Yassen ShopovLife EngineeringTM
[official blog & newsletter]
Receive a personal letter full of stories, reflections and insights — written to expand your vision, fuel your creativity, and inspire the way you think, live and create.
2025
Social Gravity: Who Orbits Whom? 🕸️
We all live in little solar systems - some people are suns, others are satellites. A take on parasocial connections, Dunbar's number, and being choosy about whose orbits you spend your mental bandwidth in.
Coin Tosses and Consequences 🪙
Coin flips don't decide for us - they reveal what we were hoping for. A take on outsourcing decisions, owning the consequences anyway, and choosing consciously instead of correctly.
Being the 10/10 You 💯
The gap between 7/10 and 10/10 isn't talent - it's repetition and alignment. A take on stopping the chase of an imaginary perfect self and tuning into the version of you that already exists, just a little fuzzy.
The Lack of "Rivals" 🦹
Most of us stop having rivals after high school - and quietly miss what they did for us. A take on the healthy version of rivalry, conjuring imaginary opponents, and learning to push toward something instead of against someone.
Good Morning, July Morning 🌅
July Morning is just a sunrise we collectively decide to care about - and that's its quiet power. A take on infusing meaning into ordinary moments, and the small "July Morning" rituals worth noticing on random Tuesdays.
Half of 2025 - A Retrospective 🌗
A small act of self-accountability at the 50% save-point of 2025 - the wins, the points of friction, and the lessons. A take on quarterly goal-setting, transition weeks, and how a little hope keeps you pushing.
The Anatomy of Aesthetics 🪻
Aesthetics aren't just decoration - they're strategic. A take on how taste is built, why your style says something whether you mean it to or not, and how curating the outer chaos can quietly steady the inner one.
Your Character Customisation Screen 🕹️
Every morning is a chance to tweak the sliders on who you are - dress, vibe, priorities. A take on archetypes, hyper-specialisation, and building a character that's uniquely yours.
Boxed In: The Cost of Fitting In 📦
Most of what we chase isn't the goal itself - it's a feeling we've mislabelled. A take on the self-improvement trap, copying surface-level traits, and the cost of fitting into someone else's box.
On Introversion & Extroversion 🪞
Most of us aren't 100% one or the other - it's more of a dial we keep adjusting. A take on the rise of "soft-social" spaces, and why newsletters, voice notes, and longform essays fit our modern tempo.
Just Needed Another War, eh? 🪖
Some of us aren't burnt out - we're underused. A take on the feeling of being properly utilised, why a real "battle" can be a cure where rest can't, and the kinds of moments that quietly sharpen you.
The Ship of Theseus, e.g. Your Character ⚓
If you swap out the planks one by one, is it still the same ship? A take on identity through change, neuroscience as the connective tissue, and a small exercise to ground the abstract sense of "me".
Pretty with a Purpose 🐦🔥
Choosing the kettle, the notebook, or the laptop bag isn't just functional - it's a quiet statement. A take on decoupling must-haves from nice-to-haves, and only paying extra for the moments of beauty you'll actually appreciate.
The Myth of the "Right Time" 🧙♂️
Waiting for the perfect moment is how most projects quietly die. A take on manufacturing momentum, trusting yourself over inspiration, and letting consistency stack the wins.
Stress-Testing your Life Systems 🧪
Routines built only for the happy flow snap the moment life adds noise. A take on planning for the 80% version of you, adding intentional buffer, and watching what breaks first.
When You're in the Tunnel 🌑
Long stretches without payoff feel like digging in the dark. A tunnel-diggers' metaphor from Peaky Blinders, and five ways to keep moving toward the next stray shaft of light.
Slaying Dragons and Other Quests 🐉
Goals are easier to chase when you treat them as dragons. A four-part framework - Difficulty, Relevance, Legacy, Fun Factor - for picking quests worth your time.
A Tale of Rigidity and Spontaneity 🎭
Plan everything or leave it all open? Neither extreme works. A take on weaving structure and freedom into a schedule that moves you forward without flattening the fun.
