“Don’t you find it odd,” she continued, “that when you’re a kid, everyone, all the world, encourages you to follow your dreams. But when you’re older, somehow they act offended if you even try.”
~ Ethan Hawke
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Author: Craig Constantine
Two things
This sudden loss has gotten me to face my own death this week. I know it is coming, just not when. I rarely think about it, because life is so in-my-face, but it’s there, waiting. Tyler’s death is such a stark reminder that we never know how much time we have left.
~ Leo Babauta from, The Tragedy & Liberation of Death
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There are exactly two things about my life of which I am certain. I was born, and I will die. I spend a lot of time contemplating my end; Not in a fatalistic, “come at me bro’!” way, but rather with the intention of reminding myself to make the most out of every moment.
There are many moments where I’m unconscious—quite a few of those moments are while I’m sleeping, but also there are mindless moments aplenty throughout my days. But there are increasingly more mindful moments every day.
An extremely fast way to get to mindfulness—this is the fastest way I’ve found so far—is to think: This may well be the last time I do this. The last walk. The last boulder I scramble upon. The last conversation with this person. The last conversation ever. The last word I type. The last sentence I jauntily scribble with a pen. The last time I drive a car. The last time I ride a bicycle. The last time I wrench my back shoveling snow. The last time something scares the crap out of me. The last time I laugh until I lose control of my bladder. The last time I’m stuck as part of the traffic. The last time I’m part of the solution. The last time I’m the source of the problem. The last time I smash the hell out of my toe on something.
In every one of those cases, I can now enjoy it… if I can manage to remember: This could be the last time I get to experience this.
I’ve even decided that if I can manage it, my last words will be: “Well, if that wasn’t nice, I don’t know what is.” (And just maybe with a literal hat tip to Vonnegut.)
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Entering this moment
To be in any kind of balance state, especially if it’s new is incredibly valuable to bring you into this moment, because the moment is in constant change. That’s why we call it infinite, right? You can’t grab hold of it and then be there. The second you’re there, it’s gone and you’re in the next one, and that’s this awake kind of living. Balance is the fastest way to enter into that space.
~ Thomas Droge
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Salutary
The Victorian love letter and the text message, the memoir and the Instagram selfie — they are all fragments of self-expression frozen in time, expressing a self fragmentary and discontinuous across the sweep of a life, fragments that can never reconstitute for posterity a complete and cohesive portrait of a person, because to be a person is to be perpetually contradictory and incomplete.
~ Maria Popova from, Bridging the Island Universes of Our Experience
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Today was a good day. Any day wherein I stumble upon a word I do not know is a good day. I think it’s just right as rain that Huxley would be the source of the “salutary” which caused me to reach for my dictionary. (If it’s also new to you, I’ll give you a hint: It has nothing to do with “salutation,” as I had presumed.)
In addition to the unexpectedly salutary new word—a second hint—I was pleasantly held up in my light reading by Popova’s sentiment. I’m certainly not going to truly understand someone in one brief conversation. But I am definitely better off for each of those experiences spending time visiting another island universe. (That’s one of Huxley’s metaphors. Click thru already!)
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Connecting through movement
Even, a lot of times, those people who you’re not connecting with on a conversational level, you start moving together though— And you find a very deep connection. And now you’re moving in their world or they’re moving in yours, or whatever it is, but you found this other way to connect with somebody that you would have never known if you just worked with them or whatever the case may be.
~ Jonny Hart
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Impact with Sanat Singhal
What drives the creation and evolution of a podcast that inspires and educates young entrepreneurs?
The discussion highlights the role of curiosity and intentional storytelling in podcasting.
I realized I wanted to spend more time actually researching before the interview, and not just try to churn them out. But really try to find the best— find the most useful bits from, people’s story and insights, and go deep.
~ Sanat Singhal (13:17)
The conversation goes into the evolving journey of podcasting, focusing on creating meaningful, impactful content. The challenges of guest selection, maintaining enthusiasm, and crafting episodes that inspire and educate are central themes. Sanat shares insights on transitioning from broad topics to a narrower, more intentional focus to better serve an audience of young entrepreneurs. He also emphasize the importance of preparation, storytelling, and personal curiosity in driving engaging conversations.
The discussion reflects on the value of podcasts in fostering connections, such as listeners engaging with guests or guests connecting with one another. It also explores the personal growth experienced by the podcaster, who recognizes the need to shift from mechanical production to more deeply intentional creation. Themes of inspiration, impact, and curiosity are woven throughout, highlighting the transformative potential of podcasts.
Takeaways
The power of storytelling — Sharing personal journeys can inspire and motivate others.
Intentional focus — Narrowing the scope of a podcast can lead to more impactful content.
Curiosity as a driver — Following personal curiosity often leads to the most engaging discussions.
Preparation is key — Deep research enhances the quality and depth of interviews.
Fostering connections — Podcasts can create unexpected relationships and collaborations.
