Category: Archives

The full collection of explorations.

Curveballs Never Come At Good Times

Published on October 3, 2023

…And without missing a beat, life throws a curveball my way two days after the launch of my new guide and breaks my website.

Hopefully it’s fixed by the time you read this, but when you click on that above link, at the time of this writing, you get the dreaded “404 error message.” And not only on that page… but on EVERY PAGE OF MY WEBSITE (except the homepage).

Which means, of course, that everybody who tries to “Learn More” about the guide from all of the sharing I’ve done, will be met with a 404 error page instead.

…And then likely click away and forget about it altogether.

Not to mention all the people who were hoping to read one of my blogs, collected quotes, or short stories who will be met with the same.

And it is in this state of frustration that I am reminded of two timeless lessons:

(1) Expect curveballs — especially when you least want them. That way, if they don’t come, it’ll be cause for celebration! And if they do, well… you were expecting them

(2) Relax — I did what I could do. I contacted my IT team. They got to work on it. And they’re going to send me updates. There’s nothing else I can do (short of learn the entire inner workings of a website and try to fix this issue myself—a task requiring hundreds if not thousands of hours of learning). And while updates every 12-24 hours sounds awfully long, it pales in comparison to that alternative.

Curveballs never come at good times.

But, it’s always a good time to practice adjusting to the curveballs that are thrown.

Grand Champion Class

Published on October 2, 2023

“That was probably the worst kata I have ever done.”

…Was said by the martial arts competitor who won the grand champion division at a tournament I attended this past weekend.

Now, for those who don’t know, kata is a pattern of moves that are performed in martial arts as a means to practice self-defense without needing a partner.

And the grand champion division takes the winners from several different divisions and has them compete against each other to determine a “winner of the winners.”

What’s more about the above line is that this competitor said it after he found out he won.

While it may very well be true that from his perspective it was the “worst” kata he had ever done, I (and several other competitors) found it to be quite distasteful. What he was saying, essentially, was even his worst kata was better than everybody else’s best katas.

To which I say: keep it classy.

Be humble—in victory and defeat.

Keep comments that demean others (whether directly or indirectly) to yourself. And be grateful for your talents, opportunities, and surrounding competitors. You won’t always be in the position you’re in. And when you no longer are—it’s only a matter of time—people might not remember that specific tournament…

…But, they’ll always remember how you made them feel.

And making people feel like crap isn’t a good strategy for any worthwhile means or end.

P.s. If you share my new guide on any social platform, I’ll send you the first three meditations free! Just reply to this email and let me know you did it. Thanks in advance!

The Secret To Going Further

Published on October 1, 2023

The secret to going further isn’t to go faster/harder… it’s to go slower/easier.

I learned this when I ran my first ever ultramarathon. “A pinch above walking” was the mantra that kept me moving all the way through and past that seemingly unreachable finish line (that took nearly seven hours to cross).

I learned this when I added a constraint to my daily writing practice at the end of my first 365-ish days. I was writing around 1000-2000 words daily (and hastily)—including weekends—in an effort to try and prove to my audience (and myself) that I could be a decent writer. Until finally, I realized that I was resenting the process, writing in misery, and trying to prove something that didn’t need proving. And making 280 words my daily constraint (about 1 minute worth of reading) not only dissolved the resentment and misery, but added joy and *length* to my process (on upwards of 1250+ days now with little to no feelings of fatigue).

I learned this when I learned that being in a hurry is an excellent sign that you’re not enjoying the process… and not enjoying the process is one of the biggest mistakes we can make when life—our only life—is exactly that: a process. And sometimes we can get so caught up (brainwashed?) into believing that the ends are what’ll bring us enjoyment that we forget about the means. When in reality, the means are everything and the only place enjoyment will ever truly be found.

P.s. I created a NEW guide that details how you can best apply this principle to your life. I hope you’ll check it out ➜

It’s FINALLY Here…!

Published on September 30, 2023

…After close to nine months of deliberate and careful work, my NEW GUIDE is LIVE!!

Introducing (Drumrolllllllll pleaseeeeeee):

The Art of Forward: Consistency > Intensity

Learn How To FINALLY Integrate Self-Improvement Tasks Into Your Life—For Life—Without Needing NAVY SEAL Level Self-Discipline and Grit

The idea: You know what you need to do: exercise, eat healthier, meditate, journal, read more… The question isn’t a matter of what…

…It’s a matter of how you can keep it going without burning out, losing motivation, succumbing to temptation, yo-yo-ing back to old habits, or just plain giving up.

And contrary to what you might be used to hearing from hustle gurus, NAVY Seals, and fitness experts telling you about massive action, putting in 110%, or just being tougher and sucking it up… this guide will show you a better way.

We want you to slow down…

To resist the temptation to give 110% (or 100% for that matter)…

To forget about 21, 30, 60, or 90 days…

And to consciously move forward at a pace that’s instead 100% (or 110% for that matter) focused on the distance of your life.

Because if it’s not focused on your life’s distance… it’s only a matter of time before you’re right back where you started (or worse).

It’s time to put the yo-yo-ing to an end.

What you’ll get is beautifully packaged as:

(30) One Page Meditations
(30) Pace-Conscious Action Steps
(30) Custom Drawn & Downloadable Illustrations

Are you ready to FINALLY build self-improvement tasks into your life that stick?

Get your guide and get started today ➜

Read testimonials, FAQs, and take a look inside here ➜

Leashing Your Mind

Published on September 29, 2023

When I take my dog for a walk, I follow a premeditated path and she follows the pulls of the leash.

My dog without her leash is like my mind without focus—ready to wander, deviate, explore, circle, double back—all aimlessly—and in whichever direction the circumstances pull.

The leash I use with her is a tool that keeps her on track, just like my noise cancelling headphones, silent mode on my phone, and a block of uninterrupted time—are all tools that help keep my mind focused and following a premeditated train of thought.

Walk your (untrained) dog without a leash and good luck following any kind of premeditated path. Walk your dog on too tight of a leash and neither of you will have a very good time.

Somewhere in the middle—where there’s a modestly sized leash and a patient demeanor—lies an ideal experience for both dog and walker that covers the premeditated ground while also leaving space for mini-explorations and imaginative deviations along the way.

P.s. The Art of Forward: Consistency > Intensity drops TOMORROW! You guys will be the first to see. Thanks for your ongoing support and readership. I hope you love it :)

Complete Tasks Completely

Published on September 28, 2023

Some tasks build competence and some build character.

Clearly distinguishing which type of task you’re in helps tremendously in the doing of the task completely.

The problem I see too often is character building tasks are resented, rushed through, outsourced, automated, or just plain ignored. And competence building tasks are done half-assedly—with distractions galore, via accelerated means (2x playback speed), and in hopes of becoming a master minus the hours.

It’s a whole bunch of tasks being done minus the deliberate which equals… wasted time.

…When all that’s needed is a little extra attention to reap full benefits from (and this is the key) the things you’re already doing.

This is why it can feel like what you’re doing isn’t enough… because you’re not present enough; why you can feel unproductive even when you’re busy as ever… because you’re not fully doing any of your tasks; why you can feel stagnant even when you’re checking off all the items on your “supposed to-do lists…” because growth comes from the deliberate that’s missing when you’re hurrying.

The trick isn’t in the realigning of everything in your day… it’s in the realigning of the how you’re doing what you’re already doing in your day.

When you’re doing a character building task like washing dishes, folding laundry, cleaning up trash… be there. Don’t rush; do the work slowly. Don’t think about finishing; flex that self-discipline muscle and focus on correctly.

When you’re doing a competence building task like studying, training, or practicing… be there. Don’t try to expedite the process; take your time. Don’t hurry; do it deliberately. Try to truly absorb the material and flex that patience muscle.

Complete tasks completely.

There Is No Substitute For Quality Time

Published on September 27, 2023

…Period.

When it comes to family? …There is no substitute for quality time.
When it comes to friends? …There is no substitute for quality time.
When it comes to personal growth? …There is no substitute for quality time.
When it comes to creative work? …There is no substitute for quality time.
When it comes to business growth? …There is no substitute for quality time.

The repetition of this message is important.

Because in a world featuring A.I. advancements, virtual reality, virtual assistants, done-for-you growth packages, algorithmic connection, and so on… the opposite message is being sent infinitely more times than what’s listed above.

It’s more important now than ever before to remind yourself…

…There is no substitute for quality time.

P.s. The Art of Forward (Part 2): Consistency > Intensity is DONE. The big drop happens THIS weekend. Sneak peak here and here. Stay tuned…! You’re going to see it here first :)