Agency

Body keeps the score

Agency is the technical term. for the feeling of being in Charge

Of your life:

knowing where you stand 

knowing  that you have a say in what happens to you.

knowing that you have some ability in

Shaping your Circumstances.

Agency Strts worth What Scientists Call -

Interoception - Our Awareness of Subtle Sensory, Body-based feelings - 

The greater the awareness, the greater the potential

 to control our lives. 

knowing what we feel  - is the first step to  knowing why we feel this way

If we are aware of the constant Changes in our 

Inner and outer environment, we can mobilize to manage them .

But we can't do that Unless our Watchtower (medial pre-frontal cortex) 

Learns to observe what is going on inside us! 

This is why mindfulness practice which strengthens the MPFC

is a cornerstone of recovery from trauma! 

Become a value creator

 Become a value creator 

Dan Koe

Value creator is someone who has intention behind their inputs and outputs.

They treat their life like a science project.

They identify their own problems.

They educate themselves with the infinite resources available to them on the internet.

They test the solution on themselves and distribute their experiences with writing.

They package up the most helpful and streamlined solutions in the form of a product or service.

That is how they make a living by living with purpose

Becoming a creator is the cure for overconsumption.

Writing is the vessel for distributing value.

I write on all platforms. I don’t care to compete with images of my fancy car or lifestyle. I gain a deep sense of fulfillment by using the internet as not only a place to curate good thoughts, but to organize them and share them with others with the ultimate upside of doing what I enjoy for a living. Something that’s in my control.

This isn’t about becoming famous.

This isn’t about building a massive following.

This is about distributing the value you have to offer in a place that can reach anyone with the opportunities that will change your life and career.

Art and Spirit

 Art and Spirit

Vincent Van Gogh

The letters of a Post-impressionist

The fact remains that we ainters are 

Living in the midst of reality.

And that we should breathe our spirit into

Our creations as long as weourselves

Continue to breathe! 

On Creativity

On Creativity

Vincent Van Gogh

The letters of a Post-impressionist

I really don't know how I paint.

Armed with a white panel I take ip a position in front of the spit that interests me

Contemplate what lies before me

And sat to musefl

That white panel must be turned into something

Dissatisfied with my work i  return home 

Put my panel out of sight,

And after taking a little rest

Go back to my work

Almost with qualms to see what it looks like

But even then I am not satisfied

For glorious nature is still , Too vividly stamped on my mind

Nevertheless,  I find in my work a certain reverberations 

of that which fascinated me

I know that Nature told me something

That she spoke to me

And thay I took down her message in a shorthand

Perhaps my stenographic script contains words that are undecipherable

Be like there are faults and omissions  in it too

Still i may possess something that the wood, the beach or the figure said;

And this is never in a tame or conventional language that did not spring from Nature herself!

Busyness

 

Vincent Van Gogh

The letters of a Post-impressionist

I prefer a piece of work that is a failure to inactivity

We shall not have to wait very long 

Before that we are producing will have become important! 

Artwork

 Artwork : 

The ability to produce artwork is 

nothing but the ability to go through the “Pain”

To produce a “painting” out of “White Canvas” 

While being sufficiently excited to carry on relentlessly 

despite the disappointing outcomes of the Artwork produced! 

Jerry Seinfeld on Humor

My notes from Success without Stress: Interview of Jerry Seinfeld with Bob Roth

“ A lot of stand-up is analogies” 

“If you are fatigued, you look for cookies! Cookies attack you! 

“You are two personalities in one! The night guy in you wants to enjoy! Morning guy in you wants you to work! “

Hardest laugh to get is the first one . so you need to ensure it is 100% success . And put all the rest of jokes later

I do TM  before every stand-up act. Because you have to be relaxed and you have to have energy

You need to look confident, smooth - “seem to know what you are doing”

Stand-up is a physical act : Physical challenge - I have to push this “mass of meat” - 4000 people to make them laugh! 

Every successful joke has one element - a surprise - Line of logic going one-way and suddenly logic falls - It doesn't make any sense  - but it does! 

Stand-up is scientific in a way - you put 500 jokes in a hopper - 25 come out as great jokes; 

All sales require energy; Stand-up is sales; I have to push you; Stand-up is martial arts Like breaking the bricks - in using: Voice, Gesture, and Concentration of energy - to elicit laughs - 

 

Transcendental Meditation

My notes from Success without Stress: Interview of Jerry Seinfeld with Bob Roth

Practice transcendental meditation twice a day for 20 minutes

J.S: “You have a cell phone and somebody gives you a charger;

TM is like that

you can get to 100% whenever you want!”

Life is exhausting

People say Mind and Body - I dont seperate both!

Have you looked at your bed in the morning! It’s not sleep ! its war!

so do a TM session in the morning right after waking up!

I like writing! but writing is exhausting!

You are on the road - you stop for gas - The car and yourself need a break!

Why don't I just stop for 15 minutes or so

you just want to recharge yourself, your car!

but most people keep going despite being Tired!

Tired is not something I tolerate!

