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‘Create habits and circumstances that make achieving goals inevitable’
Hello and Welcome!
We’ve not only reached the 10th edition of the Pro Letter, but 250+ subscribers! Genuinely chuffed, so thank you.
Today you’ll get: 3 bullet tips, 1 borrowed idea, 2 reads you need… and a question for you!
Enjoy!
‘Good gets shipped. Perfect never ships’ - Illustration by @Sathyanand1985
Bullet tips
Productivity:
‘Do one thing today that makes tomorrow easier.
Repeat’ - Shane Parrish
My favourite ideas tend to be the simplest ones, it doesn’t get much simpler than this.
Productivity is essentially finding ways to optimise what you already do, not doing more for the sake of it. An easier life is a by product of our productivity.
Make your tomorrow easier;
Write a list. Decide your first task. Don’t just ‘leave it to the morning’. Pack your bag. Make your lunch… whatever you can think of!
Then repeat!
Wealth:
‘Make choices that your self from 10-years-in-the-future would want you to make’ - Mark Manson
Making financial decisions is difficult, but if you can… make them early, even better make them good.
It’s difficult to think beyond the day or week, but try to incorporate long term financial goals in your plans.
If the answer is no to any of these then rethink:
Broke? Ask yourself:
-Do I need it? -Can I afford it?
Not Broke? Ask yourself:
-Will I use it? -Is it worth it?
Life:
‘Meaningful activities and relationships = Happiness’
What is happiness? What is the meaning of life? How long is a piece of string?
It depends really. We all have our own take and standards of happy.
What I truly find happiness in is meaningful activities like writing, or watching sports (does that count?), and daily interaction with people I care about.
It sounds too easy, but find gratitude each day for things that are meaningful to you.
To not take things for granted is a conscious investment!
A borrowed idea
@JamesClear on battling excuses.
Reads you need
The benefits of laziness: Why being a lazy person can be good for you (Ness Labs - 7 minute read)
This has to be the greatest article title ever created! Here’s 10 (yes 10!!) benefits of laziness:
Lazy solutions can be smart. Light switch, remote control, escalators, smart speakers…
Slacking off can be a form of active procrastination. Active procrastinators are a “positive” type of procrastinator. They prefer to work under pressure, and they make deliberate decisions to procrastinate.
Lazy people focus on high-leverage activities. They carefully manage their energy expenditure, people who are prone to laziness will tend to avoid unnecessary tasks.
Unproductive time helps us manage our stress. Procrastinating away from work and spending unproductive time can help us cope with stress.
Being lazy makes you less prone to burnout. Boredom and laziness should be used as a means to regain control over one’s own body and one’s own time
Lazy time encourages diffuse thinking. Our mind has two modes of thinking: the diffuse mode and the focused mode of thinking.
Laziness can be good for our mental health. Keeping busy can be a very effective defense mechanism for warding off disturbing thoughts and feelings.
Being lazy is a way to recharge our energy stores. There is extensive research showing the benefits of taking daytime naps and regular breaks
Problems can solve themselves if you leave them alone for long enough. Either because someone who needs a solution more badly than you do will take care of it, or because the problem becomes obsolete.
Laziness can be a helpful symptom. When we feel lazy, our body and our mind are communicating important information.
The Surprising Science of Goal Setting (And Why You’re Probably Doing It Wrong) (Mark Manson - 23 minute read)
A super read with all basis of goal setting covered. (Save this down for future reference!) Mark Manson explains:
How Goal Setting Can Help You
How Goal Setting Can Harm You
How to Pursue Goals Intelligently
When Failing Is More Valuable Than Succeeding
Ask yourself this…
If you had the chance to repeat yesterday,
what would you change?
Same time next week,
👨🦰 Keith
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