/recent reflections

Most of these ideas have come from podcasts I’ve listened to on my long Sunday runs this past month…and I should probably think through them a bit more in-depth, but wanted to record them nonetheless. Prepare for half-finished sentences and a billion typos.

Time Management = Mental Toughness

People often ask me how I manage my time. While I’m obsessed with task lists and my google calendar, what I’m really best at is just showing up, and pushing through those times that I don’t want to be there.

Mental toughness is easier in short bursts, but the stamina of mental toughness is what leads to long-term success, and it’s that day-after-day pain that leads to burnout.

These are questions I reflect on every few weeks to avoid that burnout: What things are you involved in right now? What order do you prioritize each thing vs. what order do you want to prioritize them?  What things are making you happiest? Draining your energy? wasting your time? What are your long-term goals? How must does your day-to-day align with those goals?

Virtues > Goals

Only focusing on your goals won’t end up being fulfilling, especially for someone like me who always wants more and eventually becomes numb to setting + hitting goals. Either you’re upset when you haven’t achieved them or not fulfilled when you gave. Virtues, though, never have endpoints. You can always work on them, and they make you better too. Some people say that only successful people have the time to focus on refining their virtues — but I think that’s very wrong. I think the most successful people, who are also happiest, are the most virtuous.

Direction; Purpose

It doesn’t matter what direction you’re going in, as long as you’re moving, it will take you somewhere. The greater purpose is important for the longevity of work and stamina, and for happiness sometimes. Ones “calling” or “purpose in life” is highly overvalued nonetheless. There is great value and happiness that can be found in exploration & serendipity, and I wish I knew that earlier.

Mental Agility

Vent often. Vent to people who can find patterns in your thought behavior. Build mental agility by asking and responding to random questions; find similarities between two completely different ideas or subjects, and differences between seemingly identical ideas. People think they’re ingenious when they find similarities between two things, but what’s really really difficult (and actually gives you a mental leg up) is finding differences between seemingly identical things.

Transactional Relationships

I’ve always fought my inclination to be transactional in my relationships, both personal and work. It’s not that I don’t find value in the other person, but that I enjoy knowing exactly what I can provide for them and them for me. But why do I fight this? I go to X person for X expertise or knowledge, and Y person for theirs. It’s the most efficient way to live, and I’m all for efficiencies. I don’t think it’s the wrong way to build friendships, either. The best friendships are the most genuine ones. What’s more genuine than knowing exactly why you have a relationship with someone?

/archive

Riddle of the Soul

January 02, 2017

more powerful than the sun,

yet hidden from some -- 

guiding with curiosity

shining more in the young;

but young in none,

exists a creature just for fun! 

Respect

August 09, 2016

Do not surrender to another in order to gain their respect,

instead you must fight to accomplish what you set out to,

then that respect will come. And that respect will be a much more honest one. 

Care

July 09, 2016

If the world means everything to you, then you will mean everything to the world.