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3 IDEAS FROM ME

I.

“When talent is lacking, habit will often suffice.”


II.

“Go smaller.

Can’t learn an exercise? Reduce the range of motion.

Struggling to grasp a new concept? Break it down.

Failing to stick with a habit? Make it easy.

Master stage one, then advance.”


III.

“‘You’re probably right’ has become one of my favorite phrases.

Whenever someone disagrees with you on a small matter (read: most things), you can shrug, say ‘you’re probably right’ and move on.

Not caring about winning trivial arguments saves so much time and energy.”

2 QUOTES FROM OTHERS

I.

Theoretical cosmologist​ Janna Levin​​ on obstacles: 

“I used to resent obstacles along the path, thinking, ‘If only that hadn’t happened life would be so good.’ Then I suddenly realized, life is the obstacles. There is no underlying path.”

Source: Interview in Tribe of Mentors 


II.

Author and entrepreneur Derek Sivers on finding time to do what matters:

“When you experience someone else’s genius work, a little part of you feels, ‘That’s what I could have, would have, and should have done!’

Someone else did it. You didn’t. They fought the resistance. You gave in to distractions. They made it top priority. You said you’d get to it some day. They took the time. You meant to.

When this happens, you can take it two ways: You could let that part of you give up. ‘Oh well. Now I don’t need to make that anymore.’ Or you could do something about that jealous pain. Shut off your phone, kill the distractions, make it top priority, and spend the time.

It takes many hours to make what you want to make. The hours don’t suddenly appear. You have to steal them from comfort.”

Source: Where to find the hours to make it happen

Thanks to David Perell for originally sharing.

1 QUESTION FOR YOU

This week, I’ll steal a question from Richard Hamming’s fabulous talk, You and Your Research.

What are the important problems in your field? And if you’re not working on them, why not?

Until next week,

James Clear
Author of the million-copy bestseller, Atomic Habits
Creator of the Habit Journal

p.s. I’m in.

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