Today's Challenge

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is treasure. My son has been watching new and old episodes of Disney’s DuckTales, which just happens to be one of my favorite childhood shows. Watching it as an adult lends a new perspective, of course, and Scrooge’s money bin stands out as a weird feature. Uncle $crooge was originally a comic book from the 1950’s. According to Wikipedia, the character originated in the “Christmas on Bear Mountain” issue of the Donald Duck comic book and is pretty obviously based on Ebenezer Scrooge of Dickens's A Christmas Carol. It’s strange, though, that Scrooge McDuck loves money as much as he does. When I watch him dive through his gathered wealth, I wonder what that does to little psyches. Do I give less to charity because of those types of influences that I experienced as a child? It makes me think of the episode of Revisionist History titled “Dragon Psychology 101,” which outlines a few of the ways that we humans hoard our treasures. Just today, I was adding an idea to my Google Doc where I have hoarded 26 pages of business thoughts. I rarely go back through and enjoy all of the inspired ideas, but I rest assured that I can whenever I want. Maybe, in that way, Scrooge McDuck is actually getting more use from his spoils than me, but I think Ebenezer Scrooge gets the richest life by giving from his hoard.

Today’s concrete challenge is to identify and write down your real treasures. Here’s how you know: you’d put yourself in danger for them. Anything that doesn’t make the list is something you can give or share.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will identify my treasures and consider what I can give.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who gives.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

References:

Identify Your Real Treasures and Finally Let Go

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Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is often. This is a very small soundtrack shift that will hopefully help you be more honest with yourself. Our culture has a tendency to hyperbolize. So many things are “the worst” or “the best.” The truth, though, is that very few things are the best or worst. Likewise, I hear myself and others saying that something is “always” happening to us. Just today, I hit my leg on the corner of my bed and was tempted to tell myself that I always hit my leg on that spot. I’ve been training my brain to pivot to a more honest word as soon as I get to the “ah” of always, though. You may have guessed that the word is often. I can honestly say that I often hit my leg on the bed without going down the road of hyperbole. This shift in wording may not seem worthwhile to you, but I’d argue that it’s an important step away from some common cognitive distortions. If you’re not familiar with Dr. Aaron Beck’s cognitive distortions, check out the link to the Wikipedia page in the show notes. I’m not a psychologist, but it seems my example of telling myself that I am always hitting my leg on that spot of the bed might fit all of the following: overgeneralization, filtering, disqualifying the positive, and magnification. I believe small mental changes can help us steer our mental ships, so I choose to say “often,” rather than “always,” as often as I can.

Today’s concrete challenge is to swap out an absolute for a relative term. Instead of “always” or “never,” try “commonly” or “often.” Again, it may seem like an insignificant change, but being honest in your language to yourself and others can help you stay away from the aforementioned cognitive distortions.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will use relatives, rather than absolutes, unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who speaks honestly.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

References:

wiki: Cognitive distortion

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Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is reform, and we’re leaving it unchanged. I studied education systems in graduate school, and the phrase school reform was inescapable. Every level of politics either has a plan for school reform or is looking to appoint someone who can come in and clean house. In some ways, I can see their reasoning. We always want to push for better education, because if our public school curriculum were the same as it was 100 years ago, we’d be doing the youth of today an obvious disservice. However, too much reform starts to feel unstable. Teachers and administrators need to be able to rely on keeping their jobs, despite regime changes, but many times the house cleaners want to start fresh. The same is true in our personal lives. We have to find the balance between feeling comfortable and staving off stagnancy.

Today’s concrete challenge is to list two things in your life that need to change and two things that need to stay the same.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will create targeted personal reform.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who seeks balance.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is satisfied, and satisfaction is not guaranteed. As I discussed in episode “52 - Savor,” our brains are always searching for the next fix, and we practiced paying attention to and enjoying one moment. Today, we’re going to practice being satisfied with your life. After all, it’s the only life you have. You can wish to win the lottery or experience some other major life shift, but those things are unlikely. Sadly, they probably wouldn’t make you more satisfied, anyway. Satisfaction comes from finding purpose in your life and work, staying connected to people around you, and stopping to appreciate and be grateful for what you already have. Happily, those practices are independent of money, so anyone can start becoming more satisfied today. This point is highlighted in Mark Manson’s book The Subtle Art of Giving a F***. He recounts the Beatle that might have been: Pete Best. Best was the original drummer, and he

