⏱️ How to increase your willpower

I. When you remove God from the picture, you cannot claim that humans have rights, as many secular and progressive people insist.

A castle built in the sky.

There is no objective foundation to build that statement upon. It makes you feel good to say it.

But good vibes don’t make something true.

———————-

II. The best way to increase your willpower is not by trying to somehow increase your willpower, but by decreasing the friction in your environment.

If things feel too hard to do, you’re much less likely to do them. Even if the friction is minimal and seems silly, if it gets in your way, it’s a big deal.

If the most annoying part of packing your lunch is making it in the morning, and so you eat out for lunch too often, pack your lunch at night when you aren’t so rushed.

If the biggest issue you have with going to the gym is the three extra minutes out of the way it is, and for whatever reason that bugs you, join the gym that is three minutes closer.

If the primary reason you don’t eat better is because the healthier food you have is on the bottom of the pantry (instead of at eye level) or in the back of the fridge (behind the leftover takeout), be sure to keep the healthier food in easy-to-see and grab places.

Whatever friction is getting in the way of you doing the thing, even if the friction seems ridiculous to an outside observer, reduce the friction.

Less friction = more willpower.

I. Author Toni Morrison on the importance of self-awareness:

“This is my work. I have to take full responsibility for doing it right as well as doing it wrong. Doing it wrong isn’t bad, but doing it wrong and thinking you’ve done it right is."

II. Author Leo Tolstoy not living on the praise of others:

“If you care too much about being praised, in the end, you will not accomplish anything serious.”

The Ai-Driven Leader by Geoff Woods

A book about integrating AI (think ChatGPT or equivalent) into your business or organization.

This book delivered on the title, but it also added to it in ways that took away from the book a little. Especially in the second half of the book, it was almost as much a business leadership book as much as a book on AI, which I didn't find as helpful.

If you are a senior leader in an organization or simply want to learn more about how to use AI, this book will be really helpful. It is a bit bloated (given the business leadership stuff), but still helpful.

If you have not read much on AI, I think you'll also be surprised to find out how the ways it can help you. There are a number of prompts I have highlighted that I am looking forward to using, and am glad I read the book.

Yet, the book could have been shorter, given the extra stuff that wasn't related to the topic. But again, if you have not read much on AI and want to learn some practical uses, I would recommend this book. If I hadn't read a bit on AI already, I would have given a higher rating.

7/10

The problem with empathy, the benefits of rebuke, and the secret to good grades in school.

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

P.S. When you get injured on the job but you’re at home…