Self-Improvement, page 3
Habits, discipline, confidence, personal growth, life advice. 226 links, newest first. Page 3 of 5.
Links 101 to 150
Three techniques to tackle stress
Short · instagram.com · Issue #170
A short Instagram post presenting three techniques for dealing with stress.
Summary
A short Instagram post presenting three techniques for dealing with stress.
Life Is a Video Game, Here Are the Cheat Codes
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #169
Mark Manson presents life as a video game in this 12-minute video from August 2024, promising cheat codes for leveling up faster.
Summary
Mark Manson presents life as a video game in this 12-minute video from August 2024, promising cheat codes for leveling up faster. The video covers character progression and choosing allies. Manson wrote, directed and produced it with Will Weir. BetterHelp sponsors it. Manson's free weekly newsletter offers practical advice, and a paid membership adds courses and exclusive writing.
Love of fate means accepting everything
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #168
Life involves loss, illness and betrayal, and complaining means you do not accept it
Summary
Love of fate means accepting everything that happens, since pain and loss are part of life.
Robert Greene explains amor fati, meaning love of fate: loving everything that happens to you as a way of learning and toughening yourself. He says life involves pain, loss, illness, and betrayal. Complaining that things should be otherwise means you do not accept life, so the practice is to accept what happens and find the purpose behind it.
Key points- Life involves loss, illness and betrayal, and complaining means you do not accept it
- Accept what happens, find a way to love it, and see the purpose behind it
- The speaker says animals have always had to deal with the same hardships
How to be a great leader
Short · instagram.com · Issue #168
A short Instagram post on how to be a great leader.
Summary
A short Instagram post on how to be a great leader.
How to Set Boundaries
Read · thequietlife.net · 30 min · Issue #168
Alexandra "Lexi" Hudson, author of The Soul of Civility, argues that declining graciously is part of civility.
Summary
Alexandra "Lexi" Hudson, author of The Soul of Civility, argues that declining graciously is part of civility. Her five tips are to check whether you will resent agreeing later, skip the justification because no is a complete sentence, start by declining most things and add yes back as it brings joy, follow E.B. White's example of declining without shame, and read someone else's no charitably.
The ONE Thing Purpose Workbook
Tool · the1thing.com · Issue #167
A workbook based on Gary Keller and Jay Papasan's book The ONE Thing, with a three-step process for finding your purpose, setting a priority and building daily habits.
Summary
A workbook based on Gary Keller and Jay Papasan's book The ONE Thing, with a three-step process for finding your purpose, setting a priority and building daily habits. Readers write a purpose statement, set a Big Someday Goal and work backward through shorter goals, and time block their ONE Thing for at least four hours early in the day. It suggests holding each life-area habit for 66 days.
You are paid for value, not time
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #166
Develop an above-average smile, excitement, interest in people and intensity to win
Summary
You are paid for value, not time, so become more valuable by working on yourself before your job.
The speaker says the first lesson of economics is that people are paid for the value they bring, not for their time. Working on yourself, such as developing a better handshake, smile, interest in others, and drive to win, can raise that value. Recounting a mentor's advice, the speaker concludes that the only way things get better is by getting better yourself.
Key points- Develop an above-average smile, excitement, interest in people and intensity to win
- A mentor told the speaker to work harder on himself than on his job
- The speaker says things get better for you only when you get better
The Question Everyone Should Ask Themselves
Read · markmanson.net · 13 min · Issue #166
Mark Manson argues that what you get from life depends less on the good things you want than on the struggles you are willing to endure.
Summary
Mark Manson argues that what you get from life depends less on the good things you want than on the struggles you are willing to endure. Most people want success, fitness or love without accepting the costs, such as hard work, risk and rejection. He suggests asking what pain you want in your life and choosing your struggles wisely.
HabitNow: Habit Tracker and Routine Planner
Tool · play.google.com · Issue #165
HabitNow is a daily planner app that combines a to-do list, habit tracker, routine planner and reminders.
Summary
HabitNow is a daily planner app that combines a to-do list, habit tracker, routine planner and reminders. It supports daily, weekly and monthly habit goals, good and bad habits with streak tracking, and stopwatch, countdown and interval timers. Charts, home-screen widgets and backups are included. The app is free to install, with in-app purchases, and has a 4.8 star rating from about 92,000 reviews.
