No Car, No Problem

Want to see a photo of the most bad-ass dude in San Francisco?

It’s not this guy with his Tesla.

Nor this grown man flexing his brand new two-wheeled Tesla.

Sorry to break it to you — I don’t actually have a photo of the most bad-ass dude in SF. He either has a thick mustache or got up and moved to NYC. So now all you’ve got is me — the guy asking you to sign up and forward my newsletter to someone (pls do that). On that note: welcome to all the new folks who signed up last week, including my dad 🕺🏼

Anyway, why’d I post a photo of myself on a scooter?

Because I’ve been downsizing lately. And I wanted to talk about it.

I grew up in Ohio — and America — where we consume a lot. We’re taught to chase ownership. Buy a house. Own a car. Get married. Stack nice things.

For the longest time, my goals were simple:

• Buy a Tesla

• Make >$100k/yr

I hit both, two years ago. And surprise — neither made me happy. I became obsessed with my Tesla — a car I barely drove — and anxious any time I had to park it. And that was in San Diego, before I moved to San Francisco…

I’ve seen the same thing happen with home ownership. People buy expensive places, then fill them with stuff. The more they own, the more weighed down they feel. And suddenly, moving — or changing anything — becomes this logistical nightmare. I call that: house rich, cash poor.

When I left my job last November, I didn’t go soul-searching in Bali. I just started getting rid of shit. It felt great. I wanted fewer commitments and obligations. Because when I live a lean life I have a lot less to lose and a much higher appetite for risk.

The biggest change? I sold my Tesla — at a $7k loss. It hurt at the time, but now I’m glad I did. That was before people really hated on Mr. Elon and the new Model Y got released.

Then, I bought a scooter off my friend Kurush. Now I use that, plus Lyft bikes and Muni, to get around the city. And honestly, I freaking love it.

My biggest fear was losing access to the mountains — my favorite place. But it’s made me more resourceful. Like this weekend, I rented a car with two friends for $94 total and hit Kings Canyon.

We did an 18-mile, 7-hour hike.

During the trek, we asked each other: “What’s one of the most memorable trips you’ve ever taken?”

Each answer had something in common:

• No city clubs.

• No music festivals.

• No flashy hotels.

Just a tough hike, a place to sleep, and a break from the business of daily life.

I just finished the breakdown of the bills and the top three most expensive things were

• Gas: $35

• Car Rental: $31

• Steak after the hike: $20

And it’s already one of the most memorable weekends I’ve had in years.

I’m starting to realize: The less I own, the less I’m attached to. The more flexible I feel — and the happier I become. I’m not saying ownership is bad. But it’s easy to forget:

The things you own can end up owning you.

Now, go get rid of something, and let me know what it is.

You’re Awesome,

Jared

Things Worth Clicking

A few gems I found on the internet this week - no digging required

• A cool ad. Shows how the more authentic you are the better the ad it is

• My friend Steph went to a baby shower and showed how the parents were getting creative.

• Found this guy's Instagram account, and I really like how he debunks a lot of the bro science behind longevity. Bonus points because he’s T1D.

I Dig So You Don’t Have To

1 Set:

2 IDs:

Gentlemen’s Agreement 🤝🏻

I need a favor from you. Every week I spend several hours crafting this email to give you entirely for free. Banger, after banger. Except it’s not actually free.

I love doing this, but I also love seeing this grow (You might say I’m flawed. But you’re not my therapist). To keep this free it would mean the world to me, and my ego, if you shared this with just 1 person who you think would also like this.

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