Being an artist is about recovering “the artist’s way”. Being a writer is about writing. Anywhere, anyhow. But, how to get it out there? There’s got to be a way and the process is important. How long does it take for us to realize our voice matters? However small, however seemingly insignificant. The process is… Continue reading Black Swan Hope
Category: Uncategorized
Freedom
Freedom is the number of options available at any given time…
Not Getting Enough, Frequency is Likely the Answer
Not getting enough…? Chances are, frequency is the answer. Feeling burned out at work? Chances are there needs to be an increase in breaks or time off. Taking off more time or longer, may not be the answer, but likely increasing the frequency of time off will help. Wanting to exercise/run/swim/etc. more? Chances are that… Continue reading Not Getting Enough, Frequency is Likely the Answer
The Risk/Reward Asymmetry
There’s a fundamental bias that works against our undertaking any great journey or adventure or change or perceived risk and that is the risk/reward asymmetry. It is a simple fundamental law of how humans perceive change. It is derivative to the human bias of loss aversion (the tendency for losses to be felt more negatively… Continue reading The Risk/Reward Asymmetry
Risk
There is beauty is the careful execution of risk. It is the perceived pain of risk that discourages the attempt. This is a risk asymmetry and is related to the human bias apparent in the pain-pleasure principle (coupled with “momentum”) which causes so many in the world to suffer one of the greatest of human… Continue reading Risk
Day 1
Does these count? Does this matter? I guess that’s the ultimate question, what matters. What do we do? What can we do? What should we do? I find myself writing so many more questions than answers lately. I’m laughing in my head asking: why is that? But I’m also trying to be more present. Accepting. … Continue reading Day 1
Subscription Service Hacks
The monthly money saving experiments continue! Subscription Freeze/Subscription Fast First off, at some point, we cancelled all of our subscriptions. Going on a temporary streaming freeze is amazing. Keep in mind, the beauty of streaming services today is that there is no contract and no penalty for cancelling. If your desire to re-stream gets bad,… Continue reading Subscription Service Hacks
Changing Cell Phone Service: Save $100s/year
Okay, so on our journey of mastering our personal finances and spending wisely, I’ve begun experimenting with changing cell phone service providers. The usual caveat applies, this is an example of an option for readers, but just happens to perfectly fit our lifestyle, values, and budget. Your values and budget may vary. We had a… Continue reading Changing Cell Phone Service: Save $100s/year
100 Books in a Year
(10/24/2020) – Success! 34 books read in a year! (Didn’t hit my goal, but that’s not the point. Shoot for the stars land on the moon! This was the most books I’ve ever read in 12 months in my life!) Let’s beat it in 2021! Thanks everyone for participating and supporting! Let’s do it again!… Continue reading 100 Books in a Year
Automation for Mac
If you’ve never used the Automator app for mac before, prepare to be blown away (at least if you’re me). Background: Like an idiot, I had stored all of my notes and sketches on a topic in separate PDFs. (Organization: Intellectual Efficiency) So, I googled an article that told me to open the Automator App… Continue reading Automation for Mac
Organization: Intellectual Efficiency
Few appreciate the power of organization. A scared and mysterious force working opposite the second law of thermodynamics (all systems tend to chaos or the lowest energy state). But the power of organization for your mind is just as significant. It’s not about how smart you are or what you’ve memorized anymore. It’s your level… Continue reading Organization: Intellectual Efficiency
Leverage on Perception
You, me, your neighbor: we’re delusional. By design (evolution, whatever, you know what I mean). We’re delusional for a reason. Some of these delusions are called biases. While “perception is reality” (for the perceiver), we are best equipped to handle this world when the gap between perception and reality is minimized. The minimization of the… Continue reading Leverage on Perception
The 3 Laws of Human Dynamics
The 1st law of human dynamics: The things you do you will keep doing, the things you aren’t doing, you will keep not doing (without significant changes). Everything you do, and don’t do, is a habit. Every action reinforces a future action. This is the law of human inertia. (Inertia can be overcome!) The 2nd… Continue reading The 3 Laws of Human Dynamics
Time and Attention
Time and Attention. These are two of the most valuable resources known to humankind. So whatever it takes, use your time and attention well. There is no better place than here and now to master your time and your attention. Everything you’ve ever earned, created, or enjoyed has come through time and attention. Time and… Continue reading Time and Attention
A Look Back at Last Summer
Transplanting from The Bistro Farm on Vimeo. You may also like: 1 Day Design Project The Squeeze Philosophy Print a Pi Day
A Visitor From Wilmslow
As a small (I like to say “boutique” (no I don’t actually say that)) website, our readers have the benefit of tremendous impact and attention. We recently had a visitor from England visit the site! And as one of the few international visitors, I wanted to write to say hello and thank you! How our… Continue reading A Visitor From Wilmslow
Introduction to FIRE
There’s a quiet revolution happening. It’s about freedom, it’s about thinking different and it’s about doing things differently. The Key: Sustainability. The Game: Escape the rat race. The Reward: Financial freedom (before you’re 60, or 70, or 90, or dead). Where to start: Blog: Mr. Money Moustache Book: Financial Freedom Movie: Playing with FIRE You… Continue reading Introduction to FIRE
The World Is Non-Linear
The world is non-linear. Don’t be discouraged on the plateau, convinced the world is linear and that you’re experiencing merely a linear aggregation. The world is not linear. Don’t forget about emergence, tipping points, and dis-continuities (the compound effect.) Keep going. Keep putting in the time, keep working. The complexity of the world is often… Continue reading The World Is Non-Linear
Cognitive Resonanace
Cognitive resonance (the opposite of cognitive dissonance) is when perception and reality align. This consistancy leads to deep levels of peace, joy, and contentment. On the other hand, cognitive dissonance, the stress caused by a gap between perception and reality, is very uncomfortable, and worse, often subconscious. The mind will always move from cognitive dissonance… Continue reading Cognitive Resonanace
Principles For Success by Ray Dalio in 30 minutes
You may also like: How the Economic Machine Works with Ray Dalio Ray Dalio and Richard Koch on Navigating Life THE Best Habit Ever!
