Gratitude.

Gratitude is not simply a state of mind. When you appreciate gas in your car, food on your table, and family in your corner, you are showing God how grateful you are for everything you have. 

No. Yes.

If you’re unhappy with your life, learn to make better decisions. The companies you start or work for, and the friends you pick, are based on you saying yes repeatedly. If you want different outcomes, you have to say no to what you don’t want and yes to what puts you in the ideal position for success. It’s that’s simple. 

Streak.

Keeping a streak is not simply about the number. It’s about intensity in terms of consistency. Showing up time after time regardless of conditions. It’s about staying the course even when you don’t feel like it. Because it’s easy to do something when everything is lined up perfectly. It’s takes true discipline to keep going even when the tide is against you. 

Exercised.

What was the last thing you did for play or fun?

Every time I hit the gym, it’s play time. Even on the days when I’m a bit fatigued. There is nothing better than an intense and sweaty full body workout. It could be upper body resistance training, lower body resistance training, or some intense cardio. I prefer a a combination of all three. An intense workout helps you focus, it alleviates stress. It also has a drastic impact on your overall health and well-being. You sleep better at night, and reduce the likelihood of developing illness and disease. Flexibility, and recovery also improve upon maintaining a consistent and intense workout routine. Do you workout? If so, what is your favorite training program , or body part to train?

Managing Time and Rest.

Working hard is definitely important. Optimizing the use of your time is even more crucial to ensure you keep making genuine progress. It’s easy to work 50-60 hours a week and think you’ve done a great job. It’s difficult to justify that amount of time if your health is at risk the entire time. You have to find ways to get better use out of your time, this way you get enough rest to sustain the work ethic. 

Fend.

Many aspects of life occur over 1,226 days. No matter how many things don’t go your way, you still have to fend for yourself. Staying sane, hydrated and nourished are essential to having any conceivable chance of success. 

Invest wisely.

Whether short term or long term, you must adopt an investment strategy and plan that works for you. This means having the right temperament. Understanding your risk tolerance, not being swayed off pure emotional and irrational behavior. As well as knowing how much capital you can realistically lose in a worse case scenario. Finally understanding the economic characteristics of whatever it is you’re buying. 

Once again.

Today is one of those days. You know the day when you’re completely fed up with life. The one where you completely embarrass yourself beyond belief. The day when nothing clicks, and everything is an uphill battle. Even after a day like today, which is still not over, I have to shut up and keep doing the work. Why? Because nobody is coming to save me. When you find yourself in a shitty scenario count your blessings, and move on. Sitting around sobbing over what just happened won’t fix a damn thing. Telling people how much you hate life won’t make you happy or rich. Giving up will only multiply your pain and stupidity. Just the fuck up and keep throwing punches. It’s corny, it’s basic, but sometimes fighting back is the best line of attack.

Discomfort yields stronger men.

Just when you think it’s time to slow down, that is when you push even harder. Because ultimately comfort will always be the enemy of growth. Many people in life say they want to be comfortable. This is a trap. It’s easy to gain comfort. A bed, a roof and some food is comfort. If that’s what you want, have it. If you know you  want more out of life, get accustomed to discomfort. This discomfort will come in the form of failing at launching businesses,  trying to pass classes, or not qualifying for every opportunity that you work towards. 

All By Yourself.

Make sure you find time to be alone. Why? Because often times we are surrounded by family, friends, and coworkers. This puts us in a position to subconsciously absorb some of their mannerisms, beliefs, and tendencies. You end up getting positive and negative traits that infiltrate your personality. Over time you look up and realize you’ve become much more similar to people you actually are not too fond of.

This is why alone time is so valuable. Get by yourself. Think your own thoughts. Create a physical or digital journal. Write down what you notice.

What you want to work on, and how you genuinely approach life. This will allow you to learn who you really are, and what you truly like and dislike. Be sure you’re also checking whether or not you’ve already been infiltrated by a close relative, friend or colleague. Remove their personal ideology, and habits from your daily life. This will help you better understand what it is YOU want out of life, and what YOU want to contribute to society. 

One without the Other.

The question I’d ask today: How do you get ahead of the ai revolution without the knowledge, and understanding of how to code? 

It’s seems counterintuitive to get ahead without even knowing the basics of software development. 

Boy Oh Boy.

I’d love to fall asleep and wake up worry free. This would be one of the greatest accomplishments ever. Other than that I’m determined to figure life out. Because there is no way in hell it’s simply about waking up, paying bills, rinsing and repeating. 

Growth.

Learning a new language forces discomfort, failure, and if you stick with it long enough, growth and expansion. You don’t get the growth and expansion without feeling like a fish out of water. In other words, sometimes it’s important to follow the discomfort. It could be a sign of growth. 

Habit Adoption.

If you schedule success it becomes inevitable at some point in life. What do I mean by that? Using fitness as an example. You’re overweight but you have a goal of losing 50lbs in a year and a half.

Your current habits, and activities are what lead you to weight gain, plus your genetic makeup. Now you begin doing research on how to drop the weight. You find out about how to eat, how to train, sleep and recover. You also learn about supplementation that could help facilitate better results. Eventually along the way you discover there is also a certain mindset needed in order to get through the plateaus and difficulties of weight loss.

From there you realize you now have the insight and resources to acquire what tools and materials are needed to achieve your fitness goal. Now you begin putting together a plan (the workout and meal plan). You pick times and days to workout, prepare and eat healthier meals. From there you schedule rest days and know what numbers and looks are needed to ensure progress is being made. Now you practice this routine everyday.

Eventually it becomes a part of your personality. This personality becomes a lifestyle. Now you’re well on your way to success. In other words you can’t just manifest something simply by thinking about it. You have to adopt the lifestyle and immerse yourself in the daily activities required to obtain the success you desire. 

They’re Watching.

You have to keep going. There are people watching and appreciating your efforts. Some are inspired by your struggle to fight for your  freedom and dreams. If you stop now, you take away that motivation that pushes them to keep moving forward in life.

