It takes little effort to find evidence of destruction, disconnection, and dishonesty in our culture.There's much for which to be grateful, but that doesn't mask the reality that humans are not flourishing with peace, harmony, and joy.So…
Category: Uncategorized
Cognitive Middle Gear (CMG) is that in between type of activity.It's listening to a podcast, checking email, or scrolling social.The…
School ruined goals.Because school "made me" set goals as an exercise.Because I "had to" do it, I hated it.The…
All ideas need space to breathe, especially the egregious ones.Because the only way the egregious ones dissolve is through open discourse.Those…
Children are joyous, playful, curious, uninhibited.It's time to learn from children.It's time to respect children.Respect…
The butterfly is the self-actualized caterpillar. For she awakes to the wonders of flight and freedom.But she had to work to emerge from the cocoon."Was…
The good life asks for congruence.When you back your professed values with action, you live in congruence. And that boosts self-esteem, which feeds the good-life of openness, honesty, creativity, fulfillment, peace, security, growth, harmony, aliveness.But…
The numerous elements of the happiness quotient invite your attention.FinanceHealthMeaningCreativityConnectionTouchIntimacyValuesPurposeSelf-EsteemRestPlayAgencyOrderAnd more.Maybe…
Say what you think and feel.Because life is short.…
Contributing to others is in your self-interest.So long as you don't sacrifice other needs while pursuing the need for contribution, you're golden.Yep…
The greatest risk is not taking one.Safety is often an illusion. So when the body senses danger, ask "wait, am I really going to die from this?"In…
Your life situation is composed of numerous factors.So distilling down circumstances to one or two causes is unhelpfully simple.Keep…
Pursuing growth helps the future self.But it perturbs the present self.The question becomes, can we dis-identify from the perturbing?…
Get outdoors, in nature.The digital world offers great value.But such value invites costs.And I don't just mean distraction in the moment (though that's primary).I…
If you remain cognizant of what's going right in your life, you win.You're more grateful.More present.More calm.And…
Your performance is about your training.What have you mastered and automatized?Because it starts with daily habits.And…
All there is is Now.Notice the voices swirling in mind. Notice the feelings swirling in body.You are not your voices.…
Chisel your purpose like a laser.Visualize vividly.Then act with specificity and conviction.…
Curiosity The fuel of discoveryCan't live without it…
The mark of a true intellectual is one who willingly looks at media sources that challenge one's worldview.But…
A truly free world would mean a truly decentralized currency.But we're all born into the status quo, and it becomes second nature that a controlled fiat currency is good enough.Currency…
Creativity begets creativity. Honesty begets honesty. Vulnerability begets vulnerability. So lean in and enjoy the ripples.…
Early, we learn to put guards, walls, armor, and masks around and over our True Selves. Why? For protection. But protection from what?…
When you're 100% honest, and speak with no filter, what do you get?Freedom.…
Momentum is one of the most interesting concepts.What is it?It's action, feedback, action.When our actions create feedback that is positive, that progress towards our destination (i.e.…
Short term gratification lures us. So when you choose an action, ask:"Is this for my present self or for my future self?"And,…
Nobody knows you better than you know you.So forget others' expectations.This goes for big dreams and small decisions.Do…
Behind all actions are needs.And below all action is love.Freedom is taking nothing personally.Freedom is full compassion.…
Get sh*t done.Flourish.…
Wisdom from people, books, videos, blogs, twitter, quotes, and life experience.Each source has a new angle.Sometimes…
Humbleness can be healthy. Actions speak louder than words. There's no need to brag. But.... it also can be taken too far, i.e.:-Baseball…
I appeared on the Career Crash podcast with Isaac Morehouse.(Isaac also blogs daily and has greatly influenced my creativity, mindset, and ideas).…
It's easy to worry right now.The question is, how does it help?The mechanism of worry alerts you to actions you might need to take to prevent future catastrophe.So…
In a general way, we know it's best to focus on our lotus of control.And to know what is within it.But doing this 100%, doing it like a pro, that's the real key.Doing…
You didn't choose your name.This rarely crosses your mind.From birth, the world was hoisted upon you, starting with the birth itself.You…
Often we think: more grind = more results.It's true, you can't escape the emotional labor of hard work.But…
What is weird? It's being yourself when everyone else is choosing comfort over honesty.When everyone else is "fitting in."…
Our brains are designed to blend with the group, for safety and survival.The evolutionary challenge is to engage volition to empower the individual.To…
Thinking on our own is hard.Because we often trick ourselves into believing we are independent. But really, we are going off of what "someone we trust" is saying.Real…
Can you be 100% honest for an entire day?An entire conversation?For 15 minutes straight?It's harder than it sounds.But…
To live the good lifeMeans the extraordinaryBe the Tall Poppy…
Everyone "knows" good sleep is essential. Everyone "knows" it helps alertness, boosts mood, improves memory.And…