Living, Reading, and Writing
“…everything we need in order to tell our stories in a reasonable and exciting way already exists in each of us. Everything you need is in your head and memories, in all that your senses provide, in all that you’ve seen and thought and absorbed.” Anne Lamott – Bird by Bird I’ve recently figured out… Continue reading Living, Reading, and Writing
How the Economic Machine Works with Ray Dalio
You may also like: Ray Dalio and Richard Koch on Navigating Life The Results of Using a Budget
Designing Your Life Means Designing Your Day
“What we do everyday matters more than what we do once in a while” Gretchen Rubin To live your best life, you must design your best life. To design your best life, you must design your best day. What’s the best day look like? What does it include? I use a notebooking method to help… Continue reading Designing Your Life Means Designing Your Day
Mathematical Literacy
What is mathematical literacy and what does it look like? Mathematics is both a tool and a language. Mathematical literacy is when one is able to use math to solve problems (in “real life”) and read mathematical statements (statistics, charts, equations) and understand what they are communicating. A few awesome benefits of mathematical literacy: Mathematics… Continue reading Mathematical Literacy
Google’s 70/20/10 Principle
I’ve heard that Google has a 70/20/10 principle where: 70% of working hours are devoted to core competency and core revenue (“core business”) 20% is devoted to “adjacent” or revenue expanding activities (and ideas) 10% is devoted to long-term growth (“moon-shots”): ideas with a low-success rate or long runway, but super-high impact potential This can… Continue reading Google’s 70/20/10 Principle
Don’t (just) READ Books, DO Books!
Of course it’s important to read books, but more important is doing books! Often people talk about a book they read. That’s like telling me about a restaurant based on reading the menu. I don’t want to hear about a restaurant unless you’ve actually eaten the food! Doing what a book tells you to do… Continue reading Don’t (just) READ Books, DO Books!
A Hallmark of Great Writing
Great writing is when: Everything that needs to be is included and Everything that can be is removed. You may also like: Why I Find it Hard to Write (blog) Everyday and Why I Want to… 100 Books in a Year
Why I Find it Hard to Write (blog) Everyday and Why I Want to…
I’ll start with why I want to since it’s easy. As you know, I’m quite interested in habits. My personal mission is to see the best in myself and bring it about (I’m publishing this stuff to accomplish the second half of my mission: to see the best in others and help bring it out).… Continue reading Why I Find it Hard to Write (blog) Everyday and Why I Want to…
Free Online Tutoring
For anyone affected by recent changes in schooling, I’d like to help in any way I can, particularly with Mathematics or Science or Engineering Tutoring. I’m most experienced with college students, (calculus and above), but all are welcome! (I had a tutor in high school and college and was a tutor in college and graduate… Continue reading Free Online Tutoring
Becoming Debt Free
Our debt free journey started in July 2017 and finished March 2020. $71,000 in debt, paid off! I can’t quite describe how it feels, but it’s amazing. I never would have thought it was possible before this. While it feels amazing, it hasn’t fully sunk in yet. It has been a life-changing journey, transforming our… Continue reading Becoming Debt Free
Daily Wisdom Listening
New 2020 Habit! Daily Wisdom Listening (Affiliate Links): The Book of Proverbs The Tao Te Ching Meditations by Marucs Aurelius You may also like: Seth Godin’s Audiobook Recommendations THE Best Habit Ever!