What you see…

Everywhere you look, there are opportunities or there are obstacles. It’s really on you whether you see one or the other. In other words, a positive mental attitude will take you much further than seeing everything as an excuse or hurdle. 

Easy Fix.

Fixing your problems will help you sleep better at night. You’ll have more confidence and walk the earth with a purpose when you correct what has gone wrong in your personal and professional life. If you never fix your problems, you’ll have a far more difficult existence than you care to withstand. 

More requires more.

If you don’t like being lonely be social. If you don’t like being broke, work more. If you don’t like being incompetent, read more and fail more. If you don’t like being overweight move more, lift weights and eat a little less. If you want something you can’t do nothing, and expect to get it. There has to be an exchange that occurs over time. Often times the exchange is uneven based on what you were or were not giving prior to your desired change of heart. Be prepared to do more if you want more. 

Gratitude.

Some days you feel like everything you do is a waste of time and energy. However there was a time when you prayed for the things you have now. Always comes at life with a level of gratitude. Life could always be far worse. 

Stuck.

Working regular jobs are great for feeding yourself. If you want more out of life, you’re going to have to raise the stakes, and fail more. Meaning you need to work outside of the Regis jobs and acquire skills or build ideas and businesses until something works out. Otherwise you remain stuck at your current position. 

Lifestyle Sold Separately.

Before you pout about your misfortune, make sure you turn over every stone. Be certain you’ve shaken every hand, sent every email and have doubled back to references. Work every waking hour, and study until you’re blue in the face, before you open your mouth to pity yourself. Life is an ass kicking mechanism for whipping you into existential shape. Work is always going to be required both paid and unpaid.

Priority.

Prioritizing the end goal means completing every small step along the journey. It means doing what you say you’re going to do when you said you would. It means doing it regardless of how you may feel. Feelings don’t get you results. Putting in the work is what will help get you closer to your ideal life. 

Avoid crazy.

The worst part of life is not learning the lesson. Ergo repeating the same mistakes over and over again, and expecting different outcomes to emerge from stupidity. It doesn’t work that way, and never will. You have to assess where you screwed up and why. After that it’s adjusting your decisions and action in order to yield better results for your future. If you don’t do this, you’ll exhibit insanity to no end. 

Letting It Go.

When things end it always feels a bit strange. Whether it’s a friendship, relationship, job or project, it’s always a bit sad. However some things in life would be way worse if they lasted forever. Letting things run their course is what makes life more tolerable. In other words, out with the old in with the new. Whether it’s a new experience, new home or a new skill set, it’s not healthy to hold on to every aspect of your existence for dear life. Once you learn to let go and have faith, you’ll find that the journey becomes more satisfying than it was before. 

(This blog is a prime example in my personal experience 😭😩).

Decades From Now.

There’s nothing more embarrassing than knowing what to do, and not doing it. Getting into situations where you allow fear, doubt, pride and stupidity to stop you from progress. Before you make that mistake again, remember to think long term. Think about where you want to be 10, 20 and 30 years from now. Because turning up today could end up meaning, not being able to settle down comfortably decades from now. 

Perspective.

You’re alive and today is another day. This being the case, fix your attitude. You harp about bills yet there are many people who don’t have enough to pay a single bill. Meanwhile you cover your bills month after month. Perspective is very crucial when it comes to asking for more than what you already have. 

Limitless.

Whatever limit you think you have, guess again. It’s amazing how far you can push yourself when you stop making excuses. Maybe you can’t get every little thing you want out of life, but you damn sure can make incredible progress pushing beyond your normal level of comfort. 

A-Game.

Regardless of the route you take in life, you’re going to get your ass kicked at some point. This is exactly why you should bring nothing but your best day after day. Because the ass whooping won’t last forever if you never quit. If you do decide to give up nothing but failure will come your way. This is not the time to complain. This is the time to level up, and go even harder than ever. 

Average American.

Dear average individuals, before you critique and chastise those who are entrepreneurs, business owners, and college graduates, put yourself in their shoes. In other words, work 60 to 80 hours a week, without vacations and benefits. Make hundreds of pitches to investors. Take class after class, and complete assignment after assignment. Edit, revise, and blast out hundreds of copies of your resume to companies all over the state, city, or country. Pay back massive student loans, while having to work in unskilled labor knowing you put in the time to have potential to earn far more. Deal with people telling you your efforts are a waste. Listen to other average people complain yet defend the average lifestyle. Sleep only 4-5 hours in between jobs, college courses, and startup meetings. Default on 2 credit cards to see your dreams become a reality. Eat shit for 10 plus years, and still remain optimistic that your delusional ideas will become reality. Do all of this before you spend another day criticizing those who are doing the work. You only see the outcomes. Understand that people are going through hell to make sure they are in a position of power. This is why you can’t just blindly attack what you have not experienced yourself. 

1,200

One thousand two hundred days in a row. This is how many times I’ve hit publish on WordPress without missing a beat. From finance, to philosophy. The random theories in psychology, and a compulsive need to keep the streak alive. At this point in life, I’m trying to fix what was left broken for years. Taking the proactive and practical path is far more important than some theory or formula that may never see the light of day. I suppose I’ll break the streak eventually, and get on with the rest of my life. For now, I’m using this time period as a way to see how far I can take this compulsion, or until life outside of daily writing becomes interesting enough to stop publishing. I suppose more interesting things within the real world could make for better writing. Regardless of what happens nexts, it’s been fun and agonizing working on this mess of a project. 

Reality.

Before believing anything I must look at the facts. The stats will reveal a trend. A pattern of truth will emerge from the numerical evidence of life on earth. Be it, financially, culturally, or politically, there will always be numbers tied to ultimate outcomes. These outcomes are meant to represent some form of objective reality. 

Under Pressure.

It’s always interesting to me how a obstacle seems immovable until you have not other choices left but to suffer or deal with it. In other words some of us perform best when our backs are against the wall. When we are cornered, frantic, and frustrated is when we are able to get the best out of ourselves. This being the case it might be ideal to create high pressure situations and scenarios in your own life. This way, every goal you set is like a ticking time bomb. Forcing you to bring a higher level of intensity and energy towards whatever it is you need to achieve and what you ultimately desire out of life. 

