How to shift from short-term to long-term thinking
Reinvention isn’t easy, sometimes it’s necessary
“Why the hell are you taking my phone?”
It was 2AM. My co-workers and I were stumbling back to our resort, inebriated. A two-minute walk quickly turned into a thirty-minute debacle.
I had my phone and $200 stolen by corrupt police in Tulum, Mexico during a company retreat. Not the best look for one month at a new job.
Silver lining, or bullet?
The next morning sucked. I filed a report and came to realize that my phone was never finding its way back. My mind was already dealing with the headwinds of change–new job, imposter syndrome, negative self-talk.
Later in the day, I adopted an entirely new mindset. The whole fiasco became an opportunity. To digital detox, adapt, and respond (not react).
Two thoughts surfaced:
No one else will give it to you. You just have to take it.
In the long-term, it doesn’t even matter (cue Linkin Park).
Distortions from differences
Studies suggest that we learn through two different ways of thinking:
Focused, which we use to write papers, do math problems, practice specific plays
Diffuse, which we put towards rumination, brainstorming, and Eureka projects
I’ve recently discovered that most of the thinking I’ve been focused on is diffuse. It helps understand context, but doesn’t solve actual problems.
A chance at reinvention
Stuck on a 4-hour flight with no phone, I started reading Think Again by Adam Grant. It introduced the idea of confident humility, where you believe in yourself but not necessarily the tools to get there.
Finding a new angle
Life is a series of iterations. Peaks and valleys. Wins and losses.
I failed at my first startup. First agency. First time around in college. All of those failures made me who I am and unlocked immense learning opportunities.
It’s a good reminder where everything began. Selling knives at Cutco, waiting tables, building websites. Failure is the best place to start, and setbacks should be called set forwards.
Time to search for the next climb and rise to the challenge.
And to the crooked cop that stole my phone, I say thanks for awakening the beast!
Wood For The Fire, W(F)TF
(a weekly swipe file for life):
Coursera I just started on learning how to learn
Andrew Huberman talks about the neurobiology behind growth mindsets
Substack shout-outs: Tools for MGMT, Zoe’s Build & Launch, and Catch All (launching this Nov!)
Quote of the Week:
“Life is a long lesson in humility. - James M. Barrie
Featured Builder:
Andrew Gazdecki, CEO of MicroAcquire. Dude is a tank, always sharing his knowledge about bootstrapping startups.