Beyond the Quote

Mae West Quote on Body Language and How To Better “Hear” What Your Body Is Telling You

“I speak two languages, Body and English.”
Mae West

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Are you in tuned with what your body is telling you? Are you aware that your body has a language that needs to be learned in order to be understood? It’s no different than learning your ABC’s for the first time. You might hear the various sounds coming out of people’s mouths around you, but until you actually learn what the letters represent, how those letters form into words, how to pronounce those words, what those words actually mean, and how to combine them to express ideas… all you’ll hear is gibberish. And, unfortunately, gibberish is about all people hear when they listen to their body.

David Goggins Quote on Callousing Your Mind and How I Ran A Marathon Without Running Training

“It takes twenty years to gain twenty years of experience, and the only way to move beyond your 40 percent is to callous your mind, day after day. Which means you’ll have to chase pain like it’s your damn job!”
David Goggins, Can’t Hurt Me

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On Sunday, August 23rd, 2020, I ran my second marathon. I didn’t follow any specific running plans and did but only one training run (13.1 miles) leading up to it the week before. The most I had done besides that was a mile or two around my block at any given time in the whole year prior. Why do I tell you this? Because while I didn’t do any official running training for that run, I have been training my body for war for over two decades. And if you start doing the same, your body might be able to perform in ways that surpass your wildest expectations as well.

John C. Maxwell Quote on Greatness and How One Is Too Small A Number To Achieve It

“One is too small a number to achieve greatness. No accomplishment of real value has ever been achieved by a human being working alone.”
John C. Maxwell, Leadership Gold

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Big accomplishments don’t just happen. They’re an accumulated result of many small happenings. This is true for most anything in life. Big accomplishments in health are a product of the accumulated effect of the daily meals and workouts. Big accomplishments in business are a product of the accumulated effect of the smaller component systems that are put into place. Big accomplishments in relationships are a product of the accumulated effect of the smaller conversations, actions, and efforts that went into them. If you want to accomplish something big, the focus should be on accumulating more and more of the small.

“Now more than ever I am aware that a person’s significant birthdays can either mark the passage of time, or they can mark changes they’ve made in their lives to reach their potential and become the person they were created to be.”
John C. Maxwell, Leadership Gold

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As I sit and reflect on completing my first full year of my thirties, the saying that keeps coming to the forefront of my mind that I would say has guided me more than any other saying in this past year has been: Control what you can control, let go of what you can’t, and take what time is needed to understand where all things in your life fall. Without this expression in my mind, 30 would have turned out completely different for me.

On Being "Cool" and On Being a "Dork" and Why We Get These Ideas Backwards As A Society

For anyone that wants to go above and beyond, this article might hit better if you do the following before reading:

Make a list of the Top 3 reasons why you might consider yourself to be, “Cool”
Make a list of the Top 3 reasons why you might consider yourself to be a, “Dork”

That is all. Once you finish with those two lists, continue below. Or, if you’re in a hurry and choose not to make the lists, feel free to continue below anyway.

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“Even today, what to study and how to study it are more important than where to study it and for how long. The best teachers are on the Internet. The best books are on the Internet. The best peers are on the Internet. The tools for learning are abundant. It’s the desire to learn that’s scarce.”
Naval Ravikant, Medium

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This is (arguably) one of the main reasons why so many people subject themselves to expensive educations—because they don’t have a strong enough desire to learn on their own. Assuming higher education isn’t a necessary prerequisite for the career they desire (doctor, lawyer, engineer, etc.), as Naval points out above, all of the best information is already available. With a strong enough desire to learn, a way can almost always be found.

“If you don’t give to yourself, you will suffer damage.”
Mira Kirshenbaum, The Gift of a Year (Page 16)

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More specifically, if you don’t give to yourself some of your own time, energy, and effort—you will suffer damage. And we’re not talking about presents. You can live just fine without ever buying yourself superfluous gifts. What you can’t live “just fine” without, however, are the gifts of “you” time, the self-directed energy required for self-discovery and healing, and the personal effort it takes to overcome challenges and become your best you. If you only ever direct your time, energy, and effort towards others—where are you supposed to get the time, energy, and effort required to maintain, upgrade, and improve yourself?

