Skip to content

Category: Thinking Clearly

Simplify Something (Anything)

Published on August 19, 2021

Simplifying even just one thing can have a positive impact on everything else in your life.

Why?

Because finding ways to give yourself more time, energy, and space will directly impact your overall mental state.

And when you can improve your mental state by alleviating the pressures of time, saving on the expense of energy, and opening up more space to think and be—of course everything else in your day will be positively impacted.

A great exercise: As you go about your day, ask yourself: How can I simplify this task?

And find ways that you can collect a few saved minutes here, save on some energy there, and accrue some extra space wherever possible.

What you might realize is that what you needed wasn’t more time, energy, and space after all.

What you actually needed was to just expend less.

Dodging Raindrops

Published on August 17, 2021

The person who tries to dodge every raindrop gets hit just as many times as the person who walks calmly forward.

And so it is for the person who tries to dodge every mistake, error, issue, problem, challenge, obstacle, fault, slip-up, oversight, flaw, imperfection, adversity, responsibility…

The way I see it, the rain is inevitably going to come down over each of us. We can try to dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge every drop to avoid getting wet—which will only end in vain.

Or we can feel the rain and walk calmly forward.

When ‘Being Difficult’ Is Required

Published on August 10, 2021

I’m not one to be difficult but I’ll fight like hell to protect my mental space.

Some things are worth being difficult over and it’s important to recognize that.

When I’m reading/ writing/ or otherwise doing deep work, for example, my phone is on silent, my internet tabs are closed, and my headphones are playing white noise on full volume.

It’s incredibly difficult to get a hold of me once I’ve entered this space.

Why do I do this?

Because I can’t do deep work with constant interruptions. And if I’m going to maximize my time in a deep work state, then I need to fight the resistance that comes with these efforts to protect that space.

And fight I will.

And when it comes to your mental space—so should you.

The Circumstances Of The Greats

Published on August 7, 2021

Let us not forget that today we are:

  • Feeling the same sun
  • Breathing the same air
  • Seeing the same sky

And are:

  • Confronting the same types of pains
  • Confined to the same 24 hours
  • And facing the same mortality

…As the greats that came before.

There is no reason why we too, cannot be great.

You Are Important

Published on August 6, 2021

You are important.

Don’t do unimportant stuff.

When you do unimportant stuff, you are subconsciously affirming that you are unimportant.

Because only unimportant people do unimportant stuff.

Treat yourself better than that.

Step up the importance of your tasks.

Do more of the things you think are important to do.

And do less of the things you know aren’t.

Start reaffirming to yourself that you are, indeed, important and worthy of completing important tasks.

Because you are.

When Fear Gets Caught In Your Throat

Published on July 28, 2021

When choking, a drastic and sudden thrust is required—either by cough or Heimlich maneuver.

When choking on fear, maybe what’s required is the same—a drastic and sudden thrust.

Either by temporary uncharacteristic courage or by clever maneuvers against the mind.

Some people’s most memorable moments were closely preceded by the phrase: “F*ck it.”

Why? Because it allowed them out-maneuver the belittling thoughts of their mind and thrust forward, uncharacteristically, into the fear of the presented unknown.

This isn’t always good advice. But, when it is, it’s precisely the kind of Heimlich maneuver required to free a person from the suffocation of a comfort-zone filled life.

To All The “Rocks” Out There

Published on July 27, 2021

To all those who act as a”rock” for others in their lives—thank you.

Being a rock in the middle of a raging river is never easy.

And many times, it can feel like a thankless job.

People spew their problems, burdens, and drama onto those who they consider their “rock” so they can slow the rage that’s going on in their mind.

And once they get it all out, they slowly maneuver their exit, rejoin the raging river, and only return when the rage is, yet again, too much for them to handle.

And that’s okay.

Keep being the rock.

Keep yourself grounded into the riverbed. Keep doing what’s hard and stay true to the rock’s course: here. Present. Undisturbed by what’s rushing and immediate. Focused on bringing calm and ease to the raging world all around.

Joining the ever increasing speed of the river and raging with the rest is tempting—it’s the path of the many. Being the rock is the choice and the gift given to us by the few.

The world doesn’t need any help speeding up. It needs help slowing down. And that’s precisely what the rocks in the world do. And for that, and once again, I thank you.