Welcome to the Saturday Success Series inaugural email!
In this edition we’ll have our weekly standards:
Five to Focus On
Master Yourself
Master Your Money
Weekly Special
The goal here is maximum value, so let’s get to it.
Oh, by the way, if you’re feeling generous, please share this newsletter with a friend.
Five to Focus on:
In a noisy world, it’s hard to know what’s good out there. Let me help.
Quote to ponder: “Clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not.” - Cal Newport
Stock to consider: META (Roundhill Ball Metaverse ETF). META is a passively-managed ETF investing in globally-listed equities spanning various industries, all relating to what it defines as a future iteration of the internet Metaverse. The ETF is invested heavily in the technology and communications sectors. Which, seems pretty fitting, all things considered. I own 40 shares as of today, with plans to purchase more. No dividend. Expense ratio is .75%.
Book to read: Three Days at the Brink by Brett Baier. Brett doesn’t write like the shit your 10th grade AP teacher made you read. This tale weaves around FDR, Churchill and Stalin masterfully. And it’s crazy to sit back and think “this didn’t really happen that long ago”. We’re talking less than 100 years.
Show to enjoy: Dopesick on Hulu. If you haven’t tuned in yet, you really need to. This is a very well-done, very smart limited series that breaks down how the opioid crisis came to be. It’ll make you sick and make you think. And there’s Michael Keaton.
Beer to sip: Mad Elf Grand Cru from Troegs. Skip Thanksgiving and start getting ready for Christmas a little earlier. It’s a whopping 11% ABV, so a one and done type deal. Unless you don’t mind your family (and your liver) judging you more than usual. This bad boy is best for cherry lovers.
Master Yourself:
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
Not an original idea, but a very important one.
I told my girlfriend this in reference to the kids and discipline. But it really extends everywhere.
The idea was to mean what you say and follow through with discipline so that your kids learn to believe you. This obviously helps short term with their behavior but also long term because it let’s them believe you when you tell them good things about themselves.
This concept also helps us set boundaries. When I tell you no and I mean it and stand by it, you learn not to push. You learn that I mean what I say the first time, so you don’t need to bug me 10 more times with the same nonsense.
This also extends to your internal message. Say what you mean. Don’t beat around the bush. Find a way to simply and directly say what you mean/need/want. Be honest, with yourself and those around you.
Master Your Money:
Don’t be one of those people who buys sh*t like the 19 dollar polishing cloth Apple is selling.
Good marketing will trick you into parting with money that you can’t really afford to part with.
Objects almost never make us ‘actually’ happy. Save and invest your money instead so you can pay for things like nice vacations with your family and a home with a beautiful view.
Those things will bring you joy for years.
Weekly Special:
How to Become a Professional Brain Athlete in 12 Steps
Athletes fuel their bodies. Their body is their moneymaker. So they know they need to take care of it like it’s a Lambo.
Your moneymaker is going to be your mind. So you need to fuel it properly.
Here are the easiest ways to do just that:
Knowledge.
Read. Take online courses. Listen to YouTube during your commute. Get a mentor. Learn an instrument. Keep learning and stretching your mind.
Positivity.
Seek the silver lining. Look for nice things to say about others. Reframe everything in a positive light- even bad things are learning opportunities for example.
Classical music.
Sounds particularly good on vinyl, but YouTube through your laptop speakers will do too.
Social interaction.
Humans are social creatures. We need to socialize to stay sane and happy. Make time for friends, partners, family and co-workers.
Laughter.
It releases tension and enhances cognitive function. It also feels nice.
Orgasms.
See ‘Laughter’. Also, it increases blood flow in the brain like crazy. (that’s a good thing)
Self talk.
Catch your negative self-talk and stop it in its tracks. Speak as well to yourself as you would to someone you loved.
Visualization.
Visualize how you want your day, your life, your relationship (anything!) to turn out- do it in the morning when you wake up, when you’re in the shower, before bed.
Physical activity.
Walking, jogging, weight lifting, sports, etc. Just make sure you’re moving your body daily.
Nutrition.
Salmon, nuts, dark chocolate, turmeric, coffee, leafy greens, eggs and green tea stand out as true brain food.
Supplements like fish oil, DMAE and l-theanine may help as well.
Sleep.
7–9 hours a night. Yes, even if you think you don’t have time or don’t need it. Naps are powerful too…keep them to 15–30 minutes between 1–3pm though.
Fluids.
Like an ounce for every 2lbs of weight. So, a 200 pound person is drinking 100 ounces of fluids per day. Water, tea, coffee…just skip the sugars and creams.
Okay, so some of these seem very “duh”…except chances are you’re not doing them. You know about them, you’ve heard they work…but you still don’t do it.
Thanks for reading and if you found this valuable, please share with someone who could use it. See you next Saturday!
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