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Good morning. It’s Tuesday, May 6th.

In today’s email:

• Focus: New Study - How to THRIVE

• Think: The Walls of Hospitals

• In the News: Goodbye Gregg Popovich

• Cook: Mediterranean Meatballs and Herb Pasta

Stat of the Day

How is it possible for 93% of Americans to be metabolically unhealthy…while 95% of us get lab tests that come back as “normal”??

Seems like something is wrong there. If you’re ready to find out what’s really going on with your lab tests - get our Personal Biomarker Report.

Don't settle for regular lab tests that only tell you that you're two standard deviations from the mean (average).

Sorry for going back to high school stats class - but this basically means only the bottom and top 2.5% are considered "not normal."

That’s why so many of us feel off - even when our results look fine on paper.

We believe you deserve more than “normal.” You deserve optimal - and a clear path to get there.

The Thrive25 Personal Biomarker Report takes your lab results and translates them into real insights, tied to daily Quick Wins that help you feel better, perform better, and stay healthy for the long haul.

Because it’s not about fear - it’s about taking control.

Know your numbers. Know what to do next. Thrive for the next 25+ years!

Focus

New Study: How to THRIVE

A new report just came out - the Global Flourishing Study.

Their definition of flourishing is basically the same as thriving - “the relative attainment of a state in which all aspects of a person’s life are good, including the contexts in which that person lives.”

This is more holistic than wellbeing as it also takes into account the context of our life - our community and our environment.

The biggest finding is that the research from the past 20+ years showing that happiness occurs in a U-shaped curve - high when we’re young, low when life gets real at middle age, and high again as we get older - doesn’t always hold true.

What’s changed…

Under 30 - for many this is becoming a J-shaped curve with lower rankings early in life for individuals without strong relationships. They lack strong bonds that make life fulfilling.

30-50 - this is the time when we’re most stressed. Working parents trying to make enough money to one day take your foot off the gas - all while carpooling kids, keeping tabs on aging parents, and trying not to let life overwhelm them.

Over 50 - this is typically the time when happiness (flourishing) is at its highest level. But the big caveat is that’s not the case (this should be obvious) when you don’t have your health. Unfortunately, since more people live with chronic disease for 12-16 years, this is a growing percentage of the aging population.

What Does This Mean?

One of the keys to interpreting this data is that the results are “relative.” That is - our perspective of whether or not we’re thriving is based on reality compared to our expectation.

A critical question that is directly tied to levels of thriving - “do you feel your life has an important meaning or purpose?”

When meaning is missing it’s impossible to thrive.

Why is this happening? I’d argue that we’ve changed the definition of success to such an extreme that we’ve lost the focus to pursue meaning.

Don’t get me wrong, money is critically important - to a point. As an entrepreneur, I know first-hand what it’s like to drastically change your financial situation and increase stress by making less money.

But once we meet our certain needs, the incremental value of money doesn’t lead to any more fulfillment or happiness.

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Everything has become a transaction - a means to collect more and more money.

So more people have lowered the emphasis on meaning and less on simply making money - regardless of how that makes us feel or how it affects the rest of our life.

How to Find Meaning?

This is where most of the studies and articles end - go find more meaning. Sure, that sounds great. And, um - how am I supposed to do that??

Honestly - that’s not something we can answer in a single newsletter. But I have three questions that if we take the time to answer them honestly - I think will help us find our own meaning:

1. What/who do you value in life —> how can you contribute more to that/them?

2. Where are you just a spectator in life —> where should you be more of a player?

3. What do you do (job, role in life) —> how is it significant?

Find the people and things that get you excited and find a way to connect to them - make an imprint not because the world needs you to or because others are doing it, but because it fires you up.

Life is meant to be lived - not watched. We get one shot at this thing - make the most of it without regret or worrying what anyone else thinks (they’re too overwhelmed with their own situation to be thinking about you).

Whatever you do - why is it important? Scott Galloway talks about not finding your passion, but instead doing what you’re awesome at and it will become a passion. Whether a lawyer, consultant, teacher, or parent - what you do matters and you’ve got to take a beat to see how what you did today matters.

Summary

Life gets hard - but the scorecard that will help us thrive from the time we’re 25 until we die isn’t just how much $$ is in our portfolio. Try to get A’s across the board for:

• Relationships - friends/family/community

• Health - without that you have nothing (especially later on)

• Meaning - you’re significant, remind yourself of that and do something that moves you

And yes - make sure you get a passing grade on money too.

Think

The Walls of Hospitals

We built the Thrive25 Membership on the premise that as flawed as healthcare might be - we can take advantage of it, if we know how.

That said, there is some magic in healthcare. A quote’s been going around online - it’s incorrectly attributed to the late Pope Francis. But regardless of the origin - it’s worth a read:

The walls of hospitals have heard more honest prayers than churches...

They have witnessed far more sincere kisses than those in airports...

It is in hospitals that you see a homophobe being saved by a gay doctor.

A privileged doctor saving the life of a beggar...

In intensive care, you see a Jew taking care of a racist...

A police officer and a prisoner in the same room receiving the same care...

A wealthy patient waiting for a liver transplant, ready to receive the organ from a poor donor...

It is in these moments, when the hospital touches the wounds of people, that different worlds intersect. And in this we realize that alone, we are nothing.

The absolute truth of people, most of the time, only reveals itself in moments of pain or in the real threat of an irreversible loss.

A hospital is a place where human beings remove their masks and show themselves as they truly are, in their purest essence.

This life will pass quickly, so do not waste it fighting with people.

Do not criticize your body too much.

Do not complain excessively.

Do not lose sleep over bills.

Make sure to hug your loved ones.

Do not worry too much about keeping the house spotless.

Material goods must be earned by each person - do not dedicate yourself to accumulating an inheritance.

You are waiting for too much: Christmas, Friday, next year, when you have money, when love arrives, when everything is perfect...

Listen, perfection does not exist.

A human being cannot attain it because we are simply not made to be fulfilled here.

Here, we are given an opportunity to learn.

So, make the most of this trial of life - and do it now.

Respect yourself, respect others. Walk your own path, and let go of the path others have chosen for you.

Respect: do not comment, do not judge, do not interfere.

Love more, forgive more, embrace more, live more intensely!

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

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Find your fuel

H&L in the News

Goodbye Gregg Popovich: The winningest coach in NBA history officially retired this week. The long-time leader of the Spurs had a stroke back in November and won’t be coming back to the bench. A genuine coach who cared about his players as much off the court as on it - he will be missed on the sidelines. (The Ringer)

Boost Your Brain Daily: Neurologists reveal 10 simple, science-backed habits - from flossing and walking to hearing checks and quality sleep - that keep your brain sharp and help reduce dementia risk. (NYTimes)

Build the Future, Starting Now: The Great Progression (2025–2050) reframes this historic moment as an unprecedented opportunity to harness AI, clean energy, and bioengineering to reinvent society and create a far better future. (Big Think)

Cook

Mediterranean Meatballs and Herb Pasta

Want it to feel like summer? Just bring these Mediterranean meatballs to the table! Made with lean ground chicken, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and creamy feta, they’re rich in protein, fiber, and heart-healthy fats. Tossed with herby tomato pasta, it’s a Greece-meets-Italy dinner that’s fresh, flavorful, and perfect for warm nights. 🍅🌿🧆

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We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.

This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].

To health!