Work.

Get up and work. Stop complaining. If you often find yourself complaining too much, it’s a sign. A sign that you are not doing enough to fix your problems. Problems create or break men. It’s not great but that’s the message. 

Different.

Getting different results requires different actions and decisions. Stop thinking you can approach every situation with the same mindset and get some magical outcome from it. You have to make the necessary adjustments if you want to improve your current position in life. 

Don’t resist.

If your life lacks resistance you won’t grow. We need struggle, sacrifice, and pain to reach new levels of improvement over time. One reason is because getting punched in the face wakes you up. When you fail it means you must either settle and call it life, or learn from what went wrong. Knowing you have to stay stuck or fix yourself is why the resistance is important. Over time the resistance teaches you to remain humble and keep striving for better outcomes. 

Reading with intent.

When it comes to reading books I’ve give one important tip. Read the book with an objective  or goal in mind. This way you are not just scanning words aimlessly, failing to understand what it is you’re reading. In other words what is the purpose and intent behind reading a specific book? Is it to better understand history? It could be to increase your knowledge of mathematics or finance. Are you learning how to invest in the stock market? Whatever the objective is, get very specific about the ultimate outcome. This way as you are going through each page, your mind will formulate a general idea of what you’re reading, and how it applies to your own life and objective. 

Load up.

Sometimes we ask for more than we can handle. This can help prepare us for more responsibility in the long run. How? Because you either fail or succeed. There is no middle ground when the load you carry is slightly above or beyond your pay grade. 

Let them know.

You need to have standards, and boundaries. If you don’t, people will take advantage of your generosity. They will manipulate you, whether intentionally or not. You need to let people know up front what you expect from them when you make plans, and decisions with them. You do this by carrying yourself in a way that shows you are not a sucker for ass kissing, and modesty. 

You suck. Now do something about it.

Life is really insane and I’m holding on for dear life. No it’s not that bad. You just get to a point where reality forces you to make adjustments. Hence my lateness for today’s blog. 

The lesson, stop being lazy. Get your shit together. Work harder. Ignore any and everyone who isn’t lifting you up or encouraging you to stop bull shitting yourself. 

Average.

Average is easy. Average is accessible. Average is timid. Average is indecisive. Average is struggle. Average is narrow. Average is 40 hours a week. Average is financial illiteracy. Average is dropping out and never going back to finish what you started. Average is not opening a book to read since high school. Average is a dime a dozen. If you want average you can have it. Just know average has a price that honestly is not worth paying. 

Weight You Keep Choosing.

If you wanted to lose weight you would do it. It’s 2025. There are tens of thousands of videos, articles, and blog posts as well as millions of books and magazines on how to get in shape and keep it off. You remain overweight because you believe it’s okay or you’re just too lazy to fix it. The food, and training are available. The professionals are there and ready for you to commit. You just refuse to commit to yourself, because you know it won’t be easy. This is ironic because you actually end up in a worse position. If you knew what was best for you, you’d actually do the work, instead of blaming everything and everyone else for your poor choices. 

Recent Reading Report.

I fell in love with reading around 2009. I started out with things like success magazine, and a ton of self help books. You know the basics, like “think and grow rich” (I’m growing but still working on the rich part 😭), “the magic of thinking big”, “7 habits of highly effective people”, and the many other books.

I eventually started trying to target specific topics like business, and entrepreneurship. However, it all got repetitive, and I failed at implementing a lot of the tips and strategies offered by many authors. At the end of 2020, I was hell bent on figuring out how to invest in the stock market. Ultimately I wanted to know how the wealthy did it, and if I could beat the market. It took 4 years, of reading 5 plus hours a day about investing and opening a brokerage account. I eventually had a very successful year where I outperformed the market and a few top hedge funds. Although I don’t know all that there is to know about investing, I wanted to expand my knowledge. This being the case I’m going through every book I’ve ever purchased, but haven’t yet read outside of finance. Currently I’m reading through a history book. Specifically a modern day black history book that covers a more accessible history of slavery, and what really occurred during that period of time.

Honestly I’m struggling to keep up with the various events and many people that were involved. It could be that my reading comprehension is below average. Which is embarrassing because I take pride in being an avid reader. However many of the books I’ve enjoyed are practical, and analytical. This being the case I’m going to work my way through gaining a deeper understanding of the details of history books that I do come across in my library and in the future. I understand the general premise of the black history book I’m reading. What I don’t follow as easily is the specific historical leaders, and freedom fighters that helped create the america we know and live in today. My brain takes what is simplest, and summarizes. Perhaps I just have to go down a historical rabbit hole at some point. This way I can make better judgements and assess the historical value in how America was built and maintained.

Later on I will dive back into finance. For now my understanding of history is far too narrow. On top of that, I have too many unread and unfinished titles to go through before I get to buy another book.

Not that helpful but it’s something.

There is never going to be a one size fits all strategy or plan for life. Even if you copy someone else, you’ll still end up with slightly different outcomes. This is partly due to your own circumstances. Some of it might be based on your intellect, aptitude, and ability to remain resilient in the face of adversity. This being the case, stick with your strengths and build momentum whenever you do get a win or two under your belt. 

Self Punishment.

When you fail to reach a goal, punish yourself for not getting it done. Because if you don’t, you’ll take your own laziness as a a sign of normalcy. 

My Screen time activity management.

How do you manage screen time for yourself?

I manage screen time by having productive and engaging things to do with my own life. This way I’m not completely consumed with the lives of people who may be popular and have no idea who I am or whether I exist. I work on learning new things, reading, writing, and working  50 to 60 hours per week. This is how I manage screen time.

Wasting away.

Day 1,184. Wasting this many days speaking (typing) into the void has been such a waste of time. I suppose it’s been good to practice articulating my thoughts more often and clearly. Other than that, not much to show for it. At this point I’m just running off of habit. This eventually has to stop. It doesn’t help you or me. Whenever you embark on a journey, make sure there is intent and purpose behind it. I’m sure I’ve rung this process out as much as I possibly could. The law of diminishing returns becomes more apparent and exhausting as the days go by. I work more and have been less distracted by social media. However I’ve done no recent work on my interest in psychology and philosophy. This being the case, it might be time to wrap this streak up. Maybe I could write when there is something worth writing about. For now I’m still not entirely certain as to whether I should keep publishing these random blogs for the sake of consistency. 

