11: Notes To Self

Yo!

Here is your weekly dose of 5 things I’m pondering and exploring.

1. As One Is (Jiddu Krishnamurti)

“If I have a particular compulsion, can I look at that compulsion without being occupied with it? Without having to resolve that compulsion right away? Can you look at the fact that you have a particular compulsion, an urge, a desire, look at it without comparing, without judging, and hence not let it take over your mind space?”

I’ve been thinking a lot about this recently. How many times do I give into a split second thought? The urge to slow down when running feels uncomfortable. Or the desire to check Instagram instead of doing work. Or the wishful thinking to get lost in an alternative reality where I didn’t act so awkward chatting to that person last night.

All of these thoughts pop up for just a second. Yet, I treat them like they’re real, like they’re the truth, like they represent what I actually think. So, I indulge and take action on them. Then all of a sudden I look up and shamefully realize I spent the last 15 minutes in my head, or on my phone, or doing anything but the thing I actually wanted to do.

Fuck that.

What if instead, I could recognize that thought, see it for what it is, but not take action on it? That would be something wouldn’t it?

2. You, Inc Book Notes (Derek Sivers)

First off, these book notes are so high signal it’s ridiculous. Check ‘em out. This one was about the art of selling yourself. Here’s 3 quick insights:

• We assume the first rule of communication is, "Communicate so that you are understood." It's not. The first rule is, "Communicate so that you cannot be misunderstood.”

• The first 15 words are as important as the next 1500. Give listeners a compelling reason to listen, but without giving away your ending.

• Position yourself as the solution to almost everything, and everyone will see you as the solution for nothing. People want specialists. But you can offer something valuable in this age of so many choices, so many people, so many possible solutions: you can be a source.

3. Readwise (an app you should get)

I love reading insightful online articles and Tweets. But since I don’t remind myself of those ideas, I forget them. Well, at least I did. That changed when I got Readwise a few weeks ago.

Here’s how it works. I highlight a insightful quote using their chrome browser. That highlight then syncs with their iPhone app. And each day, the app creates a “daily highlights” page of 4 quotes. Highlighting takes practically no time and reading the daily highlights page makes for a fun 30 second ritual.

30 seconds a day to remember insights I don’t want to forget is a pretty sweet deal if you ask me!

4. Fun In The Air (some Army guy)

This is a vibe.

5. Devils Tower (Wyoming)

Who’s going with me to this? Apparently it formed underground from molten rock. Magma pushed up into the surrounding sedimentary rock. There it cooled and hardened. The sedimentary rock has since eroded away to show the Tower. Ridiculous!

Thanks for wanting to know more today than you did yesterday!

Cheers,

Luke

PS: you can find more rabbit holes here & my writing here.