Weekend Reflection #34
What I’m Working On: Staying Healthy (As Possible)
It’s incredibly easy to be unhealthy right now. My gym is closed and working out at home isn’t quite cutting it. So inevitably I’ve had to rely on tightening up on my nutrition. Food has always been a dangerous variable in my life. I’ve struggled with body dysmorphia for a long time. And while I’ve been able to cope, a crisis like this makes it very difficult to keep a clear head. There’s never an apparent fix to ED and dysmorphic disorders. I find journaling and daily runs/walks help a lot. But of course, the demon always comes creeping back to the mirror. The best we can do right now is try to keep a clear mind and be lenient with ourselves. Things won’t be the same, we will slip up, and that’s okay. It’s important to remember that this is just a moment in time. We will be able to get back to our routines and our “optimum” routines. Forgive yourself now so you can come back strong later. Do what you can, and be comfortable with change.
What I’m Struggling With: Focus
I can’t seem to focus on anything for longer than 20 minutes. Doing any kind of long-form work or activity is somehow out of reach. My work has plummeted, writing feels like a chore, and my reading habits are jumpy at best. I have a feeling everyone else is going through something similar. Somehow the only things that feel normal are things that I have put away until recently. Suddenly video games are providing the most comfort — the craziness of the outside world outmatches fantasy for once. Usually, I would chide myself for spending so much time playing games and watching TV but I’m not sure I can afford to be that hard on myself right now. I’d love to get a bit more writing done and be a bit more productive but I also don’t think I can afford to ask too much of myself. A little every day is the most we can ask of ourselves right now. Choose alive time when we can, and forgive ourselves if we need a moment to choose comfort.
A Quote I’m Thinking About
“I have learned to be a friend to myself Great improvement this indeed Such a one can never be said to be alone for know that he who is a friend to himself is a friend to all mankind”
Seneca The Younger
Weekend Reflection #33
What I’m Reading: Moneyball by Michael Lewis:
Every time I think I’m done with Lewis’ work I keep coming back. Worse. I keep putting other books down to pick up the next. My reading habits haven’t fared well during the shelter in place. I can’t seem to pick up new books or dense topics. Lewis’s work, however, has been a good anchor for my habit. It’s just the right balance of interesting and fun to keep me going (without going insane).
What I’m Struggling With: Liminal Time
We are all approaching the breaking point of this COVID-19 shutdown. Just about everyone I’ve talked to has started to go just a little bit stir-crazy and its picking up fast. The issue here, at least for me, seems to be all of the liminal time. I’ve never been particularly good at doing nothing. I tend to bounce from activity to activity and I always need to be doing something (something I’m working on), so these last few weeks have been particularly agonizing. For now, I’m doing my best to maintain habits as best I can and find activities that balance relaxation and work. I’m turning to philosophy where I can. Perhaps after all of this, we can all be a little more comfortable with downtime. We might all be better for it.
A Quote I’m Thinking About:
“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.”
Marcus Aurelius – Meditations
This is particularly pressing for most college students right now. Any future (in the short term) we had prepared for is now as foggy as it’s ever been. Remember, we can’t predict or fear the future. All we can do its confront it with the tools we have, and do our best to come out the other side better than we went in.
This Weeks Posts:
Prove Yourself Wrong
The Inertia of Small Steps
What Are You Learning?
Prove Yourself Wrong
You are wrong about a lot of things. Most importantly, you are wrong about your own abilities. Chances are you can do much more than you believe. The only way to improve then is to prove yourself wrong.
We plan every day more or less the same. The same workout schedule, the same work time, the same everything. Every day. The same. While routine is a great tool, we need to be careful not to trick ourselves. The danger here is assuming our method is also maximizing our effort. And while that may be true at first, we will always grow into the space we give ourselves. Before long, we’ve become comfortable. And comfort is the enemy of progress.
“I always run for 3 miles, so why run any more?” “I’ve never written more than a page.” “We only publish on Fridays, so there’s no way we could publish again on Monday.”
All of these are lies of comfort. When we start to talk like this, we know we’ve become complacent. The biggest impediment to growth and progress is what we tell ourselves. We are almost always more capable than we believe ourselves to be.