Better Decisions.

Life truly gets ridiculous when you make stupid mistakes. Learn to make better decisions. It’s too hard to bounce back when you’ve been on a crash course, for years. Eventually the clock runs out and that’s it. We need to think further ahead and try to act based on the most sound decisions that will help us reach our long term objectives. Because doing anything else, just leads to more chaos. 

Full Speed Ahead.

Far too many of you (self included) are distracted. Social media, celebrity gossip, and unlimited channel surfing via streaming services. This being the case you get stuck in entertainment purgatory. Consumed with everyone else’s life instead of your own. This is why you don’t get ahead. This is why you never take risks. This is why you’ve been doing the same things year after year with no  real progress to show for it.

If you want to level up and grow, learn to fail more often.  Try shit. Start a small business, get a certificate or degree. Work 50 plus hours a week and create a zero based budget every single month. Work on these things until you have a fully funded emergency fund, have completed some courses, and have failed at two or more business ventures. Do whatever it takes to get yourself out of this mess because it’s been years and nobody has called you out on your laziness. Today is a new day to hit the ground running as fast as you possibly can so you can stop falling behind and actually start getting ahead. Blessings.

Friend Type.

Friends that give you a pass are not real friends. They’re enablers. Surrounding ourselves with people who call our bluff, challenge our preconceived notions, and hold us accountable, are the ones we need most as friends. What we don’t need are people who simply agree with everything we think and do. Because if they simply agree with all of your ideas, how the hell are you going to elevate your game and get to the next level? As individuals we have blinds, and need help navigating through them. Without another set of eyes we may be unable to see where adjustments are needed for further development. 

Abnormal Thinking.

It’s vital for us to change our way of thinking. Many people possess average thinking. The implication is thoughts becoming actions. Leading to an ultimate outcome. In other words, if you have average thoughts you’ll engage in average behavior. Look around at the people you work with and associate with daily. A majority of them are average. If any fiber in your body wants to be better than average or above it, you must change the way you think. Where your mind goes, energy will flow. 

Become the Dealer.

It’s always more dangerous to allow another man or woman to be in charge of your ultimate outcome. When you’re at the mercy of others, you get no say in what cards you’re dealt. This means that when disasters occur you’ll be the first to suffer and the last one to know about it. Make it your life’s mission to take control and dictate what outcomes you can achieve. This means going the extra mile. Working more, and preparing strategically for any and everything that can and will go wrong along the way. 

Standardized Excellence.

Holding yourself to a higher standard, means no more short cuts. It means taking accountability. It meaning showing up when you said you would show up. If you hold yourself to a higher standard, you don’t have to focus on opinions. You can take the test and pass. You can finish the race and get the medal. You can overcome the addiction. You can live far better than you are today. 

The Rest Will Come.

If you learn to live on less, you’ll find more joy. Materials eventually become old and useless. After a certain amount of money you’ll simply repeat the purchasing cycle. You get a bigger house, a fancier car. Another pair of shoes. However you’ll still need faith, and character. You will still have to find your purpose, and something bigger than yourself to pursue. Focus on your purpose, and the rest will follow. 

Live for Love.

When you live only for yourself, you end up with a short term mindset. Every decision becomes a choice between today and tomorrow. When you live for someone else that you love, there’s no obstacle that can stop you. There is no desire to give up or give in to temptation. When you live for the people you love you endure pain that would strip many people of their souls and sanity. When you live for the people you love you will find a way to get things in order to ensure their health and happiness is in tact. So the next time you feel like quitting, remember that you’re doing everything you do, for the people you love most. 

The Burden of Compulsive Behavior.

It’s becoming for of a burden to keep blogging daily. Doing it for the sake of maintaining a streak is asinine, and compulsive. The world won’t end if I break it. Life is just getting a bit more interesting and difficult at the same time. So it requires more of my attention. However I am afraid I will stray from daily critical thinking. Yes it’s a stupid thing to harp over. It was just nice to have a consistent writing routine. Which this is less like writing and more like scattered ideas, and thoughts. I suppose I can just write about the new developments as life progresses. Perhaps the lesson today, is not being afraid to change things up to break the cycle of mundane living and thinking. 

No Problems, is the problem.

At this stage in life, I feel like things are moving ridiculously fast. I love it because it forces growth or complete failure. When life is going too slow, guys won’t tend to push themselves to produce more value, or take on more responsibility. Sometimes we need to confront fear head on in order to test our own resilience, and resolve. This comes to having problems that need to be solved. If you have no problems, you have no sense of urgency, and no will to push yourself. If you have to, set up a small group of manageable problems to solve. This will allow you to focus on time and money management. It will help you with punctuality, and accountability. You can bullshit yourself and experience progress and growth simultaneously. 

You Learn.

You learn by trial. You learn by error. When you see what doesn’t work, you can start to think critically about what could work, and eventually what will work next time. This occurs because you assess the details of what the results were in regards to your attempt to achieve a goal. 

Political Curiosity.

I look forward to learning about politics. Not to form a political ideology. Simply to look at the landscape objectively. Because we all live in this country together. Many of us have similar goals. However, I do understand that more than one perspective is needed, in order to create a more efficient society. I just want to understand the nuances of how things have comes to be what they currently are for more clarity. 

Routine.

A routine is needed in order to keep your life in order. What is a routine? It’s the way in which you live your life on a daily basis. Specifically, it’s what time you wake up everyday. Your hygiene process. It’s how you prepare your meals and what those meals consist of in order to fuel your body and mind for the day.

Your routine includes whether you have goals professionally or personally, and how you manage those activities week after week. Your routine requires time management skills so you’re not screwing around half the day. It’s important to have a routine, because it gives you a sense of direction. The direction you’re moving gives you a sense of purpose. The purpose is what will drive you and keep you motivated to maintain your routine.

