Week #13, Pop Quiz: Is the world better or worse than ever?

Week #13, Pop Quiz: Is the world better or worse than ever?

Week thirteen is here. Just look at that full row of squares up there...The Ides of March are past us, and the Ides of April await.   It's time to walk over to your 4K Weeks Poster, and fill in one more square... Done?  The Answer to the pop quiz in the subject line... Of Course!!! By EVERY MEASURE.  If you don't think so, that's only because you are falling prey to your very human instincts of "fear and danger!". I am reading a great book, Factfulness, Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World. by Hans Rosling. The cliffs notes: things are better than they have ever been for nearly everyone. (and if you got this email, you are in the everyone camp)  So... no complaining...

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Week #12 of 2023, Who are your five?

Week #12 of 2023, Who are your five?

Week twelve has arrived, and I for one... AM HERE FOR IT! It's time to walk over to your 4K Weeks Poster, and fill in one more square... Done? Interestingly, no one took me up on the Instagram challenge... This whole thing is an experiment... so data is data!   The answer was No Hard Feelings by the Avett Brothers... Perhaps the most perfect song about mortality that ever existed. Play it at my funeral. The IG video that it shows up in is here: Smooth Seas The title of the song is at the top of a memento mori painting that my good friend made for me. You can see a picture of the painting here. Painting.  I have been getting email from...

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Week #11...If you could only keep one project to work on what would it be?

Week #11...If you could only keep one project to work on what would it be?

Week eleven is here. Pouncing on your plans like a playful kitten with a ball of string. It's time to walk over to your 4K Weeks Poster, and fill in one more square... Done? The "mistake contest" seemed to get you all inspired... let's do it again. I have been making videos for our Instagram page for a month now, and in one of the videos the title of a song that is very important to me makes an appearance.  The first person to comment the name of that song, in the comments of the IG video it makes an appearance in, gets their choice of an unframed poster.  Here is our IG page. Also... I would love to know what you think...

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Week #10, March is marching in.

Week #10, March is marching in.

Life is crazy, and there is too much to do. When you want to make a change,  how can you possibly fit in the time to become an expert: nutritionist, trainer, business coach, investor, parent, care giver, etc, etc.
 
We all need a map for this type of roadblock to change. I think the solution is...:

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Week #09, Time keeps on slippin, slippin, into the future..

Week #09, Time keeps on slippin, slippin, into the future..

Profit is important, no doubt.  Actually valuing your customers usually protects and improves your profit.
 
Show up for the people in your life with ACTIONS. Your customers, your friends, your neighbors... Words are wind.
 
If you do that, the profits will take care of themselves.  

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Week #08, I'm a little lost today, gotta be honest...

Week #08, I'm a little lost today, gotta be honest...

Week eight has arrived. "And it's a fair wind blowin' warm, Out of the south over my shoulder, I guess I'll set a course and go" It's time to walk over to your 4K Weeks Poster, and fill in one more square... Done? Ok, here are a few brussel sprouts for your brain. Thanks to everyone who responded to last week's "what are you excited about?"  It was awesome to read all the different things you all are into, and to get a little excited for you.  Keep changing the world! Get a 4k Weeks Year Goal Poster, TRACK YOUR PROGRESS! Remarkable Weeks Week #08 in the year 1946, Alan Turing presented his paper that contained the first detailed design of a store-program computer. He was 1756.29...

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Week #07, Hi, my name's KATRINA!

Week #07, Hi, my name's KATRINA!

The difference between terror and exhilaration is often just whether you are standing on your heels or your toes. The same experience can be vastly different just based on your attitude.

The perspective shift that this quote asks you to make is huge.  Am I miserably cold and wet, or am I out here learning how to sail my ship?  Same situation, same conditions, same person, different mindset.

Smooth seas don't make skilled sailors.

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Week #06, Oh! The Places You'll Go!

Week #06, Oh! The Places You'll Go!

The Rule of Thirds

Progress doesn't happen as steady forward motion, and the most important days aren't the 1/3rd that feel good. The important days are the 1/3rd that suck but you show up anyway... even if you have to phone it in a bit... show up.

Also, it is a bit of a relief, on days where you feel kind of mid, to remember this is an essential part of the journey, and not a failure.

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Week #05 of 2023 "This is Crazy, This is Crazy, This is Crazy!"

Week #05 of 2023 "This is Crazy, This is Crazy, This is Crazy!"

We saw the musical Hadestown this weekend. 

It's the tragic, sisyphean striving that got to me.  Everyone of us will lose the ones we love. Everyone of us will fall short of making the most of every minute with them. Everyone of us will fail to be immortal. Everyone of us will be beaten down by the effort and get back up, until we don't.

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Everything is Chess.

Everything is Chess.

Everything is a Chess Game. This essay has nothing to do with winning or losing.  That is important to say up front.  There is tremendous value in the desire to win, but it is also often a distraction. I was talking about this with my friend who owns a lawn and landscape company. He started in high school, and when we were in college, I worked for him for a while when he was in that  difficult stage between Soloprenuer and business owner, when there is too much work for one guy, and not enough for two. One day I was struggling with trimming.  Trimming, or edging, or weed-eating, whatever you call it, is one of those things that looks...

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