Fewer Things Better

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Our brains are wired to look for information, and this built-in distraction feature is part of what extends our daily to-do list. This episode outlines a simple-yet-effective practice of selecting a "key three" focus at the start of your day and how its clarity can cut through the daily mental clutter. 

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I recently had a chance to return to the Chicago college where I went as a very ordinary 18-year-old and spoke about the path that led to an extraordinary life. This episode highlights seven key lessons I shared with students and alumni of what I wish I knew a few decades ago about confidence, achievement, wealth, and building a reputation.  

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Deferring your enjoyment of happiness is one sure way to dilute the very essence of it. Happiness gets to be a yes-and; it can be present today and be amplified with future actions and enjoyment.  Unlock your brain from the delaying the good and relishing in the joy snacks of the here-and-now. 

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We humans love a good reward. What isn’t sexy is the doing – the daily grind. The monotony of routine without right-now results. Growth occurs in spurts - and it's the grind that gets you there. Oftentimes your brain needs a boost to get past the blahs, a little encouragement to keep going. This episode offers a few tips (and a little rah rah). 

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There is a lot of research from the biological, neurological, and psychological camps about different elements that can boost or drain your day. This episode focuses on how you spend the first 30 minutes of your day and outlines four quick actions that can have big returns on your energy and focus the rest of the day. 

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This episode is celebrating progress over perfection. It explores our conditioning of why we are challenged to accept good and burn harder to try to achieve great.  We can be so busy preparing, perfecting, and polishing that we miss the here-and-now. The messy parts of us are important parts of us. We’re not supposed to sand it all away. If we do, we miss the opportunity to improve, evolve. Being real leads to real moments. 

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Any previous time, money, or effort that has already been expended is known in financial principles as a Sunk Cost. It is an investment that has already occurred and cannot be recouped. This episode explores how our brains assign value to actions already taken, investments already made, and where we sometimes continue to ask give more without even being asked.  It also offers a couple ideas on where you make investments today that will benefit your future self. 

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This episode explores the Rule of 100, which says you can dramatically improve a skill through 100 hours of learning or practicing. That amount of time gets you past the plateaus and frustration points as you gain skill proficiency. 100 hours over the course of a year comes out to 18 minutes a day. Learn more about this concept and how big things can come from small efforts. 

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A goal without a plan is just a wish. A habit without momentum is just a goal. This episode leans into the wisdom of the power of 5 good minutes, as mentioned in a conversation between habit authors Tim Ferriss and James Clear, based on Ferriss' January 6, 2023 podcast interview with Clear (see link below). Learn three tips to try to power 5 good minutes throughout your day. 

Show note: Link to Tim Ferriss podcast: https://tim.blog/2023/01/06/james-clear-atomic-habits/ 

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We make thousands of decisions every day. Some are conscious, clear choices and others are subconscious routines. There are also the Yes and No answers that are obvious and immediate. Other times, we find ourselves stuck between the Yes and the No and grapple with how to decide and then how to share that decision. This episode looks at the root of that resistance, how to recognize your internal signals, and move from discomfort to decision.