It’s easy to get caught up in what we haven’t accomplished yet.
There are so many yardsticks of progress. Money, friends, relationships, followers, status.
Intentionality is more important than ever
Why > what.
There’s no point banging our heads against the wall when something doesn’t work out. We’re better off figuring out why.
Was the goal too lofty? Will it take more time? Can I approach it differently?
Dom is the most jacked guy you’ll ever meet. Veins bulging out of his forehead, he’d always grunt “if you didn’t get what you want, it’s because you didn’t want it badly enough”.
True, but not a good reason to drown in negative self-talk. It’s a realization–to find a different angle or change the scope of your desire.
In other words, iterate.
How can we continue to reframe our mindsets, habits, and focus to accomplish more with less? Gamify the exercise, test a new way of thinking, or shift gears entirely.
If you want to be a writer, you gotta write. That’s how Sid ended up on Medium. He always knew he wanted to build an audience online and tell stories. Now we’ve got a few followers, clients, and even some coffee money. That seemed impossible just a year ago.
Ibra didn’t know if his writing would ever go beyond research papers. But he knew he wanted to try. So he gave ghostwriting a shot. That’s when he started collabing with Sid, who introduced him to freelance content creation.
When there’s a will, there’s definitely a way
If there’s anything humans are good at, it’s adapting. We love a good comeback story because it’s what we know best.
When we want something badly enough, we find a way to achieve it. Sometimes the result just comes to us in a different form. You wanted to be a millionaire, instead you discovered financial stability. You wanted a Ferrari, but you found happiness in a nice Ford.
Test and learn, learn and earn, earn and give
The next time you fall short of a dream, don’t beat yourself up.
If your former or future self were watching, what would they want you to do? Here are two ways to help you fail your way to success:
Draw up a quick After Action Report (AAR) once you complete a project. This helps you gather lessons learned, find areas for improvement, and continually optimize your journey.
Seek a certain level of mastery before you give up on any passion. Instead of losing momentum and energy from switching, try doubling down. See where it goes. Face your fears.
Wood For The Fire, W(F)TF
(our way of saying “food for thought”):
Reimagining the skills we need through a “modern curriculum”, by good ole’ Seth Godin
How to use science to focus better @ work
A poem on ‘How To Be At Home’–and how we can make meetings more fun
Why so many running world records were broken during the pandemic
The science behind gratitude, and why it’s the gift that keeps on giving
Why entrepreneurs should slow down, especially when they’re trying to scale
Quote of the Week:
Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude. ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Stuart Schisgall is a senior-level digital marketing strategist focusing on SEO, content strategy, and analytics. He’s currently the Lead SEO Analyst for Discover Financial Services Credit Cards Division, and also co-leads a freelance agency on the side. Hit him up for expert SEO advice, job searching, or a casual chat. He’s the man.