Today’s Topics
Keep the End in Mind🔚
Life In Averages 🔢
5 Mins Read Time
Keep the End in Mind🔚
By Jo
One of the greatest lessons I've learned is this:
Never make decisions based solely on the moment.
And while you're at it, don't live only for the moment either.
Every decision you make should have the end goal in mind. If the objective is to win in the long run, why sacrifice that for short-term emotions or temporary satisfaction?
When you're in the middle of a storm, it's hard to believe the sun is still out somewhere. Your emotions are loud. Your thoughts become cloudy. Your current situation starts convincing you that this is how life will always be.
But it isn't.
It's only after the storm passes that perception becomes valuable. You finally see what the struggle was teaching you. You understand why patience mattered. You realize the obstacle wasn't there to stop you—it was there to prepare you.
Keep your eyes on the prize.
Another thing I've noticed is this: if you refuse to open your mind to new ideas, new perspectives, or new ways of living, it's almost guaranteed you'll become bitter over time. Why? Because everything changes. Technology changes. Relationships change. Careers change. Even you change.
Staying mentally planted in one era is dangerous.
I'm in one of those seasons myself. Life has added new responsibilities, and the lifestyle I've grown comfortable with has changed. Some days it feels like I'm being tested from every direction.
But I've also realized something important.
Accepting where you are today isn't giving up—it's growing up.
You stop fighting yesterday and start building tomorrow.
Life will continue to evolve whether you're ready or not. The question is, will you evolve with it?
Don't let today's emotions rob tomorrow's opportunities.
The storm won't last forever.
Keep your eyes on the prize.
Life In Averages 🔢
By Marcus
Last week, I talked about how it’s possible to overcome difficult times in your life, but it may require outside-the-box thinking. That was Part One: Lost In The Fog.
To build on that, I wanted to explore what it looks like to average up — to take yourself from your lowest point and begin to gradually improve over time.
Life’s not fair. Sometimes good people win. Sometimes bad people win. Sometimes the deck is stacked against you. Sometimes things work out in your favor, other times they don’t. There are times when people are so tired from making an effort that they give up. I don’t judge, because life can be very unforgiving and sometimes you just lose despite your best efforts. Your most pro-positive guru won’t admit this reality.
Before you throw in the towel, it’s important to acknowledge the effort that we put toward creating a better life for ourselves.
We can at times have this idea that every win needs to be symmetric, flawless, and perfect. That the way to overcome obstacles will be a straight line and any deviation from this is a failure. It’s not a failure… it’s the process.
In this article, I’ll go over three scenarios and different approaches to each. The goal is to give inspiration to create your own strategy, but also provide enough of a sample for anyone to take a plug-and-play approach to their own challenges.
Scenario 1: Emergency Fund - $1,000
You’ve probably heard the statistic that at least 50% of people don’t have enough money saved to cover a $1,000 emergency. If you’re in this boat and it’s a struggle, consider the following:
Lower The Bar — Hitting that $1,000 mark isn’t impossible, but it’s difficult for many. If the $1,000 target feels unobtainable or out of reach, shoot for the first $200 and go from there. Remember that the $1,000 benchmark is a target that you didn’t set, but a societal one. $200 is better than zero. Lower the bar and build from there.
The Power of Comparison — You may think the other people that have that $1,000 saved away are doing better than you. That’s true in a sense, but there are also others you pass on the way up to that benchmark you set. If you save your first $20, well that’s a win compared to those who chose to save nothing. You are already ahead and incrementally working yourself up the rankings.
Scenario 2: Decision Fatigue/Burnout
Being responsible for being the decision maker is exhausting. Maybe it’s your role or circumstances that have landed you in a position where you are burned out from being in charge all the time. Consider the following solutions:
Forecast and Plan — You know the decisions day to day that wear you out. Start to plan in advance ways to avoid having to make them or plan the solution ahead of time. Think of it like having a backup plan for when things will inevitably go wrong or sideways.
Delegate and Systems Creation — No one can do everything. Sometimes it’s better to ask for help or direct (when applicable) some of your stressful tasks. If you’re tired of a task, think of how you can delegate it or simplify the task into fewer steps.
Scenario 3: Healthy Outcomes
The last is exercise. About 70% of adults fail to meet the recommended workout guidelines. The recommendation is at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, plus a couple days of strength training. If you struggle with this, consider adopting the following solutions:
Front Load The Pain — If you struggle with working out, try to lock-in for the first 2-3 days of the week and be done with it. You hit the minimum requirements, have a few days off, and can continue your week with a sense of accomplishment that builds momentum over time. From misery to gains.
Half Measures and “Well, At Least…” — Maybe hitting those minimum requirements is too much, so you find a way to sneak in quick 15-20 minute workouts at home, or you balance out your diet so at the very least you are moving in the right direction. Something is better than nothing. At least you did something. Take the small wins.
Average Up
Getting back on track or finding your way isn’t an easy task. You can set your own standards for success and create new ways to get ahead. Don’t be afraid to use or modify the strategies here to meet your needs:
Lower The Bar
The Power of Comparison
Forecast and Plan
Delegate and Systems Creation
Front Load The Pain
Half Measures or “At Least”
Use these to transform your life from below average to Above The Crowd.
Next week we’ll dive into how your hardships have prepared you for the road ahead. It’s the training you never knew you had.
