3-2-1: On the power of attitude, and the importance of making mistakes

Happy 3-2-1 Thursday!

Here are 3 ideas, 2 quotes, and 1 question to consider this week...

I.

"Anxiety is thought without control.

Flow is control without thought."

(Share this on Twitter)

​II.

"One sign you haven’t done enough reading is if you find yourself agreeing with whatever book you read last. At first, it’s easy to be swayed by any reasonable argument. Once you’ve read a lot, you can see that even the best arguments have limitations."

(Share this on Twitter)

III.

"We want solutions, but what we really need are attitudes.

You don't need abs, but rather an attitude of training. You don't need the answer, but rather an attitude of curiosity. You don't need an easier life, but rather an attitude of perseverance.

Attitude precedes outcome."

​

I.

Musician Nick Cave on love and grief:

"It seems to me, that if we love, we grieve. That's the deal. That's the pact. Grief and love are forever intertwined. Grief is the terrible reminder of the depths of our love and, like love, grief is non-negotiable."

Source: Letter to a fan named Cynthia (Letters of Note)

​II.

Physician Lewis Thomas on the importance of making mistakes:

"Mistakes are at the very base of human thought, embedded there, feeding the structure like root nodules. If we were not provided with the knack of being wrong, we could never get anything useful done. We think our way along by choosing between right and wrong alternatives, and the wrong choices have to be made as frequently as the right ones.

We get along in life this way. We are built to make mistakes, coded for error. We learn, as we say, by "trial and error." Why do we always say that? Why not "trial and rightness" or "trial and triumph"? The old phrase puts it that way because that is, in real life, the way it is done."

Source: The Medusa and the Snail​

​

What is the one task that, if completed, will make today a success? What can you do to make it as easy as possible to get started?

(Share this on Twitter)

​

Want to share this issue of 3-2-1 via text, social media, or email? Just copy and paste this link:

https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/july-27-2023

​

​

Until next week,

James Clear
​Author of Atomic Habits and keynote speaker​​

​

p.s. When a little kid starts a conversation with you...

​

​