Increase Your Luck Surface Area 🤞
Luck isn't pure randomness - it's a function of exposure. Five concrete ways to widen the surface area where opportunity can actually find you.
How I Leverage AI for Personal Growth 🧠
ChatGPT, Cursor, and Midjourney - the three AI tools that have quietly 10x-ed my workflow. Where each one fits, what they're actually good at, and why you should let them into yours.
Chaos is a Ladder ⚔️
Chaos isn't a pit - it's a ladder. Why a little spontaneity belongs on your calendar, plus a take on Jordan Peterson's 12 Rules For Life, the self-help book pitched as an antidote to it.
Quarterly Planning Basics 🍀
Annual resolutions tend to crumble by February. Here's why I've swapped them for quarterly goals - shorter feedback loops, modular planning, and seasons you can actually romanticise.
2022
What is Dopamine? A Comprehensive Guide 🔬
Explore the fascinating world of dopamine - the brain's 'feel-good' neurotransmitter. Learn how it affects motivation, focus, and productivity, and discover practical tips for dopamine fasting to reset your brain's reward system.
Generating Income as a Content Creator in 2022 💰️
Discover proven strategies for building multiple income streams as a content creator. From Patreon and print-on-demand to ad revenue and commission work, learn how to achieve financial stability in the creator economy.
How I Landed my First 100 Clients as an Artist 🪂
Follow my journey from a newbie artist to landing 100+ clients. Learn the strategies that worked for me, from building a portfolio to finding the right platforms and pricing your work effectively.
10 AI Websites to Enhance your Content Creation 🧠
Discover 10 powerful AI tools that can revolutionize your content creation process. From image generation to copywriting and video production, learn how to leverage AI to enhance your creative workflow.
Do you need Success to achieve Success? 🏆️
Explore the paradox of success and how to break free from the cycle of needing success to achieve success. Learn how to leverage your current position and build momentum from scratch.
How to Make a Simple Website for your Portfolio 🏰
A comprehensive guide to creating your portfolio website, comparing different approaches from website builders to custom development. Learn the pros and cons of each method and find what works best for you.
Thomas Frank's Creative Journey 🔭
Thomas Frank is a productivity expert with over 2.5M subscribers on YouTube. Find out how he became a Notion expert on top of his other achievements.
22 Tips from a 22-Year-Old Content Creator 💡
I recently turned 22. In this article, I’ll provide 22 tips on finances, content creation, health, habit-building, and more.
6 Easy Practices to outclass 90% of Freelancers 🦅
The percentage of people going into freelance is ever-increasing - so is competition. Here are some tips on how you can outclass the rest like a breeze.
How to prepare for the new Academic Year in Advance 🎒
Your academic success is the accumulation of your effort throughout the year. Want to give it a good start? Here are some tips for you
How I Optimize my Finances at 22 - Investments and Savings 📈
When you are in your 20’s, you may find yourself at multiple financial crossroads. In this article, I give out my tips on budgeting, investing, and more
Notion Templates that helped me get my life in Order 🧮
I have been using Notion for 3 years now - these are the templates that helped me manage my professional life, my personal life, and my studies.
How Life is what we make of it(ft. “The Martian”) 🛸
Life Design is a skill that can be learned. In this article-analysis of “The Martian” we will go through the methodics of Life Engineering.
How I actively manage my Caffeine Addiction ☕️
I’ve been a coffee-drinker since the age of 16. Now, at almost 22, I'm learning to use caffeine intentionally - so as to not fall victim to the bad habit.
The 6 Elements of a Well-engineered Life 🧬
There are six pillars of well-structured life. Use this article to identify in which aspects you need to increase the effort.
How I made my first 1$ online with Digital Art 🪙
I made my first dollar selling digital art on the web in 2020. That was just the beginning of my journey as a digital content creator. Read how I did it.
Notion - how to make it run faster?
July 3, 2022...