Sarcastically Optimistic

Have you ever felt so passionate about something but only to have it die out over time? Perhaps it was you lost some momentum due to circumstance or maybe there were some things along the journey that have discouraged you from achieving what you set for yourself. We live in a world of scarcity. But the most destructive scarcity you'll ever experience in your life is not one you expect: self-belief. In this episode, we discuss what "grit" means and how it's different from words like "perseverance" or "motivation".  We have much to talk about and to catch up on! Welcome back!

Ted Talk Suggestion:
"Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance" by Angela Lee Duckworth

Are you creative enough? Do you feel like you aren't growing enough? Do you just feel like you're not enough? This Summer is the best time to reflect and ponder the ways of life and where our journey goes from here. It can be a time for either mental relaxation or overthinking.  I've definitely been thinking too much. Go out to the beach and strike your best 'Thinking Man' pose. Inhale. Exhale. Scream. Cry. Smile. Laugh. Repeat (in that order).

**These are lessons that I've learned so far. I have much learning to do so take lessons with a grain of salt and lime.

Books Mentioned:
"Show Your Work!" by Austin Kleon

Why am I not as successful as I should be at this age? Why do I not have my life as figured out as them?! We have all felt this way and it's something we don't fully address outwardly. What could all this mean and does the feeling of being behind in life actually mean you are? 

Sunday Morning rain is falling... but so is your energy? Mornings are essential to the rest of the day, to the point that they actually predict how the rest of the day will unfold. We discuss how you can build a routine that is suited for you and a few ways to utilize those first waking hours to your advantage!

Books Mentioned:
"The Miracle Morning" by Hal Elrod

Man, that hit deep. We all sometimes need to be reminded of the harsh reality of things. It's hard not to take things for granted with so many options out there for us. However, we should always remember we have one life to live and each moment wasted could have been a potential opportunity lived. 

Thread Mentioned:
"11 Harsh Truths that Changed My Life" by Sahil Bloom 
https://twitter.com/SahilBloom/status/1513143686896435200

What exactly is the difference between 'willpower' and 'motivation'? Is having a lot of willpower and a lot of motivation two separate things? Today we discuss a bit about how we can tell the difference between the two and discuss some ways to maximize both when you most need it!

Books Mentioned:
"The Willpower Instinct" by Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D.
"The Motivation Myth" by Jeff Haden

Volunteer. Donate. Be selfless. All things that we associate with "being of service to others". But are those the only things that we can do to make an impact on the lives of the people around us? What kind of things can we do to encourage others to be their best selves? You don't need to make a $100/month donation to be considered generous. Today we talk about how the littlest acts can mean the world to other people. No Master's degree is required to be kind.

Books Mentioned
"Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius

A little scroll through Facebook won't interrupt your work, right? Well, it's more destructive than you think. Introducing "Traction": the better-looking, buff brother of "Distraction"!  Today we talk about what causes these little attention-sucking activities may keep you from being your best self and how to direct yourself toward "traction" than "dis-traction"!

Books Mentioned:
"Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life" by Nir Eyal

Think about what you would look like in 20 years (You 2.0). Will you have your dream career, a mansion, and six-pack abs? Have you ever thought about how that person was once the person we are today? Once we tie in our future self & our present self into one, solid identity, it grants us more clarity on our goals and our choices. Can you see into the future and say 'hi' to the future you? Time to VISUALIZE & MANIFEST.

Books Mentioned:
"The Willpower Instinct" by Kelly McGonigal Ph.D.

Have you ever been paralyzed with fear when it comes to something you know you SHOULD be doing? Well, this is your reminder to be taking action on the things that matter most to you and to take those leaps of faith to ultimately become the person you have always dreamed of becoming!

"It's better to go into life's continuous battle with a dull sword than it is to perpetually sharpen your sword and not fight at all." 

Books mentioned:

"The 5 Second Rule" by Mel Robbins
"The High Five Habit" by Mel Robbins