So I do TM twice a day - once in the morning and once around 1:00 PM

"I love Energy - more than anything!

Thats why I am so enthusiastic about TM

Putting in a phenomenal day's work is way better than getting a chunk of money you didn't expect"

“TM is free subscription to "Limitless Energy" within!”

"I am 60 years old (at the time of the interview). I am in ShowBiz and running a family of 3 Kids - Homework, going out!

I should really be running out of gas! "

TM gives access to "Infinite Energy" within!

TM allows like : waves of surface of Ocean to quieten it : like in the depth of the Ocean

Authors

Jerry Seinfeld      

Ego and Spirit

 

Love!

I have struggled with Love given the touch-feely stuff that it involves! 

until i read the true definition of Love below: 

Love is not affectionate feeling,

but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good

as far as it can be obtained! 

C S Lewis

Be a teacher

Even if you are not a teacher

be a teacher
Share your ideas
Do not take for granted your education
Rejoice in what you learn and spray it!

Authors

Tim Minchin       

Respect People

Tim Minchin 

I have in the past made important decisions

about people I work with
agents and producers
Big decisions are based largely on How they treat the
wait staff in the restaurant we are meeting!
I don't care, if you are the most powerful
cat in the room

I will judge you on how you treat the least powerful!

Success

 

Success and Fame are by-products

Fame is nothing but the clapping of Hands and clacking of tongues
Marcus Aurelius

Fame is the excrement of creativity - Bruce Dickinson
Its the shit that comes out in the backend
Its a by-product of it!

so chasing fame is not only recally worth it
but you dont get to by chasing it either

An audience, a reputation ,fame
these are lagging indicators of years of making stuff
that people like and ge to know throoug
its the by-product of Doing the Work!

Authors

Ryan Holiday       

Focus on whats in your control

 Bruce Dickinson

Lead Singer
Iron Maiden

We have our field
and we've got to plough it
and thats it!

What's going on in the next field is
of no interest to us

We can only plough one field at a time -

Ryan Holiday-
You've have your own ceiling and its own floor
You should be comfortable with that!

Authors

Bruce Dickinson

Ryan Holiday       

How to live your day!

 How to live your day!

Jonathan Clements 

Humble dollar.com

I am determined to make the most of

Everyday, 

It's an attitude I recommend to readers

One- I'd encourage to embrace now-

Rather than wait for a dire medical prognosis 

Over Prepared!

Over prepare 

@danmurrayserter

I've noticed a pattern among all

 the succesful people I've met

They're always overprepared -!

It' doesn't matter what they're doing -

A presentation ,a negotiation,

even Casual conversation-

they've thought it through .

Planned it ahead and

Anticipated potential challenges .

Now don't get me wrong

They don't always make it look like

 they've put in the work-

But this is the beauty of being prepared! 

Behind the Scenes they have done their research 

practiced their lives

And considered every possible scenario -

It's that extra effort!

It's that attention to details!

What A DAY! Ah!

What A DAY! Ah!

Henry David Thoreau 

If the day and Night are such That you greet them with Joy,

and life emits fragrance like flowers and Scented-heb herbs,

Is more elastic !

More Starry!

More immortal !

That is your success!

Writing Habit!

Dickie Bush 

@dickiebush

The most powerful habit you can develop is writing every day for 90 minutes.

It helps me think clearly. My morning writing time is a “container” to process whatever is happening in my life. Business, health, relationships, everything—I can only fully understand what’s going on once I’ve distilled it into writing. So my goal is to do some kind of distillation every morning—whether it’s journaling, writing up plans for me & my team, or talking about ideas I’m interested in (that readers would find interesting as well). Another huge upside to writing every day.

Efficacy : Doing the Right Things!

 By : 

Tim Ferriss

@tferriss

Personally, I suck at efficiency (doing things quickly). Here’s my coping mechanism and 8-step process for maximizing efficacy (doing the right things): 1) Wake up at least 1 hour before you have to be at a computer screen. E-mail is the mind killer. 2) Make a cup of tea (I like pu-erh) and sit down with a pen/pencil and paper. 3) Write down the 3-5 things — and no more — that are making you most anxious or uncomfortable. They’re often things that have been punted from one day’s to-do list to the next, to the next, to the next, and so on. Most important usually = most uncomfortable, with some chance of rejection or conflict. 4) For each item, ask yourself: – “If this were the only thing I accomplished today, would I be satisfied with my day?” – “Will moving this forward make all the other to-do’s unimportant or easier to knock off later?” 5) Look only at the items you’ve answered “yes” to for at least one of these questions. 6) Block out at least 2-3 hours to focus on ONE of them for today. Let the rest of the urgent but less important stuff slide. It will still be there tomorrow. 7) TO BE CLEAR: Block out at least 2-3 HOURS to focus on ONE of them for today. This is ONE BLOCK OF TIME. Cobbling together 10 minutes here and there to add up to 120 minutes does not work. 8) If you get distracted or start procrastinating, don’t freak out and downward spiral; just gently come back to your ONE to-do. Congratulations! That’s it.

