🤔 Morning thoughts (April 22 - 28)
Every Sunday I share a quote and a reflection on it for each day of the week.
Themes of the week: Self-mastery, authenticity, persistence, reflection, independence, courage
Sunday - April 28, 2024
Money is the ink in your pen, but it’s not your story. It can write new chapters and make some brighter, but the narrative arc is up to you.
Scott Galloway, The algebra of wealth
In life look for energy and direction. At any point in time, what keeps you moving? And where are you headed? If you can’t answer one of those questions you might need to start writing a new narrative.
Saturday - April 27, 2024
When we undertake things that take a lot of effort, it’s human nature to want to know exactly what the reward will be and when we’ll get it. Real strength is the ability to undertake a course of action without knowing what the results will be. The necessary spiritual attitude is “I just work here”—meaning your responsibility is to continue with the process independent of the reward."
Phil Stutz, Lessons for Living
When you can keep your level of effort consistently high no matter what you get out of it, you know you’re on your way to mastery.
Friday - April 26, 2024
The self is the friend of a man who masters himself through the self, but for a man without self-mastery, the self is like an enemy at war.
The Bhagavad Gita
Your best ally is yourself. If all you do is threaten and betray yourself or your word to yourself, you’ll just make an enemy. And it’s an enemy that knows you between than anyone else.
Thursday - April 25, 2024
You just learn to stop thinking about what they think. You’ll never do original work if you can’t. You have to be willing not only to step away from the herd but get up in front of them and say what you truly think or feel. It’s called “public life” for a reason. We don’t get to succeed privately.
Ryan Holiday, Courage is calling
How is it that we only care about what others think when it’s us having to speak or act? How about when it’s their turn? Give yourself, your attention and your courage to the world unconditionally, and you’ll be rewarded.
Wednesday - April 24, 2024
“You must learn to get in touch with the innermost essence of your being. This true essence is beyond the ego. It is fearless; it is free; it is immune to criticism; it does not fear any challenge. It is beneath no one, superior to no one, and full of magic, mystery, and enchantment.”
Deepak Chopra, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
We’ve all got the seeds of the person we want to be inside of us. But we don’t water them. Work on realizing your inner latent potential, not on acquiring external power. What you need is closer than you think.
Tuesday - April 23, 2024
"If a player appeared to be taking it easy in practice, I told him, "Don't think you can make up for it by working twice as hard tomorrow. If you have it within your power to work twice as hard, why aren't you doing it now?""
John Wooden, Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections on and Off the Court
Any chance you pass up to do your best is a missed opportunity to build your confidence and positive self talk. Give your best to yourself.
Monday - April 22, 2024
“Your input determines your outlook. Your outlook determines your output, and your output determines your future.”
Zig Ziglar
What your mind takes in is what your future will look like. Pay attention — or not — it’s up to you.