3-2-1: On hats, haircuts, and tattoos

Happy 3-2-1 Thursday!

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

I.

"You should always be rooting for the people you know. Not only because you may need their support tomorrow, but also because it feels good to celebrate something.

Celebration can rescue your day—even if it is someone else's victory. Envy will ruin your day—even if you're actually winning."

​II.

"When I go into a situation, I try to keep a mindset of baseline optimism.

• When starting the day: It's going to be a good day.
• When meeting someone new: I'm going to like them.
• When trying something challenging: It's going to work out.

Problems will inevitably arise and I'll deal with them as the situation demands, but my preference is to assume I'm on a winning path until proven otherwise."

III.

"I think about decisions in three ways: hats, haircuts, and tattoos.

Most decisions are like hats. Try one and if you don’t like it, put it back and try another. The cost of a mistake is low, so move quickly and try a bunch of hats.

Some decisions are like haircuts. You can fix a bad one, but it won’t be quick and you might feel foolish for awhile. That said, don't be scared of a bad haircut. Trying something new is usually a risk worth taking. If it doesn't work out, by this time next year you will have moved on and so will everyone else.

A few decisions are like tattoos. Once you make them, you have to live with them. Some mistakes are irreversible. Maybe you'll move on for a moment, but then you'll glance in the mirror and be reminded of that choice all over again. Even years later, the decision leaves a mark. When you're dealing with an irreversible choice, move slowly and think carefully."

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Hat tip to Tim Ferriss, who once compared making decisions to choosing a sweater, which sent me down this line of thinking.

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I.

Science fiction writer Philip K. Dick on facing the hard things in life:

"Reality denied comes back to haunt."

Source: Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said​
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​II.

Author and poet Ursula K. Le Guin on perseverance:

"No darkness lasts forever."

Source: The Farthest Shore​

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Think about something you have been trying to make progress on recently. What is a completely different line of attack for solving it or a wildly different approach you can explore?

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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/february-1-2024

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Until next week,

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

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p.s. Mind reader.