The person who carefully designs their daily routines

Posted on February 27, 2025 by Barry

“The person who carefully designs their daily routines goes further than the person who negotiates with themselves every day.”

—Shane Parrish, creator of the Farnam Street Blog

Image from Unsplash by Marissa Grootes

By designing daily routines, you create a framework that supports your goals and well-being, reducing the need for constant self-discipline and making it easier to maintain a balanced, productive lifestyle.

Here are a few key benefits of a carefully designed daily routine:

It reduces the need for constant decision making, allowing you to move from one task to another without wasting time and energy.
Routines provide structure and predictability, which can significantly lower stress and promote a sense of calm and control.
Consistent daily habits can boost mental well-being by providing a sense of purpose and stability.
A daily routine often includes consistent sleep and wake times along with regular exercise — which support improved physical health and overall productivity.

EXERCISE:

How can creating better daily routines help you achieve more in your personal and professional lives?

Where can and will you start today to tap into the magic of momentum offered by these new habits?

Table tennis requires unwavering concentration

Posted on February 26, 2025 by Barry

“Table tennis requires unwavering concentration, mental resilience, strategic thinking, emotional control, self-confidence, and adaptability.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Jure Zakotnik

Although Pickleball is all the rage these days, I have come to favor a good old-fashion game of Ping Pong for many reasons, including:

Ping Pong is easier for beginners, as the table is much smaller and requires less movement.
Ping Pong tables are significantly smaller (9ft x 5 ft) compared to a pickleball court (44ft x 20ft), making it more suitable for indoor spaces and home use.
Ping Pong can be played year-round indoors regardless of the weather conditions.
At intermediate and advanced levels, Ping Pong offers lightning-fast, close quarters gameplay with quick exchanges, which can be more exciting for those who enjoy rapid fire action.
While still requiring good reflexes and coordination, Ping Pong is less physically demanding than pickleball, making it accessible to people of all ages and fitness levels.

EXERCISE:

Where in your life would better concentration, mental resilience, enhanced strategic thinking, improved self-control, greater self-confidence, and adaptability come in handy?

If these qualities sound good to you, why not give Ping Pong a spin?

Attention doesn’t scale

Posted on February 25, 2025 by Barry

“Attention doesn’t scale, no matter how hard we try.”

—Seth Godin, American author and a former dot-com business executive

Image from Unsplash by Luis Villasmil

In our fast-paced world we often try to multitask and divide our attention, believing we can scale our focus across multiple priorities.

Unfortunately, our attention doesn’t scale, no matter how hard we try.

When we spread ourselves thin, we dilute the quality of our presence and engagement.

Deep, meaningful connections and breakthroughs occur when we give our undivided attention to one task, one person, or one moment at a time.

By embracing the power of focus you unlock your full potential and create space for innovation, growth, and genuine human connection.

Remember, it’s not about doing more, but about being fully present in what you do.

EXERCISE:

What are the costs of spreading your time and attention too thin?

Where would greater focus on fewer things be a more optimal approach to a happier, more productive and meaningful life?

Take a moment to investigate and celebrate

Posted on February 24, 2025 by Barry

Take a moment to investigate and celebrate the mystery and miracle of your very existence.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Annie Spratt

The search for intelligent life beyond Earth has made significant strides in recent years.

NASA’s chief scientists predicted ten years ago that we might find strong indications of extraterrestrial life by now, but that timeline hasn’t materialized.

Initiatives like Breakthrough Listen have dramatically increased our observation capabilities and advanced telescopes and exoplanet discoveries have expanded our understanding of other potential habitable worlds.

Citizen science projects like SETI@HOME has democratized our search efforts and we can all be grateful that we are looking out into the universe from the mystery and miracle of our conscious existence.

EXERCISE:

Whether looking into a telescope or a microscope, how can you be more fully inspired and grateful for your life and the ride we all get to take on this beautiful blue spaceship?

Friday Review: Silence

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Barry

Friday Review: Silence

How often do you experience regular periods of silence? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

“Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.”

“Fools live to regret their words, wise men to regret their silence.”

“When your rage is choking you, it is best to say nothing.”

