3-2-1: On self-worth, how to have style, and how to build a great career

Happy 3-2-1 Thursday!

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

I.

"You can carve out a very good career simply by being the most reliable person on the team. You would not think that always showing up on time, hitting every deadline, and responding quickly and professionally to all communication would be such a differentiator, but these traits are always in short supply."

​II.

"It's easy to assume that getting rich in money will also mean you are rich in time, but it is often the case that when you earn more money, you end up with less time and more responsibilities.

Being rich is nice, but what you really want to optimize for is (1) an income that exceeds your spending by a healthy margin and (2) a lifestyle that is free from rushing."

III.

"It's nice to have a little help, but we often resent when someone else tries to do it all for us. Each individual wants to make their own dreams a reality. If someone hands you the whole thing on a silver platter, they gift you the result, but rob you of the accomplishment.

Remember this not only when chasing your dreams, but also when supporting others. Help along the way, but let them run their own race. Your job is to live life with them, not live their life for them."

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I.

Travel writer Freya Stark on how to have style:

"Style—to renounce all but the essential, so that the essential may speak."

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Source: The Journey's Echo​​
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​II.

Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh — who sold only one painting during his life — on self-worth:

"If I am worth anything later, I am worth something now. For wheat is wheat, even if people think it is a grass in the beginning."

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Source: The Letters of Vincent van Gogh (hat tip to Dylan O'Sullivan)

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Many things in life go through phases. It can be like the seasons: spring, summer, fall, winter. Each season has its own set of needs and demands.

Think about something important to you. Maybe it's a project or a job. Perhaps a hobby or even a relationship. What season are you in right now and what does that season require?

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https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/september-5-2024

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Until next week,

James Clear
​Atomic Habits, the #1 best-selling book
​Atoms, the official Atomic Habits app
​3-2-1 newsletter with 3 million subscribers

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p.s. The first line of Pinocchio.

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