To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children […] to leave the world a bit better […] to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived. This is to have succeeded
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Ferriss’s Tribe of Mentors was published in 2017, and arrived in my collection as a gift in 2018. It took me three years—until 2021, March of this year in fact—before I was finally ready to read it. I have a couple, (and “couple” always means two,) of things to say about the book.
Excellence is the next five minutes, improvement is the next five minutes, happiness is the next five minutes. This doesn’t mean you ingore planning. I encourage you to make ambitious plans. Just rememeber that the big-beyond-belief things are accomplished when you deconstruct them into the smallest possible pieces and focus on each “moment of impact,” one step at a time.
~ Tim Ferriss
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As I was reading, I marked about 50 quotes. I didn’t count the markers I inserted, and some of them are at sections with several quotes. There are quotes from the people in the book, there are quotes that Ferriss included in single-page, “quotes I’m pondering” section breaks, and there are precisely three quotes from Ferriss himself. (All three are here, in this post.)
The first thing I want to share about this book is that it’s not really Ferriss’s book. He didn’t write a book. The vast bulk is other people’s work and writing. Some of those people impressed me, some were “just” solid humans being their best, and some struck me as self-deluded; which makes it a superlative book. Where—let’s be honest—can one get insight on 100 different people and tuck it under your arm? Insight on people you’ve heard of, people you’ve not yet heard of, and even some people you’ll probably never care to hear of. Furthermore, having myself done a bunch of, “you’re just capturing what other people say,” work, I’m qualified to say: He did the deceptively difficult work of asking. He asked and followed up and nudged and organized (and indexed and cross-indexed) and cast light on people he thought were worth giving a platform.
To paraphrase Jim [Loehr]: The power broker in your life is the voice that no one ever hears. How well you revisit the tone and content of your private voice is what determines the quality of your life. It is the master storyteller, and the stories we tell ourselves are our reality. For instance, how do you speak to yourself when you make a mistake that upsets you? Would you speak that way to a dear freind when they’ve made a mistake? If not, you have work to do. Trust me, we all have work to do.
~ Tim Ferriss
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Which brings me to the second thing: There’s a very slim section hiding at the back. If I noted its existence when I read the Table of Contents, (I always read Tables of Contents,) six months later I’d certinaly forgotten the section existed. I could very easily have put the book down most of the way through and completely missed it. If you read nothing else in the book, this last section is the part you should read. I checked and it’s not published as a blog post by Ferriss, (but it’s small enough it could be.) Borrow or buy the book if just to read the last section.
Based on everything I’ve seen, a simple recipe can work: Focus on what’s in front of you, design great days to create a great life, and try not to make the same mistake twice. That’s it. Stop hitting net balls and try something else, perhaps even the opposite. If you really want extra credit, try not to be a dick, and you’ll be a Voltron-level superstar.
~ Tim Ferriss
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If you’ve not already guessed, all three of those quotes from Ferriss are from the last section of the book.
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How do podcasts create opportunities for connection, learning, and personal growth?
Exploring how veterinarians use podcasting to promote well-being and personal development.
We don’t take care of ourselves very well. We focus on the caregiving for the animal and for the owner and we tend to put ourselves last, so my podcast focuses on well-being and personal development.
~ Stacey Cordivano (8:03)
The conversation examines how podcasting fosters connections and opportunities for growth. It discusses how starting a podcast can lead to new professional and personal relationships, opening doors to collaboration and unexpected outcomes. Stacey reflects on the challenges and rewards of podcasting, emphasizing the importance of consistent effort and feedback from the audience. She also note how social media has complemented these efforts, particularly within niche communities like veterinary professionals.
Another focus of the discussion is the unique perspective veterinarians bring to podcasting, rooted in their caregiving nature and their need to adapt and problem-solve. Stacey shares how her podcast addresses mental health and personal development within the veterinary field, aiming to provide resources and insights that are not typically emphasized in their professional training. She also highlight the joy of learning and how their podcast keeps them accountable and motivated.
Takeaways
Connections fostered by podcasting — Building relationships with new contacts leads to opportunities.
Mental health in the veterinary profession — Podcasts can address the unique challenges faced by veterinarians.
Audience feedback as a motivator — Positive listener responses drive continued podcast production.
Social media as a supportive tool — Platforms like Instagram play a role in strengthening professional communities.
Balancing content creation and life — Finding workflows and schedules that minimize stress is essential.
Accountability through podcasting — Hosting a podcast encourages ongoing learning and self-improvement.
Resources
The Whole Veterinarian podcast — A podcast focusing on well-being and development for veterinarians.
Student Loan Planner — A resource mentioned for managing student loans.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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What role does curiosity play in shaping movement, interactions, and personal growth?
The nuanced relationship between uncertainty and opportunity defines how we engage with challenges.