To get back on the path of progress, we need to break these patterns. We must prove ourselves wrong. Feel like going for a 30-minute run? Run for 35. Usually, write a page? Do a page and a half. A little more every day.
It’s going to be tough at first, but it’s going to feel amazing to conquer new territory. Before long, these further limitations will become comfortable again. And once again, we will need to prove ourselves wrong.
Don’t believe the voices in your head or the limitations you think you have. There’s always more in the tank if you dig deep enough.
Scared? Good. That means you are on the right track. Fight against your intuition and push yourself. You are wrong. And it’s worth everything to prove that.
The Inertia of Small Steps
When we look back at the great writers, innovators, and artists of history, we tend to believe they shot to the top in a burst of inspiration and genius. But that’s necessarily true. Yes, some ideas may pull to the top out of nowhere — we have the Orson Welles and the Picasso’s. But often, they are born out of the inertia of small, incremental steps.
The author Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art (one of my top 5 books), wrote for nearly three decades before his first novel The Legend of Bagger Vance was published.
“Hallelujah,” Leonard Cohen’s most famous song was released 15 years into his career. Even then, it took nearly two decades more to find popularity, being re-written and covered dozens of times before landing on the verses we know today.
The impressionist Cézanne produced thousands of works in his lifetime. Nevertheless, he only found financial success well into his mid-sixties.
Some of us may be lucky enough to stumble upon that one incredible idea or talent. We should all be so lucky. But we can’t count on these moments. True masters and innovators are built on small steps and the momentum they create. As Malcolm Gladwell wrote in his New Yorker article: “Sometimes genius is anything but rarefied; sometimes it’s just the thing that emerges after twenty years of working at your kitchen table.”
We must continuously seek to produce and experiment. When we create daily, we slowly build up momentum, and the more consistently we create, the more our inertia helps us. Creating today means it’s easier to create tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day. Focus on creating every day and let the inertia guide you to your goals.
What Are You Learning?
“What Are You Learning?”
You should always be able to answer this question. You should even be excited to answer this question. It’s the question we should be asking ourselves every day. How and what we learn determines everything we do. Our passions, our outlook, and our future.
Learning extends beyond the blackboard and the classroom. It doesn’t end after you cross the stage to get your diploma. That piece of paper doesn’t mean you are done. In fact, that piece of paper is granting you the freedom to learn anything you want — and that’s the most liberating thing in the world. Once you take learning into your own hands you have given yourself the agency to be in control of your own development. No more syllabi or curriculum. Just learning for the joy of learning — and your own development.
The best leaders, designers, artists, and entrepreneurs are always learning. Some intersect and some don’t. The more you learn the more you grow and the more you see how much there is to grow into. You can never learn it all. But in a way, that’s a humbling fact. Carve a space. Find your interest. When you dig down you find the things you’ve always wanted to learn, start there and see where the road of learning takes you.
What’s something you’ve always wanted to know? A topic you missed out on in school? A skill you always wanted? All of these are available to you. It may take some hard work. But it’s worth it. Pick up that instrument or that book. Sign up for an online class, or seek out mentors. Teach something to someone else.
The resources are there. All you have to do is be eager to learn and consume. Chances are you already know what it is. So why are you waiting? The best time to start is now.
What are you learning today?
Weekend Reflection #32
What I’m Re-Reading: What Makes Sammy Run? by Budd Schulberg
I’ve found it really difficult to get into new books this last week amongst being stuck at home and biding my time. So I’m returning to one to one of my favorites. This book has played through my head for months on end since I first read it at the end of last year. As I’ve already talked about it in a previous post, I won’t go into much detail. But I must say the second read is even more enlightening than the first.
What I’m Using this Time For: Learning
Given we are all spending a whole lot of time at home for the foreseeable future, I’ve decided to use this time to dedicate myself to learning. Every day I am picking some subjects or skills that I want to explore more. As for skills, I’m taking the time to spruce up on my guitar playing. Alternatively, I’m taking some free online courses in economics through Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok’s Marginal Revolution University (you should also check out their blog, one of my daily reads). I’ve always had a passing interest in economics and now seems like a good a time as any to dive in. Even if these don’t serve a concrete purpose, I’m having a lot of fun exploring new ideas. Who knows what else that might spark.
