Cognizant Incognizance

If you're a big Fall person, you have to be excited about the way the season is starting; satisfying stillness is already in the air, and the beating sun and constant rumble of summer parties are both dying down. Life moves slower this time of year as the winds of change begin to blow, and it's the perfect time to re-focus yourself on the task at hand. Let's go!

Humility is the act of tempering your self-importance and modestly acknowledging your talents or knowledge. It's a rare gift that can only be taught; never given or acquired. Humble pie is a dish best served cold, with a side of "slow your role" and a tall glass of "do better." I had a big helping of humble pie this weekend, and my feet are still wishing I hadn't cut such a big slice. What's for dessert in your world?

Pessimism, optimism, and realism are the three most common ways of viewing the world. Your outlook on life is generally reflected in the decisions you make; conservative investing might be an indicator of a pessimistic (or less optimistic) thinker, whereas outrageous projections in the stock market might signal that you're an optimist. Tonight, in honor of the beginning of the NFL season, I'm examining the pros and cons of the three worldviews as they relate to life AND to fantasy football! Enjoy!

Successful people share one thing, without question: goals. They're all working towards something. The path to success is lined with distractions, and none are more potent than your mindset. While you're working, others will be out having fun. While you're trying to decompress and refocus, other people are getting ahead of you. This week, I'm joined by my good friend Kyle Crawford, for a solid hour discussion on priorities, the fine line between survival and extravagance, and much, much more. Enjoy!

Take out the garbage. Clean the gutters. Decorate the house for the holidays. Stay late at work so you get the big promotion. What do these things have in common?

They're all "small" stuff! We tell ourselves these are our top priority instead of what's truly important; our mental health, our physical health, and our families. Giving the "small" stuff all our attention stresses us out and devalues the "big" stuff, and that's what should truly stress us out.

You have something important to do, and you're anxious about it. Not only do you want things to go as planned, you NEED them to go as planned. Everything has to be perfect and so you spend an obsessive amount of time mapping out the variables and possible outcomes. Then, before you know it, 3 hours have gone by and you haven't even started.

Sound familiar? I thought so! Whether you know it (or acknowledge it) or not, the pursuit of perfection just forced you to procrastinate. Next time just do the thing!

Happiness and joy are peculiar concepts. They seem temporary or elusive in our daily lives. Instead of waiting for happiness to come to us, and falling into despair when it doesn't, why not look for it in all that we do? Countless moments happen in life that aren't smile-worthy, and some might even be downright depressing, but you're alive to experience them! True joy, unbridled and incomparable satisfaction, can be found in almost anything when your perspective is corrected. Fix it today, and persevere!

Ambition...progress....hopelessness....one of these things is not like the others, am I right!? ***(Hint hint, they're more related than you might think, and I've got the perfect story to prove it!)***

Tonight I'll also be sharing an update on my progress in The Daily Stoic Challenge (no spoilers), a quick book recommendation, and some exciting news for anyone who fancies themselves an amateur chef like me.

P.S. The image is unrelated but it's a frog sitting on a car windshield. You're welcome.

When was the last time you ate something adventurous? Took a different route to work? Changed your problem-solving approach? The answer for most of us is probably, "never," or "I don't know," or "why would I?" Humans are so used to their routines that we forget how to connect with the world around us. Anything that isn't how we've "always done things" is scary and foreign. Imagine how much of life we're missing! This week I'm serving up a prescription for changing your perspective. Let's get heterodox!

Short and sweet this week: hopefully everyone had a great Fourth of July on Thursday and spent some time with their loved ones! Monday is right around the corner, so you know what that means; rise & shine people! There's much to be done, and you can't get ahead of you're laying in bed. Shoutout to my friend Chris Blide for the new artwork, too! You can find him on Instagram @cblidecre8s and he's always posting samples of his work. Anyone looking for professional graphic design work, Chris is your guy!