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Matt Hogan's Blog Posts

The Right People

Published on April 27, 2022

You can be plump in the middle of a crowd and still feel lonely.

Lonely doesn’t have to do with being around people.

It has to do with being around the right people.

How do you find the right people you ask?

When you stop turning left, of course.

No, seriously.

You find yourself in the wrong groups because you’re turning into them. If you’re not connecting with the people on your “left,” go “right.”

In other words, question the choices you’re making. Are the people around you making you feel seen, heard, and connected? Or the opposite? Likewise, do you feel like you can genuinely see, hear, and connect with those around you? Or not so much?

If the vibe is off then it’s time to honor new curiosities; learn new skills; join new clubs; try new challenges; volunteer with new organizations—it’s time to turn “right.”

And if you’re having a hard time figuring out what “right” might look like, then you need to spend more time with yourself.

Because if you aren’t connected with yourself (and your own aptitudes/interests/curiosities), how is anybody else supposed to be able to connect with you?

Step 1: Figure out who you are.

Step 2: Go where people like you go.

Step 3: Introduce yourself to those people.

Step 4: Make friends with those who introduce themselves back.

Connecting Points

Published on April 26, 2022

We don’t form connections over what’s perfect, we bond over what’s imperfect.

Remember this when your trials result in error, mistakes, and failure—those are connecting points, not disconnecting points.

Shhhh—Do You See That?

Published on April 25, 2022

Bad news SHOUTS.

Good news grows quietly.

Remember this when all of the news feels overwhelmingly bad.

It’s not that it’s all bad, it’s that your good is humbly growing while your bad is temper tantruming.

Don’t let the SHOUTING deter you from seeing the good in your life.

Fueled By Fear

Published on April 24, 2022

…of being average, unworthy, and boring.

Fear, channeled, has kept my tank off “E” and engine running STRONG for years.

Don’t suppress fear; use it.

So Good

Published on April 23, 2022

Working on your weaknesses will make you average (at best).

Working on your strengths gives you the best chance at becoming above average—maybe even excellent.

Spend little to no time working on your strengths, however, and you’ll quickly become average (or below average) and struggle to contribute to the world in powerful ways.

The trick is to align strength-building with the largest block(s) of available time you can afford each day and double/triple down on developing them compared to your weaknesses.

Because remember: your weaknesses are somebody else’s strengths. Let them own that skillset.

You focus on owning yours.

That is how you become so good that you can’t be ignored.

And that is the best aim to have in today’s hyper-competitive, hyper-connected world.

Nobody is desperately seeking to add average to their team/company/lifestyles.

No Harm; No Foul

Published on April 22, 2022

Don’t let upset people upset you.

Don’t let angry people anger you.

Don’t let frustrated people frustrate you.

Let your mind become a relentless filter that protects the purity of your thoughts from the unforgiving (oftentimes misunderstood) feelings of the world.

How to do this?

By understanding that:

Upset people are feeling upset for a reason.

Angry people would much rather not be angry.

Frustrated people have been trying their hardest and to no avail.

Once we stop taking things personally and understand that everybody is probably just doing the best they can, with what they have (and have been given), where they are—we can approach these interactions with compassion and curiosity instead.

And, if it becomes obvious that they are not interested in changing their state or getting any help from you—you move on.

No harm; no foul.

Their state is a reflection of them—your state is a reflection of you.

No need to get them twisted.

The Cost Of Travel

Published on April 21, 2022

You can travel 5,000 miles, hike to the top of 100 mountains, lounge at 50 beaches, sail all seven seas, and step foot in every country of the world…

And still not find yourself.

Sometimes outward exploration becomes synonymous with inward exploration.

But, self-discovery isn’t always the byproduct of travel.

Inward reflection is where “selves” are found.

And inward reflection doesn’t cost a thing. No planning required. No time off work needs to be submitted.

You simply need to create space for stillness.

You know, the same way you would when you step into an awe inspiring scene of nature.

See, travel can be used as a hack that elicits stillness, but don’t get it twisted…

Stillness is available to you every day. And waiting until you travel far-and-wide before you explore your inner workings is a costly way to live.

Better to create some space, put on some noise-cancelling headphones, and start doing some of that inner exploring today.