If you protect yourself from all uncertainty, maybe you are protecting yourself from falling down a well or getting eaten by a bear, but you’re also protecting yourself from love.
~ Flynn Disney (8:05)
The conversation begins with an exploration of curiosity as a driving force behind personal growth and movement practices. Curiosity is described as a positive sense of uncertainty, where individuals embrace the unknown with hope rather than fear. This attitude ties directly to embodied experiences, where physical movement reflects the mental and emotional processes involved in navigating uncertainty.
The discussion touches on boundaries, games, and goals, emphasizing their roles in learning and engagement. A notable insight is the idea that boundaries create meaning in challenges, as seen in activities like parkour and games. The interplay of failure and success, described as the resolution of uncertainty, is vital for developing curiosity and staying motivated. Personal anecdotes, such as training dogs and solving puzzles, highlight how curiosity manifests across diverse contexts.
Takeaways
Curiosity as a mindset — Embracing uncertainty with positivity leads to exploration and growth.
Boundaries and goals — Defining clear limits gives meaning and direction to challenges.
Failure as a tool — Error and near-success foster curiosity and engagement.
The role of games — Structured play highlights universal principles of learning and connection.
Embodied practices — Physical movement reflects and reinforces mental and emotional exploration.
Uncertainty’s dual nature — It holds risks and opportunities, requiring a balance to embrace.
Social dynamics — Shared curiosity creates a sense of belonging and mutual understanding.
Resources
Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi — Explores the concept of engaging deeply in activities that balance skill and challenge.
Parkour training insights — Explores the movement discipline emphasizing adaptability and exploration.
Rubik’s Cube puzzles — Used in the conversation as a metaphor for learning through trial and error.
Positive uncertainty — The philosophical and psychological exploration of uncertainty’s benefits.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Named your fear must be before banish you can.
~ Yoda, in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, (2005 novel)
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The single most important distinction in life […] is to distinguish between an opportunity to be seized and a temptation to be resisted.
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I’m a child of the vinyl album era. We had a collection—about 5 feet of shelf space—of classic rock, some jazz, the usual suspects collected during the 60s, 70s and into the 80s. There was sublime magic in that vinyl. My dad wasn’t an audiophile per se, but he had a few nice things that comprised the stereo system, and the crown jewel was a Marantz turn-table. We had special soft-cloth cylinders for gently lifting dust off the surfaces. We even had a little space-ray-gun-looking thing that [as far as I recall] neutralized static charge on the vinyl, (which apparently can accumulate when you pull them out of their sleeves.) A classic Pioneer amp… at one point he found someone who rebuilt his speakers for him—repair rather than replace was, at one time, the norm in America. There was a dedicated cabinet for the gear, with a built-in power strip, and lighting…
And the CD was invented while I was a kid. We—society at large—had endless arguments about sound. I even did a high-school presentation about how CDs actually work to encode the sound digitally, and how that encoding uses compression, and how quality is lost… and I bought more and more CDs. I skipped right over collecting cassette tapes; I made countless of my own from albums and CDs, but I don’t believe I ever bought a single one. The Sony Walkman was the driver for my recording cassettes. Then the portable CD players arrived and all hell broke loose. I only purchased a handful of vinyl albums and I never ever set up the Marantz after my dad died. (I passed it to my cousin who did get into collecting vinyl as a kid. I made him promise to spin the helll out of it, and play music loud— damn loud.) And my CD collection grew to thousands. Then I mixed in my dad’s extensive CD collection which had almost zero overlap with mine. My stereo? I keep a scary-old little AirPort Express plugged in, with a cheap-ass set of “computer” speakers, with a woofer, plugged into the AirPort’s 3.5mm headphone jack.
This morning… “I think some Mozart would be nice.” Click, click… and click… and Symphony no. 39, recorded in 1977 by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra streams from the little stereo. Rather loudly I might add.
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Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another: “What? You too? I thought I was the only one.”
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German Philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) influenced some of the more prominent minds in the world. His writings and lessons traverse time and discipline. Schopenhauer confronted similar problems with media to the ones we face.
~ Shane Parrish from, Master Your Attention: Schopenhauer’s Strategy Against Clickbait
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The scale of Philosophy—just “western” Philosophy alone, even—is mind boggling. Who thought what, at which point in their career. Who influenced whom. Who’s work is now considered bunk, and which is bunk but still necessary to understand some other piece. What is in which language, and then which translation of that should one choose. If so-and-so had an influence on other-person, in what way? …did they build upon, tear down and correct, or push farther the influencer’s work?
At one point, I had deluded myself into attempting a systematic survey of Philosophy. ahahhahaahhaahahhaahahahahahhahaaa. Silly human.