Ray Dalio and Richard Koch on Navigating Life
Both Ray Dailo and Richard Koch have very similar philosophies on moving through life successfully. “…we must all constantly seek to understand and constructively deal with reality to create value and achieve personal improvement.” – Richard Koch, ‘Good Profit’ Ray Dailo has a similar philosophy which is a never-ending iterative process. Basically the journey of… Continue reading Ray Dalio and Richard Koch on Navigating Life
Deadly Sins and Heavenly Virtues
Deadly Sins Heavenly Virtues Pride Humility Greed Charity Lust Chastity Envy Kindness Gluttony Temperance Wrath Patience Sloth Diligence
Keys To Better Decisions
Keys to Better Decisions: Use Opportunity cost (never sunk cost) A “sunk cost” is something already spent or consumed (an “unrecoverable past expense”). Costs already incurred are irrelevant in considering what to do in the future. Forget about what was already spent. Instead, ALWAYS use “opportunity cost”: the highest-value activity forgone. (i.e. What can I… Continue reading Keys To Better Decisions
THE Best Habit Ever!
Among the best habits ever are: practicing gratitude, exercising, walking, keeping a positive mindset, finding joy and delight, tidying, budgeting, giving, reading, sketching, journaling, practicing music or art or other things… The Best Habit Ever is “doing” books. The best habit ever is “doing”: “trying”: “experimenting”. Change requires action. You must do something different if… Continue reading THE Best Habit Ever!
A Decade of Online Spending
A few things about me that are relevant: First, I’ve recently come to believe that the single most important skill for an individual living today (especially in the U.S.) is personal finance. The basic premise of this is to spend less than you make (only possible using a budget or jedi mind tricks) and to… Continue reading A Decade of Online Spending
Dealing with Cravings or Breaking Bad Habits
A “craving” or a “bad habit” is some little thing you’ve done a bunch of times in the past and are struggling not to do today. Here’s the trick. Focus on today. Everything you’ll ever accomplish is one-day-at-a-time. Focus only on making the right decision today. The reward for doing this is that it will… Continue reading Dealing with Cravings or Breaking Bad Habits
Habits Beat Motivation Every time!
Yup, motivation/inspiration sucks: it’s fickle, fleeting, and unpredictable. Habits rock! If you master habits, you will never have to worry about motivation or inspiration ever again! Listen to any of the greats: artists, athletes, actors, acupuncturists, etc. They’ll all tell you that the abit of the craft is the key. Inspiration and motivation come and… Continue reading Habits Beat Motivation Every time!
Habits: Implementation Lag or It takes 1 day for every 1 minute of daily habit change
That’s it! For every 1 minute of daily habit to be developed, it takes about a day. After years of working on mastering habits and life change, I’ve found it takes 1 day for every 1 minute of habit development. For example, if you want to practice guitar (or spanish, or whatever) for 30 minutes… Continue reading Habits: Implementation Lag or It takes 1 day for every 1 minute of daily habit change
Habits: Frequency beats Duration, Frequency beats Amplitude
Habits are the foundation of the quality of your life. The frequency of a habit is WAY more important than duration or amplitude. The key to habits is frequency. For example, you’re better off practicing something for a minute everyday, than for 10 minutes once a week. It’s said that Jerry Seinfeld put a red… Continue reading Habits: Frequency beats Duration, Frequency beats Amplitude
Notebooking
Here’s a great method to keep a daily notebook! (Here’s the notebook and pens I use! – Affiliate links.) The key here is to tie big goals to daily activities. (This is a method of creating “recipes for success” from But But But – Affiliate link). Everyday: use the Day format below: Everyday check the… Continue reading Notebooking
New Book Available!
Now Available! It’s been years, but the book is finally available!! Check it out on Amazon.com or elsewhere. Huge thanks to everyone who helped me put it together, I am so excited to be able to share it!
End Pollution and Environmental Damage
A great site for purchasing carbon offsets: Goldstandard.org A really cool tool to calculate flight emissions: United.Conservation.org/ Easy and Fun Activities to Reduce Pollution and Environmental Damage: Bike more! Ride to your friends, the library, groceries, or just for fun! Fly less! Road trips are fun, telecommuting is instant, and falling in love with where… Continue reading End Pollution and Environmental Damage
Enjoyment & Graditude
Enjoyment > Achievement Trade expectations for appreciation. Start with the art of fulfillment, then work the science of achievement. Thanks Tony!
5 Books to Change Your Life
Here’s the five best books to instigate change in your life.I can attest to the life-changing potential of each of these books. They are ordered in the recommended order of reading/implementation. 1. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up Key Habits: Start by eliminating Making value-driven decisions Submitting yourself to a process 2. The The… Continue reading 5 Books to Change Your Life
B in India
B in India
Ebbinghaus “Forgetting Curve”
Percent remembered as a function of time.
Wir Sind Groß
Immer da, wenn alle Stricke reißen Einfach so, wir müssen nichts beweisen Ich trete die Pedale, du hältst mein Rücken Fahrrad aus’m Park erst morgen früh zurück bringen Zeit ist knapp, wir sind verschwenderisch Man sagt, nichts hält für immer, doch ey warum denn nicht Was sagt der Rest der Bande, macht es Sinn? Wie’s… Continue reading Wir Sind Groß
The Artist is Present
Special Surgeon Training
…And Now for Something Completely Different
Here’s a really cool video: