The full collection of explorations.
When you’re done with an application on your computer, you close it.
If you keep that program open as you open other ones, you’ll slowly start seeing a progressive lag in performance.
Especially if you leave a big program like Photoshop open.
The same is true for your mind.
Close applications before you move on to the next.
Sometimes you need to stop seeing the good in people And start seeing what they are actually showing you.
Wondering why your mind starts running wild right before bed?
Maybe it’s because you’re not confronting the problems your mind gets wild about while you’re awake.
Maybe you’re so distracted during the day—from the pings, beeps, bells, busyness, and notifications—that your mind conveniently forgets.
Until, finally, you turn the screens off, put your phone down, stop all conversation, and close your eyes to all of the incoming information of the world.
…Of course that’s when your mind all-of-a-sudden gets wild—it remembers. And it can finally start working its way through some of those damn open-ended problems.
Mental confrontation exhausts the mind—so sleep comes easier.
Mental avoidance simply delays the mental confrontation until it can no longer be avoided.
Which is, usually (and inconveniently), right before you sleep.
The people who work at Lexus aren’t more tired at the end of the day than those who work at Ford.
And neither are the people who work at Rolex versus the people who work at Fossil.
Creating a higher quality product isn’t about effort.
It’s the people who learn how to work smarter, not harder, that find ways to get ahead.
It’s the people who learn how to create the right systems, not try to do things with no system, that are able to facilitate faster growth.
Focusing merely on effort (of yourself and your team) is almost guaranteed to ensure that your quality problem will persist.
Focus on smarts and systems instead.
We’re all given a finite number of moments to live.
The moment that you’ve currently made it to, also happens to be the precise moment when it all ended in another person’s story.
Now is a gift.
One that so many others would have done ANYTHING to have back.
Live like you mean it.
You never know who would love the person you hide. And you'll never find out so long as you stay in hiding. For hiding isn't selective. Hiding hides you from everybody's sight. And if the person you were meant to love sees the person you're only pretending to be— would they recognize you?
Your hearing is as good as your ears. Hearing aids can help with that.
Your sight is as good as your eyes. Glasses and contacts can help with that.
Your life is as good as your mindset. Art, music, books, videos, nature, mantra, writing, therapy, mentors, exercise, relaxing, initiative, laughter, kindness, presence, podcasts, gratitude, journaling, having fun, meditation, forgiveness, compassion, speaking up, aiming higher, slowing down, self-discipline, healthy eating, curating media, embracing flaws, working harder, working smarter, helping friends, helping strangers, doing what’s hard, making things easier, athletic endeavors, community service, taking more breaks, building new habits, getting better sleep, minimizing resistance, embracing spontaneity, establishing boundaries, accepting responsibility, eliminating expectations, befriending better people, redefining what you desire, cutting back on obligations, venturing into the unknown, reprioritizing your priorities, saying “No” when you want to, saying “Yes” when you’re scared to, eliminating all comparison to others, letting go of what’s outside of your control, focusing more energy on what’s inside your control, immersing yourself in wisdom—
—can help with that.
Maybe not all at once, of course. But a few at a time? Undoubtedly.
Order doesn’t matter. Making mindset a priority is what matters. If you don’t, it’s like expecting ears to get better without aids or eyes to get better without glasses.