Shovel Sand:

Author: @levelsio

  My dad's advice helped me a lot when I was depressed and my life was falling apart 10 years ago

“If you're depressed: go outside, get a big pile of sand and a shovel. Then haul the sand to the other side. Don't sit still but just go do something and take action" So 10 years ago, I did that but digitally, I started my project 12 startups in 12 months, just to get my own type of shovel and start hauling sand and do something Every time I've mentioned my dad's quote I've seen it pop up on random blogs, startup sites and even memes made about it

On Strategy

 Jeff Bezos says about strategy in one of his talks that I paraphrase here:

Strategy should be about things that don't change with time;
For example, In 10 years, I know that Customers still want low-priced product to be delivered quickly!
I can't foresee a scenario otherwise!
Then our strategy should be based on what we know that won't change and is in our control: 

Low price and Quicker delivery!

Morgan Housel, in his seminal book, The Psychology of Money, talks about this :

in the context of personal finance: 
you can think of below strategy:

1. Have a High-savings rate
2. Patience (Shut-up and Wait!)

For example, investing money in a low-cost Index fund for decades on end, 

and leaving the money alone to compound is an approach for wealth creation;
No circus whatsoever!

So: Strategizing is simple: Look for what is not going to change and build it backward!

Authors

Jeff Bezos

Morgan Housel       

Indifference

 You come to understand that most people

are neither for you nor against you;
They are thinking about themselves;
you learn that no matter how hard
you try to please ,
some people in this world are not
going to love you !

A lesson : that is at first troubling and then quite relaxing !

Authors

John W Gardner       

Life!

 Life is an endless unfolding, 

and if we wish it to be

an endless process of self-discovery

an endless and unpredictable dialogue

between our potentialities - and life situations-

in which we find ourselves.

The purpose is to grow and develop

in the dimensions that distinguish

Humankind at its best!

There is no final and permanent triumph to Life!

Authors

John W Gardner       

3 Hobbies for Life

One that makes you Smart!

One that makes you Wealthy!

One that makes you Fit!

Authors

@psychewizard       

On Writing!

After you write your Draft

Evauate each sentence:
1. If its necessary ,
2. Then , If its necessary
then 

• is it correct?
• is it complete?
• Is it Intense?

Authors

Paul Graham

Heaven!

 The false society of Men-

for earthly greatness

all heavenly comforts rarefies into Air

-Chapman

My note:
If you want to thrive in earthly affairs for "greatness"
Heaven is not for you-
rather
if you are prepared to suffer - going through pains-
for a cause larger than Self
Heaven awaits you!

Authors

Henry David Thoreau       

Division of Labor

Henry David Thoreau

Walden

Where is the division of Labor to end?

and what object does it finally serve?

there is some of the same fitness in a man
building his own house
that there is in a bird building its own nest -

Who knows - but if man constructed their dwellings-
with their own hands
and provided food for themselves and families
simply and honestly enough
the poetic faculty would be fully developed
as birds universally sing
when they are so engaged!

My note:
Most Humans in their quest for mere quantity,  merely became a bean-counter!
Division of labor works for the most to make it faster and higher !
but in the process, the artful zest is lost!
and as a result , Human lost his zest for quality - beauty inherent to their craft and art!
A few who managed to retain beauty in their work , rise up !

Authors

Henry David Thoreau       

What Sells?

What Sells?

Vincent Van Gogh

Below Van Gogh, the famous painter talks about the Craft-work,

How it really works 

"But to work with a view to sell,

is in my opinion,

not the proper way ,

neither should we consider the taste of the art-lover

- the great painters never did so!

For the sympathy, that sooner or later rewarded their efforts,

they had to thank only their own Honesty!

This is all I know about it , and I do not believe

that I require to know any more! 

To work in order to find people who will appreciate one,

and in order to kindle love in them, 

is a very different thing,

and naturally a very right one too! 

But nothing of the nature of a speculation

should be attempted,

for this might turn out wrong;

and then much time would have been spent in vain!  "

This is a sentiment that many a crafts-men share ; 

William Zinnser, who wrote the famous book : On Writing Well: says this about Writing:

“Many folks ask me about how to write stuff, that sells in the market! 

I always say to them , I don't know what sells in the market!

But I do know that if you write well and bring your uniqueness to your writing,

People look forward to it and you may sell “

How to attain your Goal!

 How to attain your goal -sooner or later?

A lesson from Vincent Van Gogh !

As to the market value of my pictures,

I should be surprised

if in time,

they did not sell as well as other people's

Whether this happens directly or later on

does not matter to me!

But to work faithfully and earnestly from Nature,

is to my mind,

A safe and sure way to land to One's Goal!

My interpretation :

Goals are Necessary; It's like the shore to reach!

but Intent is much more important! 

It is the rudder!

or the trim tab that steers the rudder that steers Ship!

Without intent, the high aspirational purpose,

you may not steer your ship to the right shore!

Authors

Vincent van Gogh