Subtract(səbˈtrakt)

By Derek Sivers

Life can be improved by adding(ad), or by subtracting. The world pushes us to add, because that benefits them. But the secret is to focus on subtracting.

Imagine(iˈmajən) a horizontal(ˌhôrəˈzän(t)l) line, with 0 on the left and 20 on the right. I want to be in the middle, at 10. But I’m at 17.

“What can I add to get to 10? I tried adding 8 but that didn’t work. Maybe 3 would help. I should go all-out and add 50.”

No amount of adding will get me where I want to be.

The adding mindset is deeply ingrained(inˈgrānd). It’s easy to think I need something else. It’s hard to look instead at what to remove.

The least(lēst) successful people I know run in conflicting(kənˈfliktiNG) directions, drawn to distractions, say yes to almost everything, and are chained(CHān) to emotional(iˈmōSHənəl) obstacles(ˈäbstəkəl).

The most successful people I know have a narrow(ˈnarō) focus, protect against time-wasters(ˈwāstər), say no to almost everything, and have let go of old limiting beliefs.

More people die from eating too much than eating too little. Most of us have too much baggage(ˈbagij), too many commitments(kəˈmitmənt), and too many priorities(prīˈôrədē).

Subtracting reminds me that what I need to change is something already here, not out there.

https://sivers.org/subtract

I used all the best stuff for a week and it nearly broke me

Living like a fancy(ˈfansē) millennial(miˈlenēəl) was wonderful, until it wasn’t.

By Rebecca(ribakə) Jennings(ˈjeniNGz)

My name is Rebecca Jennings. I am 26 years old, and I live in Brooklyn(ˈbro͝oklən), New York. Every morning, I wake up on a Casper(ˈkaspər) mattress(ˈmatrəs) covered with Brooklinen bedding(ˈbediNG). I brush(brəSH) my teeth with a Quip(kwip) toothbrush, then floss(fläs,flôs) with Cocofloss. I do exactly 45 minutes on the elliptical(iˈliptikəl) at the gym(jim) downstairs(ˈdounˈste(ə)rz) in a matching set from Outdoor Voices(vois).

In the shower, I use a shampoo(SHamˈpo͞o) and conditioner(kənˈdiSH(ə)nər) perfectly customized(ˈkəstəˌmīz) to my hair(he(ə)r) type by Function of Beauty; my morning vitamin(ˈvītəmən) by Care/of, too, is designed specifically(spəˈsifək(ə)lē) for me. I dry(drī) off in a robe(rōb) from Parachute(ˈparəˌSHo͞ot), then dress(dres) in minimalist(ˈminəməlist) basics(ˈbāsik) from Everlane. I apply Glossier(ˈgläsē,ˈglô-) Cloud Paint(pānt) followed by Boy Brow(brou), and before I leave the apartment, I slip(slip) on a pair of Allbirds.

This is not a terrible(ˈterəbəl) attempt at an American Psycho(ˈsīkō) parody(ˈparədē). Well, it is not just a terrible attempt at an American Psycho parody: It is also an entirely(enˈtīrlē) accurate(ˈakyərit) description of my life, or at least it was, for one week in November.

The premise(ˈpremis) was this: I would surround myself with the products whose entire raison d’être was being the best. The stuff that claimed(klām) it was “the only one you’ll ever need,” or “the last one you’ll ever have to buy.” These are companies that set out with the intention(inˈtenCHən) of disrupting(disˈrəpt) entire retail(ˈrēˌtāl) categories through direct-to-consumer business models or millions of dollars in venture(ˈvenCHər) capital funding or flashy(ˈflaSHē) ads on public transportation (or all three), and who together have created an entirely new retail environment in which everything ends up looking exactly the same.

I would try them all at once, in the service of a single question: Would they actually improve my life?

…
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/12/12/18125668/best-products-casper-glossier-brooklinen

Predictions(prəˈdikSH(ə)n) for 2019

By Isaac(ˈīˌzək) Asimov

Originally(əˈrijənl-ē) published Dec. 31(thirty first), 1983

lf we look into the world as it may be at the end of another generation, let’s say 2019 — that’s 35 years from now, the same number of years since 1949 when George(jôrj) Orwell’s(ˈôrwel) 1984 was first published — three considerations must dominate(ˈdäməˌnāt) our thoughts:

1. Nuclear(ˈn(y)o͞oklēər) war. 2. Computerization(kəmˈpyo͞odəˌrīz). 3. Space(spās) utilization(ˌyo͞odələˈzāSH(ə)n, ˌyo͞odəˌlīˈzāSH(ə)n).