Jiggle yourself free from your so-called constraining circumstances.What can you do?You don't have to answer the phone, live in your city, keep your job.You…
Meaning and fulfillment come from sustained attention on hard, long term challenges and projects.Could you start your day with these anchor projects?…
Our brain is designed to categorize. And our brain is designed to form tribal groups.So by default, we label people."Liberal""Christian""Fringe…
When I first heard of James Clear and his book Atomic Habits, back in late 2018, I thought "the 1% improvement idea is what I've been thinking for a couple years now!"I…
The easy way is the default way.It's easy to become annoyed, bothered, frustrated, or irked by another person after observing s/he do X-Y-or-Z action.…
Last night, I slept 9 hours. And according to my sleep tracker, the sleep quality was 98%. I feel great.But the Puritanical voice in me says, "you should be working more and resting less."And,…
Nutrition, movement, sleep, relationships. These are 4 pillars of health.A 5th pillar is light.We need natural light first thing in the morning.…
"Money is good. Money is good. Money is GOOD." It's okay to be motivated by money, because it represents service, or in Hopkins' word change "$ervice.…
You read a statement that conflicts with your worldview.You feel agitated, annoyed, surprised, irked.You…
Vitamin M is margin.Margin in one's weekly schedule.Buffer time.Down time.Do nothing time.If you don't allow for it, your cortisol levels spike and you work against your body.Live…
I offer personal development/mindset wisdom on this blog.But it's not like I figured it all out.Here are some recent/ongoing struggles:- Part of me keeps feeling particularly annoyed by the smallest things, like my neighbors chatting on the porch, or seeing litter on the ground, or a small spill on the counter.…
Bronnie Ware, author of the Top Five Regrets of the Dying, presents a paradox.The first regret of the dying is:"I wish I had kept in touch with my friends."Yet,…
Seeking a positive experience is a negative experience.Accepting a negative experience is a positive experience.Walk…
Give yourself credit.You've already implemented helpful habits, achieved meaningful outcomes, built relationships that matter, saved money, overcome adversity.Can…
New information is presented to you.Maybe it's jarring. Maybe it clashes with your worldview.What is your mindset?Is…
Personal development is worth it.But doubters fall into all-or-nothing thinking."Self-help is just fluffy, feel-good stuff.""Self-improvement…
1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. That 1% is vital.Maybe for you it's 5%, or 10%, or 20%. Yes, you need to do the work.But…
The purpose of life is to come alive.To invent, to create - what better way to come alive?So kindle your curiosity.…
Every human action starts with intention.Intention to get a need met.No action starts with the intent to harm another, without a reason.There's…
Time passes no matter what.If you play the long game, you can win.But that means biting off a chunk of the elephant each day.It…
A is A.2 + 2 = 4You exist.Truth exists, absolutely.Many ideas and assertions are nuanced, debatable, and complex.But…
It's good to know your values.But will you apply your values?Will you:Follow throughAssert unpopular opinionRemove contradictionsChoose congruent relationships Otherwise, values are just hobbies.…
Break the twitch to "check."Maybe, leave the phone at home.Watch the good life sprout.…
Look at your beliefs from opposite directions.Re-frame.Turn assumptions upside-down.Play with doubt from all angles.Question,…
What if you were off-the-charts happy? Thriving and flourishing, like no one's business.Super healthy and fitHigh self-esteem Radically honest and authenticSurrounded by tons of people who uplift youLiving with definite purpose, direction, and meaningSo wealthy you get to give generously Abundance of creative outletsHead-over-heels for a woman/man who shares core valuesTraveling as desiredSwimming in gratefulnessDon't … Continue reading Off the Charts…
Preparation.Sharpening.Aiming.Envisioning.These are preambles to execution.The sharper the axe, the higher the impact.AKA:…
Once the fish leaves the sea, he grows lungs.He can't un-grow his new lungs.He may long for a time of comforting gills in the ocean.But…
You have the choice to think, or not.Man's volitional capacity is not automatic, it requires active, conscious brain power.Is…
Check texts.Check email.Check bank account.Check Facebook.Check Twitter.Check Instagram.Check texts again.Check…
You can fight, or you can build.You can debate, or you can create.You can legislate, or you can demonstrate.You can resign, or you can empower.You…
Make your create-to-consume at 1:1, or 2:1.That's hard.It's easy to listen to a podcast.Harder to make a podcast.It's…
The child self is the key to all. Key to healing.Key to health.Key to self-esteem, self-trust.Key to empathy.Key…
Could you choose cheer no matter what? Could you love all that happens to you, even the unwanted?Could you revel in tragedy?Could…
Stop worrying about the whole world.That's overwhelming.See what's in front of you. What can YOU do?…
Look at each action, each moment, each choice as investment.Flex the muscle of delayed gratification - in each element of life: money, health, productivity, friendships- and you will reap the harvest continually.This…
Health is central to all activity.Maintain it, boost it, prioritize it.Then productivity will fall into place.…