Balancing entertainment and education — An engaging delivery ensures listeners stay connected to the message.
Refining personal values — A clear understanding of impact can shape content direction.
The privilege of podcasting — Hosting allows sharing diverse perspectives with a broader audience.
Resources
Twenty First Century Visionary — Sanat’s podcast
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Pain versus suffering
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. Say you’re running and you think, “man, this hurts, I can’t take it anymore.” The “hurt” part is an unavoidable reality, but whether or not you can stand anymore is up to the runner himself.
~ Haruki Murakami
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Dissonance for the win
The same way having a diversity of traits within a population is optimal (yet uncomfortable) in nature, and having a diversity of personalities/beliefs/backgrounds is optimal (yet uncomfortable) in society, I would argue that possessing a diversity of values, perspectives, and inclinations as an individual is optimal (yet uncomfortable) for our psychology.
~ Mark Manson from, How to Cultivate Wisdom
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That’s an insightful observation.
In certain circles there are some oft-posed rhetorical questions: What’s the work only you can do? What, if you ceased doing it, would people miss? …because there’s a lot of other stuff you could choose to do. Stuff which is easy, and which can be done by anyone. And then there’s the other stuff: The stuff that requires us to balance competing priorities, to resolve conflicting requirements, and to choose among exclusive options.
When’s the last time you made a sub-optimal decision knowing that doing so was better than doing nothing?
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Effectiveness
Focus on effectiveness—what your actions will actually accomplish—and not self-actualization or other ways of trying to feel good about yourself.
~ Steven Pinker
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Fear
[F]ear is not a sign of personal weakness, but rather a natural state of discomfort that occurs whenever you’re out of your comfort zone. It’s there not to sabotage you, but to help you come alive, be more focused, and put you into the present moment and a heightened state of excitement and awareness. If you push the fear away, the only version of fear available to you will be its crazy, irrational, or contorted version. If you’re willing to feel it, and merge with it, its energy and wisdom will appear.
~ Kristen Ulmer
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Self-Care with Brian A. Prince
What strategies can help individuals manage personal challenges, including emotional and creative struggles, while maintaining growth and resilience?
A conversation navigating the complexities of identity, mental health, and artistic expression.
What I’ve realized is that, for me, I’m trying to just honestly recognize how I feel, when I feel it, and acknowledge it. [The] history of old-school Parkour, art school, and then doing stunts for film, kind of made me very good at ignoring how I feel and powering through it anyway.
~ Brian A. Prince (4:40)
The conversation examines personal challenges and strategies for resilience, emphasizing self-awareness and self-care. The discussion explores how external events, such as the pandemic and sociopolitical movements, prompted introspection and adjustments in mental health approaches. Techniques for recognizing and managing emotional states are shared, with a focus on therapy and understanding triggers.
Creativity and career balance are recurring themes, highlighting how transitioning creative pursuits into professional roles can lead to burnout. Brian reflects on finding sustainable ways to maintain artistic passion and adapting their career to preserve personal expression. Self-awareness, communication, and the need for support systems are underscored as critical to navigating these experiences.
Takeaways
Recognizing emotions — Accepting and addressing feelings is a vital step toward self-care.
Impact of external events — Significant global events can trigger deep personal reflection and change.
Balancing creativity and career — Turning creative pursuits into work can be rewarding but requires boundaries to avoid burnout.
Role of support systems — Having supportive relationships aids in managing challenges and maintaining growth.
Therapy as a tool — Understanding specific therapy needs improves its effectiveness.
Shifting priorities — Adjusting life goals and expectations is often necessary during transitions.
Creativity and well-being — Art and expression remain central to personal satisfaction and resilience.
Resources
@talltrainings and @thebaprince — Brian’s Instagram accounts.
Netflix’s “Arcane” — an animated TV show mentioned as a source of creative inspiration.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Process with James Fricker
What strategies can podcasters use to manage the complexities of content creation and sustain their passion over time?
The conversation explores how podcasters balance creative ambitions with practical constraints.
I think what would be a nice way to wrap it— would be, to create some kind of an ebook, or something like that, to condense a lot of the learnings into something.
~ James Fricker (12:24)
The conversation discusses the challenges podcasters face in managing their creative ambitions alongside time and resource constraints. Strategies for prioritizing tasks, such as focusing on specific platforms and using tools to repurpose content efficiently, are explored. The discussion also touches on how podcasters can manage information overload and set boundaries to maintain sustainability.
Career growth and the role of podcasting as a learning tool are significant themes. The potential for podcasting to foster connections within organizations is considered, with an example of private podcasts enhancing workplace culture. Inspirations like Tim Ferriss demonstrate the importance of preparation and structure in creating impactful episodes. The idea of consolidating podcast learnings into formats like ebooks is presented as a way to conclude a series thoughtfully.
Takeaways
Prioritizing tasks — Necessary for balancing podcasting with other commitments.
Repurposing content — Tools can help extend the reach of episodes across platforms.