What I’m Playing: Animal Crossing
Along with just about everyone else stuck at home. I’ve played the various iterations of Animal Crossing since I was a kid but I’ve never had this much fun before. The only danger is giving over too much of my useful time, no matter how fun.
Posts This Week:
Are we going to be okay?
Are we going to be okay?
“Are we going to be okay?”
That seems to be the question on everyone’s mind right now. But it’s a much harder question to answer than we think. Because it depends on what you are truly asking, and if that’s the question worth asking at all.
If the question is “Are things going to go back to normal?” then the answer is a definite and unqualified no. Things will absolutely be different. A crisis like this will always instigate change. And that’s the key.
“Normal” may be behind us, but we have the chance to decide how our new normal will look. How we act in these moments shape the outcome of our new lives. If we ignore the facts and act irresponsibly then we are sacrificing the possibility of reform and positive change. But, if we choose to react with intention, focus, and generosity, then we have a chance to come out of this better than when we entered
So are we going to be okay? Well, that’s up to you. Ask yourself instead: “How can I make things okay?” or even “How can I make things better?”
Weekend Reflection #31
What I’m Reading: The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Taleb, the former options trader, has been on my mind amidst the COVID-19 Epidemic. I first came across his work in Malcolm Gladwell’s New Yorker article dissecting his trading. Of course, his methodology and philosophy became a series of best-selling books, namely, The Black Swan. Ever the skeptic, Taleb breaks down what he believes is a fundamental flaw in the human cognitive process and that which he has based his life on. This is the Black Swan or the random unforeseen events that we seem to rationalize away and ignore in favor of the normal. By bringing to light problems such as confirmation bias and that narrative fallacy, he highlights how our blindness and unwillingness to accept the improbable can be catastrophic.
What I Failed to Do: Keep Posting
With everything shutting down and everyone spending more and more time at home I found myself less and less interested in trying to write. It took a while to pull myself out of this hole and this roundup is more or less how I’m trying to get back into it. I’m hoping next week I can get back in the habit and start putting out more words.
What I’m Looking Forward to: Road Tripping
Well not so much a road trip as a 4 day U-Haul move, but I’ll take it. I’ll spare you the details but the short version is that I’ll be spending the next few days driving a truckload of things across the country to Texas to wait out the COVID-19 pandemic and let things settle down. I’ve never been on any sort of cross-country road trip (that I can remember), so I’m excited to see how I’ll handle it.
Weekend Reflection #30
What I’m Reading: Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk
Its no secret I’m a fan of Chuck P. I’ve read most of his work but somehow never found the opportunity to crack open Invisible Monsters. This one is a lot of fun, in a totally twisted way only Palahniuk can provide. An unnamed narrator tells her life story from fashion model success to disfigurement, arson, and cons. Not to mention one of the best twists I’ve ever read. I thought I could use some fun, dark reading in the midst of all of the chaos and this one definitely delivered.
What I’m Trying to Do: Maintain Routine
The coronavirus outbreak has more or less put my life at a standstill for the foreseeable future. My classes have moved online and most of my projects and work have been canceled or postponed. With all of my new free time, there is an extreme temptation to slack off and waste the days away. It’s a dangerous path. To avoid it I’m trying to keep as much of a routine as possible. I’m cutting back where needed and doing what’s responsible but still maintaining some sense of normalcy. It’s difficult but letting it go would be much worse.
A Quote I’m Thinking About:
You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.
Marcus Aurelius
Posts This Week
Keep Moving
Consider the Worst-Case Scenario
Consider the Worst-Case Scenario
Yesterday I opened up my calendar and hit delete on every project, event, and class I had scheduled for the next two months. Everything had been canceled because of COVID-19. It was a frustrating moment. Nevertheless, I had also known it was coming for a few days. Deep down, I had prepared myself for this loss. And I knew more may come. But, I knew I could move-on. In this time of spreading infection, it may be scary to consider the worst-case scenario. But this counterintuitive practice can be our best tool.
