⏱️ Finishing isn't the hard part

I. We often think the hardest thing to do is finish.

In reality, the hardest is often just showing up and starting.

While pushing through the discomfort and grinding it out is needed at times, what’s more needed is showing up when no one is watching and taking small steps each day.

The real challenge is staying consistent on the days you’d rather skip.

The difference between an intense workout and a less intense workout is much smaller than the difference between a less intense workout and not working out at all.

As long as you get started, you’ve crossed the biggest barrier.

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II. It’s better to focus on your likes than your wants.

Wanting happens before you act. Liking comes after you’ve followed through. Let the joy of what you like shape what you choose.

I. Randy Pausch on how to apologize:

“A good apology is like an antibiotic, a bad apology is like rubbing salt in the wound.”

II. Mariam Paré, a mouth-painting artist who adapted after a spinal cord injury, shares the advice she would give her younger self:

“If I could talk to myself twenty years ago, I would tell myself to focus on my strengths, and not on my weaknesses; on the things I could do and not the things I couldn’t do; to strive to excel and hone those skills to the point of excellence. That this was the best strategy to secure my future. I would say to myself that the only real obstacles you have are those you create for yourself.”

The Familiar Stranger by Tyler Staton

A book about the Holy Spirit.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The first part felt somewhat repetitive for me, likely because I’ve read other books on the Holy Spirit over the years. That said, the rest of the book was encouraging and enjoyable to read.

It wasn’t necessarily a page-turner (to be fair, a book like this isn’t meant to be), but it was accessible and easy to follow. I was refreshed by the stories shared and appreciated the humility with which it was written. I’m glad I read it.

It’s hard to rate a book like this. It’s a somewhat niche topic, and it’s not necessarily meant to be life-changing, but it does accomplish what the title and subtitle set out to do.

The tone is very pastoral, and I’d recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the Holy Spirit: who He is and how to pursue Him.

7.5/10

I share the need for courage over more information when pursuing personal growth. The call to active participation in church, the societal effects of divorce, and insights from Peter Leithart’s books on the unity of the Old and New Testaments.

You can watch the show on my YouTube channel or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

P.S. When someone points out I was wrong…