If the United States and the Soviet(-ˌet,ˈsōvēit) Union(ˈyo͞onyən) flail(flāl) away at each other at any time between now and 2019, there is absolutely(ˌabsəˈlo͞otlē) no use to discussing what life will be like in that year. Too few of us, or of our children and grandchildren, will be alive(əˈlīv) then for there to be any point in describing(dəˈskrīb) the precise(priˈsīs) condition(kənˈdiSHən) of global(ˈɡlōbəl) misery(ˈmiz(ə)rē) at that time.

Let us, therefore, assume(əˈso͞om) there will be no nuclear war — not necessarily(ˌnesəˈse(ə)rəlē) a safe assumption(əˈsəm(p)SHən) — and carry(ˈkarē) on from there.

Computerization will undoubtedly(ˌənˈdoudədlē) continue onward inevitably(inˈevitəblē). Computers have already made themselves essential(əˈsen(t)SHəl) to the governments of the industrial(inˈdəstrēəl) nations, and to world industry: and it is now beginning to make itself comfortable in the home.

An essential side product, the mobile computerized object, or robot, is already flooding(fləd) into industry and will, in the course of the next generation, penetrate(ˈpenəˌtrāt) the home.

There is bound to be resistance(riˈzistəns) to the march(märCH) of the computers, but barring(ˈbäriNG) a successful Luddite(ˈlədˌīt) revolution(ˌrevəˈlo͞oSHən), which does not seem in the cards, the march will continue.

The growing complexity(kəmˈpleksitē) of society(səˈsīədē) will make it impossible to do without them, except by courting(kôrt) chaos(ˈkāˌäs); and those parts of the world that fall behind in this respect(rəˈspekt) will suffer so obviously(ˈäbvēəslē) as a result that their ruling(ˈro͞oliNG) bodies will clamour(ˈklamər) for computerization as they now clamour for weapons(ˈwepən).

The immediate(iˈmēdēət) effect(əˈfekt) of intensifying(inˈtensəˌfī) computerization will be, of course, to change utterly(ˈədərlē) our work habits. This has happened before.

…
https://www.thestar.com/amp/news/world/2018/12/27/35-years-ago-isaac-asimov-was-asked-by-the-star-to-predict-the-world-of-2019-here-is-what-he-wrote.html

The Year In Review

By Steve Pavlina

At the start of each new year, I like to spend about an hour reviewing the previous(ˈprēvēəs) year in my journal(ˈjərnl). I look at each category(ˈkatəˌgôrē) of my life and write a paragraph(ˈparəˌgraf) or two about it. This includes what went right, what went wrong, and what I’d like to do differently in this area(ˈe(ə)rēə) for the upcoming year. Then I give each category an overall rating(ˈrādiNG) on a scale(skāl) of 1-10 for how well I think I did. Here are the categories I currently(ˈkə-rəntlē,ˈkərəntlē) use:

Physical(ˈfizikəl)

Mental(ˈmentl)

Work/Career(kəˈri(ə)r)

Financial(fī-,fəˈnanCHəl)

Marriage(ˈmarij)

Family

Emotional(iˈmōSHənəl)

Spiritual(ˈspiriCHo͞oəl)

Social

Personal Development

Fun

What I like most about this is that I can go back to previous years and look at this same review to see what has changed. For example, 2003 was an overall disappointing year for me; I did well financially, but all the other areas of my life suffered(ˈsəfər). 2004 on the other hand was a tremendous(trəˈmendəs) year in almost every area. I moved to a new city, transitioned(-ˈsiSHən,tranˈziSHən) to a new career, started this new website, lost 17 pounds, joined Toastmasters(ˈtōs(t)ˌmastər), and made many great new friends. In looking back I can see that even the seemingly great years have at least one area that lags(lag) behind, and the tough(təf) years almost always see a positive(ˈpäztiv,ˈpäzətiv) spike(spīk) in some area.

These different categories are all highly interconnected(ˌintərkəˈnekt). It’s usually the weakest(wēk) areas that have the ability(əˈbilədē) to hold back the strongest. For example, if my health isn’t great, that will hold me back financially because I won’t concentrate(ˈkänsənˌtrāt) well enough or have enough energy(ˈenərjē). So sometimes what seems to be the cause of a problem isn’t the true source. Even if you don’t do a full review of your own, I encourage you to at least give each category a 1-10 rating. Then take a look at the weakest areas and see if they could be holding back your strongest ones.

https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/01/the-year-in-review/

The Puppy(ˈpəpē) Training Method(ˈmeTHəd)

By Leo Babauta

The mind is like a little puppy. It responds to rewards, but needs to be trained a little at a time, until you get it doing what you want it to do consistently(kənˈsistəntlē).

