Week 24 of 2023 has arrived... Dunked into the slow moving Dutch canal of your life like a fictional Rebecca Welton.

I was wondering... What do you want?  Seriously.

I have my own agenda... which primarily is: Motivating people to put the blood, sweat, tears and time into the work of being their best, most interesting, weirdest selves, while at the same time striving to personally live up to the above, while respecting my responsibilities as a Husband, Father, Son, and Friend.

This is my mission both because it's incredibly rewarding, and also... I want to live in that world!

So... What can I do to help?  More emails? Different topics? Motivational posters? Videos? Podcasts? Something I haven't even thought of?

Seriously... how can I help you along on your journey?

Thanks for being here and reading.  It is vital to "sharpen the saw" as a regular practice.  I think of these emails as a way for me to sharpen my saw and help you sharpen yours.

The 4K Weeks Brightsider- A Multicolor Extravaganza!

The 4K Weeks Fade to Black- Momento Mori, Anyone?

The 4K Weeks Long View- A Different Horizon

Remarkable Weeks

Week #24 in the year 1928, Frank Morris Introduces Buddy, the first American Guide dog. Morris went on to found the first seeing eye dog training school in America. He was 1055.00 weeks old. (20.23 yrs) 

Week #24 in the year 1958, Frank Zappa graduates from Antelope Valley High School. Satirists are important for democracy! He was 911.86 weeks old. (17.48 yrs)

Week #24 in the year 1967, Thurgood Marshall was nominated as the 1st African American Supreme Court Justice. He was 3075.71 weeks old. (58.98 yrs)

This Weeks Quote

"Every man takes the limits of his own field of vision as the limits of the world." 

Arthur Schopenhauer

First, you should look at his pic on Wikipedia... AWESOME! 

It's somewhat inevitable.  We are so visually dominant, so much of our brain is focused on filtering, prioritizing and translating visual information that it of course would follow that we put lot of value on what is in front of us... what we can perceive...it feels the most real. (One episode of The Inner Cosmos Podcast talks about the idea that dreams might be the visual centers of the brain defending their territory during the 8 hours your eyes are closed at night!)

And yet, we all know that there is something around every blind corner, novelty over every horizon.  

I don't think any of us can escape the closed-minded trap of thinking that our tiny little corner of the world is ALL the world can be.  It is our instinct to prioritize "the world as we currently know it". I think we still have too much "vulnerable upright ape who is trying not to be something's dinner" brain inside our skull.

The best we can do is to focus on broadening our field of vision.  That is something we can make into a habit, and it falls perfectly inline with all manner of personal growth.

Constantly trying to broaden our personal "world" is good in and of itself, but it also has a lot of knock-on effects.  

It's one of the eternal "duh" conundrums... Every "thing" is easier for people who are doing that "thing".  Exercise is easier for people who exercise, and not people who are starting to exercise. Starting a business is easier for people who have started a business. Focusing only on things you can control is easier for people who are already focused on things they can control.

The bigger your world is, the bigger your world can get. The more you focus on biggering your world, the easier it is to bigger your world.

Go on and get to biggering your world.

What I Am Consuming This Week

The Ezra Klein Show: Jennifer Pahlka, Recoding America This is an interesting discussion on why government sucks at doing things, even when bureaucrats have their heart in the right place.   Full disclosure, I stopped listening after 3/4 of the episode. Mostly because it hurt to keep hearing examples of the suckiness. Why is it so hard to institutionalize striving for greatness as opposed to safe mediocrity? Might be an incentives problem.

The Daily Podcast: The Godfather of AI Has Some Regrets. OOF.  Not sure how this is all going to end up, and I am usually techno-optimist, and a Wizard, not a Prophet... But it is a super-interesting time to be alive... and you know the curse...

Inner Cosmos With David Eagleman. I am still working my way through these episodes. I have found all of them interesting... I am currently in the middle of the discussion of the brain... Differing realities and team of rivals.  Super interesting.

The Power of Habit. Charles Duhigg.  I have been reviewing this book, (first read it in 2016) - the first book that really opened my eyes to "The Habit Loop". If you are interested in why you do things, and also interested in ways to build good habits, this book is great.

What I Am Thinking About This Week

Gratitude.

Yesterday was my 46th birthday, and also the 1 year anniversary of our acquisition of 4K Weeks.

I am so thankful for so many things:

• Alvaro and Alvaro, the founders of 4KWeeks for bringing the brand into the world. Check out one of their other brands... The Mad Spotter
• This weekly opportunity to share my thoughts with you all. It's Da BESSSST! I love it!
• Living in a time where it is possible to so freely share information... Exponential.
• All the people who are leaning into their "weird" and by doing so making the world more interesting... For Example!
• Ted Lasso (KC for life!)  Gezellig
• Dogs
• The mug that my daughter gifted me that says "The standard pace is for chumps!"
• The neon sign that my wife and son gifted me that says "Stay Curious"
• Petrichor
• So much other awesome stuff.

A wise friend once told me: "What you focus on will increase".  It works both ways... Act with intention.

Last thing: One of my birthday wishes was to watch some Ted Lasso with my wife... (we don't often have much time for passive activities!).  I think the show is a masterpiece.  The quote that stuck with me today was this:

"When you know you are doing what you're meant to, you have to try."

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Spencer, Owner of 4KWeeks.com

Spencer@4KWeeks.com

Dad Joke O’The Week

Why did the tomato blush?  

It saw the salad dressing!