Hey All,
Here are a few things I've been reading and pondering lately. Enjoy this week's issue and if you're feeling inspired, pass it on.
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1. 7 Pieces of Financial Advice That Forever Changed My Life
This has nothing to with marketing, creativity or productivity, but it's a great post that is applicable to just about anyone.
6 - “Never take a job just because of the money. Always consider the money, but never let it be the determining factor.” // Mentor, 1998.
In 1998, following a two-year internship after college, I began the search for my first full-time job. I remember, at that time, seeking the counsel of a spiritual mentor of mine. Sitting across from his desk, I asked about money and how much I should let that factor dictate my decision.
He responded with some of the best advice I have ever received: “Joshua, you need to consider the money. A job that pays too little or seeks to take advantage of you will ultimately add stress and worry to your life and keep you from doing your best work. So you have to consider it. But never let it be the most important, determining factor in your search. Always consider your talents and skills and strengths and the opportunity to make a difference in the world first.”
2. Why We Love When People Quit Their Jobs
Saying "f*ck it" has become part of the American Dream.
Not all new businesses succeed (the majority actually fail within five years), and most people who take off on an endless climbing road trip eventually end it to do something else with their lives. But they had a taste of that freedom, even if it was only for a few months. There aren’t too many people living without participating in the money system, so most of us work. But there is joy in celebrating the “f*ck this” moment of leaving a job and starting over, whether it’s ours or someone else’s (and whether or not there’s a solid contingency plan in place). Someone is escaping the drudgery or semi-drudgery of a job, and they become a sort of hero to the rest of us.
3. My Fully Optimized Life Allows Me Ample Time to Optimize Yours
This is one of the funniest articles I've read in a long time.
Most recently, I helped a mother of five in Indiana lose 120 pounds with my smoothie recipe and a customized version of my exercise regime (using an 80-pound kettlebell). With my guidance, she followed her dream and launched her own blog about holistic dog training, which just broke 14 million unique page views a month! (For more information, see her e-book.)
4. Running as the Thinking Person’s Sport
Running seems to be the default form of exercise for almost everyone I know. And running, as it turns out, might be great for the brain.
In particular, the scientists noted more connectivity in the runners than in the inactive men between parts of the brain that aid in working memory, multitasking, attention, decision-making, and the processing of visual and other sensory information.
There also, interestingly, was less activity among the runners in a part of the brain that tends to indicate lack of focus and mind wandering.
In essence, the runners seemed to have brains in which certain cognitive skills, including multitasking and concentration, were more finely honed than among the inactive men.
5. Random Links
- Here's a monster truck doing a front flip (around 2:10).
- "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Great context for one of the best user onboarding posts I've come across.
- This is so awesome: Live Drawing Videos on Instagram Are Giving Users a Peek into the Creative Process
- I went to Monument Valley recently and it was beautiful.
- Such great writing, I loved this: A Father-Son
Bonding Mission in the French Alps
Have a great week!
Jimmy