Self-Improvement
Habits, discipline, confidence, personal growth, life advice. 226 links, newest first. Page 1 of 5.
Links 1 to 50
Credibility comes from public curiosity
Short · instagram.com · Issue #245
Show curiosity about the field first, not expertise you lack
Summary
Anna Mackenzie argues you don't need expertise to build credibility, only public curiosity that compounds into results.
Anna Mackenzie describes a three-phase credibility curve for entering a new field without formal qualifications. It starts with curiosity, showing interest rather than expertise, as she did with portfolio careers and the future of work while saying 'I'm no economist'. Exploring that curiosity in public attracts paid work and opportunities, and talking about the results builds a flywheel of credibility.
Key points- Show curiosity about the field first, not expertise you lack
- Her 'I'm no economist' start led to columns and a Substack
- Public exploration attracts opportunities, paid work and more credibility
Greater Good in Action: Science-Based Happiness Practices
Tool · ggia.berkeley.edu · Issue #244
Greater Good in Action, curated by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, offers science-based practices for a meaningful life.
Summary
Greater Good in Action, curated by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, offers science-based practices for a meaningful life. Users can browse practices by topic, such as Mind & Body, Parenting, Relationships and Workplaces, or by well-being factors such as gratitude, kindness and mindfulness. A guided pathway and the BIG JOY project invite users to try seven daily micro-acts of joy.
Post what you fear to build confidence
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #243
Make a video telling the world what you are bad at
Summary
A podcast guest argues that building self-confidence means posting what you are afraid to say, since everyone hides behind a facade.
Gary Vee says the best way to build self-confidence is to make a video about what you are bad at. He argues that most people hold back because they want a polished image, and that the thing you are afraid to say is what keeps you stuck. He says he has hesitated for 17 months to post his own music videos.
Key points- Make a video telling the world what you are bad at
- Most people wait for a perfect thing to post, which never comes
- Everyone has something, and nobody's life is as perfect as it looks
New habits can lock in within six days
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #243
Bring full attention to the behavior each time you do it
Summary
Jay Shetty says a new habit locks in within three to six days, if you stay fully present for the behavior, not 21 days.
Jay Shetty argues that a new habit can lock in within three to six days, not the 21 days often claimed, if you are fully present while doing the behavior. For a habit you want to stop, the same applies to avoiding it. He says this is based on his observations and the data he has seen.
Key points- Bring full attention to the behavior each time you do it
- Shetty says his observations of data support the three-to-six-day window
- Avoiding a behavior works the same way: consistent presence locks it in
Deadlines and stakes bring out performance
Short · tiktok.com · 1 min · Issue #242
Racetrack: clear finish line, hard deadlines, competition and visible results
Summary
James Lim says people perform best on a racetrack with deadlines, stakes and visibility, and drift in an open field of options.
James CK Lim compares work environments to a racetrack, with pay, hard deadlines and a clear result, and an open field, with no direction or urgency. The racetrack brings out the performer, while the open field pulls people into planning mode. To recreate the track, he suggests one clear output, hard deadlines with external accountability, visible work and real stakes. Without those, people tend to move deadlines.
Key points- Racetrack: clear finish line, hard deadlines, competition and visible results
- Open field: no direction, no urgency and too many options
- Recreate the track with one visible output, hard deadlines and real stakes
Environment, not ability, drives performance
Short · tiktok.com · 1 min · Issue #242
Deadlines, pressure and people watching switch you into performer mode
Summary
James Lim argues people perform for others but stall on their own projects, because environment, not capability, decides which version shows up.
James CK Lim argues that people work hard for others' deadlines but stall on their own projects, and that the cause is environment rather than ability. Deadlines, pressure and being watched bring out the 'performer', who executes, while open-ended conditions bring out the 'strategist', who keeps planning and researching. He says self-imposed deadlines and habit trackers tend to fade.