Confidence comes from what you tell yourself
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #163
Daily recovery deserves as much attention as hard work, the speaker says
Summary
Confidence comes only from what you say to yourself, so coach and back yourself every day.
The speaker says confidence comes from one place: what you say to yourself. To be great, he argues, you have to take risks, while peers wait for a mistake to get their chance. He describes a daily recovery program built on speaking to, backing, and coaching yourself. This weakens an identity built around constant performing, so you perform to contribute to something meaningful rather than the bottom line.
Key points- Daily recovery deserves as much attention as hard work, the speaker says
- Peers waiting for your mistake make risk-taking necessary to be great
- Coaching yourself lets the need to perform to prove identity fade away
Feelings are valid, some behaviours are not
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #160
Anger is valid, but yelling is not, the speaker says
Summary
Your emotions are always valid, but some behaviours are not, so separate feelings from actions.
The speaker separates emotions from behavior. Anger, jealousy, and pain are valid feelings, but yelling, poor judgment, drinking, or going back to someone who hurt you are not. Emotions are always valid, while behavior is judged on its own.
Key points- Anger is valid, but yelling is not, the speaker says
- Jealousy and pain are valid, but judgment and drinking are not
- Missing someone is valid, but going back to them is not
Eight Uncommon Daily Rituals
Read · untetheredmind.co · 11 min · Issue #160
Alex Mathers outlines eight daily habits: connecting with your deeper self through prayer or meditation, improving the routines that produce your results, freewriting to vent and test ideas, shaking off tension through vigorous movement, a short routine of squats and push-ups, studying one new topic for at least 10 minutes, reading fiction for about 30 minutes before bed, and carrying yourself with confidence.
Summary
Alex Mathers outlines eight daily habits: connecting with your deeper self through prayer or meditation, improving the routines that produce your results, freewriting to vent and test ideas, shaking off tension through vigorous movement, a short routine of squats and push-ups, studying one new topic for at least 10 minutes, reading fiction for about 30 minutes before bed, and carrying yourself with confidence.
Let lost points go and commit fully
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #159
Negative energy is wasted energy, the speaker says, and doubt is part of the game
Summary
Once a point is lost, let it go and commit fully to the next one, because mastering hard moments marks a champion.
The speaker says each point matters while it is played but should be left behind once it ends. Committing fully to the next point depends on that mindset. Losses are part of any game or career, and opponents doubt themselves too. The speaker argues that the mark of a champion is mastering hard moments, since even the best do not win every point.
Key points- Negative energy is wasted energy, the speaker says, and doubt is part of the game
- Opponents have self-doubt too, so keep your focus on the next point
- The best are not the best because they win every point, he says
Overplanning makes results worse, so act more
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #159
Tossing a phone is easy, but holding it over a five-story balcony makes you sweat
Summary
Overplanning and trying to control outcomes make results worse, so plan less, act more.
The speaker compares overthinking to holding a phone over a balcony: worrying about the drop makes it more likely to happen. Trying to control outcomes through over-planning creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, such as treating a job interview as a single shot and becoming stiff. Results get worse when you over-attach, so the answer is to ease up, act more, and plan less.
Key points- Tossing a phone is easy, but holding it over a five-story balcony makes you sweat
- Over-preparing and fearing what goes wrong becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy
- The speaker's rule: if you're thinking too much, you're not acting enough
How Visualisation Can Change Your Life
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #158
In a TEDxUniversityofGlasgow talk, psychology and business student Ana Isabel Bacallado argues that visualizing a goal can help you achieve it, summed up as "If you can visualise it, you can make it happen." She ties the idea to her own story, including moving to another country with her family and starting a small business at age 11.
Summary
In a TEDxUniversityofGlasgow talk, psychology and business student Ana Isabel Bacallado argues that visualizing a goal can help you achieve it, summed up as "If you can visualise it, you can make it happen." She ties the idea to her own story, including moving to another country with her family and starting a small business at age 11.
Set a 23-minute timer to beat temptation
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #158
The speaker says he found temptation takes about 23 minutes to pass
Summary
Temptation always passes, so set a 23-minute timer and go do something else until it fades.