Today’s concrete challenge is to try an activity called mental subtraction of positive events or relationships. Pretty smooth name, right? Here’s how it works. Bring one important, positive relationship or event to mind and then imagine all the ways that it might not have worked out the way that it did. It’s similar to what I mentioned in episode “132 - Good,” where George Bailey experienced his life without his friends and family. You, too, can build a greater sense of satisfaction by going through the black and white details of how things would be a little worse without the positive aspects of your life.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will think about or write down details of how life could have been worse.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who visits alternate realities.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

References:

Mental Subtraction of Positive Events (Greater Good in Action)

Mental Subtraction of Relationships (Greater Good in Action)

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is focus. [pause] Ha, I wrote that sentence five hours ago. Today has been anything but focused. It’s alright, though, because the level of focus I’m shooting for does not only apply to the moment-by-moment. I’m looking back at my previous episodes this week, and they all pertain to feeling overwhelmed. Because of that, I’ve started to pare down inputs. I mentioned cleaning off my desk, and that helped me to focus on the hardware for my job that needed to be reset. I unsubscribed from multiple newsletters, and that allowed me to focus on the emails for my current project. I didn’t offer my kids electronics while they waited for swim class, and that choice granted us a little time to walk and be silly together. Focus is difficult because it requires choosing not to gather more stuff, take the easier path, or permit busyness to be a constant companion and excuse. As we looked at in episode “45 - Discontent,” when enough steam builds up, something has to give.

Today’s concrete challenge is to write down your one focus in these three domains: home life, health, and work. Make small moves that will allow you to actually focus on those goals, such as clearing clutter and removing distracting temptations.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will focus on one aspect of home life, health, and work.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who is able to focus.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is busy. My kids have had swim lessons this week after I get off work, which has made getting them there on time feel like a make or break moment every day. On the first day, my wife herded them into the ol’ minivan while I frantically made a couple of PB&J, threw the sandwiches into the passenger seat with bananas, and sent them on their way. The next day, my wife’s mom was stuck in road construction, and it looked like I might have to drive to meet her in a harried attempt to get the kids and beat traffic. Allow me just a second to say that this is the kind of scenario that I didn’t miss during the pandemic. Thankfully, she was able to battle her way through, and I got the kids to swim lessons in plenty of time. Much of the panic this week has been undue, because we don’t ask ourselves, “What’s the worst that could happen?” Being late is not ideal, but the kids would just join in the lesson when they got there and life would move on. Busyness does not lend itself to perspective. We can only get a wider view of our lives by stopping and reflecting. The time at swim lessons was actually great. I got to interact with each kid while the other was in a lesson, leaving the busy electronics in a bag. I don’t want to miss the short time we have with them while they’re young by thinking that every minute has to be filled.

Today’s concrete challenge is to make yourself sit and gain some perspective. Relax and listen to the rest of the episode.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will take a minute away from the busyness.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who balances busyness with rest.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is easier. I wonder how often we choose the easier path. My guess is that most of the time we don’t even realize that we’ve chosen to do or think about the easier thing. For example, while I’ve been writing this episode, I have typed two Google searches, gone to the bathroom, and taken the dog out… and I’m only four sentences in! It’s difficult to stay focused. It’s difficult to be uncomfortable. Some writers have chosen to cut off almost all easier paths by removing the ability to connect to the Internet and sometimes even secluding themselves from other people. I often choose the easier path, but I’m learning to make myself finish. I mentioned in episode “110 - Delay” that I’ve not allowed myself to look at the two websites that I used to turn to during the work day when I wanted to escape the discomfort of focused work. I’m happy to say that I’ve stuck with the practice, and it’s given me one less place to hide from my work. However, I was hoping it would serve as both a carrot and a stick. The stick part works by not allowing myself to take the easier path until I’ve completed the difficult work, but the websites are not quite enough of a treat to convince me that I should get all the difficult work done. It’s a work in progress, but I like that one easier path is blocked.

