🤔 Morning thoughts (June 23 - June 29)
Every Sunday I share a quote and a reflection on it for each day of the week.
Themes of the week: Discipline, Preparation, Choice, Presence, Growth, Service, Mindfulness
Sunday - June 29, 2025
"The better the tools you pack into the mountains—pack, sleeping bag, stove, bow, binoculars, body, mind—the more success you’ll have. So I prepare. Running thousands of miles a year in the mountains to build endurance. Lifting thousands of pounds of weight in the offseason to build strength. Shooting at minimum 15,000 arrows total in advance of bow season to build confidence in my craft. This process gives my life purpose and direction. I put in the work because that’s what I’m good at. This work results in success for me and puts a smile on my face, even when there’s a heavy load on my shoulders.
Cameron Hanes, Endure
The only antidote to false expectations in life is preparation. Prepare so that any outcome is just part of the process — and you can deal with it.
Saturday - June 28, 2025
"Every human being has a wide range of choice in both his thoughts and his deeds. Every human being can use his brain for the reception and the expression of positive thoughts or he can use it for the expression of negative thoughts. His choice in this important matter shapes his entire life."
Napoleon Hill, Outwitting the Devil
What you dwell and focus on is your choice. Remind yourself of that often enough. The surest way to predict your life is to guard your thoughts.
Friday - June 27, 2025
"A Warrior of the Light has no certainties, he just has a path to follow, a path to which he tries to adapt depending on the season."
Paulo Coelho, Warrior of the Light
Let your path guide you and your presence strengthen you. When you’re in flow, every uncertain moment just feels like the next natural step.
Thursday - June 26, 2025
"People who become great at something become great because they understand that they’re not already great—they are mediocre, they are average—and that they could be so much better."
Cameron Hanes, Endure
Entitlement and expectations are the enemies of achievement. The strongest individuals are those who know they’ll never get what they want unless they earn it. Unless they become it.
Wednesday - June 25, 2025
"It is a mark of courage to set aside self-interest in order to be of service to others or to a cause. The irony is that self-absorption ultimately drains energy and impedes performance. The more preoccupied we are with our own fears and concerns, the less energy we have available to take positive action."
Jim Loehr, The Power of Full Engagement
You’ll truly be of service when you stop needing others to serve you. The more energy you’ll wish to spend on something other than yourself, the more you’ll get back.
Tuesday - June 24, 2025
"We have to face our unpleasant feelings with care, affection, and nonviolence. We should learn to treat our unpleasant feelings as friends who can teach us a great deal. Just like a mindfulness bell, unpleasant feelings draw our attention to issues and situations in our lives that are not working and that need our care.“
Thich Nhat Hanh, Savor
Be present for the pain as much as for the pleasure. The best life is one where suffering is converted into learning and opportunity.
Monday - June 23, 2025
"If you think your life’s purpose needs to hit you like a lightning bolt, you’ll overlook the little day-to-day things that fascinate you."
Derek Sivers, Anything You Want
Be present for the details, including the pain. Growth and focus come through obsessing over the mundane.
https://substack.com/@egretlane/note/p-167115659?r=5ezmlv&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action