Hiya 👋
Something I can't stop thinking about this week is how lucky we are.
Sure, life could be better. We could have no war, inflation, or sickness. But still, life is incredible.
When I want, I can start playing a symphony on my phone. I can learn almost any fact I want. And I have water every single morning.
Maybe you are great at staying grateful. I'm not.
And by thinking about how lucky we are compared to past generations, life gets a little brighter. At least for me.
I hope your week went well, and if it didn't, try a simple exercise like the one above to increase your happiness for this moment.
5 things I did this week:
- Got a beer (seltzer for me) and dinner with a friend from out of town
- Ran four times for 17 miles and lifted once (still sore…)
- Had our first in-person event for MyTalentPlanner, and while it was a small event, it was intimate and good practice to continue developing our point-of-view
- Finished reading The Power of Ignorance - How Creative Solutions Emerge When We Admit What We Don't Know, by Dave Trott
- Begin the process of getting a loan (mortgage) to purchase a duplex to rent out one side and live in the other (some people call this "House Hacking")
3 things I learned this week:
1. I'd rather appear like an idiot but know something than the alternative.
A few years ago, I felt like I knew everything.
Want to live a better life? I got the answers.
Want to grow your business? I got the answers.
I was slowly becoming an expert in life and business, or I thought I was. Then I realized that, while it's cool to appear like you know the answer, I fell for the illusion of intelligence. I thought I knew a lot, but I knew very little.
Now, I take an open and curious approach to life without answers and many questions.
Because who wants to appear like they're smart yet know nothing?
2. Spontaneous activity is the key to living a fruitful life with an abundance of freedom
I'm currently reading a book called Escape from Freedom by Erich Fromm, and this was the book's primary premise (the book is from 1941).
Erich observed that while we have greater freedom than many previous generations, we still submit and escape the weight of freedom. With freedom comes the realization that we are utterly alone in this world. This anxiety pushes us to escape freedom through masochism or sadism.
The solution is to strive for spontaneous activity derived from our unique selves. True love is a prime example of spontaneous activity, whether love for someone or nature.
3. Making (solid) decisions is a critical skill in life
This week I faced a challenging decision that crippled me.
I had to decide between dinner with my brother, dinner with Katie or attending a Young Professional's event. I mulled my options but didn't arrive at a clear winner. The uncertainty worked at my insides (I believe they call this anxiety).
While I made a solid decision by eating with my wife, I was reminded of the importance of being able to make a decision and not letting it eat away at you. This is a skill I'll be working on in the future.
1 question for you:
Am I original? Are my thoughts, actions, and emotions my own? Or are they a result of others around me?
(A prerequisite question to answer is: Who around me speaks into my life whether I'm aware or not?)
Thank you for reading this week's lookback!
Now it's your turn to share:
- What did you do this week?
- What did you learn this week?
- What question is on your mind?
Have a fabulous weekend!
🧠 + ❤️ // JO