What I’ve been reading:
Stolen Focus by Johann Hari
The reason for my current obsession (although I’m not a fan of that word) with attention and focus is explained perfectly by Johann Hari in the introduction:
“If we want to do what matters in any domain - any context in life - we have to be able to give attention to the right things… If we can’t do that, it’s really hard to do anything.”
Whatever goals we have, no matter what projects we want to tackle or what topics we consider important, we first need to address our ability to control and direct our attention.
What I’ve watched:
How to absorb what you study like a sponge, by Matt DiMaio
Kind of cheesy title that makes you assume the creator is overpromising. However, the information in the video is straightforward; there is no fluff.
And no, I’m not going back to school. But the ability to study a topic that you are interested in, instead of reading a bunch of material without knowing how to retain and use it later, is a skill that we should hone even after our formal education. Currently, I want to use it to advance my understanding of the topic mentioned in the “What I’ve been reading” section.
Another recommendation is my latest YouTube video on the most important question to ask yourself if you want to change your life.
Watch it here, but also show support by subscribing, leaving a comment, and sharing.
What I’ve been thinking about:
I view talking about plans and dreams but never acting on them as a contagious disease.
On one hand, I want to help those people. I want to make them understand that there is no such thing as being fully prepared; there is no such thing as having perfect conditions and being ready to start.
On the other hand, once I’ve tried helping them to the best of my abilities, I have to remove myself from those types of people. I cannot have an intimate connection with, or be in constant physical proximity to, them.
It might sound like an extreme approach, but I have suffered from this disease for most of my life. I have seen it spread among friends.
Keep yourself and those around you healthy by encouraging and even demanding an action-oriented attitude.
Thank you for reading.
Stay strong, love life, and never feel sorry for yourself.
Free Resources:
My free ebook: The Lost Art of Reading
Paid Resources:
The Art of Showing Up: A Clear and Practical Method for Mastering Consistency
The Gold Pill: Timeless Ideas for a Life Worth Living
If you like my Existential Espresso writing, there is zero-cost support in the form of subscribing, liking this post, commenting if you have any thoughts on it, and of course sharing this with anyone who would find it interesting.
Or you can consider becoming a paid supporter of Existential Espresso for 5$ per month. By doing this you would be helping me to keep investing time into researching and writing all the content on the daily basis.
What you get by becoming a paid supporter is access to the members-only essays (such as “Why Having a Price on My Head Didn’t Upset Me”or “Why Living With a Bulletproof Vest is The Best Thing to Ever Happen to Me”), as well as an opportunity to recommend topics for future essays.
However, even taking the time out of your day to read what I have to share with you means more to me than you can imagine. Thank you.
Needed this read today! =)