Key points- Deadlines, pressure and people watching switch you into performer mode
- Alone, the strategist mode of planning and researching takes over
- Self-imposed deadlines, habit trackers and discipline tend to fade within weeks
Answer nosy questions by asking why
Short · tiktok.com · 1 min · Issue #241
Ask whether the information is something they really need to know
Summary
The creator suggests answering inappropriate questions by asking why it matters, or naming the question as inappropriate.
Jefferson Fisher suggests answering a nosy question, such as why someone does not have kids, by turning it back: asking whether the other person needs to know, which usually reveals that they do not. He adds that the more inappropriate the question, the more room you have to name it as inappropriate.
Key points- Ask whether the information is something they really need to know
- The more inappropriate the question, the easier it is to call it out
- Turning the question back makes the asker answer something they have not considered
Dan Zakaria on Psycho-Cybernetics and Shifting Your Identity
Watch · youtu.be · 17 min · Issue #240
Dan Zakaria summarizes Maxwell Maltz's Psycho-Cybernetics as a guide to self-improvement through identity change.
Summary
Dan Zakaria summarizes Maxwell Maltz's Psycho-Cybernetics as a guide to self-improvement through identity change. The video is organized into three parts: discipline's main enemy, rewriting self-image, and automated discipline. Zakaria says the book has strongly influenced his own growth and recommends it to anyone wanting to optimize their mindset.
Energy is the language of your soul
Short · tiktok.com · 1 min · Issue #238
Your soul speaks through the body, showing what you have energy for
Summary
Graham Weaver argues energy is the language of your soul, and that what energizes you points to what you should do.
Graham Weaver, in a 2024 Stanford GSB Last Lecture, argues that energy is the language of the soul and that excitement shows what your soul is saying. He describes a 'Nine Lives' exercise, imagining nine parallel lives, which reveals what you have energy for. Unlike willpower or fossil fuels, he says energy is not exhaustible: it grows the more you tap into it and give it away.
Key points- Your soul speaks through the body, showing what you have energy for
- The Nine Lives exercise reveals what truly energizes you
- Energy is abundant, like love: the more you tap it, the more you have
Self-nourishing beats self-soothing for burnout
Short · instagram.com · 1 min · Issue #237
Self-soothing reduces stress; self-nourishing refuels even when it feels hard
Summary
The creator argues burnout recovery needs self-nourishing rather than self-soothing, and offers the RESET framework.
The speaker distinguishes self-soothing, which feels good and reduces stress, from self-nourishing, which may not feel good but refuels you. The RESET framework offers five ways to nourish yourself: relationships, exploring something new, sharpening your mind with active rather than passive input, exercise even for 15 minutes, and thinking ahead by mapping out your week.
Key points- Self-soothing reduces stress; self-nourishing refuels even when it feels hard
- RESET: relationships, explore, sharpen your mind, exercise, think ahead
- Spend 15 minutes mapping your week before Monday; even one push-up counts
Friends you call when things go well
Short · instagram.com · 1 min · Issue #237
You want friends who are proud of you and celebrate without envy
Summary
Simon Sinek says the friends you call when things go well form an even smaller group than those you call when things go wrong.
Simon Sinek says a small group of friends is there when you struggle, and an even smaller group is the one you call when things go unbelievably well. He describes calling a friend first when that friend sold his company, feeling pure joy without envy. He argues that good is more difficult than bad, and that friends who celebrate you without judging are rare.
Key points- You want friends who are proud of you and celebrate without envy
- The person you call to brag is often the friend who shares your joy
- Good is harder than bad, so good moments need the right people
Invest in people who invest in you
Short · tiktok.com · 1 min · Issue #236
Liking someone is not a reason to invest in them
Summary
The speaker says don't invest in someone because you like them; invest in people who invest in you.
The speaker says not to invest in someone based on how much you like them, and to invest in whoever invests in you. He calls it a very important idea.
Key points- Liking someone is not a reason to invest in them
- The test is whether they invest in you
How to Force Your Brain to Do Hard Things
Read · ixcarus.substack.com · 12 min · Issue #236
Ixcarus argues that lasting personal change comes from physically rewiring the brain through neuroplasticity, not from motivation or willpower.