Without a routine, you’re simply planning to fail. 

Getting real about manhood.

You think you’re doing a lot as a man until you realize how much more the top guys are doing in a single day let alone a week or month. It’s not enough to be average. Average clearly doesn’t secure your future. Doing the average amount of work, and having an average mindset simply keep you from complete collapse.

Unfortunately, average doesn’t do anything above outright collapse. Meaning when you’re average you are always one day, one week or once check away from losing everything. This is far too risky a life to live. This being the case we must separate ourselves from the pack. Working more (50-60hours per week) and sleeping a little less (6-6 & a half hours per night) and removing all distractions. It’s not easy, and it’s a long process, but you’ll come out having known you’ve given your all to make something of yourself. 

Closed Minds Don’t Get Fed.

It gets more challenging to write when you actually consider what you know about a given subject. I don’t know too much about anything. In the past I’ve written about a lot of things I thought I understood. Realizing as of late, I was not in that field of work, and only had an outsiders perspective. Which is trivial at best. I suppose some might argue that you don’t need to be a professional in the field to speak on a specific topic. This may be true in terms of the freedom to speak your mind.

However, this same freedom ignites ignorance among many of us. Often times we are far too quick to give opinions on things that are beyond our understanding. Just because you can infer what the topic is about, does not imply true understanding of what is being discussed in a particular conversation. What I’m really saying is, many of us, need to conduct more research before opening our mouths and potentially making fools of ourselves. 

A note.

Today is another day to give your dreams a try. Even if you fail, the effort was worth it. Whether people clap for you or not, you still show up and make the best of your circumstances. Keep going and pushing yourself forward. Eventually you may find yourself on the other side of success.

Lazy but purposeful.

Do lazy days make you feel rested or unproductive?

I have always struggled with rest days. Honestly, I rarely take rest days. This is both the case with my work schedule and fitness routine. Unfortunately the body has its limits, and I always try to push past them. As I mentioned in my post from yesterday, taking a rest day does not imply disaster will strike. Overworking in society has become a badge of honor. The reality is, it’s counterproductive, and unhealthy. Often times you’ll hear things like “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”, “no rest for the weary”, and “sleep is for those people who are broke.”

None of this is helpful. I understand the sentiment or message behind these catchphrases. Unfortunately they do more harm than good. We must learn to appreciate the ability to rest. Just because you’re resting does not mean you’re lazy. As I work towards recovering from overworking, these past few months, I suppose I will begin trying to hold a more objective perspective on rest and recovery. It might feel lazy or boring to rest, but it’s something that is important in order to keep moving forward. If you’re constantly sleep deprived, aching, and sore, you’re not going to get a damn thing accomplished. At best, you’ll be working half heartedly. What’s the point of “going hard” if the output is continually mediocre at best?

We must learn that it’s beneficial to rest fully, and then get back to work. We also must consider the circumstances of those who spread these “daily grind” messages and speeches. Half of these people are entrepreneurs, and they don’t engage in as much physical labor as the average worker. Which I understand that is the point, and purpose of entrepreneurship. However, working 80 hours a week as a roofer or assembly line worker, is not the same as someone spending 80 hours a week, in meetings, and approving design ideas, or checking on the people building the products.

Case in point, rest is vital for continued growth and development. When you hear someone touting the 80 hour workweek message, remember that the work they do is completely different than what you have to do. So, their 80 hour workweek might mean 50-60 hours for you. Even still, rest will be essential at some point. Otherwise you end up losing your life, all for the sake of “out working the competition”.

Rest and Venting.

If someone told me they were tired and worn out from work or other physical and mental activities, I’d simply tell them they need to stop what they are doing, and rest. Ironically I am tired and worn out from the physical demands of work. Yet I continue to work, more than ever before. The issue is survival mode and fear. However if you’re physically unable to keep going, you increase your chances of not surviving. This also exacerbates the feeling of fear. I suppose this is why the saying “work harder not smarter” gets tossed around as a key part of building and sustaining a better life over time.

The best thing I can do right now, is take a short break from everything. Allow my body to heal and move forward with more caution in terms of physical activities. Eliminating any unnecessary physical stress from my current schedule regardless of how uncomfortable it may feel. It’s so easy to sit here and type this out while failing to follow through on this simple advice.

In my mind if I slow down now, I’ll go back to living far too close to the edge. I’ll end up out of shape, overweight, dumber and lazier. Ergo lacking an ability to work hard and smart while squandering my time slot of physical strength. Eventually leading to a loss of everything I’m currently able to afford. Also jeopardizing the life of my partner because of my negligence. This is why the cycle continues and must stop.

There is nothing wrong with rest and recovery. Especially if it comes by way of overworking and stressing your body out on a weekly basis. The body will stop far before the mind does. I feel incredibly dumb having written this out. However, it is an attempt at me getting to the root cause. I’m not going to become homeless if I take a short vacation from work. I’m not going to blow up like a hot air balloon if I skip cardio for a few weeks. It will actually allow me to come back better, and more refreshed than I was before. If there’s anything you can learn from this random blog post, it’s to rest when the body gives you indications that it’s time to sit your ass down actually rest. 

The Simulation.

When one refrains from posting on social media, he or she might feel invisible or left out. Which is strange because you can walk outside and greet someone when they are walking by. You can visit family, or friends, and co-workers. You can strike conversations or respond to real life situations. Unfortunately we are far too entrenched in the depths of the internet to care as much about the real world. Perhaps our increased time spent on the web, is the real result of this idea that we live in a simulation. 

Opinionated Ignorance.

Often times we speak on fields we’re not directly involved in. This can make us seem arrogant, ignorant, and out of touch with reality. Why does this occur? I’m really not sure. I can think of two problems  that seem to exacerbate this issue, if I’m using a little common sense. 

1). Open Access to more information than ever before in human history. 

People may feel as if their ability to simply “look it up”, is a sign of prestige, and or critical thinking skills. They may feel like an extensive google search session is conducive to thorough research and understanding of a given topic. 

2). The crowd will often back you. 

