If your goal is to eat healthier, I would advise against wearing a fanny pack filled with pizza.
If you are like me and struggle to turn down a good pizza, you should stay as far away from them as possible. Maybe fill that fanny pack with carrots.
I know what you’re thinking, “No crap. Of course, I’m not going to carry pizza around in my pocket all day.”
Fair enough. But how would that be any different from the other junk food you carry in your pocket? Give some thought to how many hours a day you spend on your phone and what exactly you are consuming.
When you have free time at night, do you binge on cable news or the latest television series? When you wind down for the night, do you pull out your phone and scroll through your Facebook timeline or read a great book?
Pizza is fine in moderation, and so is social media and television. But we might be better served thinking about our discretionary time in the same manner as our diet.
Consume healthy content and live a healthier life.
My Sources Of Inspiration
I write daily for this newsletter and several other publications. I host a podcast, run an education business, and serve as an advisor to the CEO of several small businesses.
To be effective, I need a steady stream of fresh ideas, motivation, and content. And if you are seen as a leader in your organization, you do too.
My favorite co-workers constantly challenged me with new ideas. Companies grow stale when organizations settle for the status quo. This happens when formal and informal leaders stop focusing on their own development.
Here are some of my favorite sources of inspiration:
Seth Godin’s Blog – Seth is an innovator and early-stage technology investor. He consults for many of the world’s largest companies and has an incredibly fresh way of looking at the world.
I love the way Seth can distill simple ideas into 8-10 sentences that make you stop and think. Godin is also fantastic at nudging you to take more chances and share your ideas with the world. His blog is the first thing I read every morning.
Steven Pressfield’s Writing Wednesdays Blog – Pressfield is a screenwriter and author. He wrote the book “The War of Art,” which details the nefarious forces that keep us from producing our best creative work.
Steven releases a short blog post every Wednesday, typically using a plot point from a movie as a way of teaching a concept. Pressfield aims to help us overcome “The Resistance,” his named villain in the battle we face to overcome procrastination on creative work.
Julian Shapiro and Naval Ravikant on Twitter – These are two of my favorite thinkers on the internet. The short-form posts allowed on Twitter are perfect for their insightful thoughts on business, philosophy, investing, and wealth. Twitter can be such a toxic environment and filled with needless garbage. What astounds me with Julian and Naval is how consistently relevant they are with their posts. They rarely waste my time.
Ryan Holiday’s Blog – This blog is on the other end of the spectrum from Seth Godin. Ryan posts occasionally, and they are rarely short. In fact, his blog posts often require ten minutes or more to read. But I rarely start one and quit halfway through.
Holiday is a prolific author and an ardent fan of the Stoic mindset. He often quotes from Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and other ancient philosophers as his sources of inspiration. Holiday has a talent for making you think deliberately about how you spend your remaining days on Earth. And couldn’t we all use a little bit more of that?
These are five individuals I follow closely as sources of inspiration. They provide diverse thought leadership and keep me on my toes.
One Simple Hack To Stay Positive
The last thing I will share is a system I use on the internet. If anyone I follow on any social media platform regularly posts material that brings me down, I unfollow.
This especially applies to family or acquaintances. I don’t use the word “friend” here because most people we connect with are not really friends.
A friend is someone who shows up at the hospital when tragedy strikes. I am not sure about you, but I don’t have hundreds of those.
There is no rule stating that I need to be connected with family, friends, or old workmates on any given social media platform. If someone posts content that triggers me, I unfollow.
I control what new information enters my mind, and I am every bit as protective of my brain as I am with my body. If you find yourself stuck in life, I suggest focusing on who and what you cut out first. Only then should you worry about who and what you add.
Now it is your turn, what are your favorite sources of inspiration? I am always looking for new sources to learn from. Hit reply to this email and return the favor with your recommendations.
-Ian