Summary
Ixcarus argues that lasting personal change comes from physically rewiring the brain through neuroplasticity, not from motivation or willpower. Repeated behaviors become myelinated and automatic, while new habits take conscious effort, and identity shifts come from accumulated behavior. The essay recommends consistency over intensity, focused attention, changing one's environment and sleep, which it says locks in learning.
Limiting beliefs can hide your potential
Short · youtu.be · Issue #235
Rats rescued just before giving up were later conditioned to swim far longer
Summary
The speaker uses a rat swimming study to argue that changing limiting beliefs can unlock far more than people expect.
In a 1950s experiment, wild rats placed in water gave up after about 15 minutes. When researchers pulled them out just before they gave up, dried them off and returned them to the water, the rats swam for around 60 hours rather than the hour many people guess. The speaker uses this to argue that changing limiting beliefs makes the seemingly impossible possible.
Key points- Rats rescued just before giving up were later conditioned to swim far longer
- The speaker says rats swam 60 hours instead of the expected 60 minutes
- Audiences guess double or triple, but the real gain was much larger
BrainDump: A Daily Reflection Prompt App
Tool · braindump.club · Issue #233
BrainDump is a daily reflective writing app that offers one prompt a day, with streak tracking, awards and AI coaching.
Summary
BrainDump is a daily reflective writing app that offers one prompt a day, with streak tracking, awards and AI coaching. It is built around a community of reflective writers.
Genius is discovered rather than born
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #231
The speaker argues that genius is not something people are born with but something they discover.
Summary
The speaker argues that genius is not something people are born with but something they discover. The people in the series were not smarter than others when they started, he says, and the right idea reveals potential that was already there. He compares this to Michelangelo's view that a sculpture is already in the marble and the sculptor only chips away what hides it.
Nobody's Stopping You
Read · alicemaz.substack.com · 14 min · Issue #231
Alice Maz compares ARPA and Xerox PARC, which trusted small, talented teams with a shared vision and little bureaucracy, to modern startups that copy the speed but lose the vision.
Summary
Alice Maz compares ARPA and Xerox PARC, which trusted small, talented teams with a shared vision and little bureaucracy, to modern startups that copy the speed but lose the vision. Drawing on Dominic Cummings's 2018 paper, she lists what made those labs productive, including fast decisions and tolerance for failure. Her personal point is that individuals should act on their own judgment instead of waiting for permission.
Asking without shame gets results
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #230
The people who asked without shame got promoted and extra pay
Summary
The post argues you get what you do not ask for, and people who asked without shame were the ones promoted and paid more.
The speaker argues that you do not get what you do not ask for. He says people who asked for promotions and raises without worrying about embarrassment were the ones who got them. Once you stop caring about shame, he says, you get what you want.
Key points- The people who asked without shame got promoted and extra pay
- This played out repeatedly around promotions and salary
- When you stop caring about shame, you get what you want
What your brain expects shapes results
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #230
Gluten-intolerant people given gluten-free food labelled as gluten showed symptoms
Summary
The creator argues what your brain expects shapes results, citing a study where gluten-free food labelled as gluten caused symptoms.
The speaker describes the expectation effect, citing a study in which gluten-intolerant people were given gluten-free food they were told contained gluten, and developed symptoms such as rashes, nausea and bloating. He argues the brain's expectations shape outcomes, and applies this to success: belief that something will work builds confirming evidence for it.
Key points- Gluten-intolerant people given gluten-free food labelled as gluten showed symptoms
- Believing you will fail makes your brain find reasons it will fail
- Believing you can succeed builds pathways that confirm that belief
Four questions for feeling stuck
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #230
Ask what you are avoiding, and go right at it
Summary
Graham Weaver says feeling stuck usually comes from avoidance, an unclear start, no daily wins, or habits that interfere.
A Stanford professor shares four questions he gives students who feel stuck in a rut: What am I avoiding? Where do I start, reduced to something simple I can do today? How do I win today, by writing down three things to move forward on? Which habits are blocking where I want to go?
