What I’ve been reading:
Zen in the Art of Archery by E. Herrigel
Last week, I decided to take a book recommendation from none other than Erich Fromm. In the chapter titled "The Practice of Love" in his book "The Art of Loving," Fromm says how discipline, concentration, patience, and supreme concern are necessary for the successful practice of any art, including love. In one footnote, he says:
"For a picture of the concentration, discipline, patience and concern necessary for the learning of an art, I want to refer the reader to "Zen in the Art of Archery," by E. Herrigel."
I’ve heard of this book countless times before, but it always stayed one of those that were on my reading list for too long without me ever getting closer to actually reading them. So when it got recommended to me in the place I least expected—a book on love—I decided to take that as a sign that it’s about time I read it.
But I have to warn anyone who could get misled by Fromm’s recommendation. This is not a "how-to" book. If you are looking for a practical and actionable guide on improving your concentration or developing discipline, this book is far from your best choice. It is an account of how the Japanese art of archery is used for the spiritual practice of Zen. Although interesting, it is a subjective and even controversial account, as there has been some criticism regarding Herrigel’s understanding of both Zen and Japanese archery. Still, it remains one of the most influential works on Zen ever written by a Westerner, so it might be worth reading for anyone interested in the topic.
What I’ve listened to:
Rich Roll on The Tim Ferriss Show
Another reminder not to listen only to the latest conversations (podcasts). This episode is almost a year and a half old.
You might be familiar with Rich Roll through his own podcast, or you might know him as an ultra-endurance athlete. But more than being a bestselling author, the host of one of the most popular podcasts in the world, and an ultra-endurance athlete, Rich Roll is a man who managed to reinvent himself.
Tim Ferris started this podcast by reading Rich’s tweet from 2018:
"I didn’t reach my athletic peak until I was 43.
I didn’t write my first book until I was 44.
I didn’t start my podcast until I was 45.
At 30, I thought my life was over.
At 52 I know it’s just beginning. Keep running. Never give up. And watch your kite soar."
Rich’s story is a story of screwing up in life, taking accountability, changing, screwing up again in a new way, and reinventing yourself. It’s a story that’s available to every single human being out there.
There are a ton of valuable insights in this episode, and I will do a separate post listing all of them. However, the main takeaway for me was something Rich didn’t explicitly say, but I got out of his story: It’s up to you. It doesn’t matter if you have all the support in the world or zero support. It doesn’t matter if the mistakes you’ve made in life can be easily fixed or if it will take you years to get back on track. In all those different situations, the first steps are the same. You have to admit you screwed up. You have to decide to change. You have to start changing. No one can do any of these things for you.
If you are short on time, you can just listen to the timestamp "Alcoholism" instead of the whole episode. That’s where you will find the vast majority of value in this talk. If you are not listening on YouTube, this timestamp is from 3:57 to 45:58.
Watch/listen here or on any other podcast streaming platform.
What I’ve been thinking about:
"Those who did, could." Not "those who could, did."
Confidence and competence follow action. Not the other way around. You have to start.
Also, mood follows action. Some people don’t care about confidence and competence, but everyone cares about mood.
You can’t keep lying on your bed or couch and wait to feel good, excited, motivated, or enthusiastic. You have to get up and do what needs to be done.
Thank you for reading.
Stay strong, love life, and never feel sorry for yourself.
If you get value from my work and you are interested in becoming more consistent, consider checking out my new book “The Art of Showing Up: A Clear and Practical Method for Mastering Consistency,” by clicking here.
Since I was writing this book in public, if you haven’t already you can read the free parts by clicking here.
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