Author: Craig Constantine

Most people are not yet born

Published July 27, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 27  ·  

[…] recognize that at least in terms of sheer numbers, the current population is easily outweighed by all those who will come after us. In a calculation made by writer Richard Fisher, around 100 billion people have lived and died in the past 50,000 years. But they, together with the 7.7 billion people currently alive, are far outweighed by the estimated 6.75 trillion people who will be born over the next 50,000 years, if this century’s birth rate is maintained (see graphic below). Even in just the next millennium, more than 135 billion people are likely to be born. 

~ Roman Krznaric from, Six Ways to Think Long-term: A Cognitive Toolkit for Good Ancestors – Long Now

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50,000 years is, of course, somewhat arbitrary. But it’s a good estimate of the span so far of recognizably-like-current-us human history. It’s obvious that today, most people are already dead. It’s those trillion yet to come that warp the brain and create perspective.

This article from The Long Now Foundation has 6 good examples of explicit ways to think long-term, rather than short-term.

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Sabbaticals are not the solution

Published July 25, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 25

What is it about digital addictions that make us think the occasional break will suffice?

~ Cal Newport from, Digital Sabbaticals Don’t Make Sense – Cal Newportsense/

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Weekly sabbaticals make no sense, sure. But less frequent sabbaticals are powerful. Take a week off from—whatever, email, social networks, etc.—and your addictions are made obvious. Nothing surprising there. The question is: Do you then consciously bring the addicting drug back into your life?

That’s not hyperbolic soapboxing; That’s a real question for you to consider.

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Do you have an “ask”?

Published July 24, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 24

I don’t always have an “ask.” But when I do, I make it clear and I usually lead with it. This plays out in countless ways, and I’m hoping it’s so obvious that I don’t need to give any examples. Rather, I’ll just go meta:

When you have an ask, is it clear—really clear—in your communication?

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Cara-Michele Nether: Aikido, wellness, and honesty

Published July 22, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 22  ·  

Cara-Michele Nether: Aikido, wellness, and honesty

How can personal experiences with Aikido and wellness practices be used to help others improve their lives through self-awareness, physical health, and personal growth?

Unexpectedly inheriting an Aikido school may sound overwhelming, but Cara-Michele Nether took it in stride. She sits down to share her journey in Aikido and acupuncture, and what she’s learned from both. Cara-Michele unpacks her views on overall health, and how she helps people improve their lives by focusing on their ‘why.’ She discusses her grandmother, the importance of self-awareness, and her thoughts on Aikido’s usefulness.

Nobody wants to do something that they feel awful about. So you have to make it easy and smooth for them and give them small reasons to celebrate and have a good time and feel like they want to come back.

~ Cara-Michele Nether (38:42)

The discussion focuses on personal growth and the impact of martial arts, particularly Aikido, on physical and emotional health. Aikido serves as a tool for self-awareness and developing resilience, as Cara-Michele shares her journey from discovering the practice to inheriting and leading a dojo. The themes of humility, connection, and navigating challenges in teaching and practice are explored in depth.

Health and wellness are central topics, as Cara-Michele integrates practices like acupuncture, nutrition, and functional movement into their work. She emphasize the importance of understanding personal motivations, or “why,” to make meaningful changes in health and lifestyle. Stories of overcoming challenges and helping others through tailored approaches highlight the transformative power of these practices.

Takeaways

Functional movement — Emphasis on exercises that enhance daily life skills like lifting, climbing stairs, or squatting.

Humility in practice — The necessity of maintaining an “empty cup” mindset for growth in martial arts and personal development.

Health connections — The integration of acupuncture, nutrition, and movement to improve overall well-being.

Legacy and impact — Encouraging others to recognize their unique contributions and preserve family histories.

Community and belonging — The importance of fostering connections and seeing oneself as valuable to others.

Resources

Strength and Vitality Wellness Center — A wellness center offering acupuncture, nutrition, and movement classes, designed to help clients achieve overall health and vitality.

Falls Road Aikido — A dojo founded by Cara-Michele Nether that emphasizes Aikido practice with a focus on personal growth and connection.

Kinokawa Aikido — An Aikido organization that strongly influenced Cara-Michele’s martial arts journey, known for its emphasis on martial and philosophical aspects of Aikido.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Mindful communication

Published July 22, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 22

With few exceptions, e-mail use arose organically within organizations, with little thought applied to how digital communication might best serve the relevant objectives.

~ Cal Newport from, The E-mail Productivity Curve – Cal Newport

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As usual, this is an interesting article from Newport. He proposes a productivity curve for email—how productive we are without, with-some, with-more, with-too-much—which explains perfectly why some people love email and some people hate it.

The key point about email is to use it intentionally. Not simply one’s own use; not simply, “I only check my email twice a day,” or, “I’m always at ‘inbox zero.'” The key is to deploy email wisely, in a way which increases productivity of a team, (family, community, whatever.) If adding email into the mix is going to increase productivity, then do so. Then zoom out and look at all your other communication tools, and perform the same calculus. Email is simply one example of a tool which initially [hopefully] increases productivity, but too-soon becomes a detriment.

