Here are 5 interesting ideas to spark your curiosity heading into the weekend.
Today at a Glance:
Question: Zero fear of judgment.
Quote: Treasure in darkness.
Framework: Truth Tellers.
Proverb: Importance of action.
Image: The reality of adulthood.
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I recently came across a quote that stopped me in my tracks:
"The degree to which a person can grow is directly proportional to the amount of truth he can accept about himself without running away." - Leland Val Van De Wall
An observation from history is that the inability to accept the truth is the cause of the downfall of many great men and women.
There are two issues at play:
Internal Truth Blindness: The person's own inability to see the truth. Usually a result of a buildup of historical success that blinds them to the diminishing probability of future success.
Lack of External Truth Tellers: The absence of trusted advisors who are able to tell the person the truth. Usually a result of systematic removal of people who questioned or pushed back on the person.
Internal Truth Blindness is difficult to combat. It is the issue at the heart of the Icarus Paradox: Icarus crafts wings and takes off in flight, but becomes emboldened by his success and flies too close to the sun, which melts the wings and sends him falling to his death.
While we may trend towards this blindness internally, we can combat its ill effects by cherishing the Truth Tellers in our external world.
As you become more successful, most of the people around you will become afraid to tell you the truth. They will pat you on the back and tell you what they think you want to hear.
Find the Truth Tellers in your life—the rare few who are willing to give you honest perspectives from a place of love.
Create an environment where they know they are safe to do so.
If you cultivate your Truth Tellers, you'll always find a way to grow.
Proverb on the importance of action:
There is a German proverb that I love:
“Crooked logs also make straight fires.”
There’s no such thing as a perfect moment. There are just moments—and you decide what you make of them.
Go make your imperfect moments perfect through action.
Those crooked logs can still make straight fires...
A good laugh going into the weekend:
Truer words have never been spoken...
In Case You Missed It:
In Wednesday's issue, I shared a mental model with powerful applications to your business, career, investing, and life.
P.S. In the next newsletter you receive from me, I'll be making the most exciting announcement of my professional life. All of you loyal newsletter readers will be the first to know. Can you guess what it is? Stay tuned!
I get asked about my morning routine all the time. It changes from time to time, but AG1 has been the one constant since 2011. I drink it with a big glass of water every single morning to start my day on a positive tone.
It replaced an entire cabinet of supplements for me in one daily scoop—seriously, its latest iteration covers a multivitamin, multi-mineral, prebiotics, probiotics, adaptogens, greens, and more. It keeps me feeling healthy and strong throughout the year, even when I'm traveling (thanks to the travel packs).