But this small-ish article from Parrish led me to actually wonder about some of Schopenhauer’s essays. And I’ve ended up with an English translation of his On Reading and Books now sitting on my read-next table.
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Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices means never retiring, because the brain has to be engaged in finding new solutions in the moment, not just remembering old formulas. Hard choices makes us wiser, smarter, stronger, and wealthier, and easy choices reverse our progress, focusing our energies on comfort or entertainment. In every difficult moment ask yourself, “What is a hard choice, and what is an easy choice?” and you will know instantly what is right.
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It’s important to take time to think about what we’re reading and not merely assume the thoughts of the author. We need to digest, synthesize, and organize the thoughts of others if we are to understand. This is the grunt work of thinking. It’s how we acquire wisdom.
~ Shane Parrish from, A Meditation on Reading
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That’s a tiny taste from a delightful and sublime collection of thoughts on reading and books. Which will serve perfectly as an on-ramp to Schopenhauer’s actual essay, On Reading and Books. Which, furthermore, is even linked as a modern PDF from that same page. Wonders never cease.
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The point here is that I think this is one part of what teaching me how to think is really supposed to mean. To be just a little less arrogant. To have just a little critical awareness about myself and my certainties. Because a huge percentage of the stuff that I tend to be automatically certain of is, it turns out, totally wrong and deluded.
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If you must play, decide on three things at the start: The rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time.
~ Chinese proverb
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The point here is that I think this is one part of what teaching me how to think is really supposed to mean. To be just a little less arrogant. To have just a little critical awareness about myself and my certainties. Because a huge percentage of the stuff that I tend to be automatically certain of is, it turns out, totally wrong and deluded.
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As usual, therein lies a collection of thoughts nicely arranged into a constellation. I sometimes repeat the phrase, “assume positive intent,” to myself and to others as a caution against defaulting without thinking. It seems a base part of our nature—although the ancient benefits seem obvious it’s still only anecdotal evidence—that I default to defense. “Dead last” seems aptly named from the historical perspective, and “first” feels like we’re missing a catchy adjective. (“first fatality” maybe?) What might be called “herd middle” simply feels like the right choice most often. But that’s still defensive; Don’t stand out means blend in means wait and see means be cautious means they’re out to get me.
Boundaries? Yes, please. Rights and safety? Yes, and yes. But if the vast majority of us are really just like me… how great would it be if we assumed positive intent? …or, well, maybe we could do that at least half the time?
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What unique insights and challenges arise from participating in World Chase Tag and how do they intersect with the broader culture and practices of parkour?
This discussion explores the tension between preserving authenticity and adapting for mainstream appeal in parkour competitions.
Being playful, goofing around, is part of keeping your head in the game. And if you lose that playfulness, that’s when I get really worried that I won’t be able to perform.
~ Olof Wood (15:20)
The conversation examines World Chase Tag as a competitive extension of parkour, highlighting its demands on reflexes and decision-making. The interplay of flow states and logical strategies is emphasized as central to mastering the sport. Its unique blend of simplicity and complexity offers accessibility to audiences and athletes while retaining its competitive edge.
Discussions also touch upon social media’s influence on parkour practitioners. By choosing to disengage from traditional platforms, Olof reflects on authenticity and how parkour communities could benefit from self-owned platforms. The broader implications for personal evolution within parkour are also explored, with insights into adapting practices to life’s changing demands.
Takeaways
Reflexive demands of World Chase Tag — Highlighted as a unique intersection of logical strategy and flow states that enhance traditional parkour.
Challenges in mainstreaming parkour — Explored through the potential compromises between authenticity and large-scale appeal in events like WCT.
Playfulness as a performance key — Underlined as crucial for maintaining focus and avoiding burnout during competitions.
Social media’s impact on creativity — Discussed as a double-edged sword influencing personal expression and community engagement.
Adaptability in parkour practice — Acknowledged as vital for sustaining participation through different life phases.
Resources
World Chase Tag Official Website — The central hub for World Chase Tag competitions and information.
Outrun Parkour — The parkour gym where Olof coaches.
Urban Jumpers App — Highlighted as a parkour-focused social media alternative.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive.
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It would be a good thing to buy books if one could also buy the time to read them; But one usually confuses the purchase of books with the acquisition of their contents.
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I want to be really clear that this post is not me passive-aggressively asking you, Dear Reader, for money. This is a post about asking people for money.
Lately I’ve been trying to focus more on finding additional bits of funding for some of my projects. The obvious idea—and a suggestion I often get—is to directly ask people. Yes, ask them politely, appeal to their good nature, be clear, and don’t bury the ask. But it’s still straight-up asking: “Hey can you give me some money?” I’ve always resisted doing that, but I’ve never been able to express why I’ve been resisting. Until today.
