I’m Kayla. I spent a full year living by Objectivist ideas. Not perfect. Not pure. Just real life. Here’s how it went for me, why I stuck with it, and where it rubbed me the wrong way. For a parallel perspective, you can also read this hands-on Objectivist living review that digs into similar day-to-day challenges.
Wait, what is “Objectivist living”?
Simple version: think with facts first, not feelings first. Choose your own goals. Trade value for value. Be honest, even when it’s awkward. Don’t run on guilt. Keep your word. Build things.
It sounds cold, right? I thought so too. It did make me more selfish. But in a clear, steady way that helped my family, my work, and my sanity. If you want a richer historical perspective on how these principles evolved, I recommend exploring the archives at Full Context, a goldmine of Objectivist articles and interviews. For a concise encyclopedia overview, see Objectivism – Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Why I tried it
Last year I was fried. I run a tiny design studio from my kitchen table. I also wrangle a kid, a dog that eats socks, and a group chat that never sleeps. I said yes to too many favors. I billed late. I slept light. I felt like a tug-of-war rope. Doing some homework first helped too—the best overview I found was a year-long field report on various groups, captured in this deep dive into Objectivist organizations.
So I tried a new rule set: facts before noise. Earn and trade. Say no when it’s a no. Let me explain how that played out, step by step.
Money: pricing without the “friend discount”
I used YNAB to see the truth. Ugly truth. My “friend rates” ate my month. A logo job that took 12 hours? I charged like it took four. Why was I doing that?
One day, my buddy asked for a rush job. “Can you knock 40% off? I’m tight this month.” I took a breath. I said, “I care about you. I also care about my work. I can’t do a cut like that. But I can do a smaller package for your budget. Or we can trade. Design for your event space rental.”
He picked the trade. We got his launch party booked. I got a date night setup. If you're curious how these principles play out in romance, check out this first-person take on Objectivist dating. Looking to test the same transparent, no-games communication style in a fresh cultural setting? The lively community at InstantChat's Latina chat rooms lets you jump into real-time conversations with Latina singles, offering a low-pressure arena to practice clear, honest dialogue.
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Tools I used:
- YNAB for a clean budget
- Square and QuickBooks for invoices
- A simple rate card in Notion
Work: data over hunches (even my boss’s)
I consult for a local shop two days a week. We had to choose a new email tool. The team loved the shiny one. It had cute buttons. But the open rates were worse in tests.
I ran a side-by-side in Google Sheets. I showed costs, deliverability, and time to set up. Not sexy. Clear though. My boss wanted “the cool brand.” I said, “I get it. But the numbers don’t back it.” We went with the boring tool. Sales went up that quarter. Not huge. Enough to see a real bump.
Did I feel rude? Yes. But facts are a kind of kindness. They save time.
Home life: chores as a trade, not a guilt list
My partner cooks. I handle bills and school forms. We wrote it down on a whiteboard. No nagging. Just roles. When one of us swaps, we trade something back. “I’ll edit your resume if you take the dog to the vet on Friday.” Clear, simple, fair.
With my kid, I used the same idea. He wanted extra screen time. I said, “Sure. Read 20 pages first and tell me one thing you learned.” He got his time. I got a kid who now knows the word “photosynthesis.” Win-win.
Boundaries with friends: saying no without being a jerk
A neighbor asked me to design a full website “as a favor.” Old me would have said yes, then cried at 1 a.m. New me? “I want to help. A full site is a lot. I can do a one-page with a simple form this month. Or I can refer you to a solid dev.”
She picked the one-page. We set a fair rate. She brought lemon bars when we signed. See? Still human.
Health: small, honest measures
I set one goal: walk 10k steps most days. No big talk. Just steps. I used a cheap counter and Apple’s Screen Time limits to block late-night scroll. I set Focus To-Do for 25-minute work sprints. When I hit my goal, I logged it. When I missed, I didn’t lie to myself. I just tried again.
Fresh air, clear head. Nothing fancy. It worked.
Giving: yes, but for my values
This part surprised me. I thought Objectivism would make me cold. Instead, it made me picky. I gave design time to our local library. Why? I love books. That’s my value. I did not give to things I don’t believe in. I felt lighter, not harder.
A sticky moment: HOA drama
Our HOA wanted to “borrow” homeowner gear for a block party. My pressure washer got named, without asking me. I said, “No, thanks. It breaks easy. I’m happy to pitch in money for a rental.”
Was I the bad guy on our street chat for a week? Maybe. But the rented unit did the job, and no one resented anyone later when a part snapped. Property rights sound stiff. They prevent fights.
The good stuff
- Clear head. Fewer “shoulds,” more “here’s the plan.”
- Better pay, because I price the real work.
- Less drama. Straight talk trims mess.
- My kid sees cause and effect. We talk about trades. He bargains like a tiny lawyer now. It’s cute. And a little scary.
The hard stuff
- People may think you’re cold. You’re not. You’re clear. Still stings.
- Saying no feels rough at first. Your voice shakes. Then it doesn’t.
- You can over-analyze. I did. Sometimes I had to say, “Good enough. Ship it.”
- The Rand thing. Folks bring baggage. I didn’t debate. I lived my values and smiled.
Tools that helped me keep it real
- YNAB for money
- Notion for projects and rate cards
- Google Sheets for tests and simple metrics
- Apple Screen Time, Focus To-Do timer, a cheap step counter
- A whiteboard in the kitchen for chore trade-offs
You know what? A stack of sticky notes also worked wonders.
Want to try it? Start tiny
If you want a nuts-and-bolts walkthrough before you commit, I loved this candid piece, “I Tried Living as a Moral Objectivist,” which pairs nicely with the steps below.
- Write three values you won’t trade away.
- Measure one thing that matters. One.
- Practice one honest “no” this week.
- Set clear trades for help and favors.
- Track results for 30 days. Facts, not vibes.
Who this fits
- Makers, parents, students, small teams
- Anyone tired of guilt and fog
- People who like lists and clear wins
Who may hate it:
- Folks who want soft edges all the time
- Teams that live on hunch and sparkle
For additional official resources, the Ayn Rand Institute offers free articles, lectures, and courses straight from the primary source.
My verdict after a year
Objectivist living didn’t make me a robot. It made me an adult. I’m kinder because I’m clearer. I work cleaner. I rest better. I say what I mean, and I mean “thank you” when I say it.
Score: 4.5 out of 5. I keep the half star because humans are messy. And that’s okay. I still am, just less than before.