Skip to content

Matt Hogan's Blog Posts

Mental Matters

You know what a great formula is for peace of mind?

…Minding your own business.

And I mean this with all due respect.

Mind your own mental matters until you’re in a solid position where you can start aiding in the mental matters of others, too.

But aiding in the mental matters of others before you have your own mental matters in order… is a little disordered—wouldn’t you say?


P.s. In case you missed it, you can read the best of what I posted to MoveMe Quotes last week, here.

Free Time

If the goal is more free time (freedom)…

Stop equating all of your free time to available time.

They are NOT the same thing.

Available time gets filled with tasks.

Free time gets filled with life.

Work Freedom

Freedom isn’t only an experience reserved for when you’re done with work.

In fact, it can very well be an experience that you have WHILE you work.

And since we all need to engage in work in some way, shape, or form (out of obligation or for fulfillment)—finding work that aligns with your soul and allows you the freedom to be… is one of the ultimate forms of freedom there is.


P.s. I asked, “Besides sleep and coffee… what gives you energy for your day?” I hope the answers help you find ways to keep your energy high throughout your days :)

Surely

“Slowly, but surely” is a wildly underrated strategy.

Did you read that third word? Like, really read it?

“…Surely”

It’s the “surely” that makes this strategy a game-changer.

“Surely” is the kind of bet I like to make in my life.

Forever Inward

Just as the universe expands forever outwards…

So, too, does our inner universe expand forever inwards.

There is no limit to the depth we can reach through introspection.

And, just as the universe only seems to get more interesting the more we learn…

So, too, does our inner universe only get more captivating the more we choose to return.


P.s. Looking for a good read? Check out my library of books that I’ve uploaded quotes from. You might even find your next favorite read…? :)

What Are You REALLY After?

I’m on a mission to help busy people do inner work.

You know… the kind of work that most busy people skip and ignore because they prioritize outer work instead.

But, the reality is: outer work doesn’t lead to a more fulfilled life—inner work does.

Outer work might lead to money, power, fame… but, inner work is how the feelings we’re actually after are tapped into and cultivated.

Ask yourself: What feeling am I really after in wanting more money (as an example)?

…Is it security? Freedom? Recognition?

…And how can I nurture those feelings in life in spite of copious amounts of money?

There are a million different ways to answer this question and it’s not one I can answer for you. But, here are some thoughts to get you started:

  • You don’t need a million dollars to build more security in your life.
  • You might have more life freedom with a 50k per year job than a 200k per year job.
  • The need for recognition is created out of a lack of self-worth / self-love. No amount of external validation can match the fullness that comes from genuine internal validation.

Your turn…


P.s. Today I hosted a LIVE talk on Happiness and How It’s A Daily Choice with my friend Tyler Todt—it was one hour of pure gold. Tyler is the real deal and every moment of this chat was packed with insight. Enjoy.

Don’t Fight Yourself

Not every awake moment is created equal.

  • In some we’re more focused, in others we’re more playful.
  • In some we’re more creative, in others we’re more bland.
  • In some we’re more gritty, in others we’re more lax.

The trick, is aligning the ideal tasks with the matching naturally occurring state. Some examples:

  • Plan your workouts when you’re feeling gritty/focused. For me, this is usually first thing in the morning at around 7-9am.
  • Plan your deep work when you’re most focused/creative. For me, this is usually 1-3pm each day.
  • Plan social interaction/family time when you’re most playful. For me, this is 4-7pm each day.
  • Plan mindless, low barrier tasks when you’re most bland/lax like dog walking or reading a book. For me, this is at the end of the day 9pm – 11pm.

If I tried to do my social interaction in the morning and my workouts at night—there would be an extra layer of resistance in both.

Flipping them works significantly better for me—which means not only am I in a better state for both, but I’m much more likely to continue doing them because the resistance is significantly less.

The opposite might be true for you. Self-awareness is required and that’s not something I can give you.

The bottom line is this: don’t fight yourself. Align with your natural rhythms and reduce resistance in every way you can.


P.s. I asked: What’s one small thing you’ve done that has had a big impact on your mental health? I received a ton of great answers. I hope they inspire you to start doing something small for yourself.