Now, I’m not saying we can 100% control our minds. Just that we can apply some reinforcement(ˌrē-inˈfôrsmənt) methods to get it to adjust to whatever we’d like, over time.

So let’s look at this puppy training method, and how it can be applied to our minds:

Decide(dəˈsīd) what your target(ˈtärgit) is. If you want the puppy to do a behavior, you have to decide what that behavior is, exactly. The same with the mind: do you want it to focus, to stay in discomfort in social situations(ˌsiCHo͞oˈāSHən), to turn towards feelings, to be present(priˈzent,ˈprezənt) with bodily(ˈbädl-ē) sensations(senˈsāSHən) when you’re stressed, to be compassionate(kəmˈpaSHənət) when someone complains(kəmˈplān)? Pick one target at a time.

Define(dəˈfīn) a reward. What does you mind enjoy? If you like having a cup of tea, or watching TED talks on Youtube, or reading Zen(zen) Habits blog posts … pick one of those for your defined reward. Try to pick something relatively(ˈrelədivlē) healthy (don’t pick donuts(ˈdōˌnət)), that you can give yourself immediately after you do the behavior.

Train yourself in small doses(dōs). It’s unrealistic(ˌənˌrēəˈlistik) to expect your mind to stay focused all day long. It gets tired. Trying to be perfect all the time is a good way to set up failure(ˈfālyər).

Reward yourself when you hit the target. If you do 20 minutes of focused work, give yourself a small reward.

But for difficult targets, have intermediate(ˌintərˈmēdē-it) targets. If you want the puppy to do something complicated(ˈkämpləˌkātid), you have to figure out an intermediate target. For example, if you want him to go to a certain spot(spät), first reward him for going to the right room, then the right area(ˈe(ə)rēə) of the room, then the spot.

Don’t punish(ˈpəniSH) bad behavior. But don’t reward it either. If you give in and do the negative behavior you don’t want to do (smoke, for example), don’t give yourself the reward. But beating(ˈbētiNG) yourself up isn’t helpful either. It used to be a common practice(ˈpraktəs) to smack(smak) the dog with a newspaper, but trainers today believe that doesn’t work as well as positive reinforcement(ˌrē-inˈfôrsmənt).

Train one behavior at a time. Most people are tempted(tem(p)t) to try to train everything at once. That’s more of an advanced training, once you’ve trained individual(ˌindəˈvijəwəl) behaviors.

As you can see, this isn’t as simple as just flipping(ˈflipiNG) a switch. This kind of training can be messy(ˈmesē) — you’ll mess up, and it won’t be simple and clear. But if you stick(stik) with it, you’ll be amazed(əˈmāz) at what you can get your puppy of a mind to do.

https://zenhabits.net/training/

self-doubt(dout)

doubting the self

By Henry H. Walker

my student writes of doubt, of despair(diˈspe(ə)r),
all hidden behind(bəˈhīnd) his tight(tīt) smile,
my student writes of living past her own doubts
by letting her love reach out to embrace(emˈbrās) another,

there is a sweet(swēt) gentleness,
a belief(bəˈlēf) in the wholeness,
in the wonder of the other,
that many of us can give,
and give joyously(ˈjoiəslē), continuously(kənˈtinyo͝oəslē),
yet it is woefully(ˈwōfəlē) hard to give
that unconditional(-ˈdiSHnəl,ˌənkənˈdiSHənl) love to ourselves,

we need the friend, the partner(ˈpärtnər),
so that the foundation of who we are
finds a footing that can endure(inˈd(y)o͝or, enˈd(y)o͝or)
the buffeting(ˈbəfitiNG), the buffeting, the buffeting,
that self-doubt throws and throws at us.

https://henryspoetry.blogspot.com/2018/11/self-doubt.html

The Secret(ˈsēkrit) of Amazon’s(-zən,ˈaməˌzän) Success

It isn’t just size. Unlike many big American companies, Amazon is not squandering(ˈskwändər) its profits on stock(stäk) buybacks.

By William(ˈwilyəm) Lazonick

What is it that makes Amazon different from other large companies?

Certainly(ˈsərtnlē), the sheer(SHi(ə)r) range of the products it sells and its market power are unmatched in corporate(ˈkôrp(ə)rət) America. The recent frenzy(ˈfrenzē) over its HQ2 pick(pik) is another expression(ikˈspreSHən) of its outsize influence(ˈinflo͝oəns) on the economy(iˈkänəmē).

