September 2023

Worrying is praying for what you dont want.

“One of the most important parts of developing an identity that can thrive, persist, and endure change is to diversify your sense of self. You can think of identity like a house. You want the house to have multiple rooms. Perhaps there is a “parent” room; an “athlete” room; an “employee,” “entrepreneur,” or “executive” room; a “community member” room, and so on. It’s okay to spend a lot of time in just one room, but you’ve got to ensure you keep the others in good enough shape. This way, when you experience a massive change or disorder event in one area of your life, in one room of your identity, you can step into other areas to gain your footing and stability. Like a diversified portfolio in investing, diversifying your sense of self makes you more rugged and flexible in the face of change.” — Brad Stulberg

Have a clear understanding of what positive change you want to make in the world, and let this energise you more than needing approval from anyone.

Martin Luther King once said: “Many people fear nothing more terribly than to take a position which stands out sharply and clearly from the prevailing opinion. The tendency of most is to adopt a view that is so ambiguous that it will include everything and so popular that it will include everybody. Not a few men who cherish lofty and noble ideas hide them under a bushel for fear of being called different.”

Instead of focusing on the ultimate outcome, focus on the next move. There is always something you can do today to get a little better, to move a little closer, to put yourself in a better position. It’s not pretty. It’s not sexy. It’s not fast. It doesn’t even make for a good story. But it works.

You don’t build an empire in a day. You build it brick by brick. Day by day. Consistent daily progress for a long period of time.

It is impossible to get addicted to anything that you never consumed.

“You can’t define a person; you can’t sum anyone up. Life is non-summative. It is infinite.” —JAMES LOW

“Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.” - The Old Man and the Sea

“Arguably the most important skill is controlling your attention. This goes beyond merely avoiding distractions. The deeper skill is finding the highest and best use for your time, given what is important to you. More than anything else, controlling your attention is about being able to figure out what you should be working on and identifying what truly moves the needle.”

Music is multiple patterns layered on top of each other, just like the structure of reality — which is made of patterns as much as objects. Thus, music is an analog of the structure of existence itself. Music also represents life by putting you on the border of chaos and order, because good music is predictable enough to be coherent but unpredictable enough to surprise you.

• ​Jordan Peterson

Don’t buy the myth that you must hustle 24/7 to deserve a fulfilling life. Find work you care about. But also make time for play. Cultivate deep and meaningful relationships. Make memories that you’ll still smile at years later. Take care of your mental and physical health. Disconnect and recharge regularly. Do things simply because they bring you joy.

“When you see yourself in others, it is impossible to hurt anyone else.” Buddha

Don’t change yourself just to please someone else, but don’t be overly cold, either.

You become your environment — whether you notice or not.

“As I’m sure you guys know by now, it is extremely difficult to stay alert and attentive, instead of getting hypnotised by the constant monologue inside your own head (may be happening right now). Twenty years after my own graduation, I have come gradually to understand that the liberal arts cliché about teaching you how to think is actually shorthand for a much deeper, more serious idea: learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience. Because if you cannot exercise this kind of choice in adult life, you will be totally hosed. Think of the old cliché about “the mind being an excellent servant but a terrible master.”” – David Foster Wallace

“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft.” – Anne Lamott

It’s about doing things you enjoy, with people you enjoy, and doing very little of what you don’t like — Justin Welsh

“People are at their best—mentally tougher and spiritually sounder—after experiencing many of the same discomforts our early ancestors were exposed to every day.” —MICHAEL EASTER