The ancient Stoic philosophers knew that almost nothing was within their control, only how they reacted to situations. Armed with this understanding, they lead with the practice of Premeditatio Malorum — or the premeditation of potential evils and troubles. Knowing they could only control their reactions, they sought to prepare themselves for the things they feared most. To do this, they considered the worst-case scenario. They visualized the negative outcomes of their decisions and the future. By taking the time to expose themselves to the idea of these losses, they sought to quell their fears and temper their reactions. If they were prepared for the worst-case, then they were also ready with the best response — and in turn, muted their fear.
Seneca The Younger, a pillar of stoicism, took this idea even further. Despite being one of the wealthiest and most respected men in Rome, he regularly practiced poverty. Every month, Seneca would take days at a time to live as if he were poor. He would wear the cheapest clothes, eat only the crusts of bread, and sleep on the floor. He experienced what it would be like if he lost everything. A fear we all have. While it may seem masochistic, this practice kept Seneca in control. By exposing himself to the worst-case, he also revealed that he could survive, and even be happy despite his loss. In practice, he exposed the irrationality of his fear and prepared himself for its arrival. As he wrote in his letters:
“We should project our thoughts ahead of us at every turn and have in mind every possible eventuality instead of only the usual course of events…Rehearse them in your mind: exile, torture, war, shipwreck. All the terms of our human lot should be before our eyes.“
It may be depressing or anxiety-ridden to consider the worst-case scenario — what and who we might lose. But taking the time to reflect on these fears gives us the power to arm ourselves for the outcome. If and when our fears do come true, we will be all the more prepared to react as our best selves.
Keep Moving
As companies and schools close their doors across the world, it’s clear that we are all going to be spending a lot more time at home. With anxiety and depression begin to creep up in the stir, it’s important to remember what we have in our control and that we need to keep moving.
As we hole up in our bedrooms behind our computers, we are going to feel helpless. It is natural. We may not have been able to prevent our classes from ending or our projects from being canceled, but that does not mean we can afford to slack off or give up.
It’s important to find outlets and work for ourselves. We must maintain some sense of normalcy. Stick to your practices, don’t fall behind. Perhaps it’s time try out a new hobby or exercise. Start writing. Whatever you do, take what you can and continue to put yourself to use. There are no excuses to let yourself fall behind. Online classes will be different, but its no reason to give up on your education. Pick up a book or find an online masterclass. It may not be perfect, but we will have to make it work.
Things may not be perfect or even ideal. But giving up on what we do have will only hurt us more. The best way to overcome a crisis, personal or otherwise, is to keep moving. Letting ourselves fall into the depths of depression and uselessness helps no one. So find a way to occupy yourself. Try to use the time and space you have been given for a useful purpose. How can you help yourself? How can you help others? There is always something to do or to contribute to. Take what you have and make it work. Keep moving, even when it feels like everything is grinding to a halt.
Weekend Reflection #29
What I’m Reading: The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis
This was meant to be the first book by Lewis I was going to read. But, I felt that diving right into his more recent work was jumping the gun. So I put it off until I made my way through a few others and felt really familiar with his work. But of course, every book was a new striking voice, and this one is no different. Here Lewis dives into the life and collaboration of Israeli psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky who changed the way we think about, well… thinking. Together they studied bias and decision making revealing how feeble our minds can actually be. While the psychology is interesting (I recommend reading Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow), the story behind their friendship is even better. I can’t recommend this one enough.
What I’m Reminding Myself: It’s Not That Important
This last week I went on a cruise with some friends. And, by choice, I went (almost) entirely without cell service or internet. While it was nice to get away from social media, It was even nicer to get away from the stress of work and projects. But, of course, my inner anxiety would catch up with me. I found myself worrying about gear rental emails and the paperwork I needed to do. I dreaded what was waiting for me in my inbox. While it was full, nothing I was worried about had come for me. In fact, everything was fine. We often like to use the phrase “it’s not rocket science” about easy things. But it’s at times like this; it’s also a good reminder that it’s not nearly as important. And most jobs and projects aren’t. We stress a lot about things that in the grand scheme are laughably unimportant. So why get worked up? Sure, something might go wrong, or you might miss an email. Is it going to be stressful? Only if we let it. The truth is it is as big a deal as we let it be. So let’s keep some perspective and remember that it’s all going to be okay.
