The "Year of Me": J.D. Roth Announces a Radical Pivot Toward Personal Well-Being

For over a decade, the financial blogging community has looked to J.D. Roth, the founder of Get Rich Slowly, as a North Star for disciplined wealth building and intentional living. However, in a candid announcement that marks a departure from his traditional content strategy, Roth has declared that 2023 will be defined not by fiscal optimization or productivity hacks, but by a singular, personal mission: "The Year of Me."

This decision follows a period of profound personal upheaval for the author, including the death of his mother, which left him navigating a period of introspection and recovery. By prioritizing his own physical and mental health, Roth aims to reclaim the agency he feels has been eroded by years of external obligations and self-neglect.

The Chronology of a Shift

The seeds of this transformation were sown during the months of grief following the loss of his mother. As the initial "fog" of bereavement began to lift, Roth engaged in an exhaustive process of soul-searching. He realized that for too long, his personal needs had been relegated to a secondary, or even tertiary, priority in his life.

"I’ve spent too long putting myself second. Or third. Or ninth," Roth wrote in his recent update. He noted that while the habit of "theming" his life—a practice he successfully employed in his earlier years to master fitness, writing, and personal development—had fallen by the wayside, the time was ripe to reintroduce it with a more personal focus.

Beginning in early 2023, Roth committed to a shift that he acknowledges feels counterintuitive and, to some, potentially selfish. However, he argues that this "age of selfishness" is actually a necessary act of restoration. By aligning his daily actions with his core values rather than reactive impulses, he believes he will eventually become a more effective and present individual for his community, his family, and his readers.

Philosophical Foundations: Adler and Covey

To facilitate this change, Roth has turned to two pillars of self-development literature: The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, and Stephen R. Covey’s classic, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

The Adlerian Perspective

During a recent trip, Roth consumed The Courage to Be Disliked, a work based on the psychology of Alfred Adler. The book advocates for the concept that human beings are capable of change and that much of our suffering stems from the fear of social disapproval. For Roth, the book’s central message—which he jokes could more accurately be titled The Courage to Be Happy—served as a catalyst for breaking free from the "people-pleasing" patterns that have stifled his own progress.

The Return to Values-Driven Living

Reinforcing this, Roth cited a foundational principle from Covey: the ability to subordinate an impulse to a value is the essence of a proactive person. Recognizing that he had been "driven by feelings, by circumstances, and by his environment," Roth has begun taking tangible, albeit small, steps toward regaining control.

This includes "digital hygiene" measures, such as removing time-sink applications like Reddit and Hearthstone from his devices. By stripping away these distractions, he is attempting to clear the mental space necessary to identify what truly matters to him, rather than what is simply occupying his time.

Implications for the Get Rich Slowly Platform

Perhaps the most significant question for the audience of Get Rich Slowly is how this pivot will affect the site’s output. Roth has been explicit: he is abandoning the pressure of a rigid publishing schedule.

A Departure from Traditional Content Constraints

In a move that mirrors the philosophy of Designing Your Life—a book Roth has been using as a framework for his current transition—he is intentionally avoiding the "content treadmill." He has announced that he will no longer force articles for the sake of frequency. If a topic arises that he feels compelled to discuss, he will write; otherwise, he will remain silent.

"I’m giving myself permission to put my needs and desires ahead of everything else for 2023," Roth explained. He anticipates that this internal shift will likely result in a more conversational, organic style of writing. Rather than producing lengthy, deeply researched financial tutorials, the site may feature more of these "micro-updates" that explore the intersection of money, mental health, and personal philosophy.

Impact on Audience Engagement

While some readers may worry about a decline in "utility" content, the move actually aligns with the core ethos that built Get Rich Slowly. The brand has always been about more than just compound interest and budgeting; it has been about the why behind our financial choices.

By focusing on his own well-being, Roth is modeling the very behavior he has advocated for years: that financial independence is not an end in itself, but a means to living a life of one’s own choosing. If the "Year of Me" leads to a more balanced, authentic, and fulfilled creator, the long-term impact on the community is likely to be positive, even if the frequency of publication is reduced.

Addressing the "Selfishness" Paradox

The most common critique of such a declaration is the charge of narcissism. However, experts in burnout and behavioral change often emphasize that "filling your own cup" is a prerequisite for sustained service to others.

Roth’s commitment to this "Year of Me" is not an abdication of his responsibilities, but a recalibration. He notes that the "de-design" of the Get Rich Slowly website—a long-standing project—is expected to reach completion as a result of this renewed focus. He believes that by removing the clutter of forced production, he can actually achieve higher-quality work on the projects that matter most.

Looking Forward: A Call to Intention

The shift in Roth’s methodology serves as a broader case study for professionals who find themselves hitting a wall of "reactive living." His transition from being driven by environmental factors—social media, notifications, and professional expectations—to being driven by internal values is a blueprint for those seeking a similar reset.

As 2023 unfolds, the "Year of Me" will likely serve as a litmus test for how much autonomy a creator can reclaim in the digital age. Will the readers follow? Will the quality of the content improve? These remain open questions. But for J.D. Roth, the success of the year will not be measured by page views, ad revenue, or subscriber growth. Instead, it will be measured by the degree to which he can align his daily reality with his internal values.

In an era where "hustle culture" often demands a constant stream of output, Roth’s decision to pause, reflect, and prioritize his own mental health is a quiet, yet radical, form of rebellion. It suggests that perhaps the greatest "investment" one can make is not in a stock market portfolio, but in the deliberate design of a life that is worth living—on one’s own terms.