Sav aka The People's Champ

I made over $200k as a day trader, then lost it all. 10 things I would do if I could start again: Thread 🧵

Leadership isn't a title. It's the first person to stand up. The moment one person moves, the room changes. Others find their feet. Fear splits itself across everyone instead of sitting on one back. Alone, most people freeze. Behind someone, they march. Be the someone.

Stop scanning the room for the hero. If you're the one who can do something, it's you.

"Circumstances don't make the man. They only reveal him to himself." — Epictetus You don't find out who you are on a good day. You find out when it all goes sideways and someone has to move.

We all want to be heroes. In sport, in business, in life. We idolise the ones who show courage we're sure we don't have. But nobody knows what they're made of until the moment shows up. And you're always one bad moment away from finding out.

"A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials." — Seneca You don't get to skip the hard moments. Not if you want to progress to the next stage anyway... Those moments are doing the work that no gym, thought, word or theory can replicate. Lean into them.

Alright, gang, that's it from me... happy birthday to me! And happy birthday to you too, and for those who are not celebrating... happy unbirthday! Grateful to be here. Thank you for reading. Have a great day! LESGOOO 👊

10. Stoicism My Stoic practice has come a long way in 2 years. I turn to it every single day. Stoicism kept me focused when the world was trying to shut me out. It kept me motivated where none was to be found. It kept me calm when pressure and responsibility mounted. Without Stoicism, I really don't know where I would be. I am living the good life. Not because I have stuff, but because I am present and aware. The good life is not conditional. It's a state of being. It's my truth.

9. Access The amount of access I have each day is still crazy to me. Public transport that runs consistently to all parts of the city. A health care system that has treated me amazingly well over the course of the last two years. Food. Art. Sport. Business. Anything you can dream of! Access is a privilege, and I do not take it for granted. I live in one of the most accessible suburbs in one of the most accessible cities in one of the most accessible countries. Grateful!

8. Melbourne Woy Woy is where I grew up (mostly), but Melbourne is now my home. I finally feel like I belong. This city really is something special. It's big enough to be inspiring but small enough to not be overwhelming. The people are friendly and interesting. The sporting and arts communities are bustling. It's the kind of place that can inspire you each and every day (if you let it). It's vast, dynamic, inclusive and bursting with culture. Truly remarkable.

7. Creation I get to make stuff every day. This post, for example... I'm writing this on my laptop at 6 am in the morning before I head off to work. Last year I released an EP called CHAMP CAMP. This year I've written a newsletter on Substack every Sunday—37 and counting! In the last 2 years, I've made podcasts, music videos, played shows and created a tonne of content. I love it all. Creating used to be for others. Making stuff to look cool or to become famous. Now I create for me.

6. Job In late 2024, I returned to Melbourne and was immediately jobless and homeless. A chance interaction led me to a job opportunity. I knew nothing about the company, industry, or role, but I put my head down and got stuck in. So grateful I was for the opportunity, I worked hard and became one of the most reliable sales agents. Three months ago, I was promoted to campaign manager. This company has given me confidence, consistency and a place to call home at a time when nobody wanted me.

5. Community The little pocket of the world I live in has become my home, and it is filled with like-minded souls trying to find their way. My community is full of dreamers who seek life's truths. We dream together. We motivate each other. We talk deeply about life. We challenge one another. We come from all different walks of life. But one commonality is our energy. We know we are capable of bending our worlds to meet our will. So, together we try.

4. Partner I met a girl in early 2024. We got together in early 2025, and she has fundamentally changed my world. We live together and are slowly building a life of our own. She's kind and has so much love to give. She's also thoughtful, intellectual, funny and creative. The relationship is healthy and dynamic. We challenge each other to be better versions of ourselves every day. I am so lucky to have found her.

3. Family My family is big, loud and crazy. And I love them with all of my heart. My parents (Paul & Pauline) are lifelong creatives and musicians. Dad is quiet and Stoic; Mum is loud and empathetic. My siblings are all creative in their own ways—they also have very deep minds and big hearts. My best mates, who I can share anything with. They mean everything to me.

2. Body Despite some battles with my health over the past couple of years, I am still so grateful for a body that has not fully given out. My body still does everything it needs to: • Tie my laces • Walk up stairs • Type and write • Listen and speak • Carry heavy things Grateful!

1. Life The odds of being born are insane. Like, just to be sitting here and writing this post is insane. We are born to live. Not just exist. We only have this one opportunity to experience all of the beauty this world affords us before we pass on. This truth is not lost on me, ever. Not even for one day.

Today I turn 38. Since my last post, a lot has changed. I have some money in the bank, a healthy and loving relationship, a fulfilling role at a great company, a great apartment in my favourite pocket of the world and a little bit of debt. But my gratitude has not. So here are 10 things that I am grateful for every day:

The post was a statement of gratitude and the practice I had grown to love over many years. That post garnered an outpouring of support from people in similar situations trying to steer their lives back to stability. The support and sense of community were immense. So, 2 years later, I thought I would revisit the same idea to check in on the gratitude journey. The good. The great. What's changed and what's remained.

In 2024, on my birthday, I wrote a post that gained a little traction. In the post, I set the scene for where my life was—broke, single, living with my parents. But gave 10 reasons why I didn't feel broke at all. In fact, I felt incredibly rich. Original post 👇

Today I turn 38. Two years ago, I was broke, single, basically unemployed, virtually homeless and had a mountain of debt. Despite all of that, I felt incredibly rich. Two years later, a lot has changed—but my gratitude for this life has not. 🧵👇