Hi friend,
My foot is now reattached to my leg.
Achilles rupture repair isn’t as painful as you’d expect at the time, but becomes pretty uncomfortable after a few days.
As such, I’m currently on a fairly moderate dose of opiates.
So… if there’s spelling errors, confused analogies or incorrect links in this email, it’s not my fault – blame it on the morphine.
I’ve been thinking a lot this week about how our insecurities and fears can stop us from pursuing the things we want.
Interestingly, when we say “I’m self conscious” what we actually mean is “I am conscious of other people being conscious of me.”
Breaking out from the current mould is not easy.
We’re wired to fear social rejection.
On the plains of Africa, rejection by the tribe meant death.
The lions are no longer at the door, but the vestige of desperately desired social approval remains.
However, it is imperative that you lead a life YOU want.
“My life is for itself and not for a spectacle.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Who are you living for?
If you allow past traumas, genetic predispositions, societal norms, and paths of least resistance to guide your life, then not only will you end up in a place you don’t want to be, but also one that you didn’t even mean to get to.
Consider this…
“Inaction killed more dreams than inability ever did.”
(Share this on Twitter)
Most of the regrets I have in life are things I DIDN’T do, rather than things I did.
On top of that – mistakes of omission are just more boring than mistakes of commission.
Life is for living.
So just do the thing.
Speak to the girl you like, start the hobby, join the sports team, build the business.
And if you’re still concerned about what society will think, there is a final nail in that coffin…
In 2020, everyone is so self involved, they have zero time to care about what you’re doing.
The smartphone defeated the final demon we all used to endure – boredom.
When most humans can’t go to the toilet without taking a phone to keep themselves occupied, do you really think they’re judging your actions closely?
“We would worry far less about what other people think of us, if only we realised how rarely they do.”
(Share this on Twitter)
MODERN WISDOM
I do a podcast which has had 5 million+ downloads. You should subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
This week’s upcoming episodes:
Monday.
Chris Daw QC – one of the UK’s top barristers explains why we should close all prisons, legalise drugs and never imprison children. Radical solutions for a system he says is very, very broken.
Thursday.
Ashley Mears – what happens when a sociologist becomes a party girl for 6 months and analyses the socioeconomic underpinnings of the nightlife industry by following the biggest promoters in NYC & Miami? You get to find out.
Saturday.
Only 2 episodes this week. Back to 3 soon. Soz.
THINGS I’VE LEARNED
1.
“Wokefishing” is now a thing.
Guys are pretending to be progressive on dating apps in order to bed left-leaning girls.
Beware the faux-vegans.
2.
“We are all self-promoters and social climbers.
The people known as such are either so effective as to arouse envy or so graceless as to make their effort obvious, or both.”
(The Moral Animal – Robert Wright)
3.
Genetics accounts for 50 per cent of psychological differences, not just for mental health and school achievement, but for all psychological traits, from personality to mental abilities.
Genetics is the most important factor shaping who we are.
Genetics explains more of the psychological differences between us than everything else put together.
For example, the most important environmental factors, such as our families and schools, account for less than 5 per cent of the differences between us in our mental health or how well we did at school – once we control for the impact of genetics.
Choose your husband or wife wisely.
(Blueprint – Robert Plomin)
LIFE HACK
Sleep with your phone outside of your room.
If you are sleeping with your phone in your bedroom still – you are neutering your sleep quality and annihilating your morning routine.
Taking my phone away from my bedside stopped me from tumbling down YouTube rabbit holes when I couldn’t sleep, which made a massive impact on my sleep quality.
And no longer checking social media as soon as I woke up prevented me from torpedoing my productivity & mindset on a morning.
1. Move your charger cable to the kitchen or living room NOW.
2. Charge your phone there overnight.
3. Avoid using your phone for 60 minutes before you go to sleep.
4. If you don’t need it for work – don’t look at it until midday.
Consider it Intermittent Fasting for your phone.
If you need a replacement alarm then let me suggest a Sunrise Alarm Clock for a gentler wakeup process and to improve melatonin & cortisol regulation.
Do this for 14 days and if your overall life quality hasn’t improved by 5-10% I’ll be shocked.
This is THE lowest hanging fruit for improving everything around your daily routine, and it’s free.
Big love,
Chris x
Listen to me on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Say hi on Twitter or Instagram.
PS
MW hit 1 million plays within the month of July. Thank you, you beautiful humans.