But there is another difference that is much less appreciated(əˈprēSHēˌāt) yet has been more significant(sigˈnifikənt) in shaping(SHāp) its path: Amazon’s resource-allocation(ˌaləˈkāSHən) strategy(ˈstratəjē) — in particular, how it chooses(CHo͞oz) to use the profits that it earns. It is one of very few large American corporations(ˌkôrpəˈrāSHən) that is choosing to retain its profits and reinvest(ˌrē-inˈvest) them rather than cutting payrolls and distributing corporate(ˈkôrp(ə)rət) cash to shareholders as dividends(ˈdiviˌdend) and buybacks.

Most Americans know Amazon through the consumer end of its business, with tens of thousands of low-wage(wāj) workers handling orders at distribution sites around the country. It would be a mistake, however, to see Amazon’s growth as driven primarily(prīˈme(ə)rəlē) by low-wage employment(əmˈploimənt). While most of Amazon’s revenues(ˈrevəˌn(y)o͞o) come from the sale of low-priced(prīs) products, most of its profits come from its cloud computing operation, Amazon Web Services.

This high-tech division(diˈviZHən), which has made Amazon the world leader(ˈlēdər) in cloud computing, accounted for less than 10 percent of Amazon’s revenues(ˈrevəˌn(y)o͞o) in 2017 but generated $4.3 billion in operating income. By comparison(kəmˈparəsən), North American web sales, which accounted for 60 percent of revenue(ˈrevəˌn(y)o͞o), generated only $2.8 billion in profit.

…
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/19/opinion/amazon-bezos-hq2.html

You have enough.

By Derek Sivers

I love my computer and Kindle, but you won’t hear(hi(ə)r) me rave(rāv) about them. I don’t want you to want them.

Companies spend a fortune(ˈfôrCHən) begging(beg) you to want their stuff. I won’t add(ad) to that noise(noiz).

I’d like to train(trān) parrots(ˈparət) to say “It won’t make you happy!.” I’d let them loose(lo͞os) in shopping malls, big electronics(ilekˈträniks,ˌēlek-) stores, and car lots(lät). Then, when people are considering spending their savings on a giant(ˈjīənt) TV, or going deeply in debt(det) with a new car, a surprising(sə(r)ˈprīziNG) squawk(skwôk) might shock them back to their senses(sens).

The quickest way to double your income is to halve(hav,häv) your expenses. Any study of happiness will tell you it’s best to actively(ˈaktivlē) appreciate(əˈprēSHēˌāt) what you’ve got.

I feel a responsibility to only put helpful thoughts into the world.

So, no product raves here. You already have more than you need.

https://sivers.org/enough

A Visit(ˈvizit) from St.(sānt) Nicholas(ˈnik(ə)ləs)

By Clement(e) Clarke Moore(mo͝or)

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature(ˈkrēCHər) was stirring(ˈstəriNG), not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung(həNG) by the chimney(ˈCHimnē) with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled(ˈnesəl) all snug(snəg) in their beds;

While visions(ˈviZHən) of sugar-plums(plums) danced in their heads;

And mamma(ˈmämə) in her ‘kerchief(ˈkərCHəf, ˈkərˌCHēf), and I in my cap,

Had just settled(ˈsetl) our brains(brān) for a long winter’s nap,

When out on the lawn(lôn) there arose(əˈrōz) such a clatter(ˈklatər),

I sprang(spraNG) from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew(flo͞o) like a flash,

Tore(tôr) open the shutters(ˈSHətər) and threw(THro͞o) up the sash(saSH).

The moon on the breast(brest) of the new-fallen(ˈfôlən) snow,

Gave a lustre(ˈləstər) of midday(ˈmidˈdā) to objects below,

When what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a miniature(ˈmin(ē)əCHər) sleigh(slā) and eight tiny(ˈtīnē) rein(rān)-deer,

With a little old driver so lively(ˈlīvlē) and quick(kwik),

I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.

More rapid(ˈrapid) than eagles(ˈēgəl) his coursers(ˈkôrsər) they came,

And he whistled(ˈ(h)wisəl), and shouted, and called them by name:

“Now, Dasher(ˈdaSHər)! now, Dancer! now Prancer(prans) and Vixen(ˈviksən)!