The speaker advises reminding yourself that any temptation will pass, citing a saying about a devil who gives up after knocking at a door that never opens. They say the urge fades in about 23 minutes for them, so when tempted, set a timer for 23 minutes and do something else.
Key points- The speaker says he found temptation takes about 23 minutes to pass
- When battling temptation, set a timer for 23 minutes and do something else
- The clip cuts off before naming the best weapon against temptation
Five daily habits help when you lack motivation
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #155
Meditation shuts off overstimulation and is the first step to regaining control of your mind
Summary
Five daily habits, meditation, affirmations, gratitude, exercise and reading, help you do what you don't feel like doing.
The speaker presents five habits that help people act on things they don't feel like doing: meditation, affirmations, gratitude, exercise, and reading. Meditation helps quiet an overstimulated mind, affirmations shift self-talk, gratitude focuses attention on what one has, and exercise lifts mood. Books are presented as better sources of information than social media.
Key points- Meditation shuts off overstimulation and is the first step to regaining control of your mind
- Affirmations should use words for yourself, not against yourself
- Gratitude focuses on what you have instead of what you lack
Bamboo that bends beats oak that resists
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #153
Proverb: the bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists
Summary
The speaker shares a Japanese proverb: the bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists. He takes it as advice to stay flexible in difficult situations rather than rigid.
Key points- Proverb: the bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists
- Advice: stay flexible in difficult situations rather than rigid
How to Get Out of Your Own Way
Read · untetheredmind.co · 4 min · Issue #153
Alex Mathers's Untethered Mind post opens with a streamer who repeatedly chokes on critical par-five holes in a golf game, and uses it to explore self-sabotage.
Summary
Alex Mathers's Untethered Mind post opens with a streamer who repeatedly chokes on critical par-five holes in a golf game, and uses it to explore self-sabotage. The advice on getting out of your own way is in the paid part of the article, which can be read free through an author link.
Adopt beliefs that help, the expectation effect
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #152
People who expect to heal or learn quickly tend to do so
Summary
Expectations shape outcomes, so adopt the beliefs most likely to help you, which the speaker calls the expectation effect.
The speaker says research suggests expectations shape outcomes. People who believe they can do something are more likely to do it, expect to heal faster, expect medication or therapy to work, or expect to learn a skill easily tend to achieve those results. The speaker argues that positive thinking works partly by training these expectations, so adopting helpful beliefs is worthwhile.
Key points- People who expect to heal or learn quickly tend to do so
- Expecting medication or therapy to work raises the chance that it does
- Positive thinking trains expectations, which makes better outcomes more likely
Write harsh thoughts, answer as your wiser self
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #146
Write the negative thoughts, then reply as your higher, wiser self would
Summary
Write down harsh thoughts, then answer them as your wiser adult self, twice a day for six months.
The speaker describes writing down harsh self-talk, then answering it twice a day as a wiser adult self would, for six months. Next came a raw inventory of every relationship and an unpacking of childhood, which felt painful but freeing. The speaker then spent a month alone in a cabin in Vermont with no phone or computer, journaling, and reports feeling clear, energetic and expansive afterward.
Key points- Write the negative thoughts, then reply as your higher, wiser self would
- The speaker did this twice daily for six months, which was hard at first
- Unpacking every past relationship and childhood memory freed him, he says
The Dip is the hard stretch before rewards
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #144
Every new venture starts with excitement, then a slog before results show up
Summary
The Dip, from Seth Godin's book, is the hard stretch that makes rewards meaningful, and quitters give up inside it.
The speaker recalls Seth Godin's book The Dip: starting something new brings excitement, then a slump where effort does not yet show results. The speaker argues the dip filters out people who will not do the work and gives the reward its meaning. The speaker says they kept making YouTube videos through two years without results and did not quit.
Key points- Every new venture starts with excitement, then a slog before results show up
- The speaker spent two years making YouTube videos with no visible results
- The dip separates people willing to do the work from those who quit
Ego is the most dangerous part of us
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #144
A little ego helps you keep moving, but too much becomes a power freak
Summary
The speaker says ego is the most dangerous part of us, and unchecked ego creates power-hungry leaders.
