Introduction: A Period of Profound Transition
For over a decade, J.D. Roth—the influential voice behind the personal finance platform Get Rich Slowly—has been a guiding light for millions seeking financial independence and disciplined living. However, in a candid update to his readership, Roth has announced a significant shift in his personal philosophy. After a tumultuous period marked by the loss of his mother and subsequent months of introspection, Roth is pivoting away from the relentless output of content production to prioritize his own mental and physical well-being. He has officially designated 2023 as the "Year of Me," a self-imposed mandate to reclaim his autonomy, prioritize personal values, and break free from the cycle of reactive living.
Chronology: From Grief to Rebirth
The trajectory leading to this decision began roughly two months ago, following the passing of Roth’s mother. This period of grief acted as a catalyst for a deep, soul-searching process.
- The Period of Mourning: In the immediate weeks following his loss, Roth experienced a "fog" that hindered his creative and professional output. During this time, he retreated from the public eye to process the loss.
- The Realization: As the fog began to lift, Roth engaged in a series of self-improvement exercises, including the methodologies outlined in Bill Burnett and Dave Evans’ Designing Your Life. It was during these sessions—often conducted alongside his partner, Kim—that the necessity of a fundamental shift became apparent.
- The Pivot: By late 2022, Roth concluded that his previous habit of prioritizing others’ needs and professional obligations had left him depleted. He resolved that the start of 2023 would mark the beginning of a new chapter where his own health and needs take precedence over external demands.
The Philosophy of the "Year of Me"
At the core of Roth’s announcement is the concept of "theming" his life, a practice he famously utilized over a decade ago to achieve milestones in fitness, writing, and relationship building. He notes that while this practice was highly fruitful, he allowed it to lapse as his professional career expanded.
Breaking the Cycle of Self-Sacrifice
Roth admits that the decision to prioritize himself feels counterintuitive—and perhaps even "selfish"—given his long history of service-oriented content. However, he argues that this is a necessary correction. "I’ve been allowing other things to interfere with my pursuit of physical and mental health for too long," he writes. By positioning himself as "job one," he believes he will ultimately become a more effective individual for his community.
The Influence of Psychological Frameworks
A significant portion of Roth’s current transformation is informed by his recent engagement with The Courage to Be Disliked, a book based on the Adlerian psychology of Alfred Adler. The core tenets of the book—which Roth suggests should be titled The Courage to Be Happy—have reshaped how he views his relationships and his obligations to his audience.
The text emphasizes the importance of separating one’s own tasks from the tasks of others, a concept that has allowed Roth to lower the pressure of his self-imposed publishing schedules. By adopting this philosophy, he intends to detach his personal worth from the expectations of his readers, thereby granting himself the freedom to create only when he feels inspired, rather than when he feels obligated.
Supporting Data: Aligning Actions with Values
The shift in strategy is not merely emotional; it is rooted in a structured approach to behavioral change. Roth highlights his recent efforts to remove digital distractions—specifically un-installing addictive applications like Reddit and Hearthstone—as evidence of his commitment to this new phase.
The Proactive vs. Reactive Paradigm
Roth cites a poignant passage from Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to explain his internal struggle:
"The ability to subordinate an impulse to a value is the essence of a proactive person. Reactive people are driven by feelings, by circumstances, by conditions, by their environment. Proactive people are driven by values—carefully thought about, selected, and internalized values."
This quote serves as the cornerstone of his 2023 strategy. Roth acknowledges that he had drifted into a "reactive" state, where his time was governed by the environment around him rather than his internal value system. The "Year of Me" is, in essence, a mechanism to restore his "proactive" nature.
Official Responses and Implications for the Community
For the loyal readers of Get Rich Slowly, the implications of this change are both immediate and long-term.
No Disruption to Quality
Despite the shift in personal focus, Roth maintains that the quality and nature of the content produced on his platform will not diminish. In fact, he suggests the opposite: by granting himself permission to write only when he has something meaningful to say, the content may become more authentic and impactful.
The End of Rigid Scheduling
The most notable change for the audience will be the end of a fixed publishing or production schedule. Roth has explicitly stated he will no longer "force" content. While this might result in less frequent updates, the content will reflect his current intellectual journey, including upcoming reviews of the books that are currently shaping his worldview.
The "De-design" of the Platform
A long-standing project for the Get Rich Slowly site—the "de-design"—is expected to finally reach completion. Roth frames this not just as a technical update, but as a symbolic act of simplifying his life and aligning his digital space with his current desire for clarity and focus.
Conclusion: A New Standard for Personal Growth
The "Year of Me" is not an act of abandonment, but rather an act of recalibration. By stepping back from the grind of constant production, J.D. Roth is modeling a form of self-preservation that is often overlooked in the digital age.
His journey from grief to a values-driven, proactive lifestyle serves as a case study for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the demands of a high-pressure, public-facing career. As he moves through 2023, the focus will remain on internal growth, the completion of meaningful personal projects, and the cultivation of a life where values, not impulses, dictate the path forward. For his audience, the reward will likely be more deliberate, thoughtful insights that have been refined through the very process of living them.
