2025 - The Ironman Year
My year in review for 2025 - the best books, podcast, TV shows, movies, and lessons from the past year
Dec 31, 2025
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2025 - The Ironman Year
2025 - The Ironman Year.
Accomplished the impossible.
Became an Ironman in just 7 months.
3.8k swim.
180k Bike.
42.2k Run.
All together.
Took me over 15 hours.
But I did it.
I crossed the line.
I’m officially an Ironman.
Still insane to say it out loud.
This dream felt impossible.
So beyond reach.
So beyond what any normal person could accomplish.
And yet here I am.
But the best part wasn’t even that.
It was doing it for Sachit, my cousin and role model who passed away from leukemia at 31.
So thankful to have raised $25,000 in his honour.
And having 30 of my closest friends and family at the finish line in Ottawa to cheer me on.
So grateful for this year.
Taught me so much.
Got to experience so much.
Learned so much.
Grew so much.
Took a sabbatical.
Started a new job.
Left the one I was at for almost 6 years.
And yet, stayed consistent.
Showed up for myself.
Even when life got hard.
Worked out 6 days a week for 7 straight months.
Peaked at 20 hours a week of training.
Swam ~155 km.
Biked 5400 km.
Ran 800 km.
Ran a marathon.
Completed an Olympic triathlon.
Finished a Hyrox event.
Listened to 100s of hours of podcasts.
Watched 188 TV shows and movies.
Read and listened to 70 books.
Wrote my 3rd book manuscript and another 137 blog posts.
Was at the game 7 when Springer hit the home run.
Watched the Blue Jays come a few outs away from winning a World Series title.
Went scuba diving with turtles, manta rays and sharks.
Turned 30.
What a 30th year.
As hard as it was at times, so grateful for this journey.
So grateful for this life.
Another year of growth, progress, achievement and lessons.
Here are some of my favourites from the year that was.
Top 5 books:
Autobiography of a Yogi - Paramahansa Yoganada is a genius and a disciple of god. Cemented my belief that god is real and meditation is the science of god realization.
The Witness Tree - a book that will forever change how you see the world. Written as a thriller, only it’s all real. It’ll forever change the way you understand history, especially of the United States and Israel. There’s a reason it’s banned in America and hidden on Google - the super elites don’t want you to know how Israel was founded and how they’re still using their tactics today to control the West.
The Kybalion - said to be the religion of Ancient Egypt, the one religion that all others were founded on. Incredible lessons.
The Secret of Secrets - by my favourite author, Dan Brown, it’s a classic Robert Langdon thriller only it’s about consciousness and ties in so many concepts and ideas I’ve been thinking about for the whole year. May have inspired me to write my next book.
The Raven of Zurich - autobiography of a banker who lived in Europe during both wars and saw the future before anyone else. SOOO many parallels to the world we live in today.
Top 5 podcasts I heard:
Balajis with Peter Mccormack on The Collapse of the West - unbelievable interview that ties in so many macro themes on where we are today.
Navigating the Fourth Turning with Grant Williams and Dimitri Kofinas - we are living through a fourth turning. These guys do a great job summarizing where we are and how to navigate it.
Tim Ferris with Chris Sacca on how to succeed on your own terms - been listening to Tim since the beginning of his podcast and this is one of the best interviews he’s had. Chris is an awesome conversationalist and learned so much.
Near Death Experiences and the Continuum of Consciousness by the Telepathy Tapes - I’ve been listening to podcasts since 2012. The Telepathy tapes are the greatest thing I’ve ever heard. PLEASE do yourself a favour and listen to them, especially from the beginning. Could’ve picked any episode but this one was awesome!
Invest Like the Best with Michael Ovitz - from one of the founders of CAA, the largest agency in Hollywood and entertainment, this episode had so many good stories and lessons.
Top 5 Movies I Saw:
The Age of Disclosure - this documentary will BLOW YOUR MIND. Aliens are real and governments have been hiding this info from the public for generations. This seems crazy but watch the documentary and tell me I’m lying.
One Battle After Another - so good. So fun. Watched it in Imax and what a ride. The car scene is one I’ll remember for a long time.
Zootopia 2 - just awesome. Such a good story. So many themes. So many lessons. Had everything you want in a movie.
Sinners - so original. So unique. Awesome soundtrack. Up and down. Great watch.
