Orbit #30: The Only “Lessons” Post I’ll Ever Write
There’s a certain type of post that pops up every day on social media:
“30 Things I Learned in 30 Years.”
Or 40 in 40. Or 50 in 50.
Recently, one of my favorite sports podcasts, Pardon My Take, was making fun of them - because if we’re being honest, they’re usually the same recycled checklist:
Wake up early. Hustle hard. Eat more protein. Call your mom.
You get the idea.
And look—those aren’t bad things. They’re just… predictable. And most of the time, they’re written more for the person posting than the person reading.
So I’m not writing one of those posts.
But as someone who has, on a few occasions, almost not completed orbit #30 around the sun, I do want to leave you with a few “clichés” I’m taking into the next year—because they aren’t clichés to me.
They’re real.
In 2023, I was in a near-fatal car crash. I’ve also battled alcohol abuse. Both experiences changed the way I see time, relationships, and what it means to build something that matters.
So here are three beliefs I’m carrying into this next chapter—personally and professionally.
1) Be unrealistically optimistic (then adjust if needed)
Be optimistic about the new business venture.
Be optimistic about the Buffalo Sabres.
Be optimistic about the oncoming winter weather (even if you’re setting yourself up for pain).
Here’s what I’ve learned: optimism is a choice - and can be a very well-utilized weapon.
Not the delusional kind that ignores reality. The kind where you assume things can go right until you’re forced to adjust.
A lot of people do the opposite. They pre-load themselves with doubt and disappointment as a form of protection.
But it doesn’t protect you. It just makes you smaller.
The version of me I want to be—and the type of business I’m building—starts from a simple premise:
Imagine wildly what could go right.
In marketing, this matters more than most people realize. If you assume everything will fail, you’ll never test aggressively. You’ll never run bold campaigns. You’ll never publish the content that makes you uncomfortable. You’ll never take the swings required to grow.
At 723 Marketing, we build strategies that are grounded in reality - but powered by optimism. Because growth is rarely linear, and wins don’t happen by accident.
2) Love unconditionally, and leave nothing left unsaid
Pick up the phone when someone comes to mind.
Buy flowers for your spouse.
Call your parents.
Tell someone you love them without needing a reason.
Another hard lesson from the last few years:
Life is short and fragile.
Not in the motivational-poster way. In the real way.
We’re all busy. We all have things to do. We all assume we’ll have time later.
But “later” isn’t promised.
So here’s the standard I’m trying to live by:
Leave nothing left unsaid to the people you love.
This is personal, but it’s also professional.
Because I believe businesses win long-term when they operate from the same place:
Respect
Care
Loyalty
Follow-through
It’s easy to say you’re client-first. It’s harder actually, to be client-first when you’re slammed, tired, or things get messy.
That’s the standard I’m holding myself to.
If you work with 723 Marketing, you’ll never wonder where you stand. You’ll never get ghosted. You’ll never be treated like “just another client.” You’ll get clarity, honesty, and consistent effort - because that’s what people deserve.
3) You’re significant to those you love… and a passerby to those who don’t know you
This one hit me recently in the gym.
I corrected my deadlift form thanks to the kindness of a stranger—just a quick tip. No judgment. No ego. Just help.
And it reminded me of something I think a lot of us forget:
You are equal parts:
Deeply significant to the people who love you
AND
Completely insignificant to strangers, whose indifference is simply because they don’t know you
That sounds harsh, but I mean it in the most freeing way possible.
It means:
Don’t fear judgment from people who aren’t invested in you.
Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help.
Don’t mistake “not being known yet” for “not being good enough.”
In business, this is everything.
So many people avoid growth because they don’t want to look inexperienced. They don’t want to ask questions. They don’t want to admit they don’t know something.
But here’s the truth:
Asking for help isn’t a sign of incapability.
It’s proof you’re trying to improve.
I’m taking that mindset into 30 with zero hesitation:
Asking smarter questions
Seeking mentorship
Hiring experts
Learning constantly
Staying humble enough to be coached
That’s also how we approach marketing.
We don’t pretend we know your business better than you do. We collaborate. We test. We measure. We adjust. We keep improving.
The real takeaway
Here’s what I’m focused on for the next 365 days:
Imagining wildly what could go right
Loving fiercely
Improving constantly
That’s what 30 feels like to me.
Not a finish line. Not a crisis. Not a highlight reel.
Just the next chapter - and I’m grateful to be here for it.
If you’re a business owner in Buffalo building something meaningful, I’d love to connect.
Book a free strategy call with 723 Marketing, and we’ll talk through what growth could look like for your business - without fluff, without pressure, and without wasting your time.