Here are some reasons why I think it’s not appropriate to ask. I’m not claiming these are the only reasons not to ask. I’m also not claiming there are no reasons to ask. All I’m doing here is teasing out a few strands from the knot that is my muddled understanding of what’s going on with my resistance to saying, “can you give me some money?”
First, a lot of what I do—in fact, all the stuff that I do for which I’ve recently been trying to find some funding—is put out free for the taking or use. These are all things people can read, listen to, or use without my having said up front, “here’s a price tag.” That means I’m being passive-aggressive about asking for that money afterwards. I made a thing. They used the thing. Then I said, “can you give me some money?” while I’m making a little pouting face implying they really should pay me for that thing. When in fact, the whole situation didn’t look like a transaction when they started considering that thing I made. Transactions are fine, and money and accounting are fine. But my trying to change, (or even appearing to try,) the nature of the interaction afterwards is not fine.
Second, many people don’t have spare cash burning a hole in their pocket, and most people don’t value the thing I made. (They were on board when I said “here, it’s free,” but they’d have walked by, disinterested if I’d put a price tag on it.) I’m not being whiny here, just stating facts. We’ve all walked through markets and felt the prices were fair, but we don’t buy things simply because the price is right. So a lot of people are going to be on the “no” side when I ask. And every one of those people now has to either ghost me, (say “no” via ignoring my request,) or they have to actually say “no”. (And forcing people into that awkward situation is actually a sale tactic!) All of which is to say: I believe too many people are going to feel awkward about it when I ask. Well, that’s a second thing that I don’t like—I don’t need to be making anyone feel awkward.
Side trip about lovers’ triangles: If I have to get a 3rd party to pay me, so I can give this thing to you for free, that’s always going to be me exploiting you. What does that advertiser want? At best they just want your attention, (but it can be much worse.) In essence, I’m turning you into the product. Ick! So to me, advertising is never the right answer.
What does work? I’m not certain. Recall I started by saying this post is just me picking out a few threads. What I’m trying these days is to have clear asks that are visible from the start. Rather than shuffling up to someone later, with my hat in hand, to ask for some money. I’m trying to be sure that everyone’s aware, from the start, of how things work. I’m trying to deploy earlier, more messaging like, “this project is made possible by a few generous patrons,” and “please support my work so I can do more of it.” Then the magic that I bring to the table is: How much can I accomplish with the resources I’m given?
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Zeal, dogmatism and idealism exist only because we are forever committing intellectual sins. We sin by attributing concrete significance to meaningless pseudo-knowledge; We sin in being too lazy to think in terms of multiple causation and indulging instead in over-simplification, over-generalization and over-abstraction; And we sin by cherishing the false but agreeable notion that conceptual knowledge and, above all, conceptual pseudo-knowledge are the same as understanding.
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As I headed out of Asheville, North Carolina it occurred to me to wonder why I was heading north on Interstate 26. It was clearly labeled “North,” I was currently pointed north, and as far as I could tell—glancing at the dashboard’s big bright display while negotiating the swerving and undulating roadway—it was going to take me very-much northward. None the less, even-numbered Interstates are usually east-west routes. Also odd: The signage in North Carolina said “future” I-26, but it looked pretty in-existence to me.
North Carolina’s license plates say, “from sea to mountains.” Or something like that. Asheville and surrounds take that seriously. Lots and lots of hills and mountains and valleys for my little 4-cyclinder van to lumber up and down. Dang pretty though. Lots of evergreens, but enough deciduous trees that I bet the fall foliage is a spectacle.
At which point Siri announced: “Welcome to Tennessee!” Wait, wat?
I really should look over the map route before I start driving. I was expecting to go straight from North Carolina into Virginia. In hindsight, I see that was an option if I’d gone east from Asheville and northward from, like, Charlotte. And so I got an extremely brief glimpse of an extremely beautiful part of Tennessee.
But first, I drove up and down 42 steep hills like this one:
Somewhere along the way I saw a sign for the almost-was-a-State of Franklin. I’d read about that years ago, and—serendipity!—here I was driving through it. (The entire far-eastern pointy bit of Tennessee was once almost-sort-of Franklin.) Anyway.
Eventually I reached that quintessential American experience: The scenic overlook. I parked here:
I can tell when I’ve been sitting too long, riding in a car for days… I get the urge to bound up the stairs, one might even say the urge to run. Same shot, selfie-mode:
Two tricks to better selfies: Look at the camera lense, not the screen, as you trip the shutter, and intentionally lower the shoulder of the arm holding the camera. The one shoulder scrunched up is the dead-giveaway in selfies. Also, dude, get a hair cut and shave.
As I was strolling away, I realized there was a side trail. It mentioned 800 feet, and 150 feet vertical. I didn’t “run” up. I briskly walked up while thinking, “oooooh max heart-rate cardio… didn’t see that coming either.” But it was worth it:
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