It’s much easier to find people casually agreeing with whatever you say. They sometimes agree without an ounce of skepticism. In other instances, people are so stubborn  and contrarian that they fail to recognize when a piece of information is factual or when an argument has validity. Because of this they may dismiss an idea steepening their cognitive dissonance along the way. 

Is it necessary to bring ideas to the table in order to move humanity forward? Yes. However, we sometimes fail to distinguish the difference between facts and opinions. We also fail to understand that most things we speak on personally are beyond our intellect. 

What’s Most Important?

Stop confusing business with productivity. Far too often we think that motion is progress. In reality, we are stretched far too thin. We take in too many tasks, that don’t make sense for obtaining our long term goals. Do yourself a favor over the next 12 months, focus your energy and efforts. If it doesn’t move you towards your long term goals, cut it off and stop doing it. Focus only on what aligns with the life you want 5, 10, and 20 years from now. Because if you don’t you’ll end up where you don’t want to be. You’ll regret all of the time you wasted on trivial matters. You’ll try to blame others for the outcome. Again, if it doesn’t move you towards that goal you keep thinking about and working towards, let it go. 

Failure to Fail.

We don’t prepare to fail, but it happens. We don’t practice falling and breaking a bone. We don’t look forward to being made fun of by our own peers. When was the last time you decided to spend time focusing on how to act when disaster struck? Probably never.

You’ll still end up experiencing disaster at some point. The only way to be prepared for disaster is by having a plan that allows you to make it to tomorrow. Because in the moment, you’re failing and there’s no rule for how to reverse course   in an instant. In other words, get good at bouncing back from the hard times.

Write down what may have lead to the failure, and have a better sense of how to move forward after the fact. Even knowing how to manage failure doesn’t stop it from happening in real time. 

All the time.

Although it’s a figure of speech to “have all of the time in the world” there is some sense of truth there. How so? Because once you are old enough to make your own decisions, you get to choose what is done with your time. If you don’t like how things are, you can spend time thinking about and working on ways to change your habits and environment. If you’re fortunate you live long enough to make decisions that change where you end up and how you live. The point is, you can decide what to make of your life through actions and decisions that move you into your ideal direction. This time is being utilized regardless of if you act or not. 

Rating Up/Down-Grade.

I always find it amusing how quickly company ratings get tossed around in financial markets. The moment a company has a slight drop in earnings per share, or a revenue miss, the stock of the company gets downgraded.

More often than not days later, analysts will buy shares based on a given discount relative to the company’s historical value. Ergo driving the stock price up. Because of this, you’ll see other analysts begin updating their rating of the company to an upgrade. It’s clear that a lot of stock market valuations are subjective to individual investors and their own personal psychology. Are some investment ideas more obvious than others? Perhaps. Yet and still there are far too many moving parts to assume you’re always right or wrong. 

Day 1,157.

The writing streak continues but the analysis decreases. At the moment I’m simply reading through every book in my personal library. The goal is to simply finish every single book. This being the case the styles of books vary greatly. Some books I read and nothing comes to mind. Other instances I can’t stop thinking about counter arguments, or arguments ideas that align with whatever the authors were thinking at the time. Currently a few pages away from reading a book called “Sing to Me.” By Record executive, and songwriter Antonio L.A. Reid. He’s quite the story teller. However, the book hasn’t really challenged me in any specific way. I used to be obsessed with music, so it’s more like a fun way to get an overview of a major record executive’s experience in the music business. I may have a marketing book next on my list. Perhaps that will spark some questioning. For now I feel like I’m losing my ability to synthesize ideas, or think critically. However It’s more likely the sleep deprivation that creates cognitive impairment. 

Try anyway.

It’s probably easier to stop and give up than to keep pushing through difficulties. However imagining yourself on the other side of success is something that can motivate you to figure things out. 

Report Now Invest Later.

In finance there is an interesting scenario unfolding within the regulatory landscape of investing. There has been an interest in removing quarterly reporting from financial markets. Companies within the American stock exchanges (i.e, s&p500, The Dow Jones Industrial Average, & Nasdaq) have always been required to report and disclose quarterly earnings. This allows, professional and retail investors to make informed decisions on how to manage their investment portfolio’s. It also creates fair trading and investing opportunities and though it’s not always perfect, tried to prevent insider trading. This especially enabled a layer of protection between accredited and retail investors.

There could be many pros and cons to semiannual reporting this if signed off on by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Some pros are more cost efficient operations. If companies only have to report earnings twice a year instead of four, that’s more capital for research and development departments. This in turn creating more opportunities to increase productivity, margins, and possibly decrease the amount of scrutiny placed upon short term investment results. This could also enhance growth via a more concentrated workforce that has more time to devote to expanding business and improving the bottom line.

The cons could come from the auditing firms that are paid to compile company quarterly reports. Since documents like 10-Q’s and 8-k reports costs tens of thousands and in some cases, millions of dollars to draft, publish and distribute, it becomes clear that auditing firms lose a major source of income if this new rule change gets approved. If a drastic shift in income is the result of less frequent reporting, layoffs could be the result of this major adjustment in financial markets. There is also the possibility of increased market volatility, via the extended period between semiannual reports.

I suppose a silver lining for retail investors is the possibility of having to rely on a more long term investment approach. Because honestly, quarterly reports may seem more convenient, but they still don’t change one’s ability to think critically about how to deploy capital over long periods of time.

As for the auditing firms, they may be force to trim positions, and run a tighter budget for conducting business. Perhaps at some point they’ll try to account for the loss in quarterly revenue by increasing fees per reporting cycle. As for retail investors, they may not have enough patience to handle less transparency in markets. Regardless of whether they move forward with this strategy, investors will still need to possess the skills to ignore the noise, and focus on fundamental analysis. 

Informative Dissonance.

Myths and misinformation will create more problems than solutions. Far too often we get a piece of information and assume it’s accurate based on whether the source sounds reliable vs whether it actually is true or not. A good rule of thumb is to analyze the information you come across. Verify this information. From there, challenge the information and it’s built in assumptions. Cross reference this evidence  against previous data, and find the latest updated empirical findings to support the original piece of information you found. If you don’t do this, at some point, you’ll end up succumbing to the misinformation scattered throughout history. Running through this whole process might be a way to enhance critical thinking skills. 

