⏱️ Want success? Do this.

I. The difference between those who experience success and those who do not is simple: doing what many people know, but few people actually practice.

Successful people consistently apply the fundamentals. Which means success is available to anyone; it’s only a matter of choice.

Yes, talent does matter to a degree, but far less than most people think. It’s easy to dismiss someone else’s success as a result of talent so we can excuse our own lack of success not as a failure of effort, but as something outside our control.

You can become better at almost anything simply by practicing the fundamentals.

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II. Some strategies for helpful self-talk:

If you need confidence, speak to yourself like you would to a close friend.

If you need persistence, speak to yourself like a coach would to an athlete.

If you need encouragement, speak to yourself like a parent would to their child.

If you need clarity, speak to yourself like a wise mentor.

I. Kim Gordon on why you should go for it:

“People pay to see others believe in themselves.”

II. Edward St. Aubyn on friendship:

“They had drifted apart, as people do when they promise to stay in touch; the ones who are going to stay in touch don’t need to promise.”

The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle

A book about what makes strong teams and groups. The book is divided into three sections, and I particularly enjoyed the first two. The final section was intended to be more practical, codifying the themes of the book, but I found it too instructional. It’s hard to stay engaged when you're given too many tactics to implement for building better, stronger teams.

The first two sections focused more on what differentiates good cultures, teams, and organizations from bad ones. The stories were interesting, and the content was thought-provoking.

I also appreciated how the book highlights our tendency to overinflate the importance of talent. What matters most are the right practices; the right environment and disciplines can turn many average performers into high performers. This book does give you things to think about.

Overall, I did enjoy the book, though the last section knocked my rating down a bit.

7/10

Distraction versus busyness, the implications of the Genesis story regarding good and evil, the cultural analysis of urban development and parking, and a review of the book The Five Types of Wealth.

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

P.S. Never break character…