The speaker calls the ego the most dangerous part of us. A little ego helps a person keep moving, but unchecked it produces power-seekers. The speaker points to corporate greed and abuses of power in the news as examples.
Key points- A little ego helps you keep moving, but too much becomes a power freak
- Points to corporate greed, power and corruption seen in the papers
- Presents ego as the enemy to be managed
If You're Struggling to Find Inspiration
Read · untetheredmind.co · 3 min · Issue #143
Alex Mathers of the Untethered Mind newsletter argues that people often explain away a lack of progress with identity excuses, such as "I'm just not that kind of person." He says the way forward is to return to the basics of making progress.
Summary
Alex Mathers of the Untethered Mind newsletter argues that people often explain away a lack of progress with identity excuses, such as "I'm just not that kind of person." He says the way forward is to return to the basics of making progress. The post is about a three-minute read and can be opened free through an author link.
Build habits with 60 seconds of meditation
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #142
Place a meditation pillow in a visible, dedicated corner
Summary
Build a habit by making it obvious, attractive, easy and satisfying, starting with just 60 seconds of meditation.
The speaker says building a good habit comes down to four things: make it obvious, attractive, easy and satisfying. Examples include keeping a meditation pillow in a dedicated corner, picking habits you are actually interested in, and starting with 60 seconds instead of 30 minutes, since showing up is what builds the habit. Pairing it with a reward you enjoy keeps you coming back.
Key points- Place a meditation pillow in a visible, dedicated corner
- Pick habits you want, since should-do habits feel like a hassle
- Start with 60 seconds, master showing up, then extend the time
What I've Learned (YouTube channel)
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #141
Joseph Everett runs the What I've Learned channel, which aims to connect ideas, draw conclusions and weigh them against what he calls modern dogma.
Summary
Joseph Everett runs the What I've Learned channel, which aims to connect ideas, draw conclusions and weigh them against what he calls modern dogma. Topics include health, productivity, cognitive capability and self-improvement. Each video is meant to offer a takeaway that applies to daily life.
Use Strategic Thinking to Create the Life You Want
Read · hbr.org · Issue #141
BCG's Rainer Strack, Susanne Dyrchs and Allison Bailey argue that corporate strategy methods can help individuals plan their lives.
Summary
BCG's Rainer Strack, Susanne Dyrchs and Allison Bailey argue that corporate strategy methods can help individuals plan their lives. The approach starts by defining what makes a great life, reviews how time and energy are spent, and sets objectives and key results for areas that need change. The Strategize Your Life program has been tested with over 500 people and produces a one-page life strategy in a few hours.
Change comes when current pain outweighs fear
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #140
The speaker says you can stand at the door looking into the abyss
Summary
Change happens when the pain of your current reality becomes greater than your fear of the unknown.
The speaker cites a saying that people change when the pain of their current reality becomes greater than their fear of the unknown. They describe standing at the edge of an abyss until the discomfort is strong enough to step into it, at which point the change happens.
Key points- The speaker says you can stand at the door looking into the abyss
- Change happens only once the pain is painful enough to walk through
- Presented as a saying the speaker believes in
The Harajuku Moment: Why Advice Fails Without a Trigger
Read · tim.blog · 19 min · Issue #137
Tim Ferriss's February 2024 post, adapted from The 4-Hour Body, argues that people rarely follow how-to advice because they lack a strong enough reason to act.
Summary
Tim Ferriss's February 2024 post, adapted from The 4-Hour Body, argues that people rarely follow how-to advice because they lack a strong enough reason to act. He calls the missing trigger a Harajuku Moment, an epiphany that turns a nice-to-have into a must-have. The post names two obstacles, insufficient motivation and no consistent tracking, and illustrates the idea with Chad Fowler, who lost over 70 pounds in under a year.
Three steps to beat procrastination
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #136
Step one: forgive yourself, since procrastinating is a coping mechanism, not laziness
Summary
Procrastination is stress-driven, so the speaker recommends Mel Robbins' three steps: forgive, acknowledge stress, then act.
The speaker says procrastination is mainly driven by stress and a wish to feel good right now, and cites a researcher for this view. The speaker recommends Mel Robbins's three-step cycle: forgive yourself for procrastinating, acknowledge the stress behind it, then use the five-second rule to start acting before doubt builds.
