The 85 Year Old Question

Dear Andre,

Question to ponder: What would 85 year old Andre wish current Andre did today?

Side note: If you could help a young man murder his fear of perfectionism and help him start a business, and it cost you nothing would you do it? That’s the cause you join when you leave a review for Just Start.

the adventure of a lifetime begins with a question:

Let me tell you the story.

He asked me a question I wasn’t prepared for.

“Do you want to go to brazil with me? There’s a group of us going, you should join us!”

I didn’t know what to say. I was planning 2026, and wasn’t sure if adding this trip was wise.

And after thinking.

“is now the right time?”

and thinking.

“that’s a lot of money”

AND MORE THINKING (do you see the trend here?!)

I asked myself a simple question that gave me incredible clarity:

What would 85 year old Daniel wish current Daniel did?

and yet even KNOWING what I’d say… it was still SO hard to get myself to pull the trigger and commit

But I knew the answer.

go to brazil when Gustavo invited me.

He’s invested in making sure I have the best time. What more could I want?

It’s not the perfect time. I was uncertain as to if I should or shouldn’t go.

but that question? it makes the choice obvious. I would regret saying NO, far more than saying yes. That’s signal. Listen to it.

And I realized while talking with my mom today that this is a pattern.

I’ve had 4 friends invite me to visit them in the last 13 months. Hawaii (2 different friends), Czech Republic, and now Brazil. (and I have 2 open invites to DC and puerto rico that I’m trying to fit in this year too)

And honestly, none of them were “the right time.” but each time, when it would be easier to say no, I’ve said yes…

But they don’t always work out. I thought I’d get to live in hawaii for a month at the beginning of 2025. that plan fell through (I’d already bought plane tickets). Kind of a bummer. :/

But I ended up seeing my brother instead and that was amazing too. just different than what I expected.

I had a mentor of mine tell me last year. “I’ve never regretted the traveling I did.”

Every time it changes me. Helps me see the world from a new perspective. Gives me a new way to connect with people from a culture that used to be foreign, and now feels familiar. Sharing meals. Sharing stories.

I also work way harder knowing I have a trip coming up. My biggest months in business often are when I travel. I manage to compress SO much work into the little time I do have available. I worked 11 hours last saturday and during the superbowl. so there are trade offs to make these things work.

but next time you’re facing a hard choice. Talk to 85 year old you.

That age seems to be quite grounding for what actually matters in the end.

in the end? it’s all about people.

Do you have people around you at the end of your life?

People > Everything.

Well, by the time you’re reading this I’m somewhere in brazil.

Adios.

PS this newsletter marks two years since I became a writer. If you’ve been here since the beginning or just are starting… thank you. I’m in awe that this is my life. The people, the business, the book, the things I get to do… I remind myself that this is what a younger me dreamed of. So if this message resonated with you please forward this to a guy in his 20’s who needs to hear this message. that you can have an Idea, experiment, and just start. (without being perfect first)