Things I Learned | Pedro Araújo

Just a bunch of totally random things i’ve learned over the years.

Some are obvious, some are controversial, and some are just reminders to myself

Health

To get out of your head and reset your mood/mental state:
- Go for a swim in cold ocean water
- Do a hard interval run or sprint
- Talk to people
Your gut health is your health report card. If it’s not good, fix it ASAP.
If you get sun through a window, you can tan and burn, but you won’t get vitamin D.

Take more risks. We’re all a bunch of pussies nowadays. What’s the worst that can happen?
Freedom and time to do what you want are the ultimate goals. Money is just a means to an end.
Optimize for energy, focus and a clear head. It'll make everything else a lot easier.
A steady paycheck is the world’s greatest addiction. Beware the golden handcuffs.
Learn how to live with less. The more shit you buy, the less satisfaction you get from things, and the more they become a prison.
Philosophy is not just for nerds and elites. It’s how you learn how to think and live.
Storytelling and communication are the highest-ROI skills you can learn.
Writing is the best way to process the mess going through your mind.

You probably shouldn’t eat or drink 90% of what’s sold in supermarkets.
You’re probably not eating enough vegetables. You don’t need multivitamin pills, you need veggies (cruciferous, leafy greens, and all types) and legumes.
The only supplement really worth taking is creatine. If you train hard, you probably also need more protein than you think.
Intermittent fasting is fat-loss magic. Just skip breakfast. But make sure to fuel before and after workouts.

Make health and training your #1 priority. The rest will follow.
You can be fast, strong, and flexible at the same time. You’ll never reach elite levels in all three, but you can still be excellent, and that’s good enough for me.
If you don’t like training, you probably just haven’t found the right sport or training style yet. Try more things instead of torturing yourself in a gym.
If you’ve had tight muscles for a long time, you probably won’t fix them with stretching alone. First, find the root cause. Then use fascia release + stretching + strengthening the right muscles.
If you have chronic neck, trapezius, or shoulder pain, your pillow is probably too tall. Or too low.
Walking in Havaianas will mess up your feet.
Daily yoga is much better than one heavy session per week.
Massages are great, but your wallet and body will thank you if you learn how to do it yourself.
Run slower. Keep your easy runs easy. No one cares about your Strava pace.
Get rid of your office chair. They trick us into thinking sitting all day is okay. It’s not. Get a standing desk, sit on the floor, use a stool or a Pilates ball, and move around.
If you can’t sit comfortably in a squat, fix that. It should be one of your top priorities for mobility.

Stop caring so much about code. What matters is what you ship and how well you market it.
The reason you don’t launch is usually that you’re unconsciously afraid of criticism and failure. Publish things before they’re ready, just so you learn that nobody cares.
Post on Reddit to develop thick skin against haters. You’ll become immune to it.
99% of meetings are completely useless or could have been a Slack message. People who love meetings are usually too lazy to write a clear message.
Daily scheduled meetings are 100% useless and a form of micromanagement.
Focus only on the highest-ROI activities, especially if you’re a solo founder.
There’s no point in making long-term plans. Just go with the flow.

European capitals are boring. Go to the countryside.
The best trips are always the ones where you make the fewest plans and go with the flow.
Sometimes all you need is a change of environment. Book that flight.
One small 30-40L backpack is enough.
Travel and meet as many people as possible, from all cultures and backgrounds. It’ll make you a better person.
Take the best from other cultures and apply it to yourself.
Do business like Americans, be friendly like Brazilians, do hospitality like the Middle East, work like a German, chill like a Southern European.

Portuguese people love to complain about everything, but never do anything about it. Don’t be like that.
Your Portuguese grandma’s diet was probably much better than yours. Use it as reference.
Underrated Portuguese superfoods:
- Tremoços (high protein, low calorie, perfect snack)
- Great quality olive oil
- Percebes Sardines
- Bacalhau

Having a clipboard history manager is essential (I use Raycast). It should be built into every OS.
A screenshot tool like CleanShot X
A 49" monitor is much better than 2x27" monitors.