Today’s concrete challenge is to sit and notice your urges during the rest of this episode. Relax and listen to the rest of the episode. If you want, you can list all of the things your brain tells you that you could be doing.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will notice my urges to do the easier thing.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who persists.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

References:

Learn How To Avoid Distraction In A World That Is Full Of It

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is stuff. Let me just go ahead and admit that I have too much stuff. I wouldn’t even say that I have a lot of stuff. It’s just too much to be able to focus on any of it. Last week, I sold a warmer plate for an Ember mug on eBay, and it felt great to trade something that was lying around for money, i.e. potential. That really is the upside of money; it’s stored energy. I used the net money to buy a board game called Shadows in the Forest that I plan to play with my wife and kids. Yes, I traded stuff for more stuff, but in terms of making my life better, I’ll take the board game. If you feel overwhelmed, try reducing the amount of stuff laying out. Just today, I cleaned off three items from my work desk, and all three of them had associated responsibilities that stared me in the face every minute that they sat in front of me. I admit that I advised in episode “40 - Obstacle” that you place things in your way if you want to do something about them, but I now see that it’s possible to overdo that practice. At some point, the obstacles hinder you from doing anything about them. If you feel that way, clear them all off and try to make one small move per item. For my three, I decided to keep the swimming trunks, called to schedule my car recall work, and realized that I had already deposited that check and didn’t need the paper explaining it. You can do it, too. Clear an area of stuff, and make some money on it at the same time, if possible.

Today’s concrete challenge is to move to an area that has too much stuff on or in it now. Pick up and handle each item so that you’re forced to consider whether you still need it. If it’s not essential, pitch it or sell it.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will clear out one area.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who reduces the nonessential.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

References:

What Is the Bystander Effect?

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is key. If you work to refine any system, you will likely find one aspect that is the gateway for the rest. Without this one, key part, the action will falter along, sometimes successful, but most of the time not. We instituted weekly chores for our two kids at the beginning of 2021, and the subsequent weeks and months of practice have helped me to find the key in that activity. Both kids are expected to wash their own clothes, put them away, and clean one area of our home. They have approximately 40 hours to get it all done, but we soon found that the laundry was the bottleneck. If either of them waits until close to the deadline to start their washing and drying, there’s no way to succeed. I kind of like that aspect of the weekly chores process, because there are many parts of life where waiting too long to begin automatically excludes you from succeeding. Examples that come to mind are school projects, applications to university, and leaving too late for a flight. Almost everything in life has a time window, so we’ve tweaked the expectations for weekend chores. Since the key to success is laundry, we don’t allow Saturday afternoon screen time until each child’s clothes are started in the washer. This simple change has given both kids more success in completing their chores by the end of the weekend. What key change do you need to make in order for the whole system to work better?

Today’s concrete challenge is to write down one janky process in your life. Identify each step so that you can see which is truly the key.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will write out the steps."

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who tries new approaches.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations

Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is competition, and I feel like I need to apologize to this word. [kiss] In episode “93 - Meaning,” I crapped pretty hard on the idea of competition and racing, but today reminded me of the value of both. I went with a friend to a local 10 mile foot race, and I could feel a palpable tension in the pre-race environment. I love how some activities break up the flow of normal life and help you to feel that you’re taking part in something bigger than your own experience. My friend had been training for this day, actually for years. His last personal record, or PR, was set on this hot, humid course nine years ago. Each year after that, he would assume that it would be the one where he’d best his record, but it never happened. At the same time, life got more complex with his first child and then a couple of twin boys a few years after. He’s in the thick of life. He probably shouldn’t expect to beat his time from back when he was free to run as much as he dared, except, competition is his fuel. He competes with his past record, believing that it’s possible to do what he’s failed to do in previous races. He competes with his body, pushing it further and faster than ever before. He competes with the 24 hours in a day, finding time to train when others would sleep. I waited anxiously for him at mile marker nine and watched the fastest runners huff past. I watched the time, calculating his possible finishing time if he came over the distant hill in the next few seconds. After what felt like too long, he came up the road. He said he was nearly spent physically, but soon started running toward the finish line faster than I could keep up. After nine years, he has a new PR that is nine minutes faster. If that doesn’t sound like a lot, I would estimate that the cost of those nine minutes is equivalent to 100 hours of difficult, uncomfortable physical and mental stress. He put in the work. Today was a win.

Today’s concrete challenge is to look for the joy of competition. I love playing party games, like Catch Phrase and Scattergories, where competition provides motivation and fun. The same is true for yard games. Add one game or area of competition that brings you joy to the next 30 days.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will add one fun, competitive game or activity to my calendar.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who looks for the joy in competition.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/today/donations