A Quote I’m Thinking About
People are not so complicated. Relationships between people are complicated
Amos Tversky
Weekend Reflection #28
What I’m Listening To – What The Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
Despite my undying adoration for Gladwell’s work, I always struggled to get through this one. I couldn’t say why. After exhausting his books and podcasts, however, I was left with nowhere to turn. I’m glad I gave it another shot. While it doesn’t have the same weight as his other works, this collection of articles showcases the best of Gladwell’s curiosities.
What I’m Excited For: Taking A Break
I’m off this week on a cruise, which unfortunately for this blog means no posts next week. I could have written ahead and scheduled posts, but I felt it better to leave it alone for a week and see what kind of energy I can give back on my return. I’m excited to get this time away, I’ve been deep in the midst of projects and shows. I could definitely use a week to practice stillness and cultivate some energy in a new environment.
What I’m Working On: Relying on Others
I’ve been struggling a lot recently with my ability to trust others with important work. Or more accurately, try and reign myself in form overstepping. I spent a lot of my early education and training more or less doing things on my own or working for someone else. But, with my biggest sound design project around the corner, I’m having to rely a lot more on my team. While I know they are capable, I’m finding it hard not to constantly check-in or offer up solutions (especially dangerous in the world of education).
A Quote I’m Thinking About:
“I shall never be ashamed of citing a bad author if the line is good.”
Seneca
We have something to learn form everyone. Don’t discount the words of someone else because you dislike them. Seneca often quoted Epicurus, the founder of “the enemy” philosophy, Epicureanism, that opposed his own Stoicism. Seneca knew that sometimes even the opposition has something worth considering.
Published This Week:
5 Books to Kickstart Your Personal Growth
Books: The Best Thing Money Can Buy
The Daily Linchpin
5 Books to Kickstart Personal Growth
We often overlook the value of books. They can be the most valuable source of reflection we have. The framework of experiences and practices they provide is essential to our self-improvement.
But where do we start? There are thousands of books in the self-help section alone. Below I detail the 5 books I recommend to anyone looking to make a change or improve their lives. The list includes a range of topics, from habit development to creativity, to philosophy. I recommend you read all of them and maybe even the deeper recommendations within. I’m sure at least one will have a profound effect on your life and personal progress.
The War of Art – Steven Pressfield
What’s stopping you from writing that story, or auditioning for that part? Who’s that voice in your head telling you your work is no good? Pressfield calls it “Resistance.” As artists, we engage with Resistance every day. This is a profile of that enemy. It is an absolute must-read for anyone invested in making a change in their life. Whether you want to start a business, begin a creative career, or even conquer your lousy diet. The War of Art shows you how to overcome all of this. Its a kick in the ass to be sure. But one we all need
If you enjoy this book, I recommend going right into Pressfield’s follow up: Turning Pro. And, for even more creative energy, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, and Steal Like and Artist by Austin Kleon.
Thinking in Bets – Annie Duke
Life is a lot more like poker than chess. And poker, unlike chess, requires us to make and bet on decisions when we don’t have all of the information. So how do we know the right choice to make? Where in life do we place our bets? This is the central question of Duke’s book: how to make better decisions in the half-blind game of life. Combining her years of championship poker experience with thorough research, Duke reveals the tools and tips we need to be better decision-makers. This book will have value for anyone, regardless of occupation or lifestyle.
If you want to dig more into this topic and its implications, there’s no better place to go than Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow and Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink.