Key points- Step one: forgive yourself, since procrastinating is a coping mechanism, not laziness
- Step two: acknowledge the aggravation and stress to loosen its grip
- Step three: use the five-second rule to start, acting before you feel ready
Small milestones fuel motivation for the next step
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #134
Fixating on the result tempts you into big unsustainable steps too early
Summary
Set a roadmap with small milestones, since reaching each one triggers reward signals that fuel motivation for the next.
The speaker says people fail at consistency because they fixate on the result and take big steps too early, like a road trip with no route and no fuel. The advice is to build a roadmap for where you are now, make starting easy, and set milestones. Reaching each milestone triggers the brain's reward system, which boosts motivation for the next one.
Key points- Fixating on the result tempts you into big unsustainable steps too early
- Milestones trigger the brain's reward system and boost motivation for the next stop
- Build a roadmap for where you are now, starting easy and taking bigger steps as you grow
Make habits obvious, easy, satisfying, then invert
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #134
Make cues obvious and visible, and scale the habit down to ease starting
Summary
Build a good habit by making it obvious, easy and satisfying, then invert all four to break a bad one.
The speaker lays out four rules for building a good habit: make it obvious, attractive, easy and satisfying. To break a bad habit, reverse each one: make it invisible, unattractive, difficult and unsatisfying. The speaker says that the more enjoyable a habit feels, the more likely it is to be repeated.
Key points- Make cues obvious and visible, and scale the habit down to ease starting
- Make a bad habit invisible, unattractive, difficult and unsatisfying
- Enjoyment makes you more likely to repeat a habit, the speaker says
Forget Monk Mode. Here's How to Actually Beat 99% of People.
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #132
Mark Manson's March 2023 video analyzes what sets apart the successful 1% of people, promising one trick that could make viewers more successful than 99% of people.
Summary
Mark Manson's March 2023 video analyzes what sets apart the successful 1% of people, promising one trick that could make viewers more successful than 99% of people. It is billed as 'not what you think' and as something that 'won't necessarily make you happy.' The video is watchable on YouTube.
Change state, then story, then strategy
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #132
Low-energy states tend to produce disabling stories and ineffective strategies
Summary
Change your state first, then your story, then your strategy, because a gray outlook produces weak plans.
The speaker recalls a framework from Tony Robbins for low moods like depression or anxiety. Starting with a problem-solving story in a low energy state tends to produce disabling stories and ineffective strategies. Changing state first, through a cold shower, 50 jumping jacks or 20 push-ups, brings a more enabling story and better strategies. The order is state, story, strategy.
Key points- Low-energy states tend to produce disabling stories and ineffective strategies
- Quick state changes include a five-minute cold shower or 50 jumping jacks
- The speaker credits Tony Robbins with the order: state, story, then strategy
Scale any habit down to two minutes
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #132
Read one page instead of thirty books a year
Summary
Scale any habit down to something taking two minutes or less, such as one page instead of thirty books a year.
The speaker says the two-minute rule applies to any habit: scale it down to something that takes two minutes or less. Examples include reading one page instead of 30 books a year, taking out the yoga mat instead of doing yoga four days a week, and writing one sentence instead of a weekly newsletter.
Key points- Read one page instead of thirty books a year
- Take out your yoga mat instead of doing yoga four days a week
- Write one sentence instead of a full weekly newsletter
Changing often costs old friends before new ones
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #131
Old friends tease you for skipping drinks and staying home to read
Summary
The speaker says people who change often lose old friends before new ones arrive, a lonely stage almost everyone passes through.
The speaker describes a stage of personal change where new habits set a person apart from old friends, who tease them, while the new friendships have not formed yet. The speaker says almost everyone who moved from where they were to where they wanted to be went through this lonely middle stage.
Key points- Old friends tease you for skipping drinks and staying home to read
- The gap between old and new friends is a lonely middle chapter
- The speaker names the phase but offers no fix
Knowing rescue is possible keeps people fighting
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #131
The first castaway gave up after 30 minutes of swimming and drowned
Summary
Knowing rescue is possible keeps people fighting, and the speaker argues a castaway who had been rescued before survived longer.
