Ryan Gomez
List of Healthy, Worthwhile Habits
List of Healthy, Worthwhile Habits
Ryan Gomez
Special thanks to Nicky for reminding me to do this video! This video outlines a comprehensive system for building healthy, intentional habits to improve your quality of life. It covers essential practices like journaling, deep work, and mindfulness, while identifying destructive habits to avoid for better focus and well-being.
List of Healthy, Worthwhile Habits
Ryan Gomez
Special thanks to Nicky for reminding me to do this video! This video outlines a comprehensive system for building healthy, intentional habits to improve your quality of life. It covers essential practices like journaling, deep work, and mindfulness, while identifying destructive habits to avoid for better focus and well-being.
Chapters
00:00
Introduction to Intentional Living
The philosophy of intentional living and building a system for personal progress.
02:24
Writing and Journaling
03:34
Deep Learning Habits
05:21
Mindfulness and Observation
06:40
Productivity Systems
07:43
Health and Lifestyle
09:40
Enhancing Focus
13:01
Advanced Habits
14:53
Overcoming Bad Habits
16:56
Destructive Behaviors
18:47
Final Thoughts
Transcript
00:06
List of Healthy, Worthwhile Habits this post was Last updated on 8 August 2026.
00:16
All below is insightful, despite free will being an illusion.
00:21
Strange, I know.
00:23
this is a system, not a script.
00:26
The goal is not perfection.
00:28
It's deliberate, reasonable progress.
00:33
One change, one improvement, one better decision at a time.
00:40
Little wins add up and multiply into worthwhile change for the better.
00:47
Adapt the guidance to your unique circumstances.
00:52
Make it your own.
00:54
What's essential is not rigidity but intention.
00:58
Flexibility encouraged.
01:00
Keep evolving the foundation.
01:07
You're screwed if you think this first list is unrealistic or impossible.
01:16
Step by step, it's up to you to improve your habits, lifestyle or not.
01:24
One day at a time.
01:26
You decide if you want to live a high quality life or not.
01:31
Unless you were born into a North Korean concentration camp or something like that, the habits below are crucial.
01:41
This system will help you live more intentionally and deliberately.
01:47
To be more intentional is not about being rigid or too strict.
01:54
to be more intentional is to empower yourself to lead a more enjoyable, higher quality, meaningful life.
02:02
To live the best possible life available to you.
02:05
This sincere journey is not just good for you, it's good for society.
02:14
Live for genuine progress, not regression.
02:24
Number one Writing, Note taking and journaling.
02:30
This is critical thinking.
02:32
Practice reflecting on and reviewing your notes.
02:36
Writing, journaling.
02:38
That's introspection and effortful recall.
02:43
Remembering things with an effort.
02:47
This kind of practice of exercising your mind is crucial.
02:56
When an individual is more thoughtful and capable of original insight, he or she is much more likely to work hard in the right direction rather than work blindly on the wrong things.
03:11
He or she will adapt as needed.
03:13
No one is a God.
03:15
No one has a magical, crystal ball.
03:18
Fundamentally, figuring things out is up to each and every individual to do for himself or herself.
03:34
I suggest reading Precision.
03:36
It's about choosing your battles wisely, prioritizing what is urgent and important with the limited time and energy that you have.
03:50
Next reading nonfiction paper books.
03:53
This is to practice learning deeply and increase attention span.
04:00
Especially in a society where attention span is, very poor, generally speaking.
04:11
Print out this post or handwrite it on paper.
04:16
Mark it up with your own notes.
04:18
Tape it on the wall.
04:20
Get the physical version of the chimp paradox by Dr.
04:23
Steve Peters.
04:24
I have a writing about, that as well on this site.
04:30
It's about how the emotional parts of your brain can either be your best friend or your worst enemy.
04:39
That's the paradox.
04:41
It can be your Best friend.
04:42
If you know how to manage it, if you know how to influence it, if you're self aware and you're a good parent to it, so to speak, or owner of it, like a owner is to a dog.
04:59
Read the summaries of Cal Newport's books Deep Work and Slow Productivity.
05:06
He's one of the best authors on focus.
05:09
How to focus in a world that is so distracted.
05:15
He's been writing for years.
05:20
Next.
05:21
Observing your thoughts with patience and without judgment.
05:26
This is mindfulness.
05:27
Noticing the details, the ability to tolerate boredom.
05:32
Offline blocks.
05:33
Offline blocks being like long periods of time where you don't use technology.
05:39
silence, imagination and deep thought.
05:45
Sitting by the window, looking outside and just letting yourself think.
05:53
Watch the Don't Try to Be Mindful TED Talk by Darren Larson.
06:01
Being mindful is in large part about observing.
06:08
So in that respect you don't have to try to be mindful.
06:13
It's, it's a matter of noticing details and embracing the moment for all its detail, without judgment.
