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Jesse Itzler

Jesse Itzler only eats fruit until noon, loves Run-D.M.C., and enjoys living life “out of the box," actually, he doesn’t even have a box. He cofounded Marquis Jet, the world’s largest prepaid private jet card company in 2001, which he and his partner sold to Berkshire Hathaway/NetJets. He then helped pioneer the coconut water craze with Zico coconut water, which he and his partners sold to The Coca-Cola Company in 2013. He is a former rapper on MTV and he produced both the NBA’s Emmy Award-winning “I Love This Game” music campaign and the popular New York Knicks anthem “Go NY Go.” When he is not running ultra marathons or being a dad to his three kids, Jesse can be found at the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks games, where he is an owner of the team. He is married to Spanx founder Sara Blakely and the couple and their 3 boys live in Atlanta, Georgia.

Books

https://www.amazon.com/Living-Monks-Turning-Happiness-Gratitude-ebook/dp/B075CS8VWZ

Here is a worksheet designed to help you plan your day, week, and year, drawing on the strategies shared in the sources:

Jesse Itzler’s 2025 Planning Worksheet

This worksheet is designed to guide you through a comprehensive planning process, helping you take control of your year and create a life you’re proud of.

Part 1: Close Out the Year & Get Light (December/January)

The goal here is to review your past year, declutter, and feel “light” as you head into the new year, avoiding the feeling of playing catch-up.

A. Personal Review & Grade Your Year

  • What worked well this year?
  • What didn’t work so well?
  • What were your successes?
  • What areas need improvement?
  • Overall grade for the year (e.g., A, B, C):

B. Get Light & Declutter Checklist

  • Closet: Go through all clothes hanging for 12 months that you’ve never worn. Donate anything that’s a 50/50 decision. Organize for fewer decisions.

  • ✅ Done / 📝 To Do:

  • Desk: Get rid of all clutter, stacks of papers, bills. Super clean your desk.

  • ✅ Done / 📝 To Do:

  • Emails: Aim for “Net Zero” into 2025.

  • Respond to all emails you owe an answer to.

  • Delete unnecessary emails.

  • Move everything else into a “2024 Archive” folder.

  • Unsubscribe from unwanted subscriptions.

  • ✅ Done / 📝 To Do:

  • Apps: Delete unused apps from your phone.

  • ✅ Done / 📝 To Do:

  • Cars: Clear out any clutter in your vehicles.

  • ✅ Done / 📝 To Do:

  • Files: Create new physical or digital files for 2025 records (medical, bills, etc.).

  • ✅ Done / 📝 To Do:

C. The Blender Exercise: Identify Areas for Improvement

  • Imagine putting all areas of your life into a blender: finances, health, weight, relationships, work, where you live, etc…

  • Rate your overall happiness/satisfaction with your life on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being ultimate happiness, 1 being rock bottom).

  • My Overall Score: ______ / 10

  • Immediately, what are the 2-3 things that popped into your head that are bringing your score down? These are the things you need to work on in 2025. 1. 2. 3.

D. Handwritten Thank You Letters

  • Make a list of 20-30 people who really impacted or helped you this past year (suppliers, contractors, teachers, coaches, family, friends, mentors).

  • Write a handwritten thank you letter to each person, with no purpose other than expressing gratitude. This breaks through clutter and leaves a lasting impression.

  1. List of people:

  • …

Part 2: Plan Your 2025 “Rocks” (Big Picture Planning)

This section focuses on proactively scheduling the most important, year-defining experiences and habits first, before other commitments fill your time.

A. Your 2025 Misogi: The One Big Year-Defining Thing

  • What is one challenging, year-defining thing you want to accomplish in 2025? This should be something that makes you proud, even if there’s a chance of failure. It doesn’t have to be expensive or fitness-related; it can be learning a skill, volunteering, or a unique adventure.

  • My 2025 Misogi:

  • Why is this your Misogi? (How will it bring newness, momentum, enthusiasm, growth, or a sense of accomplishment?)

  • Initial steps or “digestible bites” to start working towards your Misogi: 1. 2. 3.

B. Kevin’s Rule: Mini Adventures (Approx. 6 per year)

  • Plan for one short (one-day or one-weekend) mini-adventure every other month to break routine, create newness, and prioritize yourself. These can be low-cost.

  • Jan/Feb Mini Adventure Idea:

  • Mar/Apr Mini Adventure Idea:

  • May/Jun Mini Adventure Idea:

  • Jul/Aug Mini Adventure Idea:

  • Sep/Oct Mini Adventure Idea:

  • Nov/Dec Mini Adventure Idea:

C. Quarterly Winning Habits

  • Commit to adding one new winning habit each quarter to build a winning routine and mindset.

  • Q1 Winning Habit (Jan-Mar):

  • Q2 Winning Habit (Apr-Jun):

  • Q3 Winning Habit (Jul-Sep):

  • Q4 Winning Habit (Oct-Dec):

D. Key Family & Couple Dates

  • Proactively schedule important dates for your family and relationships, such as:

  • School Breaks/Holidays (if applicable):

  • Family Trips/Adventures:

  • Weekly Date Nights (with your partner):

  • Quarterly Couple Getaways/Staycations:

Part 3: Putting it into Practice: Your Calendar & Daily Habits

A. The Big Ass Calendar: Your Visual Roadmap for 2025

  • Obtain a large paper calendar that allows you to see all 365 days on one page.

  • Immediately write down all your “rocks” first: Your Misogi, Kevin’s Rule mini-adventures, and all key family/couple dates.

  • This visual tool helps you see your gaps, track goals, and provides “permission to say no” to other requests, allowing you to dominate your year.

B. Your Daily “Vitamins”: Prioritizing Self-Care

  • Allocate 2-3 hours per day for yourself. This can be cumulative (e.g., 30 min sauna, 1 hour walk, 1 hour reading).

  • List your “Vitamins”: What are the things that make you feel strong, happy, and help you show up better as a parent, partner, or employee? (e.g., sauna, cold plunge, running, biking, swimming, breath work, walks, playing with kids, reading, meditation). 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. …

  • Daily Goal: Aim to incorporate 2-3 of these “vitamins” into your day.

Part 4: Weekly Planning

  • Sunday Night Review:

  • Look at your calendar and phone for the upcoming week.

  • Transfer your weekly priorities, appointments, and personal “vitamins” onto paper (e.g., a planner or simple sheet).

  • This provides a “week at a glance” view to help you prepare and move things around as needed.

General Reminders for an Epic 2025

  • Play life on offense, not defense. Don’t let your calendar fill up with other people’s requests; proactively plan what you want to do.

  • Write it down. There’s research to support that written goals are more effective than those kept on your phone.

  • It’s never the “right time.” You have to create the time for adventure and self-prioritization. Don’t let regret be a factor.

  • Winning isn’t always about getting first place. Sometimes, it’s just “getting off the block and getting wet”—taking the brave step to try something new.

  • You don’t get a lot of years. Don’t waste 2025 waiting for “next year”.