The speaker tells a story about two castaways with the same abilities. The first gave up after 30 minutes, while the second fought for six days because he had been rescued before and knew help was possible. The speaker attributes the comparison to a study by Kurt Richter and applies it to setbacks: believing that a way out exists keeps people fighting and helps them reach their goals.
Key points- The first castaway gave up after 30 minutes of swimming and drowned
- The second, already rescued once before, fought the sea for six days
- The speaker says belief that someone is looking for you keeps you fighting
How Adam Grant Learned to Speak Up Through Advice
Read · thequietlife.net · 5 min · Issue #131
Susan Cain's Quiet Life newsletter post from December 2023 describes how Adam Grant, a self-described shy introvert, improved at public speaking.
Summary
Susan Cain's Quiet Life newsletter post from December 2023 describes how Adam Grant, a self-described shy introvert, improved at public speaking. He found that asking for advice works better than asking for feedback, because advice looks forward to what can be done next time. The post sorts responders into critics, cheerleaders and coaches, and includes an excerpt from Grant's book Hidden Potential.
Ask what your ideal home requires
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #128
The couple asked what they wanted their house to feel like at the door
Summary
Ask what must be true for a home to feel the way you want, instead of arguing about the problem.
A speaker recounts how he and his wife moved out of a rough patch in their marriage by asking what they wanted their average Wednesday at home to feel like. They chose warmth and laughter, then worked back to the daily habits needed to get there. He argues success should be measured by the freedom a family defines for itself, not by milestones like promotions or book sales.
Key points- The couple asked what they wanted their house to feel like at the door
- Warmth, laughter and kids making noise were the goals, not a fight
- The speaker says success is measured by family freedom, not money earned
Stop controlling others to look inward
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #128
Opinions about other people's choices hook your energy on things you cannot control
Summary
Stop controlling others, since letting them be frees your energy to look back at yourself.
The speaker summarizes the let them idea: stop trying to control other people, since their actions and feelings are outside your control. Worry and opinions about others hook your energy to them, usually driven by insecurity, a need for control or anxiety. Saying let them acknowledges the situation without getting worked up, which turns attention back to yourself.
Key points- Opinions about other people's choices hook your energy on things you cannot control
- Saying let them acknowledges the situation and stops you being worked up
- The speaker says the urge to control comes from insecurity, control or anxiety
Positive psychology studies what makes people flourish
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #126
Seligman founded learned helplessness theory and led the APA in 1998
Summary
The speaker credits Seligman with founding positive psychology, which studies what makes people flourish, not just what is wrong.
Positive psychology founder Martin Seligman, per a TikTok summary of his 2004 TED talk, proposed three dimensions of happiness. The pleasant life comes from savoring everyday pleasures and staying present, the good life from using personal strengths in enjoyable activities and relationships, and the meaningful life from applying strengths to something greater than oneself. The speaker argues these practices help people under high stress.
Key points- Seligman founded learned helplessness theory and led the APA in 1998
- Uses the elephant rope folk tale to illustrate learned helplessness
- Positive psychology asks how happy people differ, not only how miserable people do
How to Stop Wanting to Buy Stuff
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #125
A 7-minute frugal living video from Nicholas Garofola, published September 2023, on resisting the constant urge to buy more things, which he calls one of the harder parts of minimalism.
Summary
A 7-minute frugal living video from Nicholas Garofola, published September 2023, on resisting the constant urge to buy more things, which he calls one of the harder parts of minimalism. Garofola makes videos about minimalism, frugal living and tech. The description links to his Amazon shops and to Artlist, a music service he uses.
Emotion comes first, reasoning justifies it later
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #124
Claims the brain detects only 0.00035% of the electromagnetic spectrum
Summary
The speaker says the brain runs a survival simulation, so emotion comes first and reasoning justifies it afterwards.
The speaker says the brain perceives only a tiny fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum and runs a simulation built to keep us alive, not to make us happy or successful. Emotion comes first and the brain then justifies it. The speaker says emotions are tied to beliefs, and anger is often tied to insecurity, so decisions should not rest on them.
