Neng Nana
After a period of profound personal loss and internal reflection, J.D., the voice behind the long-running financial and lifestyle platform Get Rich Slowly, has announced a major shift in his professional and personal trajectory. Two months following the passing of his mother, J.D. has signaled that the fog of grief is finally beginning to lift, providing him with the clarity needed to pivot toward a new, self-centered paradigm.
In a candid update to his readers, J.D. declared 2023 to be his "Year of Me," a commitment to prioritizing his own physical and mental well-being over the external demands and pressures that have long dictated his schedule. This transition represents more than a mere New Year’s resolution; it is a fundamental restructuring of his approach to life, work, and productivity.
The Genesis of a Shift: Chronology of Reflection
The decision to embark on the "Year of Me" did not emerge in a vacuum. It follows a decade-long history of J.D. utilizing "theming"—a technique where he assigns a specific focus to a set period of time to maximize results in areas like fitness, writing, and personal development. While this habit was highly effective in his early career, it had gradually fallen into disuse as he prioritized the needs of others and the demands of his platform.
The Catalyst of Grief
The death of his mother served as the ultimate catalyst for this re-evaluation. Following the tragedy, J.D. spent weeks in a state of introspection, examining the habits and obligations that had led him to push his own health to the bottom of his priority list.
- Pre-2012: Active period of theming, resulting in measurable progress across various life metrics.
- 2012–2022: A long stretch characterized by "putting himself second, third, or ninth," as external responsibilities and professional expectations dominated his schedule.
- Late 2022: The period of mourning. Following his mother’s death, the author began the process of serious soul-searching regarding his future.
- January 2023: The formal commencement of the "Year of Me."
"I’ve spent too long putting myself second," J.D. writes. "Starting yesterday, my aim is to put myself first for the next year—or more. It seems selfish, but the truth is I’ve been allowing other things to interfere with my pursuit of physical and mental health for too long."
The Philosophy of Personal Priority
To understand this shift, one must look at the intellectual framework J.D. is adopting. During a road trip over the Thanksgiving holiday, J.D. and his partner, Kim, engaged with the audiobook The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga. The book, which acts as an exploration of the Adlerian psychological tradition, argues that true freedom comes from the ability to detach from the expectations of others and focus on one’s own path toward happiness.
The Adlerian Influence
The core of this philosophy, which J.D. intends to implement throughout the coming year, centers on the idea that an individual’s life is defined by their own choices rather than the circumstances of their past.
- The Courage to Be Happy: While the book’s title suggests a focus on the opinions of others, the underlying message is one of internal validation.
- Socratic Dialogue: The book’s format—a conversation between a youth and a philosopher—resonates with J.D., who has committed to re-reading the text in a digital format to extract actionable lessons.
- Subordinating Impulse to Value: Citing Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, J.D. highlights the distinction between reactive and proactive living. He identifies his previous struggle as a failure to control impulses, noting that he has already begun "reining in" his habits, such as removing digital distractions like Reddit and Hearthstone from his personal devices.
Implications for Get Rich Slowly
A central question for the thousands of followers of Get Rich Slowly is how this internal shift will manifest in the content they consume. J.D. has been explicit: while the nature of his publishing schedule may change, the quality and intent behind his writing remain steadfast.
The End of the "Publishing Grind"
For many years, content creators have felt the "treadmill" effect—the pressure to maintain a consistent publishing schedule to appease algorithms and audience expectations. J.D. is explicitly stepping off this treadmill.
- No Rigid Schedule: He will no longer hold himself to arbitrary deadlines. If he has something meaningful to say, he will share it; if he does not, he will remain silent.
- Conversational Tone: Readers can expect a move toward more personal, essay-style posts rather than strictly analytical financial advice.
- Completion of Site Re-design: Despite his focus on self-care, J.D. notes that this new, balanced approach will actually facilitate the long-overdue "de-design" of his website, as he now has the mental space to tackle the project without the burden of forced content creation.
Data-Driven Growth: The "Designing Your Life" Approach
J.D. is not merely operating on intuition. He is actively applying the methodologies found in Bill Burnett and Dave Evans’ Designing Your Life, a book that applies design thinking principles to life planning. By treating his life as a prototype, J.D. is creating "feedback loops" where he can test what activities and habits lead to higher levels of personal fulfillment.
Why Prioritizing the Self Benefits the Reader
There is a common misconception that self-prioritization is inherently antisocial. J.D. argues the inverse: by reaching a state of equilibrium, he becomes a more effective, intentional, and thoughtful communicator for his audience.
- The "Oxygen Mask" Theory: By ensuring his own physical and mental needs are met first, he is better equipped to serve his community.
- Proactive vs. Reactive: J.D. is moving away from a reactive state—driven by "feelings, circumstances, and conditions"—toward a value-driven existence.
This transition represents a maturation of the brand. As J.D. grows, so too does the complexity of the advice he provides. The "Year of Me" is not just a break from work; it is an experiment in sustainable high performance.
Moving Forward: A Value-Driven Future
As the year progresses, J.D. remains committed to long-form, focused articles, but he is opening the door for shorter, more frequent, and more conversational updates. This flexibility is the hallmark of his new strategy.
"I’m giving myself permission to put my needs and desires ahead of everything else for 2023," J.D. concludes. "But I’m almost certain that will translate into more fodder for articles around here."
The message to his readers is clear: the pursuit of financial independence—the core mission of his site—is inextricably linked to the pursuit of personal independence. By mastering his impulses and realigning his daily habits with his deepest values, J.D. is attempting to model the very "rich life" he has been writing about for years.
Whether this experiment leads to a total transformation of the site or simply a more authentic voice, the "Year of Me" stands as a significant case study in the power of boundaries. For those who follow his work, the coming months will likely offer not just financial wisdom, but a roadmap for how to survive, recover, and eventually thrive in the wake of life’s most difficult chapters.
Ammar Sabilarrohman
Nana Wu
