45 and Reflections: Work, Growth, Wisdom

11/28/2024

Life is a learning journey and at 45 I have learned a lot about success, balance and personal growth.

The Early Years of Entrepreneurship

I started my journey in late middle school where I began building virtual brands and selling computer hardware. PC2000, my custom PC brand was my first entrepreneurial venture. The internet in 1997 opened up new opportunities with ticaretmerkezi.com, a corporate directory website that became a money maker.

The Workaholic

Throughout my 20s and 30s work was my constant companion. Weekends, holidays, even beach vacations – I was always working. My bulk email software, a simple tool in 1998, became a complex business ecosystem.

The Shift

Entering my 40s was a big shift. I started prioritizing:

Mental and physical health
Experiences over material possessions
Meaningful relationships
Personal growth and self awareness

Living Lean

My businesses became leaner. I started building lean businesses monthly, focused on efficiency and purpose. My social circle became more intentional, I kept only the relationships that truly mattered.

The Most Important Things

Now I value:

My wife and children
Every moment of life
Personal experiences
Mental and physical strength

The Biggest Lesson

I learned that importance creates imbalance. Releasing the grip on goals, materials and experiences makes for a more balanced life journey. Dreams are important but not at the cost of life’s overall balance. At 45 I feel hopeful. The best is yet to come and I’m ready for it with wisdom, intention and joy.

My Random Thoughts

Stop Worrying About What Other People Think

We should all aspire to be good people. But we shouldn’t waste our time trying to prove it to others. As Paulo Coelho says, “Be a good person, but don’t waste your time trying to prove it.”

4/28/2023

Balance Is the Secret—Importance Is the Enemy

The gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it consistently comes down to one thing: balance. Every time I obsessed over the scale, I plateaued—every time I relaxed into the process, the weight came off naturally.

10/27/2025

2026: A Blank Page

It's January 1st, 2026, and I'm staring at a blank page again. I love this feeling. Most people fear starting over—they cling to what they've built, terrified of blank pages. But I've learned something different across my 47 years: the ability to start fresh isn't a curse, it's a superpower. And what's changed isn't my love for fresh starts—it's what I want to write on them. The old ambitions (money, status, achievement) are losing their grip, making room for intangible ones: quality time with family, mental resilience, physical strength, the luxury of staying calm and getting bored. These are the real wealth that only a few achieve. I still love running "format c:" on my life, just like I did on my old 80286 PC as a kid. 2026 is completely blank, and that's exactly how I want it. Here's to writing this year with more wisdom, more focus, more intention.

1/1/2026