Rise above the storm.Rise above the noise.Rise above the criticism.Rise above the complainers.Rise above the nihilists.Rise…
Everyone Else is unhealthy. Live healthfully.Everyone Else thinks like the group.Think independently.Everyone Else is recoiling in safety mode.Empower…
Deep makes flow.Deep makes quality.Deep makes meaning.Deep sleep.Deep practice.Deep work.Deep listening.Deep…
Life is short and there are millions of books.Make time. Be curious.Extract wisdom. Knowledge is fuel for a flourishing life.…
Achieve your aims.Others will try hard to pull you back down, into the tub of mediocrity.Pull up. Be great.Do…
People need acceptance and belonging. Because the culture is fueled with the meme of self-sacrifice (think of others first), few want to admit its contradiction.Because…
As a child, you had little control of your environment, situation, and circumstance.So to try and exert control, you took on frameworks, beliefs, habits, tendencies.…
Sell the benefits the buyer likes, not the benefits you like You can spout out your favorite features, but if it's irrelevant to the specific person, it's not helpful.…
Aim your bow.Direct your laser.Specify your target.Eliminate the clutter.Skip the nonsense.Pinpoint your purpose with fierceness.…
Sanitize your mind of everyone else's input.Clear the debris of group think.Scrub away the assumptions you've borrowed from others.Think.…
When you hear the inner educator, accept it.When you make a "mistake," accept it.When you "fail," accept it.When…
Before the plane takes off, there is slowness, friction, and labor.- Boarding- Baggage storage- De-icing- Safety procedures- Runway clearing- Accelerating- Lift-off- TurbulenceThen, 10,000 feet.Cruising.Speed,…
Secure attachment is missing from many of our lives.We are often insecurely attached.For as children, we were dependent upon our parents for survival, no matter how they treated us, no matter how few our needs were met.So…
You are worthy of self-care.You are worthy of slowing down.You are worthy of rest and break.You are worthy of investing in health.You…
You need systems and steps.Systems are: - "I write everything down that I need to do" (GTD) - "I meditate daily" (routine) - "I don't look at my phone for first 2 hours of day" (deep scheduling)Steps are: - "I single task - I do one thing at a time and trust momentum" - "I … Continue reading Systems and Steps…
The highest level of self-actualization is full of C's.Creativity. Connection. Collaboration. Compassion.…
You own your self. That's a principle.By extension, you own your property. That's a principle.Principles build a healthy world.…
Know your sphere of control.Define what's outside.Empower what's inside.…
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. At times that absence is out of your control. You then naturally cultivate gratitude.But…
We can choose the lens through which we see reality.Yes, reality is what it is. But there are so many elements of reality that it's our choice how we frame.When…
Fight to be real. Employe effort, willpower, volition, courage, assertiveness.There is a swarm of people unintentionally luring you to conform.Don't.Be…
See reality for what it is. That takes effort.And acceptance. Be strong. See facts.…
Your choice now ripples forward.You can choose concrete, purposeful action that fuels your flourishing.Or you can choose pointless, unintentional action that keeps your treasure buried.Either…
Denial is a mechanism to keep us comfortable.But it hurts more, in the long term.Take inventory of the facts.…
I'll define "success" here with the conventional connotation. Earn income, status, and accomplish a whole lot.Fulfillment…
The Compassionate Man is empathetic, yet honest.The Compassionate Mans is gentle, yet assertive.The Compassionate Man listens, yet leads.The…
Self-Love is such a Self-Help term.It makes senses that many ignore it.Because Self-Help as a brand sucks.It…
Subconscious thinking is our automatic.Conscious thinking takes effort.You can train yourself to be "the watchman at the gate" of the subconscious, 24/7.Be…
Here are my notes, pg. 20-55 "Champions really care about their clients." Sure, some salespeople make money who don't care about their fellow human.…
You can watch people do things from the sidelines.Or you can get on the field. Create, do, build, act.…
Work smart. Sharpen the sword, then slay with precision.Ready the bow, aim the arrow, then fire with precision.Be…
Visualizing your desired future is powerful.You can choose to derive value from visualization, or you can dismiss it as "hokey Law of Attraction stuff."Choosing…
Neurons need time to churn and boil.Sleep.Silence.Walk.Loaf.Don't think rest time is waste time.…
You have agency over thought. Employ it.It takes conscious effort.The reward is a life chosen.The reward is aliveness.The…
The bumblebee is unwittingTorso heavy, wings lightHe's not "supposed to,"But he flies anywayHe scripts his timeHe lives as he pleasesHe knowsThere are no rules to this thing…
Be with people that celebrate your True Self. Those people ground you.You are free, open, honest, real.…
See what is.See cause and effect.Employ rational thought.But, but but...rationality is cold and heartless!No,…
Be brief.…
Do the difficult tasks.On the other side is fulfillment.And a regret-free life.…
Leverage.Plant seeds.Do important work in advance (quadrant 2).Crowbar your future.…
A pro practices until he can't do it wrong.A pro shows up via habit, not inspiration.A pro masters the rules, then shapes the rules.A…
Your body is your vessel.Your body is your temple.Maintain it, nurture it, take care of it.Out of compassion.…