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Category: Archives

The full collection of explorations.

My 2-Step Formula For Getting Deep Work Done

Published on November 28, 2021

Step 1) Force the first 10-20 minutes—because starting almost never comes easily. This entails: silencing my phone, wearing noise-cancelling headphones, and resolving to sit and stare until I get bored (and frustrated) enough to start. No phone-checking, tab-opening, house wandering, etc. Just me, my thoughts, and the medium through which I need to do my work. It’s uncomfortable, my mind begs for distractions, and it’s definitely forced.

Step 2) Flow for the next 1-2 hours—because once I surrender to the work, the momentum tends to take care of itself. This happens for me when I read, write, teach, train, and even talk with people. Once I enter this state, time tends to fade away. It’s completely absorbed, unconscious, deliberate and pointed—work. And it’s where most good, deep work gets done. But, until you force that first 10-20 minutes, this flow state will essentially be unaccessible.

A “Boring” Life

Published on November 27, 2021

A “boring” life isn’t a byproduct of doing the same tasks every day.

A “boring” life is a byproduct of thinking the same thoughts every day.

Boring is a state of mind—not a state of tasks.

Sure, adventurous lifestyles might beget an “exciting” life—but, that’s only because it forces new, “exciting” thoughts. It’s important to remember that this is not the only path to an “exciting” life.

If we can learn how to excite our state of mind, we can learn how to excite our lives—period.

And the prerequisite for this is not financial freedom, plane tickets across the globe, and #vanlife.

The path to an exciting mind (and life) is only limited by our curiosities and resourcefulness. Are we willing to invest the time required to identify our curiosities? How about explore those curiosities? How about write about/ talk about/ create stuff about those curiosities?

Don’t make an “exciting” life into something more than it is.

The “exciting” life is available to each of us, right where we are—now.

Discontent Is A Bad Guide

Published on November 26, 2021

The byproduct of desire is discontentment.

You cannot be discontent AND happy.

But, you CAN be content and focused on growth.

Don’t let discontent guide your life—it’s miserable.

Focus on what fills you up instead.

And let your curiosity, enthusiasm, and generosity lead the way.

Reverse Gratitude

Published on November 25, 2021

Gratitude is usually about appreciating all that we have.

What if, to take gratitude further, we appreciated all that we didn’t have, too?

Things like:

  • Sicknesses/diseases/disorders
  • Greed/envy/wrath
  • War/crime/hate

This exercise will at least 100x your gratitude list.

Not that it needed any extending in the first place.

Self-Awareness

Published on November 24, 2021

Without it, we could go years thinking we’re on track, only to realize we spend all that time moving in the wrong direction.

How to build self-awareness?

Well, let’s not complicate this—you simply have to spend time turning your awareness onto your self.

A good way to guide this practice is to work your way through some tough, meaningful questions. Some of which might include:

  • What are my most important priorities? Is how I’m spending my time reflective of what’s most/least important to me? Where am I spending too much/not enough time?
  • Am I enjoying the work that I’m doing? Or am I using work as a means to get to an end? How can I focus more on the means and less on the ends?
  • How can I simplify my life? How can I add more meaning to my life? How can I accelerate my personal growth? How can I remove desire and add presence?

A few minutes per day sure beats losing a few years in the wrong direction.

Live Unbroken [Poem]

Published on November 23, 2021 
Maybe
our real nature
isn’t to live unbroken.

Maybe
our real nature
is to continuously break down
until all that’s left
is what's real.

You Aren’t Doing Negative Self-Talk Right.

Published on November 22, 2021

Game changer: add “up until now…” to any and all negative self-talk.

  • [Up until now] I’m lazy and gross.
  • [Up until now] My self-control sucks.
  • [Up until now] I have no idea what I’m doing with my life.

Because now, that version of you is in the past.

Negative self-talk might come from a seemingly inevitable negative reality, but the only thing inevitable is your continued negative reality if you don’t change how you talk to yourself.

You will never outperform your self-image.

Now is as good of a time as any to change it.