On, Comet(ˈkämit)! on, Cupid(ˈkyo͞opəd)! on, Donner and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch(pôrCH)! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”

As leaves(lēv) that before the wild(wīld) hurricane(ˈhə-ri-,ˈhəriˌkān
) fly,

When they meet with an obstacle(ˈäbstəkəl), mount to the sky;

So up to the housetop(ˈhousˌtäp) the coursers(ˈkôrsər) they flew(flo͞o)

With the sleigh(slā) full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—

And then, in a twinkling(ˈtwiNGkəl), I heard on the roof

The prancing(prans) and pawing(pô) of each little hoof(ho͝of,ho͞of).

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur(fər), from his head to his foot,

And his clothes(klō(T͟H)z) were all tarnished(ˈtärniSH) with ashes(aSH) and soot(so͝ot);

A bundle(ˈbəndl) of toys he had flung(fləNG) on his back,

And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples(ˈdimpəl), how merry(ˈmerē)!

His cheeks(CHēk) were like roses(rōz), his nose like a cherry(ˈCHerē)!

His droll(drōl) little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard(bi(ə)rd) on his chin(CHin) was as white as the snow;

The stump(stəmp) of a pipe he held(held) tight(tīt) in his teeth,

And the smoke, it encircled(enˈsərkəl) his head like a wreath(rēTH);

He had a broad(brôd) face and a little round belly(ˈbelē)

That shook(SHo͝ok) when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly(ˈjelē).

He was chubby(ˈCHəbē) and plump(pləmp), a right jolly(ˈjälē) old elf(elf),

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite(spīt) of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread(dred);

He spoke not a word, but went straight(strāt) to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk(jərk),

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod(näd), up the chimney he rose(rōz);

He sprang to his sleigh(slā), to his team gave a whistle(ˈ(h)wisəl),

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle(ˈTHisəl).

But I heard him exclaim(ikˈsklām), ere(e(ə)r) he drove(drōv) out of sight(sīt
)—

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/43171
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Visit_from_St._Nicholas

PSA: Black Friday(ˈfrīdā) is terrible

By Anne(an) T. Donahue(ˈdänəˌhyo͞o)

I don’t remember the first Black Friday I worked during my 10 years in retail(ˈrēˌtāl), but I remember at one point fighting(ˈfīdiNG) the urge(ərj) to drop to my knees(nē) like Willem Dafoe in Platoon(pləˈto͞on), and screaming(skrēm) into a pile(pīl) of polos(ˈpōlō).

This was shocking(ˈSHäkiNG) because I love the mall(môl). I love going to the mall now, and I loved working at the mall until it was time to leave my job and start writing full-time. I grew up going to the mall with my grandparents, and thanks to Nana’s(ˈnanə) gift for bartering(ˈbärtər) and the comfort I took in knowing Grandpa would meet his friends at Mmmuffins(ˈməfən) every week, I learned that the mall was a good place. A space full of snacks(snak) and bargains(ˈbärgən) and fountains(ˈfountn) to sit in front of. Which is probably(ˈpräbəblē) why I don’t even hate(hāt) Boxing Day.

But Black Friday is different. The late-November day is my nemesis(ˈneməsis). It morphs(môrf) all of us into panicked(ˈpanik) consumers, obsessed(əbˈses) with trying to make each Christmas perfect by accumulating(əˈkyo͞omyəˌlāt) the latest and greatest things.

Which isn’t the customers’ fault. How can it be, when holiday commercials(kəˈmərSHəl) begin airing(ˈe(ə)riNG) in October, and Black Friday is trumpeted(ˈtrəmpət) as the only chance to acquire(əˈkwī(ə)r) enough stuff to make your friends and family happy? As temperatures(ˈtemp(ə)rəCHər) drop, the pressure(ˈpreSHər) gets higher to make this year the Best One Ever (TM), so by the time Black Friday arrives(əˈrīv), the tension(ˈtenSHən) is palpable(ˈpalpəbəl) and the mission(ˈmiSHən) is clear: Buy everything now or reconcile(ˈrekənˌsīl) with being the worst. And I hate(hāt) that because it’s grossly(ˈɡrōslē) unfair(ˌənˈfe(ə)r).

It takes money to buy Christmas presents(priˈzent,ˈprezənt), and it takes even more money to buy the kind of gifts we’re told everybody’s supposed to have. I, like most people I know (and most people on the planet(ˈplanit)), didn’t grow up with the kind of money needed to make those kinds of Christmas dreams come true. And even as a kid, I understood that: My parents were trying their best, and that was enough. Also, if I complained(kəmˈplān) about not getting as much as another kid in my class, my parents were quick to remind(riˈmīnd) me that maybe I didn’t need any Christmas gifts at all. (So I shut up immediately(iˈmēdēətlē).)

…
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-psa-black-friday-is-terrible/