“Today might be the best chance you have to take action. The longer you wait, the more deeply embedded you get in your current lifestyle. Your habits solidify. Your beliefs harden. You get comfortable. It will never be easy, but it may also never be easier than it is right now.”
James Clear, Blog

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Your ability to get done what you know you need to get done, even when you don’t want to do get it done, only gets easier (ironically) the more you actually get it done. Did you catch that? In other words, action begets action. Consistent action taken at consistent times for certain tasks formulate habits. And habits make taking action easier. Aligning your life with this truth can help you maximize your efficiency in effort and expedite your path to success.

“If you’re not happy, you’re forever in debt.”
Witt Lowry, Debt

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Debt is something, typically money, that’s owed. When you borrow $20 from your friend, you’re in debt to them. Until you pay them back, you will have that debt weighing on your shoulders. That’s why repaying a debt is such a gratifying, lightening feeling. You’re lightening the worry of your load. But, what about the debts that we imaginarily create in our minds? Sounds ridiculous, right? But, think about it.

“The game is full of ebbs and flows—the good, the bad, and everything in between. With all that was going on around me, I had to figure out how to steel my mind and keep calm and centered. That’s not to say my emotions didn’t spike or drop here or there, but I was aware enough to recalibrate and bring them back level before things spiraled. I could do that in a way others couldn’t, and that was really key for me.”
Kobe Bryant, Mamba Mentality (Page 175)

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And so it is for life, eh? The game of life is full of ebbs and flows—the good, the bad, and everything in between. I think 2020 highlights that in more intense ways than in many years of recent past—especially for Kobe—may he rest in peace. And while it’s natural to hope that things go back to “normal” and that the ebbs and flows “level out” so that they may be more easily managed—it would be unrealistic and naive to expect it to actually happen. The ebbs will continue to ebb and the flows will continue to flow, like they always have and like they always will. So, what then are we to do?

“The most powerful way to control your focus is through the use of questions.”
Tony Robbins

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Distracted? It’s because you’re asking yourself the wrong questions: Am I missing out on any new posts on the socials? I wonder what he/she is doing right now? I wonder how much it would cost to buy a new kayak? How come I always get so distracted? Why is life always so unfair to me? What am I going to eat for dinner? How can I get rich, quick? What shortcut can I take for better health? Why is my dog so cute? You get the idea.

“Take a simple idea and take it seriously.”
Charlie Munger

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Reading 20 pages from a book every day is a simple idea. Writing in your journal before bed every night is a simple idea. Going for a walk every morning is a simple idea. Stopping eating after 8pm every night is a simple idea. Reaching out to and connecting with at least one friend every day is a simple idea. People have these types of ideas all of the time. The problem isn’t the ideas or even the simplicity of the ideas (although “complicated” can certainly be a problem). The problem is the taking of the ideas seriously.

“I know a girl whose one goal was to visit Rome/
Then she finally got to Rome/
And all she did was post pictures for people at home/
‘Cause all that mattered was impressin’ everybody she’s known”
Drake, Emotionless

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Happiness is only real when shared. That’s the last thing that Chris McCandless wrote before he died in the movie, Into The Wild. (Warning: More spoilers ahead) Based on a true story, the main character, after getting accepted into Law School, decided he wanted to pursue an alternate path and donated all of his college money to charity, bought a cheap car, and drove out west in pursuit of a remote life in Alaska. He wanted to travel, explore, and live completely free from conformity.

“I’ve become skeptical of the unwritten rule that just because a boy and girl appear in the same feature, a romance must ensue. Rather, I want to portray a slightly different relationship, one where the two mutually inspire each other to live… if I’m able to, then perhaps I’ll be closer to portraying a true expression of love.”
Hayao Miyazaki

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…Inspiring another person to live—what higher expression of love is there? And by live, of course, we mean really live—fulfill your life in a way that’s far beyond merely existing. Living is exploring; existing is hiding. Living is questioning; existing is tolerating. Living is risking; existing is comforting. Living is a rarity that few people embody to its full extent; existing is the commonplace for the rest. And what more can be said about love in its true expression?