The Persistent Fallacy.

Sometimes I misinterpret certain aspects of success. I think about what could be seen as a correlation between attempts at success and aptitude within the industry one chooses to pursue. When I say correlation, this is anecdotal and not empirical evidence of a concrete case. This is more like an opinionated thought experiment. What I’m trying to convey is the idea that trying more doesn’t mean you increase your odds of success. The people who often do well in an industry have prior aptitude for the skill set needed within that particular industry. The individual failing to realize they have no prior aptitude for a particular skill set, will blindly ignore the unsatisfactory results they obtain. This sometimes leading to a delusional belief that trying more will enhance their chances of success. The reality is, they are unable to make the distinction between actual aptitude, insufficient persistence.

The Great Dissonance.

If people are not reminded to think critically, they’ll simply delegate the task to someone else, or a piece of technology. I suppose being able to think critically allows you to understand reality. The ability to think critically can help you solve previously unresolved problems that held you back from achieving a given outcome. If we discard critical thinking as someone that can be delegated to machines, or other people, we’ll create an alarming level of cognitive dissonance. This cognitive dissonance will be the beginning of a societal collapse across the board. This is concerning psychologically, socially, and intellectually. 

Dig what I’m saying?

Sometimes it feels like life is composed of metaphorical ditch digging. Getting yourself out of one ditch, only to realize you’ve ended up in another one. It’s as if we were made to overcome difficulties on purpose. This is simply anecdotal information. It just makes sense when you think about what a good life might look like to someone who wants the best for themselves. No dream, goal, or opportunity is going to be handed to you freely. There will come a time when you must return the favor with blood, sweat and tears.

Once Again.

It is time to conduct more research. I’m finding it more difficult to formulate ideas and opinions that stem from the challenge of understanding information. Living on anecdotal experience doesn’t lead to good or better judgement by any means. All you do is muddy the waters when you assume and assert things, by way of mere speculation, without any empirical basis whatsoever. If I want to continue to develop my ability to think critically, I need to expose myself to factual information. The same way I did when I dove head first into the world of finance and stock investing.

Sleepless Productivity.

What skill would you like to learn?

I would love to learn how to remove the necessity of sleep. This way I could have maximal energy devoted to producing more output for the economy. Unfortunately sleep is a necessary part of the human condition.

Is critical thinking a thing of the past?

Is critical thinking going to cease to exist entirely?

The advent of large language models, and rampant social media usage has created a mental crutch for people across the world. If you no longer have to use your brain to formulate ideas, eventually you’ll become the poster child for ignorance. LLM’s and social media do have their place, and advantages. The most common are world wide connectivity, which is useful via social networks. As far as LLM’s go, it’s the digital assistant that can scale your idea generation. This is assuming you use it sparingly, for iterative purposes. Not just prompting it to write all of the code, or draft your business plan, and finish your homework.

It seems to be somewhat useful as an intellectual sparing tool. Even with that, LLM’s are still imperfect, and can easily lead users to believe their ideas are better than they seem. The simplest solution to what appears to be a decline in critical thinking is to stop using LLM’s entirely. Drastically reducing social media usage, and focusing on daily reading and writing. This forcing people to sit with, and think through their own ideas. Eventually having to conduct research, to compare and contrast whether what they think is merely an opinion, or a new synthesis of previous knowledge that could benefit others moving forward.

What’s concerning is the idea that people are already so far removed from the pre-LLM era that they’ll find it foreign to rely on their own judgment, and ability to process information. Everything will be delegated to a machine that tries to mimic human behavior but never can replicate that reality. Not to mention the issues of intellectual property, copyright laws, and the potential pitfalls of improper citing of sources that come from LLM outputs. Perhaps we are living in an intellectual doomsday era of human existence. Time will tell whether we use our brain for good or let them rot away as artificial intelligence takes the form of “real” intelligence.

Futile Financial Fate.

How much debt, and subsidizing can we incur as a country, without self-destruction? It appears to be the case, that there is always underlying risk within the system of fiscal, and monetary policy. If you continue to borrow more than you can afford to pay back, the individual, or institution on the other side of the transaction has to account for your delinquency. Some people might argue that the U.S. prints its own money, so we’re unlikely to default on our debt. However, the newly printed money, dilutes the value of every other dollar that is currently in circulation.

This leading to more dollars chasing few goods, and inflationary circumstances. Not to mention the continuation of subsidizing goods and services, despite newly printed money. Whether it’s tax payers footing the bill, or a redistribution of funds, from one pocket to another, the cost becomes more widespread, and unsustainable in the long run. 

1,148.

This is how many days I’ve woken up and written something down digitally. It’s a great way to practice writing and critical thinking. Unfortunately it’s also an obligation that can be crippling at times. Maintaining a streak for the sake of never intending to break it creates unnecessary stress and anxiety. Everyday you wake up realizing it’s time to produce something. Whether it’s profound, or pitiful, it must be done in order to ensure the streak continues. Some days are met with improvement, and efficiency. On other occasions, it’s simply a vow I try to keep regardless of how much I want to stop and never do it again.

The benefits of writing everyday and never skipping a day, is the ability to think. Formulating ideas, and working through what you don’t yet understand. At some point you become bound by the fear of breaking this cycle, and losing the internal game you’ve created.

Maybe I’ll stop and move on with the rest of my life. Perhaps I’ll work towards 2,000 or 4,000 or 6,000 days straight. I don’t know exactly how long I’ll keep it going, and ultimately if it will be worth. All I know is, it forces me to use my brain, and master a single habit. Is there something you practice every single day without ever skipping over it?

Critical or Excessive?

This morning I was going to write about my opinion on a peer reviewed article. However I began to question my own motive behind this decision. The purpose of giving my opinion was simply, to try and critically evaluate a particular outcome that occurs within research methodologies. Unfortunately as I thought through this process, I realized how much of a fool I was going to make of myself.

