Self-improvement emcompasses goals. Goals do not encompass self improvement. The distinction is that goals are finite. Self improvement never ends. There is no finish line. Whether I’m trying to have less body fat, get better at my job, or develop a greater tolerance for fear the same notion holds true – it will always be a work in progress; a climb to reach a higher personal altitude void of any finish line. Goals simply serve as landmarks to aid us in our climb.
Within this framework, I believe self-improvement means striving to create a new normal; one that is just a bit closer to our aspirational selves.
This thought came to me in the gym last week. I was frustrated because I …
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I’ve grown to love blogging and it’s served me well, but it wasn’t always this way. I started blogging because someone in tech I respected told me “I needed to have a digital presence.”
This rationale for blogging doesn’t sound all that compelling. Maybe that’s why there’s far more cheerleaders on the sidelines than players on the field.
Here’s 10 reasons I advocate starting a blog in no particular order:
1. Crystallize Your Thoughts
Often the best way to master a skill is to try and teach it to someone else. When it comes to mastering your thoughts, I’ve found attempting to communicate them in a concise, convincing manner to be highly effective. When we write, we dwell on our thoughts. And when we …
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To Do Lists are great for making you feel productive, but they’re not always an effective way to accomplish your goals or lead your best life…at least the way that I was approaching them.
Until about 2 weeks ago, I always approached to do lists in a linear fashion. I’d prioritize my list by putting the most important and difficult tasks at the top. Few things gave me more satisfaction than drop-kicking tasks off my list one by one until I’d accomplished every single thing I set out to do. Three cheers for feeling productive!
But what I realized is that although this method is very good at helping me to get things done, it doesn’t always lend itself to getting the …
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I have a new personal project over the next few months I’m calling Weeklongs. It’s more a less an exercise in Lifestyle Design. The gist is that I’m going to engage in a different experimental activity/practice every week for at least 5 days in a given week. Activities will range from playing a sport to talking to strangers to calling people I haven’t spoke to in a long time…the list goes on. At the end of each week I’m going to share my observations here.
Dude, Why Are You Doing This?
I’m a firm believer that our experiences shape our perceptions. Nothing effects the lens through which we view the world more. Why then, do we often take a haphazard approach …
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For a long time I was told I need to get 7-8 hours of sleep without a compelling explanation why. “You need to be well rested” doesn’t exactly make me want to drop whatever I’m doing to uphold some seemingly arbitrary mandate.
Lately I’ve noticed a correlation that does make me strive for 7-8 hours: rest facilitates discipline. When I’m well rested, my willpower to maintain discipline is much higher. I’m less likely to cheat on my diet, skip the gym, and undertake new activities instead of finishing difficult ones.
Inadequate rest provokes me to settle for the path of least resistance. This manifests itself through inferior discipline. My hands dip into the cookie jar and eyes linger longer in my …
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