3-2-1: On impressing others, the power of the mind, and the hidden costs of success

Happy 3-2-1 Thursday!

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

I.

"Focus on what provides value to others, not what impresses others.

Other people spend about as much time thinking about your lifestyle and accomplishments as you spend thinking about their lifestyle and accomplishments. Which is to say, not much time at all.

The things we do to impress others rarely impress them for longer than five minutes. But the things we do to provide value for others can last a lifetime. In the long run, one of the most impressive things you can do is provide exceptional value."

​II.

"Anger is like an oven; heat without light.

Forgiveness is like the moon; light without heat."

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III.

"If you look for evidence that people are conspiring to hold you back and the world is working against you, then it will take you no time at all to find precisely that.

If you expect to encounter helpful people and experience a world that is working with you, then you find plenty of evidence to support that view as well.

The raw material for a sweet life or a bitter life is always there. The story you emphasize is the one you notice."

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I.

Poet and novelist Ben Okri on the power of the mind:

"Beware the stories you read or tell; subtly, at night, beneath the waters of consciousness, they are altering your world."

Source: A Way of Being Free​​
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​II.

Dutch watchmaker and writer Corrie ten Boom on worry:

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength."

Source: Clippings from My Notebook ​

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Think about someone who has the results you want or a lifestyle you admire. It's easy to want the results. What are the costs and tradeoffs of their lifestyle that you may be overlooking?

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https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/october-31-2024

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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. Cold-blooded move.

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