“Some people are grateful seemingly as their default state, even when no one’s looking. Their lives aren’t necessarily better than other people’s, but they find more reasons to give thanks for their small rewards. Fred Jones was one of those people. Giving thanks made him happy, which made him grateful, which made him happy.”
John Leland, Happiness is a Choice You Make (Page 119)

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Maybe you know one of those people too? A person who seems to be grateful by default and is seemingly more happy as a result. Or maybe it’s that they’re more happy by default so they express more gratitude? Does it matter which one it is? Does one cause the other or are they both inextricably linked? …I believe that it does matter and understanding this catch-22 will help you understand how to be more like the Fred Jones’ of the world. Let’s take a closer look.

“It is never the duty of a leader to struggle for someone else; a leader must encourage others to struggle and assure them that the struggles are worthwhile. Do battle with the challenges of your present, and you will unlock the prizes of your future.”
Andy Andrews, The Traveler’s Gift

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I repeat: It is never the duty of a leader to struggle for someone else. Nor is it their duty to take the struggle away from, to suffer the pain for, or to handle challenges that someone else is facing. A leader needs to live their own life as much as the follower needs to live theirs. But even more importantly, it is the duty of the leader to lead the follower to a better place—and doing the work for them doesn’t get them there. If anything, it handicaps them and makes them more vulnerable to the future rather than more resilient.

“So long as I can laugh never will I be poor. This, then, is one of nature’s greatest gifts, and I will waste it no more. Only with laughter and happiness can I truly become a success. Only with laughter and happiness can I enjoy the fruits of my labor. Were it not so, far better would it be to fail, for happiness is the wine that sharpens the taste of the meal. To enjoy success I must have happiness, and laughter will be the maiden who serves me.”
Og Mandino, The Greatest Salesman in the World

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Laughter and happiness isn’t something that you save for later. Nor is it something that you should have to pay for or have to work to achieve. It’s not hidden in some exotic destination. And it’s not found in a designer store nor is it unlocked with a blue checkmark on a social platform. Laughter and happiness is, as Mandino points out above, “one of nature’s greatest gifts.” It’s a gift that has already been given to you. It is given to everyone at birth. You can access it at any time. If you can’t access or unlock this gift, it isn’t because it isn’t there, it’s because you have become confused or have misplaced or forgotten about it.

“My routine was grueling. It involved early mornings and late nights. It involved stretching, lifting, training, hooping, recovery, and film study. It involved putting in a lot of work and hours. It’s—no lie—tiring. For that reason, a lot of players pare down their lifting and training during the season. They try conserving their energy. Not me, though. I found that, yes, this work might be strenuous on the day-to-day, but it left me stronger and more prepared during the dog days of the season and the playoffs.”
Kobe Bryant, Mamba Mentality (Page 42)

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Not everybody needs to maintain a grueling routine like Kobe did. After all, not all of us are competing in professional sporting events against some of the most intense competition in the world. But, there’s an underlying key mindset here that does apply to us all: Don’t make sacrifices on your routine merely for the sake of conserving energy. Let’s take a closer look.

“The purpose of a habit is to remove that action from self-negotiation. You no longer expend energy deciding whether to do it. You just do it. Good habits can range from telling the truth, to flossing.”
Kevin Kelly, Blog

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When you get a look at a day in the life of a high performing individual it can leave you feeling dumbfounded. I’m sure you’ve found yourself wondering, like me, how on earth they do so much in one day? What’s their secret? Is it something in their nature? Is it a learned skill? Is it 10 coffees?And while, for some, it might involve 10 coffees, the underlying secret that helps all high performing individuals perform to the best of their ability is their habits.

“It is an absolute human certainty that no one can know his own beauty or perceive a sense of his own worth until it has been reflected back to him in the mirror of another loving, caring human being.”
John Joseph Powell, The Secret of Staying in Love

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Mirrors allow us to see our external self. Human interaction allows us to see our internal self. Without mirrors, we wouldn’t be able to truly know how we looked. We can get a sense of how we look and we might be able to guess, but it is only through the reflection of a mirror that we can ever be sure. Without human interaction, how might we ever truly grasp the content of our character?