Kyle Koleber

Progress Addict | Testing and sharing strategies to becoming richer, healthier, & happier | Husband | Sr. Tech Engineer | Hybrid Athlete |

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

Hi, I'm Kyle.

I've always been some kind of addict.

Growing up, it was to video games. Tens of thousands of hours spent playing RuneScape, Skyrim, Call of Duty, Minecraft, and dozens others.

Then it evolved into drinking and partying, many times a week, dragging me through 2019.

Mix in an unfulfilling job and you have the perfect recipe for a lost 22 year old.

I tried fixing the problem—like an addict—by burying myself in books, podcasts, and anything else I could find on self-improvement. I drowned myself in it like it was the only thing in the world.

The self-improvement world is a double-edged sword. It offers insights to be better, but it can also lead to a never-ending chase to "fix" yourself. If you never feel whole, you'll keep buying more books, like trying to fill a bucket without a bottom.

Turns out this isn't very helpful for a lost 22 year old.

Aside from partying, I maintained a spotty weightlifting routine and picked up running during the Covid lockdowns.

I wondered what drew me to these.

What made them enjoyable?

The link between the two, I discovered, was a consistent sense of progress:

• Lift heavier weights
• Run more miles

Turns out real self-improvement doesn't come from reading. It comes from doing.

I stopped drowning myself in information and began to take action.

• Would making more progress in running and lifting make life more enjoyable?
• Could that progress apply to other areas of my life?

The answer to both: hell yes.

A lot has changed in the 5 years since:

→ I progressed with my health, getting in the best shape I've ever been in. I ran over 1000 miles in 2024, and have a goal to run a sub 3:30 marathon in 2025.

→ I progressed at work by switching industries, being promoted to a senior position and growing from a $68K salary in 2019 to being on track for $185K this year.

→ I progressed in my relationships, getting married to the best person ever at the end of 2024.

→ And, most importantly, I've progressed with my happiness—from an empty 22 year old partier to a life packed with fulfillment and purpose.

I don't like listing that out. It feels like bragging, but I don't know how else to show that progress is contagious. It spills over into everything, snowballing tiny steps into unrecognizable results.

If you're not making progress, you are—by definition—stuck.

When you constantly feel stuck, you feel lost and empty. I know this firsthand.

Progress fills life with meaning. It's what makes living, living.

That's why I'm here.

The Progress Game has infinite levels. I'm constantly exploring ways to make more of it, building systems to automate it, or testing methods to make it simpler to maintain. I want to share what does and doesn't work through my own experiences.

Being stuck sucks.

If you feel stuck, I want to help you get and stay unstuck.

If you're not stuck, I want to help you make even more progress in life.

I want to show people the power of playing The Progress Game.

Everyone can make unbelievable changes to their current situation. It starts with small, consistent, measurable steps forward.

In the end, I'm still an addict.

But this time I'm fine with it.

This time it's to progress.

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@thedanielaros stoked to hear you’re getting it in still!

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

Zone 2 Tuesday

60 minutes of exercise in the morning makes the following 8 far more effective.

Make that trade everyday.

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@jackwongco Love these adds Jack.

Intentional relationship building is so critical in everything, including sales.

Most new jobs or positions are filled through referrals.

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

Layoffs are always in the news.

Here's how I became indispensable at work:

1. Pinpoint how you make money for your company
2. Use it to prioritize your task list
3. Dedicate daily time to working on the highest priority tasks
4. Gather & present evidence of your achievements

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@thedanielaros Your manager isn’t tracking what you do at work.

When you walk into a review discussion, it’s up to you to show your value. Don’t expect others to know.

Fixing that mistake skyrocketed my income.

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@thesimonpilon Nailed it Simon

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@BarikiMokshith Great add Mokshith!

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

You don't find purpose.

You build it.

• Find something you're good at
• Set a goal that forces you to improve
• Build a system to help you track feedback
• Reflect frequently to visualize your progress

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@BarikiMokshith Keep it simple.

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

2019 Salary: $68K
2025 Salary: $185K

I didn't get smarter or work harder.

I prioritized better by answering these questions:

1. Which of my tasks make my company more money?
2. How can I do more of them and less of anything else?

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@Codie_Sanchez “No one would ever rent out a room in their house to a stranger”

(Airbnb has 81B reasons to say otherwise)

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@tasornp 100% Tasorn.

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@mschoelderle Automate & become a master at prioritization.

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@darrelltalksfi Turn on automated investing into VOO on a monthly basis and it becomes 90% leave-it-alone, lol

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@RitchieNkana A couple disciplined years is all it takes to set yourself up to coast for the rest of your life.

(but you'll probably end up falling in love with the progress and keep improving)

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@NathanHirsch99 Great add Nathan.

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@JacobCEdmunds Those morning sacred hours are so important.

Nothing else could happen in the day and it's still a win.

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@Samkoiv Or, they write off their 9-5 entirely.

Entrepreneurship is a mindset, not a specific job.

Use your 9-5 as a low-risk training ground. Practice intentionally improving the value of your product (aka your work output).

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@myselfcoaching1 Perfect representation of environment design.

It's often not you with the problems. It's the location you're putting yourself in that leads to them. Change it first.

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@KalebDemill This has been so important for me to remind myself of.

Sometimes life gets in the way and you miss a couple checkboxes one day.

Getting upset with yourself is only detrimental.

Just hop back on tomorrow.

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@thejimshields Writing broad messages in the hopes of getting to everyone ultimately gets you to no one.

One person, one problem.

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@karllittleboy With automation and AI, any single person can run huge "departments" without hiring anyone.

It's friken unbelievable the power we each have now.

[Kyle Koleber @kylekoleber]

@sandislonjsak Life, mood, motivation, energy, and more all vary by the minute.

You have to practice showing up at all different levels of each.