“Do we choose to see ourselves as the latest descendants in a long line of ancestors who have been struggling valiantly and against the odds, toward a better world? Or are we the bastard children of irredeemable racists, pillagers, and monsters? Are we the future of humanity – progress – or are we a plague upon the earth?” –Ryan Holiday1 In other words, what is our story? This is a… Read More »Our Story is About Becoming Better
“The rules: (1) know precisely what you want, (2) determine the cost of what it will take to get it, (3) don’t bargain over the price.” –James Clear1 Many people get the first two rules right, but then they bargain over the price. They have a clear goal, and they know the conventional cost of achieving that goal. But then they resist paying the full price. They look for shortcuts,… Read More »Don’t Bargain Over the Price
“The highest form of leverage is reputation.” –Shane Parrish1 The Temptation of Status Your social status is your standing relative to other people. Your rank. Your prestige. It’s tempting to pursue status because it feels good to rise within the social hierarchy. Status usually comes with power. You seem to have more influence. You get your way more often. Whether or not that’s actually a good thing is questionable, but… Read More »Reputation vs. Status
This morning I woke up to the usual: Benny begging for breakfast like he’s never been fed before. And as usual, I sat on the floor to give and receive some pre-breakfast affection from the cat. After a few pets, though, Benny got impatient and bit my hand (not hard but not pleasant either). 15 minutes later, he’s in my lap on the couch getting a chin scratch and purring… Read More »How Quickly Can You Forgive Them?