Start With Why – Simon Sinek
One of the most challenging things to find in ourselves is our fundamental purpose or clarity. Often times, we don’t know what we are in search of or why we are doing the things we are doing. The result is chaos and an endless fog of disillusionment. This fog clouds every decision we make and every path in front of us. The first and most crucial step to self-improvement is a “why.” This is the subject of Sinek’s book. Drawing on the likes of Apple and Southwest, Sinek dissects the importance of our why and how that inner clarity permeates everything we do. In helping us to find our why, Sinek shows us how to set a course for ourselves. This course informs every decision we make and the practice we put in place. It is the first step in the long journey of creative, entrepreneurial, and personal development.
If you want more, this book is best supported by its companion: Find Your Why.
Meditations – Marcus Aurelius
How often do you get to read the journals of one of the most influential people in the world? The Meditations are just that. Serving as the Emperor of Rome from 161 to 180AD, Aurelius is known as the last of the Five Good Emperors, promoting peace and stability over the greatest empire of all time. His journals give us a window into his life and ruling philosophies. The entries have incredible relevance throughout time, even today. His struggles with desire, depression, and getting out of bed in the morning seem as if we wrote them ourselves. This book will key you into the ancient philosophy of stoicism. This philosophy has been the cornerstone mindset for some of the greatest leaders and creators in history — and it can be the same for you.
If you find yourself drawn to the ideas of Stoicism, It is essential that you also read Seneca the Younger’s Letters from A Stoic and Epictetus’ Enchiridion, or handbook to start. For a look at Stoicism in modern life, I recommend the works of Ryan Holiday: Ego is the Enemy, The Obstacle is the Way, Stillness is the Key, and The Daily Stoic (book and newsletter).
Atomic Habits – James Clear
Willpower is overrated. If you’ve ever tried to quit sugar or go to the gym, you know that it’s nearly impossible to simply will yourself into action (or inaction). When we want to kick a bad habit and start a better one, we can’t rely on brute-force alone. In his book, James Clear, easily and accessibly, breaks down the most critical factors in habit development, from research to practice. You’ll learn how to develop intrinsic motivation, bend the enviornment to your favor, and more to crush your bad habits. This is easily one of the most important books in our toolkit.
If you are looking for positive habits to implement with these tools, try out Brendon Buchard’s High-Performance Habits.
Happy Reading!
Hopefully you will find something worth grabbing onto in the pages of these books. Let these books be the steepingstone you need to get started. And don’t forget to keep reading. It’s vital to our progress.
Looking for more book recommendations? Why not sign up for my newsletter. In addition to post updates and exclusive emails, I send out a monthy reading roundup of all of my reads and recommendations for the month.
Books: The Best Thing Money Can Buy
On his podcast, Tim Ferriss often asks his high-performing guests to name the most important thing they have bought for less than $100. My answer to this question is a no brainer. Books. Any and all books. Non-fiction, fiction, biography, philosophy — anything I can learn from or enjoy. I spend at least $100 on books every month. My library is the single greatest source of education and reflection I have in my life.
Perhaps it seems a little archaic or expensive to maintain a library. But let’s think about it. The average book costs between $15-$25. And yet, every single book I’ve ever read has been worth vastly more than what I spent on it. Choc full of information, advice, entertainment, and practices, books pay us back in dividends for our entire lives. They are an absolute steal. I’ve bought books for less than $10 that have paid me back magnitudes of order more because of their advice and what that meant for my career. Maintaining a library, reading, and re-reading is a lifelong learning opportunity. It connects you to a community, sparks new ideas, and, if it’s really good, will keep you coming back to it for the rest of your life.
Also, let’s be honest, it’s fun. I know we all like to joke about how we don’t like reading or laugh about how we are “illiterate” (I hear this one a lot in students,), but I promise you, when you find the right book, it will be more entertainment and fun than any iPhone game or Netflix show could ever give you.
So go pick up a book, any book. Start small. Maybe instead of watching youtube before bed, you take 30 minutes to read. I promise that small investment will soon become a mountain of progress for you, no matter what your goals are. The best thing money can buy is a good book.
P.S. If you are looking for book recommendations to get you started, keep an eye out for Friday’s article. Also consider signing up for my newsletter, in addition to post updates and exclusive emails, I send out a monthly reading roundup showcasing all the books I recommend that month.