🤔 Morning thoughts (March 18 - 24)

Every Sunday I share a quote and a reflection on it for each day of the week.

Themes of the week: Self-improvement, obstacles, mindset, structure, self-validation, addiction, patience, discipline

Sunday March 24, 2024

"Magnify those weaknesses. Extinguish them. Watch how much clearer your conscience gets. It’s not just for you; it’s for others." 

Wes Watson, Non-Negotiable

When the work you do on yourself is in service of others, the rewards you get compound in energy, “luck”, and power. 

Saturday - March 23, 2024

"The way to overcome everything is to learn the mindset where you look at everything as a win. The obstacles are the path. The path is supplied in overcoming those obstacles. Your character is created through the obstacles you thought you could never hurdle" 

Wes Watson, Non-Negotiable 

When you realize the reward is on the other side of your fear, you also start understanding that you don’t really need the reward. The process of overcoming that fear becomes the reward. 

Friday - March 22, 2024

"Living each day with an organized structure teaches the ego to submit to something bigger than itself—time. To get out of a lethargic state, the first thing to do is put the structure back into your daily living." 

Phil Stutz, Lessons for Living

Learn to submit to the passing of time. It’s daily sacrifice. Every moment you’re giving up something in favor of something else. It’s humbling. 

Thursday - March 21, 2024

"The professional self-validates. She is tough-minded. In the face of indifference or adulation, she assesses her stuff coldly and objectively. Where it fell short, she’ll improve it. Where it triumphed, she’ll make it better still. She’ll work harder. She’ll be back tomorrow." 

Steven Pressfield, The War of Art

Be your own harsh critic and your own raving fan. When your internal standards are not subject to external influence you can’t be beaten. 

Wednesday - March 20, 2024

The more we act out our impulse, the bigger the hole gets. This is the essence of an addiction: we try to fill an infinite hole with a finite experience.

Phil Stutz, Lessons for living 

No matter the craving or the aversion, that void will never fill up. Learn to see that feeling of incompleteness as part of what makes life engaging and rewarding.

Tuesday - March 19, 2024

"Your intention to be patient, especially if you know it’s only for a short while, immediately strengthens your capacity for patience. Patience is one of those special qualities where success feeds on itself." 

Richard Carlson, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff and It's All Small Stuff

Like most things being patient requires you to take the first step. And then let momentum carry you forward. 

Monday - March 18, 2024

"By being a little hard on ourselves, it makes it harder for others to be hard on us. By being strict with ourselves, we take away others’ power over us." 

Ryan Holiday, Discipline Is Destiny

“Don’t be too hard on yourself” is an excuse others use to keep you small. If there’s one person who should be hard on yourself, it’s you. Don’t let your ego make you believe you can’t take it.

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