The relief that comes from putting off a task

Posted on February 20, 2025 by Barry

“The relief that comes from putting off a task never surpassed the satisfying feeling of having gotten the thing done.”

—Stephen St. Amant, author of the Savenwood Blog

Image from Unsplash by Karim Manjra

In the journey of productivity, we often dance between action and delay.

Procrastination might feel like a momentary comfort, but true satisfaction comes from conquering tasks.

When we break through the barrier of resistance and complete what we’ve been avoiding, we unlock a powerful sense of achievement, and our brains reward us with dopamine, reinforcing the joy of progress.

Look at every small step as a victory and embrace tasks head-on to transform not just your productivity, but your entire mindset. Choose progress over postponement, and watch your fullest potential unfold.

EXERCISE:

Implement the 2-minute rule: If a task can be completed in less than two minutes, do it immediately.

This prevents small tasks from piling up and becoming overwhelming.

If you want to tackle bigger things please read David Allen’s classic book Getting Things Done.

I have never seen ordinary effort lead to extraordinary results

Posted on February 19, 2025 by Barry

“I have never seen ordinary effort lead to extraordinary results.”

—Alexander Wang, American fashion designer

Image from Unsplash by Fedor

Did you know that the Beatles developed their musical skills through intense and grueling work, particularly during their time in Hamburg, Germany?

Their extraordinary commitment to improvement involved several strategies, including:

Extensive practice: Playing for eight hours straight helped them develop confidence and greater technical skills.
Their rigorous work ethic often demanded that they play eight days a week.😊
Instead of playing the same sets over and over, the Hamburg performances required them to innovate and expand their musical repertoire making them more versatile and creative performers.
The band faced multiple rejections and were turned down by at least five record labels before finally getting a contract with EMI in June of 1962.

EXERCISE:

In what areas of your world have you expected ordinary efforts to produce extraordinary results?

How can you apply more than a few hard days nights to have more extraordinary results come together for you?

“I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life.”

Posted on February 18, 2025 by Barry

“I choose to make the rest of my life the best of my life.”

—Louise Hay, late American motivational speaker, author, and AIDS advocate

Image from louisehay.com

Louise Hay’s life was marked by remarkable transformations and achievements. Born in 1926 in Los Angeles, California, she overcame a troubled childhood to become a pioneering figure in the self-help movement.

Noteworthy facts about her life include:

- Her early struggles included poverty and considerable physical abuse from her stepfather and a neighbor.
- After a career with many jobs, she moved to New York in the 1950’s and became a successful fashion model.
- Her spiritual awakening followed a divorce after 14 years of marriage. At that time, she discovered the First Church of Religious Science, which influenced her to the concept of the power of positive thinking.

Faced with a cervical cancer diagnosis, she chose alternative methods of healing. Her methods included an intensive program of affirmations, visualization, nutritional cleansing and psychotherapy.

Other notable efforts included AIDS support, publishing success, and her numerous philanthropic efforts until the age of 90, which have inspired millions of people around the world.

EXERCISE:

Check out Hay’s most notable book, You Can Heal Your Life to help you make the rest of your life the best of your life.

When we release our grip on the past

Posted on February 17, 2025 by Barry

When we release our grip on the past it’s easier to hold the gifts of the present.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Jess Bailey

How often do your thoughts about the past hijack you from the “here and now moments” of your life?

If this occurs more often than you would like, consider this list of strategies to pull you back to the gifts of the present:

Cultivate a supportive social network to provide encouragement and understanding.
Engage in regular physical activity to reduce stress and improve your mood.
Create physical or psychological distance from people or situations that trigger upset feelings about the past.
Expressing emotions through journaling helps to process and release past painful or difficult feelings.
Practicing mindfulness techniques such as meditation can interrupt cycles of repetitive thought and help us see certain life events more objectively.

Seeking professional help through therapy to address unresolved emotions and trauma can be used with any of these strategies to offer additional guidance and help move us forward.

EXERCISE:

Where do past events still have you in their grip?

What strategies from today’s post offer the best approach for you to step boldly into the gifts of the present?