Skip to content

Category: Doing What’s Hard

The Goldilocks Task

Published on July 2, 2022

The things you do daily shouldn’t be misery inducing.

They also shouldn’t be challenge-free and mind-numbing.

The things you do daily should be somewhere in the goldilocks middle.

Easy enough to show up for (even when you don’t want to); hard enough to keep you from atrophy or regression.

Get this balance wrong and you’ll either burn-out (and yo-yo) or blow out the flame of your potential.

Two consequences that are happening far too often in our society.

It’s time to level up your Goldilocks game, eh?

Just For Today

Published on June 18, 2022

…What a beautiful mindset for getting things done long-term.

Committing to something for months/years/life can be intimidating.

But committing to today?

No problem.

Just for today: read, write, draw, exercise, meditate, etc.

And simply repeat this mindset again when you wake—tomorrow.

Lego House Or Skyscraper?

Published on April 10, 2022

Daily affirmation: “I am not building a Lego house.”

Continued: “I am building a skyscraper. I am building a towering and intricate legacy of work that deeply reflects a long-lasting and firm commitment to steel, brick, and mortar—not cheap, plastic toys.”

Repeat as needed when things get tough.

That Painful Thing

Published on February 19, 2022

You know what hurts more than doing that painful thing now?

Doing that painful thing later.

It’ll be the same painful thing, but add to it all of the painful thinking between now and then and stack it all on your shoulders?

Yeah, I don’t know who needs to hear this, but just do that painful thing now.

Your shoulders could do without all of that extra weight.

When It’s Hard Is When It Matters

Published on December 25, 2021

Mad respect to the woman I saw out running today…

  • in 40° F temperature
  • while it’s poring rain
  • on Christmas morning

…I have a solid feeling she’s gonna crush her goals in 2022.

What are you willing to do to achieve your goals in ’22?

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.