Work with clever people who are kind. Look for them, stay close to them, and learn from them.
Be weary of clever people who are unkind. Keep your distance and handle with caution.
Clever and kind people nurture and grow powerful communities of trusted friends who in turn connect and amplify those connections. Be part of that community. It’s powered by kindness and it’s evergreen.
This is my favorite line from The Big Lebowski. It can be used every day in any situation.
New shit comes to light every day. Accept, adapt and go with the flow man.
The Getty Center is located in the Santa Monica mountains with breathtaking views over LA. My parents and I arrived one morning with zero expectations – and by the end of the day we were inspired and energized.
Just like churches have spires that reach up to the heavens and imply a closer connection to God, I felt like we were in a spire above LA. This museum on top of the mountain was our connection to creativity and ideas.
The Greek word “mouseion” means seat of the Muses. In Greek mythology, the Muses are a collection of sister deities who provide inspiration to patrons of the arts and sciences.
The art at the Getty was our muse…and it worked its magic.
The more you exercise the risk muscle, the more comfortable you get with the feeling of risk. It’s about being okay with the unknown and still operating day to day. Every day you operate with risk is one more day you become accustomed to the new normal.
Risk is the feeling in the pit of your stomach when there’s uncertainty and a future unknown. Mastering risk is the ability to keep moving forward even though you have a knot in your stomach. Some people get that feeling and freeze. They slowly back away the tip of the diving board and climb down the ladder. Others feel their gut twist, swallow, inhale and take the plunge anyway. Every time the jump gets easier, and the gut twist gets less paralyzing.
The most successful people I know have a high level of output AND are comfortable living with risk everyday.
Make the ordinary extraordinary
“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.”
– Francis Chan
Stop. Think about someone who took a chance on you and believed in you despite the odds. Send them a message and thank them.
Listen to your gut when making big decisions. Be on the lookout for clues along the way. Clues are markers confirming that you are on the right path, or sometimes the wrong path. Be aware of your senses. Listen, smell, look, touch and taste. Maybe it’s an email, a chance encounter, a tweet, a news event or a change in the weather. Making a decision starts a sequence of events that are easy to spot when you start looking.
“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Don’t live a miserable life because you think trade offs and sacrifices ensure that some time in the future you’ll be happy. It’s like eating so healthy that you hate food and dread meal times. It’s like saving so much money every month that you can’t justify turning the heat on when it’s cold outside or buying an extra jersey. It’s like staying fit at the expense of relationships and friends. Lie in once and a while. Enjoy yourself – make decisions and take actions that bring you joy now.
Of course don’t be silly – look after yourself and be kind to people, but resist the urge to plan for safety all the time. Live a joyful life, and make decisions and take action that aligns you with that joy.
“Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans” – John Lennon
Don’t over intellectualize decisions. If your values and goals are aligned with your actions then it’ll feel right. It sounds simple, because it is simple.
When you have alignment you don’t spend energy rationalizing or justifying decisions. Your joy and energy levels increase and you gain momentum towards your goals. Drop the hand brake, pull up the anchor, lift up your feet and enjoy the flow.
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