Key points- Ask what you are avoiding, and go right at it
- Shrink the goal to one simple thing you can do today
- Write three things you can move forward today, then repeat tomorrow
What If Curiosity Is a Skill, Not a Trait?
Read · bigthinkbusiness.substack.com · 6 min · Issue #230
Anne-Laure Le Cunff argues that curiosity is a learnable cognitive skill, not a fixed trait, and that it helps people handle change.
Summary
Anne-Laure Le Cunff argues that curiosity is a learnable cognitive skill, not a fixed trait, and that it helps people handle change. She links curiosity to the brain's dopamine reward system and hippocampal memory activity, and says it turns uncertainty into an invitation. Five practices are offered: asking 'what if?', keeping field notes, running small time-limited experiments, saying 'I don't know yet', and treating setbacks as data.
Passersby notice you less than you fear
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #229
Passersby glance for a second or two, then go on with their lives
Summary
The creator lies down in a public place to show that passersby glance briefly and move on, so judgment matters less.
A creator lies down in a public place to show that passersby look for a second or two and then move on. The point is that people pay less attention to what you do than you might fear, so you can stop worrying about judgment and do what you want.
Key points- Passersby glance for a second or two, then go on with their lives
- The point is to stop worrying about judgment and do what you want
Scrolling fades when you have a project
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #229
Big dreams without a plan or constraints drain energy into distraction
Summary
The speaker argues scrolling comes from having no clear project, and a concrete project gives your energy somewhere to go.
The speaker says people are often more capable than they think, but drain their energy through distraction when they wake without a clear project. Having one project to aim energy at, worked on daily, would give people something to show for each day and make them less likely to scroll. The speaker frames clarity as the piece that makes the difference.
Key points- Big dreams without a plan or constraints drain energy into distraction
- Clarity on one project gives your energy a clear target
- With a clear project you go to bed knowing you moved the ball forward
Run your life like a CEO
Short · instagram.com · Issue #228
The speaker's advice is to accept people as they are while placing them where they belong.
Summary
The speaker's advice is to accept people as they are while placing them where they belong. Framing yourself as the CEO of your life, the speaker suggests applying the same logic a CEO uses, deciding whom to hire, fire and promote, to the people and commitments around you.
Not now is fear in disguise
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #227
Excuses like 'first I need more money' turn into 'not ever'
Summary
The speaker says 'not now' kills dreams because it is fear in disguise, and the fix is taking one step toward the thing now.
A speaker who has taught at Stanford for 23 years says the phrase "not now" kills more dreams than any other. It feels rational because of obstacles such as money, experience, or loans, but it turns into "not ever" and is really fear in another form. Instead of quitting, the speaker advises starting now by meeting people who have done it, sending the email, or taking a class.
Key points- Excuses like 'first I need more money' turn into 'not ever'
- Hearing yourself say not now should set off alarm bells
- Meet people who have done it, send the email, take the class
A one-minute pen drill for clearer speech
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #227
Clean a pen, bite it between your teeth, and read a paragraph aloud for 60 seconds
Summary
The speaker says reading aloud for a minute with a pen between your teeth sharpens speech and projects calm authority.
The speaker describes a one-minute exercise for clearer speech called the pen drill. Hold a clean pen between your teeth, read a paragraph aloud slowly while over-pronouncing every word for about 60 seconds, then remove the pen and keep reading. The speaker says clear speech signals calm authority, so the habit makes people take you more seriously.
Key points- Clean a pen, bite it between your teeth, and read a paragraph aloud for 60 seconds
- Over-pronounce slowly, then remove the pen and keep reading; the difference is immediate
- Clear speech signals calm authority, so do the drill once a day
A 90-day focus sprint builds momentum
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #226
Define one objective, set dated goals, then plan 12 weekly priorities, not daily tasks
Summary
The speaker says a 90-day focus sprint with a few dated goals and weekly priorities builds momentum, even when targets are missed.
