Check In, Measure, Imitate

1.

Once every 4-6 months I like to check in and remind myself that you can spend your days collecting every productivity, mindset, or personal growth hack known to man, but if you are not self aware enough in the present moment to use them you are just performing mental masturbation. It is the equivalent to running on a treadmill or swimming in one of those endless pools. It feels like real work, takes the same amount of time and discipline as the real work, when you talk to others about it they will see it as real work, but at the end of the day when you finish you haven't moved an inch. At the risk of doing the exact opposite of what I just said, I'm going to give you some of the methods I have been trying out lately to make sure I'm running on pavement not plastic.

2.

If someone wrote down exactly what you did today, how you acted, what work you got done, etc., and had you read it as if it was about someone else, what would you think of that person's output? By focusing on the external outputs you can measure the real work being done, not the subjective experience of doing it. Oftentimes when the subjective experience is difficult or uncomfortable we think that the work has more value. Much like running a sprint on a treadmill, it actually is very difficult but that doesn't change the fact that you didn't move forward. Just because the task is hard for us doesn't mean that its utility or value has increased. On the other hand, subjective experience matters to us as individuals. It is arguably just as important as the physical work being done. If you come from the perspective of personal enjoyment of life, not just productivity, the subjective experience is all there is. In order to make sure you are using your tools to help this aspect of your life, you can look back to last week's post. How long does it take you to return to baseline and is it becoming easier to do so?

3.

George Mack wrote this great short essay on agency that he put out a few weeks ago that I cannot recommend enough. In it he asks you a question to help you figure out who is the highest agency person in your life. “ You wake up in a 3rd world jail cell. You’re only allowed to call one person you know to get you out of there. Who do you call?”. What would they do in the situation you are in and what would they think of your gut reaction? I've found that this is a good question to ask that usually points me in the right direction when I'm not seizing the opportunity to use one of my tools.

Cool Guys From History:

Willie Sutton aka “Slick Willie” was one of the most creative and successful bank robbers of the 20th century. He was the real life representation of the gentlemen thief, he was well dressed, ingenious in his plans, and was the source material for robbers in Hollywood films in the years following his death. He was known for being polite and respectful when conducting his robberies with one victim even saying that it was “like being at the movies, except the usher had a gun”. This movie like persona is best exemplified by his answer to the question, “why do you rob banks?”. “Because that’s where the money is”, you can imagine this as a scene in a movie, the camera zooming in on his face after delivering the line. He was also known for escaping jail multiple times. The first time was in 1932 after being convicted of assault and robbery just under a year prior. He smuggled a gun into the prison and held a guard hostage. Using the guard as a shield he grabbed his makeshift wire ladder and escaped over the prison wall. The next was in 1947 from Holmesburg Prison where he and his compatriots tied up guards and stole their uniforms. They then placed a ladder up on the wall to climb over. The watchtower was scanning the wall and shined its light on Willie, allegedly when asked what he was doing he replied quickly “It’s okay, we just have to make some repairs” and was not questioned any farther. He was captured for the last time in 1952. That year he was placed on the FBI’s most wanted list, quite the honor for a thief. His love for expensive clothes which was well known by law enforcement lead to his picture being given to every high end tailor in NYC. This was ultimately his downfall as a tailor’s son recognized him on the subway, followed him to a local gas station, and called the police. He was arrested shortly their after. His legacy survives through his two books, “I, Willie Sutton” which he wrote in prison and “Where the Money Was”. In addition “Sutton’s Law” is taught in medical and business schools across the globe. Sutton’s Law states that you should focus on the most obvious and likely explanation/solution first. When you think of old school cool, this is who should come to mind.