3-2-1: How to solve hard problems, the power of reflection, and the miracles of daily life

Happy 3-2-1 Thursday!

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

I.

"Your relationships will rarely be healthier than your self-esteem."

(Share this on Twitter)

​II.

"In many cases, what you want to "buy" isn't being "sold."

• the best homes usually aren't for sale
• the best employees usually aren't looking

People tend to hold onto the great things in life. They are almost never easily available. If you want to get them, you need enough courage to ask and enough salesmanship to convince them."

III.

"If you're stuck on a problem, try solving it at a different level.

If you ask, "What can we do to create a more unified country?" then you end up with vague answers that are difficult to implement. The problem is mostly unmanageable at that level.

But if you ask, "What can I do to create a more unified neighborhood?" then you can likely think of many small things you can do to connect your friends and neighbors.

Zoom in or zoom out. Problems that seem impossible at one level are often quite accessible from a different one."

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I.

Philosopher and author Arthur Schopenhauer on the importance of reflection and contemplation rather than mere reading and research:

“You may accumulate a vast amount of knowledge but it will be of far less value to you than a much smaller amount if you have not thought it over for yourself; because only through ordering what you know by comparing every truth with every other truth can you take complete possession of your knowledge and get it into your power."

Source: Essays and Aphorisms (Hat tip to Nat Eliason)

​II.

Yoga teacher and spiritual leader Sadhguru on the miracles of daily life:

"Every moment there are a million miracles happening around you:
a flower blossoming, a bird tweeting,
a bee humming, a raindrop falling,
a snowflake wafting along
the clear evening air.
There is magic everywhere.
If you learn how to live it,
life is nothing short of a daily miracle."

Source: Inner Engineering: A Yogi's Guide to Joy​​
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In your professional life, who do you admire most?

In your personal life, who do you admire most?

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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/october-19-2023

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Until next week,

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

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p.s. Does it spark joy?

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​ An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones Packed with self-improvement strategies, Atomic Habits will teach you how to make the small changes that will transform your habits and deliver remarkable results. ​ Learn More >

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