Key points- Claims the brain detects only 0.00035% of the electromagnetic spectrum
- Says the body gives the emotion first and the brain then rationalises it
- Claims anger is usually tied to insecurity, so do not decide based on emotion
100 Ways to Live Better
Read · lesswrong.com · 16 min · Issue #124
Jacob Falkovich's list of 109 life tips, first written as a one-day challenge to brainstorm 100 pieces of advice, grouped under Meta, Mind, Body, Stuff, Place, The Soul, Career and Relationships.
Summary
Jacob Falkovich's list of 109 life tips, first written as a one-day challenge to brainstorm 100 pieces of advice, grouped under Meta, Mind, Body, Stuff, Place, The Soul, Career and Relationships. Its central point is that advice given to someone else is not designed to be followed to the letter. Examples include walking more, keeping bedrooms dark for sleep, pacing caffeine and making friends across subcultures.
20 Tips for Becoming More Charismatic
Read · untetheredmind.co · 3 min · Issue #123
Alex Mathers's Untethered Mind post argues that charisma can be learned rather than granted at birth.
Summary
Alex Mathers's Untethered Mind post argues that charisma can be learned rather than granted at birth. It lists 20 tips in themes: keep things light, listen more than you talk, speak and move more slowly, say less and focus on fewer things, stay calm under provocation, and treat yourself as a perpetual beginner. Mathers says he was shy as a teen and now speaks on stages.
Jocko on Climbing Out of a Low Point in Life
Watch · youtube.com · Issue #122
A 12-minute Jocko Podcast episode from June 2023 by Jocko Willink, labeled Jocko Underground 62.
Summary
A 12-minute Jocko Podcast episode from June 2023 by Jocko Willink, labeled Jocko Underground 62. Its title promises advice for people at a low point in life. The description lists related topics, including improving a toxic work environment, finding success as a new leader and applying Extreme Ownership with kids.
Helping Luck Along: The Luck Surface Area Model
Read · fronterablog.com · 5 min · Issue #120
A 2022 Frontera blog post on the luck surface area idea: luck cannot be forced, but the odds of it in business can be increased.
Summary
A 2022 Frontera blog post on the luck surface area idea: luck cannot be forced, but the odds of it in business can be increased. It describes four levels of luck and five ways to expand your surface area: share your work, follow your curiosity, seek serendipity by meeting new people, build a personal brand, and treat luck as an improvable skill. It credits Jason Roberts for the term.
The Fastest Way to Become Addicted to Discipline
Watch · youtube.com · 13 min · Issue #119
A June 2023 YouTube video by Rian Doris, co-founder and CEO of FlowState, a peak performance research and training institute focused on flow states.
Summary
A June 2023 YouTube video by Rian Doris, co-founder and CEO of FlowState, a peak performance research and training institute focused on flow states. The title frames discipline as something a person can become addicted to. The description offers a free One-Month Day checklist on the FlowState site.
Drop expectations that do not serve you
Short · tiktok.com · Issue #119
Expectations are assumptions about what others should do, while standards are chosen values
Summary
Unhappiness comes from unmet expectations, so drop the ones that do not serve you without lowering your standards.
The Minimalists argue that unhappiness comes from expectations about how life should go that are not met. A child in Africa given rice can be euphoric, while a billionaire at a three-Michelin-star restaurant may complain. The speaker recommends reasonable expectations and eliminating unnecessary ones without lowering standards, since an expectation is an assumption about what others should do.
Key points- Expectations are assumptions about what others should do, while standards are chosen values
- Realistic expectations of a partner lead to a better relationship
- Eliminate expectations that get in the way of happiness, but keep your standards
Littler Books: Summaries of Popular Nonfiction
Tool · littlerbooks.com · Issue #119
Littler Books publishes bullet-point summaries of popular nonfiction and self-help books, with a catalog of 216 titles including Atomic Habits, Sapiens and Thinking, Fast and Slow.
Summary
Littler Books publishes bullet-point summaries of popular nonfiction and self-help books, with a catalog of 216 titles including Atomic Habits, Sapiens and Thinking, Fast and Slow. The summaries are free to read, written and edited by humans, and new ones appear weekly. A subscription adds a Master Collection and downloads in PDF, eBook and DOCX formats. The site earns affiliate income from Amazon purchases.
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