06:25
So the video goes into the TED talk goes into detail about that.
06:32
Highly recommend it to watch.
06:34
Don't Try to Be Mindful by Darren Larson.
06:39
Next.
06:40
Wearing earplugs to cancel out noise.
06:42
Distractions doesn't have to be daily.
06:45
So if you really need to focus, and sometimes this is the case, not every day do you need to do this.
06:53
But if you put in earplugs, the silicone ones or reusable ones, or even just like noise canceling Bluetooth earbuds, it helps you focus deeply because your mind is like in complete silence and you're able to focus on your thoughts and different ideas.
07:19
This is crucial.
07:24
Next, using lists just like this one to focus, prioritize and organize your mind.
07:33
Walking and or running outside in the sun, keeping your home organized, neat and tidy.
07:43
Eating healthy sources of protein and fat for sustainable energy throughout the day.
07:52
Delay coffee to at least 40 minutes after waking up or just don't consume caffeine at all.
08:00
Drink enough water, do not consume added sugar on a daily basis.
08:06
Fruit is okay, that's natural.
08:10
but you should prioritize protein and fat first than perhaps a source of sugar.
08:18
And that source of sugar should be whole like fruit.
08:23
It has to be like natural or a smoothie.
08:29
Okay.
08:31
Use algorithm.
08:32
Add site blockers on your computer.
08:34
Unhook u block leech block.
08:37
There is a paid software called Cold Turkey Blocker which I highly recommend for advanced tech users.
08:44
Eliminate minimize multitasking, unnecessary context switching and information overload.
08:52
Is a massive waste of brain power.
08:54
Task switching cost is exhausting for your mind.
08:57
So you got to do one thing at a time for extended periods of time, ideally because that's the only way to establish momentum.
09:09
If you're switching between so many things, too many things, you, are, you are sacrificing quality.
09:21
You're compromising quality.
09:25
Next, get enough sleep.
09:29
If you want some.
09:30
If you want some tips on how to get enough sleep, high quality sleep, click here.
09:37
All right, Additional worthwhile habits.
09:40
Listening.
09:41
Listening to classical music or piano.
09:47
Lo fi ambient sounds like sounds of a mountain, Binaural beats, meditation music.
09:57
this to help you think and reach the flow state.
10:01
I write about that as well on the site.
10:04
No lyrics to the music is best if you're focusing.
10:10
And life in general ought to be about focus and you take breaks from that focus at times.
10:21
This is different than living a life of distraction and taking breaks from distraction to focus.
10:27
Life ought to be fundamentally about focus if you are aiming to live a high quality life, a healthy, worthwhile life, a meaningful life.
10:40
Next, watch documentaries and or educational videos about history, psychology, philosophy and so on.
10:49
I recommend Einzel Ganger.
10:51
He has some good video essays to watch or listen to.
10:56
Also study MD Dr.
10:58
Jimmy Kang.
10:59
He's a surgeon.
11:01
He has an excellent playlist on study tips.
11:05
Check out his channel.
11:08
Crash course.
11:09
Has countless educational videos to learn from as well.
11:16
Next, use Bluetooth noise canceling headphones for focus, especially in public places.
11:22
Next, put your phone away in a different room and put it on silent.
11:26
Don't depend on your phone for things other than call and text.
11:31
For instance, I use an ipod for playing classical music on my Bluetooth speaker.
11:37
I use an iPad for digital handwritten journaling.
11:42
I have a Kindle for digital books.
11:48
Tape up important documents, writings, reminders on your fridge and common areas.
11:54
Use Anki and or index cards to practice spaced repetition.
12:02
So Anki is the digital version of index cards.
12:06
The cards that you flip back and forth to.
12:11
practice memorization of certain complex topics.
12:20
And it's best if you make those cards thoughtfully because the making of the cards is learning in and of itself.
12:30
And then when you actually use the cards before flipping to the answer, if you actually put an effort into thought, you are essentially again doing a form of effortful recall and exercising your ability to think critically and physically reshaping your brain for the better.
13:01
Okay, do gratitude journaling.
13:05
How to do gratitude journaling?
13:07
I write about that here.
13:10
But gratitude ought to be an intentional practice.
13:15
It's not something the human Brain does automatically.
13:18
It's not instinct and it's also fundamental to mental and physical health.
13:29
Next, record videos, audios of yourself reading something interesting or thinking aloud.
13:34
Could be your own, writing a book, you're learning from an article, etc.
13:39
Just like this video.
13:40
Enjoy deep, meaningful conversations with authentic people.
13:46
I suggest you read the writing on my site called Surround yourself with authentic people Guided meditations.
13:59
it's a good habit to get into, especially for your subconscious fasting, voluntary discomfort.
14:11
On days that I fast, I drink water in the morning and then coffee, caffeine.
14:16
Sometimes by the time I get to a meal later in the day I have a simple meal.