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The faculty of choice

Published July 21, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 21  ·  

What else does the eye do, when it is opened, than see? But whether we ought to look upon somebody’s wife, and in what manner, what tells us that? The faculty of choice. Whether we ought to believe, or to disbelieve, what is said; or whether, if we do believe, we ought to be moved by it or not; what tells us that? Is it not the faculty of choice?

~ Epictetus

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The impulse to blame

Published July 20, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 20  ·  

Small-minded people habitually reproach others for their own misfortunes. Average people reproach themselves. Those who are dedicated to a life of wisdom understand that the impulse to blame something or someone is foolishness, that there is nothing to be gained in blaming, whether it be others or oneself.

~ Epictetus

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Know when to punt

Published July 18, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 18  ·  

25 days ago I started a wee challenge: Trying to train every day for 100 days straight. I’d done this challenge in 2017 to mixed results. Physically it was mixed; training every day is too much and I ended up defining some recovery days as “training.” Mentally it was also mixed; I wasn’t trying to build a new habit, so the “daily” part didn’t work towards that, and it became a serious drag forcing myself to train every day.

When I finished the 2017 challenge I knew it sucked and definitely didn’t want to make that a thing I did often, nor even yearly. When 2020 rolled around—my physical activity was exactly as usual, with me outside doing various things just as much as 2019—but I started thinking about doing some more rock climbing (outdoors, on real mountains.) That prompted me to think about getting into better shape. For me, that’s primarily removing fat. For the first couple months I concentrated on diet, which means focusing on when and how much I’m eating.

After I peeled off 10 pounds of blubber, that’s when I had the idea to take on a fresh 100-days-of-training challenge. It was exactly what I remembered it was like: It sucks. In years past I would have just embraced the suck and pushed through the thing. Note that I would have constantly considered myself to be failing. Entirely missing a day here and there, realizing I need a rest day and defining recovery as training, and just generally nagging myself with, “I should go train.” Instead I simply punted on the whole thing and deleted it entirely.

…aaah, yes, the power of “no” when you have a bigger “why” burning inside you.

When’s the last time you punted on something?

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A few years ago

Published July 17, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 17

Can’t remember the last time I had a beer—not that I quit specifically, and I’d be surprised if it’s been more than a year, but at one time beer was a thing… and now, not so much. I’m not sure if that’s because my life went to shit and I feel I never have time to relax, or if I’m simply no longer interested in beer. Anyway. Also: Mustache.

Expectations

Published July 16, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 16  ·  

All outcomes are manifestations of forces that are at work to produce them, so whenever looking at specific outcomes, think about the forces that are behind them. Constantly ask yourself, “What is this symptomatic of?”

~ Ray Dalio from, 17 Management Lessons from Ray Dalio

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This is pretty much the zero-th rule of being a rational agent. (But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t bear repeating.) The post from Parrish is simply a long list of quotes from Dalio. It’s a great list, and it’s assembled in the context of leadership skills. This one, (quoted above,) in particular speaks to me; speaks to me like a drill sergeant. “What is your dysfunction?!” Anyway.

Once I started practicing being rational—yes, emotions are real, they are important, they get their due… But once I started intentionally practicing using rationality as a tool I made huge strides in self-improvement.

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Commitment

Published July 15, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 15  ·  

People who are interested in doing something will do it when it’s convenient. People who are committed will do it no matter what.

~ Bob Proctor

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Adam McClellan, Caitlin Pontrella, & Alan Tran | Art of Retreat 2019 Recap

Published July 15, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 15

On Castbox.fm — Adam McClellan, Caitlin Pontrella, & Alan Tran | Art of Retreat 2019 Recap

How can events like retreats foster personal growth, collaboration, and community-building in specialized fields?

Discover how open schedules and shared creative spaces redefine the meaning of collaboration and innovation at events.

Something new that we did this year was open schedule […] an open forum where anyone could add a session or workshop or something informal, to the schedule during our blocks of open time, which was really well received.

~ Caitlin Pontrella (0:54)

This discussion revolves around the role of retreats in fostering personal growth, community-building, and collaboration. Adam, Caitlin and Alan describe the unique atmosphere of the retreat, emphasizing the importance of an open schedule that allows participants to contribute sessions spontaneously. This format lowers barriers to participation, inspiring individuals to step into leadership roles and share their expertise. Additionally, the conversation highlights the retreat’s design, which fosters vulnerability, connection, and a sense of belonging through shared meals, cozy settings, and creative activities.

The group also explores the challenges and opportunities of organizing international retreats. Topics include reducing economic barriers for attendees, creating cross-cultural connections, and leveraging sponsorships to enhance inclusivity. They stress the significance of helping participants take the retreat’s transformative energy back to their local communities, translating it into actionable insights and long-lasting impact. A key theme is the interplay between deliberate planning and organic participant-driven creation, which collectively define the retreat’s unique success.