Career growth through podcasting — Engaging with guests offers valuable personal insights.
Workplace podcasting — Potential for private podcasts to build organizational connections.
Concluding a podcast — Ideas like creating an ebook provide a meaningful closure.
Drawing inspiration — Examples like Tim Ferriss illustrate the importance of preparation.
Knowing limits — Recognizing when to stop fine-tuning an episode is essential.
Resources
Graduate Theory Podcast — James’s podcast focused on early career advice.
Movers Mindset Podcast — Craig’s long-running podcast about movement philosophy.
Repurpose.io — A tool for repurposing video and audio content for social media.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Relaxed concentration
The player of the inner game comes to value the art of relaxed concentration above all other skills; He discovers the true basis for self-confidence; And he learns that the secret to winning any game lies in not trying too hard.
~ W. Timothy Gallwey
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Starting where I am
I love the proverb: If there’s somewhere you need to be, you need to start walking. And the only place where I can start walking? …is right where I am now.
I’ve written a smattering of stuff about my training over the years. Once, in college, (age: 20) I was briefly in shape thanks to several semesters’ of effort put into Taekwondo. But in all that time since, I’ve always done well when someone else tells me what to do. “Do this today at this class. Come back for more.” I’ve also done well following the pack. There was an epoch where I was riding my mountain bike excessively, but I really got in shape when I started meeting up with others and trying to keep-in-sight people much better than me.
Last year, as the sun disappeared in a Pennsylvania grey winter, I began plotting a way to take what I had experienced when a seriously dedicated friend of mine had been planning my training, and turn it into something I could use in a self-directed fashion. I’m not a professional athlete and I don’t want to train like one. And on the other hand, simply “living my life” being active when I find those opportunities arising is not enough. I need some planning. So I’m working on that. Today, I’m just talking about the first piece of my plan: Tracking activity.
I have an older FitBit. It works fine, it’s not fancy-schmancy… but critically, I refuse to pay them monthly for extra bells-n-whistles. So this tracking sheet lets me take some notes about what I did each day, and to simply copy down the totals of time from the 4 zones that that FitBit tracks. Simply having the tracking system encourages me to be more mindful about activity—for example, it’s rather nice today, and I’ve a run in mind for later this afternoon.
The next piece of the puzzle is to begin working in activities that are more strenght-training in nature. A QM session, (there is one there on Tuesday,) some simple free-weight exercises, some bouldering, etc..
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Silence
Be the silence that listens
~ Tara Brach
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Toe-tal recall
When viewed through an evolutionary or naturalistic lens, to walk, run and move barefoot is, of course, the default human condition. Any alteration of this is an alteration of not just millions of years of bipedal hominid function, but hundreds of millions of years of natural selection’s honing and refining of foot structure.
~ Matt Wallden from, Toe-tal recall – What on Earth are our toes actually for?
This is a stupendous deep-dive into our feet. I love the clarity of, “[a]ny alteration of this”. Am I barefoot? (At this instant, yes. With my feet on very rough, old, worn concrete, on my patio, in 50°F weather.) If I am not barefoot, I want that to always have been a conscious choice—some specific reason for why I’ve chosen to alter the function of my feet.
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Thinking through
Ignore advice to simply follow your intuition or gut without thinking through whether the course is likely to be fruitful and rewarding.
~ Steven Pinker
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Gone already?!
I just want to say that sometimes the things we do online have outsized consequences in the real world. It’s easy to forget that there are real people behind every screen. I forget about that almost every day but better people than me provide some good reminders.
~ Gabriel Weatherhead from, «http://www.macdrifter.com/2021/09/thank-you-this-will-be-rough.html»
My title refers to the fact that it’s only been four months, and this link has already rotted. In September 2021 I marked this for later reading, (note the /2021/09/ in that URL,) and I only just got around to reading it. I read it as a locally-cached copy in my read-later software, and then realized the link was dead when I tried to write this blog post… :(
I’m so sorry. It was a nice piece about how he had reread some Vonnegut over the pandemic year and… and… it’s already gone?!
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Discipline
Everyone wants freedom. We want to be physically free and mentally free. We want to be financially free and we want more free time. But where does that freedom come from? How do we get it? The answer is the opposite of freedom. The answer is discipline. You want more free time? Follow a more disciplined time-management system. You want financial freedom? Implement long-term financial discipline in your life. Do you want to be physically free to move how you want, and to be free from many health issues caused by poor lifestyle choices? Then you have to have the discipline to eat healthy food and consistently work out. We all want freedom. Discipline is the only way to get it.
~ Jocko Willink
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Everything is figure-out-able
No matter what challenge or obstacle you face, whether it’s personal, professional, or global, there’s a path ahead. It’s all figure-out-able. you’ll find a way or make a way, if you’re willing to be relentless, stay nimble, and keep taking action. It’s especially useful to remember when things go wrong, because rather than wasting time or energy on the problem, you shift immediately to brainstorming solutions.
~ Marie Forleo
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