Cover-Up - an incredible documentary on an incredible human being who literally reshaped history. Shows you the importance of investigative journalism and why we need honest journalists more than ever, especially in today’s world. Seymour Hersh - you are my hero.
Top 5 shows:
SAS Rouge Heroes - British world war 2 show that was action-packed and so fun.
Hacks - awesome ride. Great characters. Super funny. Loved it.
The Studio - Seth Rogen’s show on a behind the scenes version of Hollywood. Reminded me of Veep and Entourage. So fun.
Adolescence - just incredible. Filmed all in one take. Incredible cinematography, storytelling, acting, directing, everything. So so good.
Normal People - so real. So honest. Felt like I was back in university. What a ride. Kept you on your toes but teaches you a good lesson - love is all that matters.
Top 5 blog posts I wrote:
We live in a Chinese world - Essay on how China has advanced in production, manufacturing and helped their citizens while America has fallen behind
Is there a god - Questioning my beliefs, connecting the dots and believing there’s a god within all of us
Does Israel bombing Iran mean the end of the American empire - the broader geopolitical ramifications of Israel bombing Iran and how it could be the catalyst for the end of the American empire
Lessons at 30 - Lessons I’ve learned as I approach 30
Dear Sachit - letter to my cousin who’s no longer with us a week before my Ironman
Top 5 restaurants/bars:
The Ledbury in London - first 3 star michelin experience. Great vibe, awesome food but reminded me how shallow success is on your own.
Don Alfonso in Toronto - best dining experience I’ve had in Toronto. Incredible food, great atmosphere, awesome service. Went for my birthday and it was amazing. Even my parents said it was the best restaurant experience they’ve ever had in Toronto and they’ve been everywhere.
Susie’s Rise and Dine in Toronto - incredible brunch spot from a friend of a friend. Asian brunch diner style. Food is so good. Impossible to reserve a table but so worth it.
Maha’s in Toronto - another awesome brunch spot. Egyptian food. Hummus is incredible. Good vibe. Worth the wait.
Lake Inez in Toronto - super unique restaurant with tons of interesting flavours. Vibe was great, off the beaten path but totally get why so many chefs call it their favourite restaurant in the city.
Top lessons from 2025:
Be present.
Take life one day at a time.
All of it can change so quickly.
Don’t be attached to your job.
Don’t let your job be your identity.
People will show you who they are when times are tough, not when things are going well.
Watch their actions, not their words.
Success is the best revenge.
Israel continues to commit a genocide, fully funded and supported by the West.
People are inherently selfish.
Besides your family and close friends, no one cares about you.
They’re too busy focused on themselves.
Most people jump to conclusions without understanding the full picture.
Context matters.
Aliens are real.
Telepathy is real.
God is real.
He’s inside of you.
He’s inside all of us.
We are all connected to a universal consciousness.
Call it god, call it spirit, call it Jesus, call it whatever you want.
It’s all the same thing.
We are all one.
Imagine consciousness is like an ocean, and each one of us is a drop of water.
We’re all here in our physical bodies but once we die, we return to the ocean.
Meditation gets us closer to the ocean and closer to god.
The universe doesn’t make mistakes.
Success is hollow.
Doing it alone does not give you the fulfilment you think it does.
Relationships are everything.
They’re the most important thing in your life.
Invest in relationships.
Keep people around you who add to your life.
Drop those who don’t.
Do things that make you happy.
Surrender to the flow of life.
Read more.
Time is your most important asset.
Who you marry is the most important decision of your life.
All answers are within.
We’re in a fourth turning.
The world is being reshaped.
The West is falling.
The East is rising.
Gold and silver are great investments for the next 5-10 years.
We’re heading into a commodity supercycle.
Don’t apologize for who you are.
Your number 1 goal in life is to end up on your deathbed and say you discovered who you really are.
You are so much more capable than you think you are.
Everyone is creative.
We are our own worst nightmares.
The only person stopping you from accomplishing your dreams is yourself.
Be you.
Always and in all ways.
Death comes for us all.
No one gets through life unscathed
Enjoy the ride.
Because one day you’ll wish you were exactly where you are.
So lucky to live this life.
So grateful for this year.
Anish Kaushal - you are officially an Ironman.
Still hard to believe.
Have so much more coming for 2026.
This is just the start.
My 20s were for learning.
My 30s, 40s and 50s will be for earning.
Along with so much more.
My journey is just beginning.
Time to go monk mode for the year and watch what I do in 2026.
Let’s go!!!!!
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