Takeaways

Creating space for spontaneous sessions — This fosters inclusivity and encourages new voices to emerge as potential future leaders.

The role of environment — A retreat’s physical setting significantly contributes to its emotional and social impact, enhancing connection and memory.

Barriers to accessibility — Efforts to reduce economic, geographic, and social barriers ensure more diverse participation.

The power of shared meals — Communal meals are designed to build intimacy and create a warm, homelike atmosphere.

Cultural exchange in international retreats — Cross-cultural understanding and shared learnings enhance the global community’s impact.

Emphasis on personal agency — Participants are encouraged to take ownership of their experience, tailoring it to their needs.

Connection beyond the retreat — A focus on enabling participants to take back ideas, skills, and inspiration to their communities.

The hero’s journey framework — The retreat experience is framed as a journey of personal growth and transformation.

Resources

Art of Retreat — Official website for the retreat, offering event details and registration.

Parkour Visions — A partner organization supporting the retreat.

Parkour Generations Americas — A key partner in organizing and supporting the event.

Zen Planner — A sponsor providing resources for event management.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Dawning of moral progress

Published July 14, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 14  ·  

One of the signs of the dawning of moral progress is the gradual extinguishing of blame. We see the futility of finger-pointing. The more we examine our attitudes and work on ourselves, the less we are apt to be swept away by stormy emotional reactions in which we seek easy explanations for unbidden events.

~ Epictetus

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What do you do while on the bench?

Published July 13, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 13

She didn’t recognize there was a bench in her life — and because she didn’t recognize the bench, she didn’t focus on the game playing out around her. In baseball there’s a location shift, from a player being on the field to a player being on the bench in the dugout.

~ Callie Oettinger from, What It Takes: How to Pitch: Get in the Game

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I don’t personally think of my life as if I’m sitting on “the bench” waiting to be tapped to go out and play in the game—but it’s a good enough metaphor, so I’m running with it today.

The question is simply: What do you do while you are sitting on the bench?

There are many other ways this has been phrased…

What are you doing, each day, to build an asset that will be useful to you later?

Or if you are in a creative arena…

What’s on your web site that shows me the work you’ve done?
What’s in your portfolio?
Who can’t stop talking about you?

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P.S.: This question is part of my personal list of daily reminders.

Anything but boring

Published July 12, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 12  ·  

…what I see is not chaos but home. A prose style that interrupts itself, that can’t seem to make up its mind, promises me the thing that I open a book looking for: a friend. That friend might be insufferable (Hello, Mickey Sabbath!) or maniacally self-involved (Bonjour, Marcel!), but what she won’t be, her parentheses assure me, is distant, withholding.

~ Ben Dolnick from, Opinion | (Let Us Out of This Clause) – The New York Times

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Say what you will about the Times—no really, go ahead, I’ll wait—but I am frequently glad that I keep the old Grey Lady in my RSS reader. skip skip skip skip yawn skip and then oh-hello! This piece is fun, and his perceptions about parentheticals and asides is something along with which I nod. (I shall torture my mother-tongue as I see fit.) Meanwhile, if I can get you to say, “not boring”—my goal isn’t so low, but while aiming for the stars I’ll settle for it—if ever asked to assess my blog. (Yeup, that sentence is broken just to make you read it multiple times.) A few days ago I was talking about texting. Today’s ramble through the brambles—is that a movie title? …it should be—feels like a postscript to my bit about how texting, (in it’s various forms,) slots in as sub conversation but supra full-on prose. Because I feel that my writing is as close as I can get to having a conversation… if you were a blind mute whom I couldn’t see.

End of line.

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Baseball

Published July 11, 2020  ·  All posts on Jul 11

If I stick with it, however, my mind eventually downshifts — quieting the noisy neuronal clamoring for easy entertainment, and leaving instead an unencumbered attention of a type that I often seek in my work.

~ Cal Newport from, Deep Habits: Listen to Baseball on the Radio – Cal Newport

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Once or thrice I’ve heard a baseball game on the radio. This would have been back in the 80’s when with some neighborhood friends—brothers, whose father was a plumber—we’d occasionally ride to a baseball game. The kind of game where we were playing as kids; semi-organized little league games at random churches’ baseball fields scattered around the Pennsylvania rolling hills. A homerun into left-field was in the graveyard and into right-field was in the corn field. I can’t convey in writing what it sounded like riding in the truck with the radio on; some combination of a monotonous announcer with a touch of crowd noise, a big ‘ol truck engine—this was the plumbing truck full of plumbing supplies in the back—a 5-speed manual floor shift and 3 rowdy kids with the windows rolled down and the smell of fields and manure and baseball gloves.

I think I had something else to say about baseball and focus when I started typing. But I forget what it was.

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