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Category: Defining Success

More Important Than Winning

Published on April 29, 2023

What’s more important than winning?

  • Honor (cheating to win isn’t a win).
  • Learning (winning and not learning isn’t a win).
  • Respect (rubbing a win in somebody’s face isn’t a win).
  • Grace (If a win doesn’t make you more grateful, more humble, more giving, more kind, more elegant etc.—it isn’t a win).
  • Connection (none of us wins alone—every win is a team effort in some way. Winning without a deepened connection to those who helped us win, isn’t a win).

I have seen many competitors get 1st place who definitely did not win.

And I have seen many competitors get last place who, in every respect, most certainly won.

Be careful how you define winning and success in life—it’ll end up defining your identity and journey in life.

The Un-Lose-Able Day

Published on April 4, 2023

It’s good to keep a snapshot of the “un-lose-able” day at the forefront of your mind—as something to aim for; plan for; strive for.

Mine looks something like this:

  • Full night of sleep
  • Solid session of exercise
  • Creative challenges for my mind
  • Space to let settle the content of my mind
  • Life-giving foods
  • 16-20 Hour windows of no food
  • Less unintentional screen time
  • More deliberate, undistracted deep work time
  • Words read from books with fresh ideas
  • Words written from brain to explore ideas
  • Time spent in spaces that are free of toxicity
  • Time spent interacting with people who exude authenticity
  • A few moments spent in gratitude and awe
  • A few moments spent in comfort and pleasure

It’s not often I nail this list.

But, when I do…

How could the day possibly be lost?

Inner Work Prompt: What does your “Un-Lose-able” Day look like? What can you do today that’ll get you one step closer to that?

Full Send

Published on February 17, 2023

One of the best feelings in the world is the one that immediately follows a 100%, fully committed effort.

I can’t think of a single time when I’ve regretted doing my absolute best.

But, I can think of countless times when I’ve regretted holding back.

Nobody Clapping

Published on December 30, 2022

Nobody clapping for you is an excellent time to quietly get back to doing purposeful work.

Standing ovations are obviously the goal. But, never forget that with them comes a wave of distraction/ obligation/ requests that can easily prevent you from being able to do the purposeful work that got you on that stage in the first place.

And doing more purposeful work is always the ultimate win—even more so than the standing ovation(s).

P.s. I also published: 52 of the Most Impactful Lessons I Learned in 2022. I hope you’re making time to do some quality reflecting too—before we cross the threshold into 2023.

Measures Of Success:

Published on December 28, 2022

The first five were from Stephen Parato:

  1. Number of “Aha” moments
  2. Number of heartfelt “I love yous”
  3. Number of heartfelt “Thank yous”
  4. Number of full immersions in flow state
  5. Number of times being completely awe-struck by the beauty of existence

Which inspired these five from me:

  1. Number of moments spent belly laughing
  2. Number of moments spent looking at a fire
  3. Number of moments spent deep in conversation
  4. Number of times you published/ shared/ shipped your art
  5. Number of moments spent completely present with loved ones

I’d love to keep the list going… either journal or reply… what are some “real” measures of success to you?

Upward

Published on December 15, 2022

Sometimes I set such a high bar for myself that I can’t even see the damn thing when I look up towards the sky.

At the same time… I like the idea of building my way up from the grips of the earth towards a bar that dances with the clouds.

Prove Yourself

Published on November 4, 2022
  • Some people prove themselves in school.
  • Some people prove themselves in conflict.
  • Some people prove themselves in business.

…And some people realize that they have nothing to prove to anyone except themselves.

….And so they build. Not to have something bigger than anybody else—but, to have something built that serves a purpose; that fulfills a vision; that realizes a dream.

A purpose, vision, and/or dream that comes from within, that’s built with the tools within, that helps nourish feelings that can only ever be influenced from within.

Because those who try to get feelings from letter grades, fist fights, or number games end up taking a long detour that winds up, down, and over an incredible terrain—only to leave them back where they started… looking at the only person who had the ability to give them the feelings they so desperately sought out the whole time…

…The same one who was there with them right from the beginning.

…Themself.