Iâm not a theoretical or philosophical person. I write about finance, thatâs the simplest industry you can get in terms of writing. Discussing metrics, growth and charts is tougher than spitting out Shakespeare and history on paper.
If you can can write anything through the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) method, then youâre golden.
No one needs you to overcomplicate their life. Thereâs no reason to impress others with your intelligent non-realistic, 11th grade writing. Most people donât remember things anyway. Not because your writing isnât superb, rather because we as humans have a limited amount of information we can store in our brains at once through our short term memory.
If we have information overload, we donât remember anything. The only experiences we remember best are our memories when we felt something special such as a first kiss or going down a slide.
Captain is one of the simplest people on earth. If you havenât read his stuff before, he makes life easier and better. He has trained world-class performers and transformed lives through asking basic questions. Iâm more than honored and excited to speak with him next week through the power of the internet. He reached out to me assuming I was an interesting creature and wanted to chat for a quick but deep 30 minutes. Iâve been prepping for the past 2 months for March 1st.
Without questioning your existence in life, you cannot grow. And if you donât grow you stay comfortable and miserable. I would rather be uncomfortable with no regrets and I hope you do too.
These are tactics that I take on a daily basis to change my mind and improve my life. Iâm not going to guarantee that they will change yours because when you first read them, they wonât mean anything or strike a cord but what I do know is that they will make you puzzled and assume they are a waste of time until youâve tried them.
Each morning for about 20 minutes max I perform these rituals, not habits to strengthen my relationship with myself and my day:
-Write down something scary I will do today, smaller the better
-Test things out while brushing my teeth or making eggs
-Try to make myself laugh for 5 seconds
-Think holistically by looking out the window and imaging my future self
-Donât take myself seriously today
-Read and learn randomness
This wonât be the typical length of an ordinary article of mine because questions need to be reflected upon in your own time, not me explaining them for you.
My life has been a series of questions and odd experiments.
I usually donât know what Iâm doing, I just do it. I get an instinct and run with it before it escapes.
If I think too much, then I get confused and off track. Before we start to question life and get into the weeds, I want you to read these profound statements that Iâve learned from several of my mentors and coaches in the past that have shaped who IÂ am:
1. I read 2â3 hours per day. That by itself puts me in the top .001%. That alone accounts for most of my success and the intelligence I may have
2. Picking the direction youâre headed in is far more important than how much action you apply because that will always change by perspective stays enthralled
3. Being able to convey yourself simply in ordinary plane English as Iâm doing now is much more vital than having the ability to write poetry with an extensive Dictionary vocabulary that no one can relate to
Great now are you going to change?
Maybe not and probably not especially since you would rather be on social for the next 6 hours then read a single article.
Oh well, your choice but all Iâm saying is you always have the choice and power in your hands to become a better person and I chose that path when I rehearsed those lines in my head as I did once more for you all.
The hardest part is always starting so letâs get started.
I want you to ponder about these impossibly raw questions:
1. What do I spend a silly amount of time on?
Is there something that you waste your time on without realizing? Analyze your day and prioritize your attention and time=more precious commodities.
2. What would I do/have/be if I had $100Â million?
Will you let money change you or shape you?
Thereâs no doubt that money can make you happier, to a certain extent if you use it to broaden your horizons with creativity, learning and meeting new people. Otherwise if you wish to make a million per year to blow it on Lambos then expect your life and self esteem to go down the drain. Might as well earn less and let people be your friend.
3. What are the worst thing that could happen?
As weâve learned during this pandemic, we must plan for the worst, hope for the best. A cash cushion, 6â12 months in emergency expenses is key, having the right positive and futuristic mindset is vital for growth and having a support system around you will keep you sane.
Do you have those in check?
What if you lived in Texas and another winter storm hit?
Do you have a game plan or just waiting to change once disaster strikes?
Do you have additional income streams to keep you afloat if your company went under tomorrow?
Donât learn during misery, learn prior to it to survive better.
4. What if I looked as everything thatâs hard as easy?
We make life more complicated as it seems. Currently Iâm dealing with noisy neighbors. I could curse and yell at them but thatâs the easy way out. Be nice, patient and negotiable is a challenge but always yields better results.
Perspective is key. You have more control than you think.
5. What if I slowed down?
Will work not get done and people hate you? What if you took things down a notch?
Quarantine has given us an abundance of freedom and too much time to fill with unnecessary work. Instead of cramming in the hours, why donât you slow down and prioritize you so you can be there for others?
Your number one priority in life is to take care of yourself.
Health = Wealth. EQ>IQ. Mindset is key.
Last but not least for the finance nerd in me:
What if money wasnât a problem? What would you do differently or be?
Most people become disasters and nasty when they accumulate too much.
Want proof? Just look at any poor person who won the lottery or an NFL player who earned his first lump sum paycheck. They have no concept of money and use it to buy junk instead of invest it in themselves to learn and achieve real goals for the planet not their garage.
If you can sense that your character will flip for the worst with more green bills, then you have to change now before that happens. We have this illusion that the more we have, the better and happier we are.
After a certain income, $75k things will not make you happier, itâs up to you to define it and be there for yourself.
We all die eventually. Would you want to be remembered as someone who was there for others or someone who didnât leave anything for the rest of your family and was a spoiled brat?
I hope you can take some time and chill out a bit. Life is short but itâs also long if you donât prioritize thinking periods and understanding what youâre telling yourself.
Itâs a marathon not a sprint.
See you next time.