybody and I am going to do a video on it. You’re such a genuine and good hearted person. I’m so grateful to have met you because you helped me start my KZfaq journey.

Learned a lot from this vid thnx Ali. Also love the vlog style vids.

Hi Ali your videos are great all time I am in Africa and your videos help and inspire me all the time thanks ..keep it up...

I just came across your channel and I’m so glad I did. This video was amazing!!

This video inspired me to start and finish my next blog post, thanks!

It’ll get better, if it’s not already, Ali. You’ll be back! Thank you!!

Honestly one of my favorite videos by you thus far, and I really love the conversation-esc setup it has to it. Outdoors give it a more free-flowing feel. Well done!

This is inspiring! I made a similar video a couple weeks back when I turned 25 and was just thinking about what other lessons I will learn in a couple of years time 😁 amazing to be able to learn from someone a couple of steps ahead! Thank you!

Wow. This is fantastic. I'm bookmarking this to play it - replay it periodically in order to recall all these tips. 🥰 I'm going to share this...

Happy 28th Birthday! Excellent video!!!! More of this format please. :)

Ali... you just helped me in every part of my life. Studies, work, life, self-love and even in songwriting! 😂 Thank you! 💜 Wish you a happy birthday and hope you always keep growing as you always do!

Finished med-school , have millions of followers on social media and You are only 28 years old? Now i feel like a failure! Hahaha i guess that’s why they are called self improvement channels🤪 Love you Ali ✌️

Good video as always! I'm so grateful for finding your channel, this was the cornerstone to me starting my Tech youtube channel and becoming a software engineer and data scientist. I'll keep watching your future videos!

I relate to this SO SO soooo much!! Lowering the bar for me that helped me a ton! my perfectionistic tendency can be crippling and way worse than delivering and submitted a supposedly "sub-par" quality paper.

I'm a new subscriber from PH! These past few days you are the only channel i binge-watch for my learnings. Thank you virtual mentor~~ Cheers!

I subscribed like 5 days ago and he is already my favorite subscription

I remember meeting you in clin comm skills training Ali and being so surprised at your friendliness and invitation to eat lunch with the other young doctors - me a middle ages nurse. Haven't forgotten you and good to see your work is going so well 😄

Thank you Dr. Ali for making such a wonderful video and sharing the knowledge and wisdom with us. Some of them are useful for me in this situation. Hope you make many more videos like this. Happy birthday

I'm one of those who started mistborn because of your recommendation and loved Sanderson's work ever since, so thank you for that

Ali you probably won't see this, but I really needed this video and I absolutely loved your tips! Thank you!!! Also, Sanderson is amazing and Mistborn is definitely up there as one of the greatest fantasy series :)

Hi Ali👋🏼 I’m not an English speaker. I remember first time I saw your video, I thought that “omg you talk really fast!” After 6 months watching your videos, l read more books, start a KZfaq channel, and do things that l never think I’ll done before. And My English improved as well😆 thank you for sharing these helpful ideas. Happy birthday 🎂 (I love the face tower part lolll)

Happy Birthday Ali Sir, Love you from India 🇮🇳

Thank you again for this video. ✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️ and thank you for being genuine 👍

One of my most favorite videos of yours to date.

Congrats on your 28 Ali! You've been a great inspiration, keep it up :)

I've always tend to mix planning and doing. I have proven it to myself so many times: that's not effective. And even so, it's way hard for me to decide doing something and then just execute the order

Thank you very much Ali for these inspiring words. Worth every second. Thank you so much for spreading spirit and hope to those who are struggling with themselves. May God shower you with everlasting happiness.

This video is AMAZING. Thanks for a great walk with you 😉

Happy Birthday Ali!!!!!

Happy birthday Ali from Abdul Ali. Wishing you only the best.

17. Monetising your hobbies can be a lot of fun. E.g. magic tricks Social skills improve @ a party or a ball. This can give us greater autonomy 18. Monetising your passion can take some of the fun away. E.g. (What money can’t buy) When money is the main reason for doing something It can be less fun. 19. It’s totally ok to leave a party without saying goodbye. Retirement is when you are not sacrificing today for a hope of tomorrow. 20. Try and enjoy each day on its own merit.

5. Consistency and quantity usually leads to quality. E.g. with songwriting : quantity leads to quality. Same with the Gym 💪 6. Quantity and consistency lead to creativity. The more you do a thing the more creativity flows out of you . E.g. get all the junk out first 7. Sending physical ‘thankyou’ notes feels really good For you and me! E.g. to friends 8. Planning and doing are two different things. E.g. be the pilot for the first part of the day Then the plane ✈️ for the rest of the day. (have a plan!) separate it from Doing