14:22
This practice is helpful for focus, gratitude and resilience.
14:28
This doesn't have to be a daily thing, but I've done it a good amount as needed.
14:37
Next, have a printer and use it to print out and mark up important documents.
14:53
Okay, so these are bad habits I notice in most first algorithm and cheap dopamine addiction on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and so on.
15:11
This is also known as overstimulation, brain rotting or doom scrolling All right, next, entertainment addiction, Netflix and so on.
15:23
Greed, addiction to excess status, power, money, etc.
15:28
Drama and toxic behavior addiction, reading or watching the news way too much.
15:37
All corporations that are overly profit and engagement driven are, misleading and sensationalist.
15:46
They put out clickbait, rage bait, irrelevant culture wars, exaggeration, excessive negativity and so on.
15:56
Most content on cnn, Fox, NBC, newsmax and so on is overly stimulating, profit driven, manufactured garbage.
16:08
If you want more insight into that, read my writing about the United States.
16:16
And read my writing about how the globe is approaching the second Great Depression.
16:27
Next.
16:27
Motivated, misguided and led astray by comfort and pleasure.
16:32
False comfort, by the way.
16:35
I call this being dopamine sick.
16:38
It's also known as hedonism.
16:40
Chasing cheap dopamine release, comfort, pleasure and short term gratification is a subtle trap that trades long term fulfillment for fleeting, meaningless relief.
16:53
All right, so now very bad habits.
16:56
I notice in many.
17:01
I do empathize with those who struggle with the following.
17:05
But I'm strongly against the behaviors listed.
17:09
I'm not trying to shame people who are struggling.
17:13
Like I said, it's up to the person to do better when he or she knows better.
17:21
I've said this many times to people and I've said it, one way or another many times over throughout my writings.
17:34
This is fundamental.
17:36
When you know better, it's up to you to do better.
17:43
Ignorance is not bliss.
17:50
The habits below are very bad and destructive by definition.
17:55
The behavior is very bad.
17:59
And I'm not calling every person struggling with alcohol or nicotine very bad.
18:04
It's separate calling the behavior very bad.
18:10
Alright, so number one, alcohol addiction.
18:15
Number two.
18:16
Nicotine addiction.
18:17
E cigarettes and cigarettes.
18:20
3.
18:21
Hateful, sadistic trolling or conflict seeking with malicious intent.
18:27
Complaining and or being pessimistic all the time.
18:31
Abusing, neglecting and or exploiting people for your self interest.
18:40
These are very very bad habits.
18:44
Okay, next.
18:47
I recommend relevant post to this list of healthy habits.
18:53
the way of the virtuous outlier.
18:56
The flow state.
18:58
How to reach the deepest levels of concentration and focus.
19:03
Greed and addiction.
19:04
This is about how the best pleasures in life are inexpensive.
19:08
Greed and addiction are traps.
19:15
That most fall into in some form, at some level.
19:21
Don't overthink dots.
19:26
This is about uncertainty.
19:27
You cannot predict the future 100% breakthroughs.
19:34
This is about substantial turning points in your life.
19:37
doesn't actually happen randomly.
19:43
There's a preceding process, a proceeding journey that leads up to breakthroughs and turning points.
19:50
In that respect, it's not random.
19:54
That's a really important read.
19:56
And lastly, I recommend don't rush.
20:01
When you rush, you sacrifice quality.
20:06
So there are times in life where you, you have to put in an urgent effort and you have to focus intensely to move fast enough when you're under pressure.
20:27
But life cannot be only that.
20:32
there needs to be extended periods of time where you strategically distance yourself from pressure, give yourself space from pressure so that you don't have to rush so much.
20:49
Rushing is.
20:56
Poisonous to quality.
20:59
if it's not, tempered, managed.
21:07
So in different chapters of your life you have different speeds.
21:20
Generally you want to be able to manage that speed such that you're not rushing so that you can prioritize and sustain quality.
21:35
This is crucial to living a life that is healthy and worthwhile.
21:41
A meaningful life.
21:44
Now obviously easier said than done.
21:49
All of this is a system.
21:54
It's not a script.
21:55
Like I said in the beginning, you need to adapt as needed.
22:00
You need to be flexible.
22:01
You need to think critically.
22:04
This is not a rigid set of rules.
22:09
This is a system that is meant to provide structure, necessary structure, so that you live with more intention.
22:17
And in living with more intention, you lead a higher quality life regardless of circumstances.
22:28
Obviously you need to have the privilege to even watch this video in the first place.
22:33
but you're watching this video and this doesn't apply to unfortunately, this doesn't apply to a person who is innocent and in a North Korean concentration camp.
22:51
this world is full of injustice.
22:55
If you have the opportunity to lead a more meaningful, high quality life, as I, am expressing here, that is a profound privilege.
23:12
Do with that what you will.