More often than not, we give opinions based on anecdotal ignorance. In other words, a lot of ideas are communicated based on feelings, ideologies and, social economic status, or upbringing. These ideas which are more akin to opinions are not backed by facts and figures. Because of this, we tend to make inferences and assertions that have almost no empirical basis whatsoever to support our own conclusions.

If this is the case, we cease to improve our understanding of reality. This gets repeated and passed on to future generations. It becomes an echo chamber of ignorance. This ignorance eventually gets touted as a form of truth. However it’s not truth. It’s actually an opinion that is based upon ideas that suit the narrative of the individual or individuals that initiated and dispersed the original idea.

Some people might classify this as overthinking. Others will see critical thinking occurring in real time. All of this being apparent, how does one draw the line between critical thinking, based on empirical evidence, and formulating an opinion based solely upon one’s personal beliefs? 

Not Much Time.

How many days are left in your life? Being that you have no clue, you might want to get busy doing whatever it is you need to do. Remove regret with execution of ideas. 

Prioritize Top Actions.

Productivity is great unless you’re working on the wrong things. Perhaps a lot of us spend time on things that don’t lead to progression towards our top goal. We just assume that more  unnecessary action means better outcomes. When you think about working towards a goal break it down. Look at what actions create the highest return on investment of your time. Eliminate everything else that is below that rate of return. This is one way to genuinely try increasing your productivity in life. 

2 Things.

Once you’re born, two things in life are predetermined. 

1). At some point you leaving this earth.

2). Before you leave this earth, you’re going to struggle. 

Stop getting caught up in how you compare to others. Do what needs to be done in order to overcome and manage the struggle. 

Renowned Lessons.

Meeting a variety of new people allows you to learn from their experience without as much risk involved in pursuing your own journey. You get to hear about how they started, where there are, and sometimes can determine where they will finish. 

More often than not the lessons are always the same. The timing, or intensity of each lesson are two things that will always seem to differ, person to person. 

What are some of these lessons?

Save as much money as you can. Invest the difference in the stock market and career/personal development.

Financially retirement is inevitable. Make sure your nest egg is growing and full.

Marry the right person who will also want to marry you. 

Get educated, and stay educated.

Love your family while they are here.

Enjoy your youth. 

Be grateful to grow old.

Take care of your health.

Hire someone who’s better at it than you.

You are the company you keep.

Failure is a part of the process. Embrace it. 

Evolve or become stagnant.

Keep an open mind.

Don’t judge a book. (You know the rest). 

Work hard while you have the energy. 

Help others realize their dreams if you really want to live a good life. 

Study your craft.

It’s okay to be obsessed. 

If you find true love hold on for dear life, because it comes once. Twice if you’re lucky.

Laugh more. 

Do more so you’ll regret less.

Time is nonrefundable. 

These lessons and many more will be recycled, and repeated until the end of time. Use them wisely. 

Absurdity in Consistency.

Some days I want to skip writing. However I have a compulsion to keep this unnecessary streak going. While I continue to think about the purpose and meaning of life, reality reminds me that, nothing is forever. It’s okay to dream, and plan. However meaning can be derived from the significance of our actions. The actions we take make life better or worse for those around us. This doesn’t really make this writing important or substantial in any meaningful way. It’s just another excuse to maintain an absurd level of consistency.

Finish what you start.

There seems to be nothing nagging me at the moment. Often times my most intense writing comes from being bothered by an unsolved problem or query. Unfortunately I’m focused on reading every book in my library. Why? Because there are books that have collected dust for years. Books I’d forgotten I purchased. Books I lost interest  in after a few pages or a single chapter. This being the case I’ve decided to finish them. This will stop me from compulsively buying books based on the direction of my interests, research, and what I might call writing.

Freedom’s Illusion.

Freedom appears to be an illusion. Freedom is more akin to a concept as opposed to someone’s reality. What do I mean by this? Freedom is the ability to act, speak, and behave without restrictions or consequences. This seems to imply that how we conduct ourselves in society is independent of any cause and effect mechanisms. This doesn’t seem to be an absolute idea in terms of freedom. There are and always will barriers within society. Whether these barriers are direct or indirect, doesn’t negate their inherent power.

In other words, freedom in this case becomes conditional. The implications of something being conditional, seems to exhibit a set of constraints. A quick and simple example might be a CEO who becomes politically driven to screen out customers that don’t suit his ideological position. This is an extreme example. However this CEO would be creating a barrier between large groups of customers. Word would spread, and eventually sales would drop off. A prolonged outcome might be a decline in reputation, funds, and whatever else held up the enterprise. This is an overly broad and erratic way to illustrate how boundaries appear to eliminate this idea of freedom. 

A Productivity Course.

Something useful in schools would be a course on productivity. If it doesn’t already exist. It could help students understand how to get the most out of life. You’d learn the importance of proper sleep and nutrition, to create the energy needed for sustained productivity. You’d learn how to prepare for and work at high paying jobs in order to fund daily life. You’d understand the tax and economic advantages of starting and running a business. You’d learn the difference in structuring your business via self employment, limited liability corporation, or through LLP’s, S-Corps and C-Corps.

You’d learn how to be resourceful. How to find a proper romantic partner, and how to create a zero based budget every single month. This course would essentially teach you the most important life skills needed to succeed in this world. The sad truth is, this may never happen. Luckily we have a ton of information available to become self taught on these specific topics. 

Complain to Remain Insane.

Complaining about your misfortune doesn’t help fix it. You have to actually take action. Meaning, decide what’s wrong. Figure out how this happened. Come up with multiple solutions to fix the problem. Pick the solution that is most likely to solve the problem. Rinse and repeat for the rest of your problems. Sometimes we get stuck step one because we may receive sympathy from others. Sympathy is not synonymous to solutions. Write the problem down. Write the solution down. Take every action needed to solve it. That’s it. 

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Hurt People.

Is it too much if people operate with their unfiltered views on life? Probably. There’s a time and place for everything. I just wonder if people will ever be mature enough to have opposing opinions while understanding that it’s okay to disagree about things. It just shouldn’t be used as a way to hurt others.