July 28, 2024 | #587 | read on the web | Free Version

Welcome to Brain Food, a weekly newsletter full of timeless ideas and actionable insights you can use.

Insights

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“The cold water doesn't get warmer if you jump late.”

— Unknown

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“I have spoken of the necessity of being frank and honest with oneself about one's own affairs: many people assume that they can get away from the truth by avoiding thinking about it, but the natural law is inevitable, and the sooner it is recognized, the better.”

— John D. Rockefeller

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“There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket—safe, dark, motionless, airless—it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation.”

— C. S. Lewis

Tiny Thoughts

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“You don't need more intensity; you need more consistency.

Intensity impresses; consistency transforms.”

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“We want the outcome, but we need the journey.

A startup isn't about the money-raising headline; it's loving the grind when everyone else is out having fun. Health isn't about the gym selfie; it's the daily decision to train, even when you don't feel like it. Financial independence isn't quitting your job; it's the thousand small "nos" that let you say a big "yes" to your future.

Falling in love with outcomes doesn't move you forward. Falling in love with the process does.”

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“It can be hard to appreciate just how much the world will give you what you want after you stop waiting for it to give you what you deserve.

Stop waiting for the world to recognize your potential; start giving the world something positive. Don't wait for a friend's apology; reach out and reconnect. Instead of waiting for the perfect partner, become that partner. Rather than waiting for motivation to exercise, start small and build momentum. Don't complain about something; change it.

Life rewards action.”

(Share Tiny Thought one, two, or three on X).

Clear Thinking

Clear Thinking is the most practical guide to mastering decision-making, managing emotions, and turning desired behavior into default behavior.

The Kindle Edition is the Daily Deal on Amazon in the U.S. for $2.99. (I don't control pricing.)

Reading

Indra Nooyi was the CEO of Pepsi from 2006 to 2018. Her biography contains many pearls of wisdom, like this one on getting better results:

“As a leader, I could be very blunt in my drive to make sure we made all the right decisions. In some meetings, I would comment on plans directly and sometimes point out why I thought a unit’s strategy wouldn’t work. “Your strategy makes no sense,” I’d say. “There’s no way you can deliver the return you have assumed in your financial model.” This wasn’t popular—or effective. At some point, George Fisher, the CEO, noted my style and pulled me aside. “Be careful about throwing hand grenades,” he said. “You may turn people off even though you mean well.” George coached me to take a different tack, by saying, for example, “Help me understand how this comes together. As I see it, this technology platform requires a lot of investment and patience. Is it prudent to factor in a quick return?” Much as I hated this new, softer way of asking questions, I found it got results. I appreciated how George spoke to me—one-on-one, straight, and in a constructive tone.”

— Source: My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future (Members can access my highlights here).

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Thanks for reading,

— Shane

P.S. The magic behind some popular magic tricks.

P.P.S You can use this link to share this newsletter https://fs.blog/brain-food/july-28-2024/

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