The speaker describes a 90-day focus sprint with four steps: define one objective, set specific goals with dates, plan 12 weekly priorities, and execute. Weekly planning keeps the work flexible, the speaker says. In their first sprint they launched a product and built an email list, but fell short of their revenue and list targets, and say the habits they built still paid off later.
Key points- Define one objective, set dated goals, then plan 12 weekly priorities, not daily tasks
- Her first sprint hit $30,000, not $100,000, but launched a product that grew to six figures
- She says the sprint did not change her life, but taught habits that will
Worry drives action on what you fear
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #224
Worry pushes you to take care of the thing you're worrying about
Summary
The speaker's principle: worrying drives action on the thing feared, so the worrier ends up okay, while a non-worrier should worry.
A short clip attributed to Ray Dalio presents a principle: worrying drives you to take care of what you fear, so you will be okay. The clip frames worry as a prompt for action rather than something to dwell on.
Key points- Worry pushes you to take care of the thing you're worrying about
- By this principle, someone who never worries needs to start worrying
Who you are when nobody watches
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #224
Identity shows in the 11 PM choice between a book and the scroll
Summary
The speaker says you are what you do when nobody is watching, because quiet-hour habits shape identity more than claims or posts.
The speaker argues that identity is shaped by private habits rather than public claims. What you do in private, like reading or eating well, shows up in conversation, energy, and confidence. The choice at 11 PM between a book and a scroll reveals who you are, and the world rewards what you have already done.
Key points- Identity shows in the 11 PM choice between a book and the scroll
- The world rewards what you've already done, not what you say you'll do
- Every moment counts, so there is no best self saved for when it matters
Ways to recover from post-grad burnout
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #223
Let yourself be bored instead of filling cooking, gym and shower time with podcasts
Summary
The speaker says post-grad burnout eases through boredom, writing, self-directed learning and hobbies that sit outside algorithms.
Drawing on a Substack article about post-grad decay, the speaker lists ways to recover mental sharpness when stuck in an unfulfilling job. Letting yourself be bored, rather than keeping music or podcasts on, gives the brain room to process. Writing should create space for thoughts to surface, not just vent them. The other two are self-directed learning outside algorithms and hobbies such as classes or book clubs, which build community.
Key points- Let yourself be bored instead of filling cooking, gym and shower time with podcasts
- Writing creates space so your thoughts can speak back, not just a way to vent
- Hobbies like a gardening class or chess club build community and light up the mind
102 Lessons From 102 Books
Read · scotthyoung.com · 11 min · Issue #221
Scott H.
Summary
Scott H. Young's October 6, 2025 post distills lessons from 102 books he read in about 12.5 months. The lessons are grouped by theme, such as fitness, money, food, outreach, sleep and service. Examples include low-cost index funds generally beating actively managed funds after fees, and CBT for insomnia working better than sleep medication for many people. He also compares the health risk of loneliness to that of smoking.
Ignore people who judge your effort
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #220
An athlete won't judge you for working out, and a millionaire won't judge you for starting a business
Summary
People going nowhere are the ones who judge others for trying, so ignore those who criticize your effort.
The speaker quotes a saying that an athlete will not judge you for working out, a millionaire will not judge you for starting a business, and a musician will not judge you for singing. The claim is that people who judge others are usually the ones going nowhere.
Key points- An athlete won't judge you for working out, and a millionaire won't judge you for starting a business
- A musician won't judge you for singing a song, the quote says
- The quote concludes that it is always the people going nowhere who have something to say
Anxiety shrinks when you act through it
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #220
Anxiety grows stronger every time you back down, the speaker says
Summary
Anxiety shrinks when you act through discomfort, since avoidance feeds it and repeated action builds self-trust.
The speaker argues that the only real cure for anxiety is repeatedly doing the thing that causes it, because anxiety grows through avoidance. Leaning into discomfort builds self-trust and shows you can handle hard things. The goal is not to feel fearless, but to feel fear and act anyway until your brain catches up with your courage.
