Jesse Itzler did something in his 30s that changed how he sees everything. He sat his parents down, hit record, and asked them the questions most people never ask, their regrets, their wisdom, the things they'd do differently.
What came back was a cheat code. He built a list from it. Then he made a video. And if you're into big goals, building a life you're proud of, and not wasting the years you have, this one's for you.
Here's a quick breakdown of each point. But do yourself a favor: watch the full video.
The 7 must dos - in his own words
1. Run a marathon
Jesse has run 50+. His point is about what happens when your body says quit at mile 22 and you don't. That moment of not stopping is a rep you'll use for the rest of your life. In business, in relationships, in everything.
"We put self-imposed limitations on ourselves. When you go beyond what you thought you could do, the floodgates open."
98% of people who start a marathon finish it.
2. Volunteer at a children's hospital or senior facility
It takes one day to completely reset your appreciation for your health, your family, your life. At a children's hospital you remember what's fragile. At a senior facility you get direct access to people who will tell you exactly what they regret and what they don´t.
"If you have health, you have hope. If you have hope, you have everything."
That wisdom is free.
3. Write a book - your life story
Not a bestseller. Your document. Jesse shares an incredible story in the video about his mom hiding a 54-page family history inside a book safe. When his parents passed and everything got sold or donated… that book was the only thing left of 90 years of a life. Don't miss this story.
"At the end of the journey, everything goes. The only thing I really have left is that book."
Your kids will want it. Write it while you can.
4. Interview your parents on video
This is what started everything for Jesse. Zoom, FaceTime, phone propped up, doesn't matter. Ask them about their childhood, their regrets, what they'd do differently, how they met. Questions you think you know the answers to. You don't.
"You never know when your life can change. You never know when you lose the opportunity."
30 minutes. You'll have it forever.
5. Do a 3-day fast
Once in your lifetime. The physical benefits are real, cellular reset, mental clarity, weight, skin. But the real payoff is psychological. Three days without food breaks the programming around eating. Your cravings lose their grip. You stop reacting to food and start choosing it.
"Just because it says lunch doesn't mean you have to eat lunch. A 3-day fast reprograms all of that."
Three days. One time. The benefits last a lifetime.
6. Learn martial arts or self-defense
Jesse calls this a personal regret, he got there but wishes he'd started earlier. He trained Krav Maga for two years. Then there's the elevator story. We're not going to spoil it. Watch the video… it's funny and the point lands hard.
"You just never know when something's going to happen. You want to feel confident you can handle it."
He makes it mandatory for his kids. Think about that.
7. Go to Africa
"If you could visit any two continents, go to Africa twice." He's been. He says something shifts in you that he genuinely can't put into words. The vastness, the animals, the culture, the history.
"You're just going to come back different. I can't even explain it. It's the universe at work."
If you get the chance to go…go. Or to any cool place you’ve been dreaming of.
Our take
None of this is complicated. The hard part can be the scheduling. And what doesn't go on the calendar doesn't happen. Pick one. Put a date next to it. Today.
Go watch Jesse tell it…it's 15 minutes well spent.
Then come back and put one on your Big A## Calendar.
