“The most wisdom per word of any
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3-2-1: The power of limiting your options, the value of eagerness, and what we undervalue

Happy 3-2-1 Thursday!

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

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3 Ideas From Me

I.

"If you're eager to learn—even if you aren't particularly talented—then you can make it a long way despite your shortcomings.

But if you're not eager and curious, you'll find your natural abilities often fall short of what is required."

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​II.

"I find the projects I'm most excited to work on are nearly always the projects that have really fantastic people associated with them."

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III.

"Limiting your options now will expand your opportunities in the long run because you can remain focused enough to master something.

Keeping your options open now will reduce your opportunities in the long run because you divide your attention and end up doing an average job on seven different things.

Are you falling into the pattern of always mastering one thing or always chasing the next thing?"

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2 Quotes From Others

I.

Entrepreneur and investor Paul Graham reminds us how much work is required to make something look effortless:

"The easy, conversational tone of good writing comes only on the eighth rewrite."

Source: Taste for Makers​​​

​II.

An exchange from The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien on moving forward despite the difficulties we face:

Frodo: "I wish none of this had happened."
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Gandalf: "So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

Source: The Lord of the Rings​

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1 Question For You

We undervalue health if we have not recently experienced illness.

We undervalue wealth if we have not recently experienced poverty.

We undervalue kindness if we have not recently experienced cruelty.

What might you be undervaluing right now?

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Want to share this issue of 3-2-1? Just copy and paste this link: https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/november-21-2024

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Until next week,

James Clear ​​
​Author of Atomic Habits​
Creator of the 3-2-1 Newsletter​
Founding Author of Authors Equity​

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p.s. How I like my pizza.​​

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What else am I working on?