Key points- Anxiety grows stronger every time you back down, the speaker says
- Leaning into discomfort builds self-trust and proves you can face hard things
- The goal is to feel fear and act anyway until your brain catches up with your courage
Your self is just a story
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #219
Your age, name, traits and past are all a story, the speaker says
Summary
Everything you think about yourself is a story, and the only certain truth is that you exist.
The speaker argues that the self a person thinks they are, including age, name, strengths, flaws and past experiences, is a story. The one thing that can definitively be called true is that you exist. Realizing this means you can become whoever you want, and the speaker says this is true for everyone.
Key points- Your age, name, traits and past are all a story, the speaker says
- Seeing this means you can be whoever you want
- The speaker says this is true for everyone
Eleven things people learn too late
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #219
A short TikTok listing 11 things people learn too late.
Summary
A short TikTok listing 11 things people learn too late.
How to stop giving a damn
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #216
A short TikTok on how to stop giving a damn.
Summary
A short TikTok on how to stop giving a damn.
A lesson from Stan Lee
Short · instagram.com · Issue #216
A short Instagram post sharing a lesson from Stan Lee.
Summary
A short Instagram post sharing a lesson from Stan Lee.
Picasso's lesson on consistency
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #215
A short TikTok on Picasso's consistency.
Summary
A short TikTok on Picasso's consistency.
Changing careers at 30 is humbling
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #214
The hardest part is realizing you chased what your parents wanted
Summary
Changing careers at 30 is messy and humbling, especially when you realize you chased a parent's goals.
The speaker describes changing careers at 30 as messy and humbling, including returning to entry-level work while friends are being promoted. The hardest part, he says, is realizing you chased something your parents wanted rather than what you wanted. He suggests two options: make peace with it and find meaning elsewhere, such as volunteering, or restart entirely, which he says he did.
Key points- The hardest part is realizing you chased what your parents wanted
- Options: make peace and find meaning outside the 9 to 5, or start again
- The speaker started again and says others are not alone in it
Be happy enough before entering relationships
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #213
You do not need to be blissfully happy or to have everything figured out
Summary
Enter a relationship happy enough that losing someone or saying no does not feel like a crisis.
The speaker argues that people do not need to arrive at a relationship fully healed or blissfully happy, only happy enough. Being happy enough means you can lose someone without losing your happiness, and can say no to someone who treats you poorly. The speaker warns that seeking a partner to rescue you from a dark place is dangerous, because you may accept whatever you are given.
Key points- You do not need to be blissfully happy or to have everything figured out
- Happy enough means you can say no to someone who treats you poorly
- You can want someone and be excited without it being life and death
Ask how you contributed, not blame
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #213
Look at habits, relationships or old narratives you have not let go of
Summary
Ask how you have contributed to the circumstances you dislike most, as a question of accountability, not blame.
The speaker proposes asking how you have contributed to the circumstances you dislike most. The aim is accountability rather than blame, because you may not have caused a situation but may still be sustaining it. Examples include habits, relationships you keep investing in, outdated identities, vices, unforgiven mistakes, avoided commitments and negative self-talk.
Key points- Look at habits, relationships or old narratives you have not let go of
- Vices, unforgiven self-judgment and avoided commitments count too
- The question is about accountability, not ridicule for past hurt
Staying up late to reclaim time
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #212
Work and responsibilities fill the day, leaving only late hours that feel free
Summary
Staying up late can be an attempt to reclaim time that never felt yours, a pattern the speaker calls revenge bedtime procrastination.
The creator describes revenge bedtime procrastination, staying up late to take back personal time after a full day of work, school or obligations. Scrolling or watching becomes the only time that feels controlled, which delays sleep and repeats the cycle. The creator argues that real control comes from building a life you do not need to escape from.
Key points- Work and responsibilities fill the day, leaving only late hours that feel free
- Scrolling delays bed because sleep means the cycle starts again tomorrow
- Real control comes from a life you do not need to escape from
Act first, then aim and refine
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #211
Ready, fire, aim is the title of a Michael Masterson book, per the speaker
Summary
Stop over-analysing: do the minimum prep, act, then aim and refine once you have acted.
