Daily Reads

Daily Reads

“How to Get Lucky by Doing Less”

Some of the best advice I’ve ever received:

“Don’t expect anything good or bad, but let God do what He wants to do.”

(And still at-peace-expectantly faith filled for God to be faithful.)

A faith-based way to say, “Putting in the work, result agnostic.”

“The ‘I Do Hard Things’ Lie”

Being intense enough to do a hard thing while failing at everything else is missing the point.

Hard things are meant to hone what matters: your relationships, your faith, your purpose.

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Daily Read

“On Watchful Dragons, A Starving Culture, and Why The Subtle Knife Wouldn’t Cut It”

Excellent article by Plain Runner on story telling about spiritual experiences.

Some say describing a religious experience takes the reader out of the suspension of disbelief...

But I wonder how much of that is something real stirring inside the reader?

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Daily Reads

“You need to be delusional if you want to succeed”

A safe goal gives you the uninspiring comfort of failing without risking anything.

A “delusional” vision you either accept or don’t, and if you accept it, you have a mission.

Also, parallel “how to” steps:

1. Reframes

2. Systems

3. Steward your energy

“3 Reasons Why Looking Foolish Can Be Good for Your Brain”

Being willing to look “foolish” in pursuing a “delusional” vision does a lot for your personal growth (and your mental health).

Including building character in humility, making room for building talents, and having fun with new opportunities.

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I was a sophomore in high school, sitting in a “Bible as Literature” class, when our school made an announcement to turn on and watch our classrooms TVs.

I remember seeing the second plane hit the second tower live on the news, behind the news person who wasn’t yet aware. Called it out to my class. They though I was being a horrible person and making a joke—they hadn't seen it yet, either. A few minutes later, the news caught up to what happened.

After the realization began to settle, I told all my classmates this meant we were going to war, because there was no way an American could do this—someone, somewhere was behind this, and we would go after them. That this could not be allowed to go unanswered. None of my classmates believed me at the moment, or at least no one voiced agreement.

Daily Reads

“I was 19 years old and in a high rise office building in Buckhead Atlanta at one of my first engineering internships.”

There’s a lot to be drawn from this.

But one thing is clear: when faced with times of crisis, you can either be paralyzed by fear, or take action to be there for your brothers, your friends, and your loved ones.

“YES, IT AFFECTS US PERSONALLY”

“It affects us personally.”

“What is to be done?”

We may not always have an answer, but we have control over what we choose to do, personally—and who we choose to take action for.

Sometimes that’s as simple as loving your family, your kids.

“Sammy was a real one for doing this after 9/11.”

9/11 affected us all as Americans, and we all unified as a result of that experience.

I love this video clip, because it shows that seed of hope.

And despite the weeds, the fires, hope is still being watered and growing.

The best is yet to come.

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Daily Reads

“How to get Better Service Skills and Submarine Sandwiches”

In negotiation terms, this question works because it uses a label and empowers the other person to say, “No.”

An alternative: “It feels like you’re annoyed by my order [label]. Would you like me to take my business elsewhere [no question]?”

Low and slow.

“Farming-Games or High-Intensity Games; Which Are We Playing?”

Love the niche dedication to the target audience here, though it’s applicable to just about everyone who wants to build the skill of consistency into their character.

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Daily Read

“Stop trying to retain employees”

Retention is a critical skill. And one of the most often missed.

Team builders who can recruit a team but can’t keep a team.

People who get new opportunities but don’t stay in them long enough to see potential realized.

Automation (systems) can help.

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Daily Reads

“Don’t Give Your Kids an Allowance. Give Them a Wall to Knock Down.”

The hammer is waiting for you to pick it up.

Put on gloves if you have to—remove the excuses.

Envision what’s on the other side of the wall that’s stopping you, and swing through it. Learn the proper form—be consistent.

What does this look like for you?

“Earn Momentum, Don’t Chase It”

Once you pick up the hammer and begin the swinging motion, momentum is inevitable.

Once you make the decision to run the system, momentum is inevitable.

You don’t even need to “feel motivated” to start—but you might find motivation builds with momentum.

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Daily Reads

“nothing lasts forever... not even a bad haircut”

Having the right perspective on life (and on eternity) is an unlock for enjoying life.

And having gratitude is the unlock for the right perspective.

Gratitude is glue—it’s what holds things together.

“Your Heart Can Actually Build Its Own Bypass After a Heart Attack”

The capillaries are doing most of the work here.

Drawing a parallel to the pursuits of your heart, it can be easy to assume to the big things must be your focus...

When sometimes it’s finding the small things and the bigger part they play together.

“Your brain may not actually ‘make’ decisions”

At a minimum, this must be directionally correct.

Even if the theory laid out here is not it, decisions still must involve more than the organ in our head.

Because how would you explain where “deciding” comes from, when we are more than flesh and blood?

“NASA Just Found a Place Where Earth Microbes Could Survive on the Moon”

Reading past the headline, it’s clear that “survive” does not mean “thrive,” just “alive” in the minimalist sense of the word.

But still cool to consider and fun to read about.

Always worth it to practice learning and wonder—keeps you sharp and creative.

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Daily Reads

“The $60 Billion Question Nobody In Leadership Development Wants to Answer”

“How” is often the piece missed.

“Why” is inspirational and sells. “What” is the outcome everyone wants. (Hopes and Dreams...)

“How” is the path to get there.

It’s the system to run that makes the vision reality.

Feel (Why), Flow (How), Function (What)

“Most creative people aren’t creative anymore”

Interesting article on creativity.

If you’re a creative person who feels like they can’t be creative anymore...

You have to make the time. Make it a system. And sometimes you have to reframe creativity.

(Obligatory language warning.)

“Untitled Haikus”

Two new-old untitled poems.

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Daily Reads

“All for one and one for all!”

The Three Musketeers of Persuasion assembled in a Spaces last night. The American Debunk, Doc Hypnosis, and not-on-Substack Jeff Callahan.

While it is politics focused (and my live stream is not), you can learn a lot about people and persuasion if you can take a step back. The way these three discuss politics is great for that.

It also got me thinking about influence and carrying the legacy of those who came before us.

For example, there’s only one Scott Adams, and he influenced all three of these men. And each carry Scott’s legacy in a unique way. Even represented by three Scott Adams’ books, depending on how you look at it.

Jeff: How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big

Doc: Reframe Your Brain

AD: Win Bigly

It’s poetic.

“Will power is blind men around an elephant.”

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th order volitions... Do you want to be the king of person who wants to want to make a difference?

Reframes, cost/benefit, and systems over goals will help.

“Write a Bad Book First”

Once you’ve got the reframe, have done the cost/benefit analysis, and have the system...

You’ve got to run the system, step by step.

You can adjust and redraft along the way.

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