In a candid reflection on personal growth and professional recalibration, J.D. Roth, the founder of the long-standing personal finance platform Get Rich Slowly, has announced a major shift in his creative and personal philosophy. Two months following the death of his mother, Roth is emerging from a period of profound grief, signaling a commitment to a self-centered approach to 2023—a strategy he has dubbed “The Year of Me.”
This pivot represents more than a simple lifestyle change; it is a calculated effort to move away from a reactive existence toward a values-driven life. By prioritizing his physical and mental health above all other obligations, Roth intends to dismantle years of ingrained habits that have placed his own needs at the bottom of his priority list.
The Genesis of a New Philosophy: 2023 as “The Year of Me”
The concept of “theming” a year is not new to Roth. Over a decade ago, he gained significant traction by adopting specific themes for months or years, focusing on singular pursuits such as physical fitness, writing, or dating. The strategy proved fruitful, yielding measurable success in his personal development. However, over time, the practice fell by the wayside, and Roth found himself falling into the trap of prioritizing others’ expectations and external responsibilities over his own well-being.
“I’ve spent too long putting myself second. Or third. Or ninth,” Roth wrote in a recent update. “Starting yesterday, my aim is to put myself first for the next year—or more.”
This transition, while seemingly selfish, is framed by Roth as a necessary act of self-preservation. He acknowledges the cultural stigma attached to putting oneself first, noting that it often feels “wrong” or “selfish.” Yet, he maintains that this is a critical requirement for his long-term viability. By reclaiming his time and energy, he posits that he will ultimately become a more effective and present person for those around him.
Chronology: From Grief to Strategic Re-Evaluation
The timeline leading to this announcement has been marked by significant emotional and psychological hurdles.
- Late 2022: The passing of Roth’s mother initiated a period of intense mourning and introspection. For several weeks, the author retreated into a "fog," struggling to maintain the output and energy levels his readership had come to expect.
- Thanksgiving 2022: A road trip to visit family in California provided a crucial turning point. During the long hours in the car, Roth and his partner, Kim, listened to the audiobook The Courage to Be Disliked, a psychological exploration based on the work of Alfred Adler. This experience served as a catalyst for his current shift in perspective.
- December 2022: Roth began actively auditing his daily habits, including the removal of digital distractions like Reddit and Hearthstone from his devices.
- January 2023: The official launch of "The Year of Me," marked by a commitment to stop forcing content creation and instead prioritize personal development exercises, such as those found in the book Designing Your Life.
Supporting Data: Psychological Foundations and Literature
Roth’s commitment to this transformation is anchored in two primary texts that are currently shaping his worldview: The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey.
The Adlerian Perspective
The Courage to Be Disliked introduces readers to the philosophy of Alfred Adler, a contemporary of Freud and Jung, whose work emphasizes that individuals have the power to define their own happiness regardless of past trauma. The book argues against the idea that one’s past dictates one’s future. For Roth, the book’s central thesis—that we often remain unhappy because we fear the "courage" required to change—resonated deeply. It provided the intellectual framework to justify his transition away from a schedule-driven life toward one defined by genuine personal desire.
The Shift to Proactivity
A cornerstone of Roth’s new approach is the transition from "reactive" to "proactive" behavior. Citing a key passage from Stephen Covey, Roth highlighted: "The ability to subordinate an impulse to a value is the essence of a proactive person."
Roth admits that he had lost the ability to control his impulses, allowing environmental factors and emotional volatility to dictate his daily routine. By identifying his core values, he is now actively seeking to build a life that is "carefully thought about, selected, and internalized." This represents a shift from living based on the feelings of the moment to living based on a pre-determined, principled framework.
Implications for the Audience and Get Rich Slowly
Perhaps the most significant question for readers of Get Rich Slowly is how this change will manifest in the content they consume. Roth has been transparent about the fact that this is an internal change, not a platform pivot.
A Departure from Scheduled Content
Under the "Year of Me" banner, Roth is abandoning strict publishing schedules. He stated, “I’m deliberately not holding myself to any sort of publishing or production schedule around here. If I have something to say, I’ll say it. If not, I won’t force anything.”
While this may lead to less frequent updates, Roth anticipates that the quality and depth of his writing may actually increase. He views his new personal explorations—such as his work with the Designing Your Life curriculum—as a fertile ground for new, authentic content. The goal is to avoid the "burnout" associated with forced creativity and instead offer insights that are born from lived, meaningful experiences.
The "De-design" of the Site
One specific goal mentioned by Roth is the long-awaited completion of the site’s “de-design.” This refers to a simplification of his digital space to reflect his desire for clarity and minimalism. By removing the clutter from his professional interface, he hopes to mirror the internal work he is performing.
Looking Forward: A Model for Sustainability
Roth’s announcement serves as a case study for professionals who find themselves caught in the cycle of constant output. His approach challenges the traditional "hustle culture" that dominates much of the personal finance and productivity blogging space.
By openly documenting his journey—from the pain of loss to the discipline of self-prioritization—he provides a roadmap for others who may be struggling with their own loss of purpose. While the "Year of Me" may be interpreted as a period of withdrawal, it is more accurately viewed as a period of recharging.
As Roth noted, he is not abandoning his commitment to high-quality, long-form content. Instead, he is changing the conditions under which that content is produced. He is moving away from a model that treats the creator as a machine and toward one that treats the creator as a human being with evolving needs.
For the readers of Get Rich Slowly, the coming months will likely feature a more conversational, erratic, yet deeply authentic tone. Whether through book reviews of psychological texts or raw updates on his personal growth, the author is inviting his audience to witness a process of radical honesty. In a world that often demands constant availability, J.D. Roth’s attempt to reclaim his time may be the most valuable piece of advice he has ever shared.