The speaker recommends the idea of ready, fire, aim from a book by serial entrepreneur Michael Masterson, which the speaker says applies to most of life. Many people over-analyze and never act. The approach is to do the minimum preparation needed, act, and then aim, adjust and refine based on what happens.
Key points- Ready, fire, aim is the title of a Michael Masterson book, per the speaker
- Many people keep aiming and never fire
- After acting, you can aim and iterate on your approach
Three key questions worth asking
Short · instagram.com · Issue #210
A short Instagram post on three key questions to ask.
Summary
A short Instagram post on three key questions to ask.
Can you slip life's punches
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #209
A short TikTok using a boxing image to ask whether you can slip the punches life keeps throwing.
Summary
A short TikTok using a boxing image to ask whether you can slip the punches life keeps throwing.
Celebrate others' success while you wait
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #209
The speaker mocks the thought that others' work is not that good
Summary
You will not be happy or successful until you learn to celebrate other people's successes while you wait for your own.
A short skit shows someone resenting others' success and asking why they have not made it yet. The creator's reminder is that you will not be happy or successful until you learn to celebrate other people's successes while waiting for your own. The clip ends with a joke about a parent's voice.
Key points- The speaker mocks the thought that others' work is not that good
- Thinking you deserve it more than others is a common trap, he says
- Celebrating someone else's work is a way to wait for your own success
Imagined perfect days can come true
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #208
Close your eyes for 10 to 30 minutes and imagine a perfect day with no limits
Summary
Imagining your perfect day with no limits can bring about some of the things you picture, the speaker says.
The speaker describes a perfect day exercise: sit or lie with eyes closed for 10 to 30 minutes and imagine an ideal day with no limitations. He says several things he imagined have come true, and he has repeated the exercise many times. He sends the written result to a friend, who sends a notification when such a day happens.
Key points- Close your eyes for 10 to 30 minutes and imagine a perfect day with no limits
- The speaker says several imagined elements later became reality
- He has people write their ideal day down, then report back when it happens
Three rules for decisions that matter
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #208
If you can't decide, the answer is no
Summary
Three decision heuristics: if you cannot decide, say no; when equal, take the short-term pain; choose the calmer long-term path.
The speaker shares three decision heuristics. If you cannot decide, the answer is no. When two options seem equal, take the one more painful in the short term. Choose the option that leaves you more at peace in the long term. Decisions should focus on who you are with, what you do and where you live.
Key points- If you can't decide, the answer is no
- When two options seem equal, take the more painful short-term one
- Choose the option that leaves you more equanimous in the long term
Talking through crossroads reveals what you know
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #207
The speaker weighs fatherhood at 31 alongside his partner
Summary
Talking through a life crossroads can reveal a perspective you already have, even if you think you lack evidence.
Two friends discuss a crossroads one of them faces at 31, as he considers fatherhood and questions why he keeps working toward bigger goals. The other asks him to state his perspective and where his life is off. He admits he has been deferring his romantic relationship until he sells a business in about three years, and the friend argues he would never accept that delay for a business problem.
Key points- The speaker weighs fatherhood at 31 alongside his partner
- A friend argues you already have a perspective and need no more evidence
- He questions whether work is about the destination or the climb itself
Big wins need uncomfortable risks like rejection
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #206
The speaker says he calls strangers, asks for money and asks people to join
Summary
Big professional and personal wins require uncomfortable risks, like calling strangers and enduring rejection.
The speaker argues that nothing great, personally or professionally, happens without uncomfortable risks such as approaching strangers, asking for money and enduring rejection. Drawing on his work as an entrepreneur, he says most people avoid these moments because they are embarrassing. He worries that young people are being offered a comfortable substitute for real life by deep-pocketed organizations.
Key points- The speaker says he calls strangers, asks for money and asks people to join
- Most people avoid big opportunities because rejection is painful
- Persistence, forgiveness and setting ego aside are needed to endure rejection
Related reading paths
- Set goals that stick10
- Change careers well9
- Find your purpose8
- Focus and stop procrastinating10
- Start journaling7
- Make friends as an adult10