Week #6, 2025
Week #6 of 2025 has arrived. I have always thought that if I lived on a deserted island, I might really enjoy waking up each morning to walk the beach and see what the tides delivered to me overnight.
Time to walk over to your 4K Weeks poster and fill in another square. Done?
I was thinking about the temptation of Jesus as a metaphor for how people harken back to “The Good Ole Days!”, specifically the offer of all of the kingdoms of the world, and so I googled it. (My friend Ben always says, “Remember, THESE are the good ole days.”)
Here is the relevant passage...
Matthew 4:8-9, Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
If someone offers you a simple, too-good-to-be-true deal, it isn’t what it seems.
The devil makes it easy… “I can give you the world, and there will be no problems, no struggles." The real world is much more complicated and nuanced. There are hard choices and real sacrifices to be made for any true gain.
If anyone promises you that you can get exactly what you want, with no complications or sacrifices, that person is playing the role of the devil in the scene.
ON WEEK #6 OF 1980...
Rick Barry of the Houston Rockets became the first player in NBA history to score eight three-pointers in one game.
He was 1,871.57 weeks or 35.89 years old.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"Begin to weave and God will give you the thread." - German Proverb
I will be honest. I recoil a bit when I see the word God, or a capital "H" Him. I am working on that. As happens with most people with an open mind, I am much more open to the idea of God than I was in my 20's. Anyway, it was humans that soured me on the idea of God, not God itself. So I suppose I should save my scorn for them! (Himself? Herself? Would an all powerful force have a gender?)
All of that is to say, if you need to, replace the word "God" here with "The Universe" or "the Flying Spaghetti Monster" whatever... There seems to be a force that we don't fully understand that wants to help.
We all usually assume that "inspiration will come first, and then I will do the work." But one thing two decades as an artist has taught me is that the inspiration follows the work.
If you are lucky, after you have spent hours and hours and hours feeling inept and clumsy at your weaving, slowly improving bit by bit, The Genius will show up, and provide the thread for your masterpiece.
WHAT I AM CONSUMING THIS WEEK
Diary of a CEO Podcast, Roundtable...
I don't usually like his this podcast... Bartlett doesn't ask anyone tough questions, or challenge a narrative that a guest brings to the table... But this was an interesting discussion, and Scott Galloway's riff on "Son's and Surplus Value" at the end is really good.
Instagram Nugget
- John Wooden
- I'm going to ruin Takis for you. Eat real food!
- I don't know... this is hard. Is it zero sum?
- Love is not all. Tom Selleck.
WHAT I AM THINKING ABOUT THIS WEEK
What is the point of strength and power?
I am reading this trilogy, The Way of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson. I am not finished, but I have read nearly 2,000 pages, so... I have a pretty good sense of things.
In this series, there is one Highprince, Sadeas. He is in his late 40's, rich and powerful.
And there is this other Highprince, Dalinar. He is in his late 40's, rich and powerful.
There is an overarching narrative to the book, but, like any good book, there are a multitude of small scenes that slightly push the overall narrative, but mostly show us who these two people are with their actions.
They are both constantly arguing about the right strategies and policies. They are both convicted, and earnest. They both believe that their way is truly the right way and that the other is wrong.
Sadeas sees everyone as grist for his mill. In his eyes, the reason for the existence of unpowerful people is to serve him and his ambition. I suppose he isn't evil. He is just playing the game of power and existence to win, and to make his country great again at any and all costs. He never has a shred of doubt that his path is the right one. He would never deign to wonder if there might be anything more important than seeing his vision for the world made manifest. The most - and only - important thing for him is to win. At. Any. Cost.
Dalinar is constantly struggling to discern the "right" thing to do, which often feels like self-doubt and uncertainty. He clearly feels superior to the unpowerful, and he knows that he is meant for greater things, but he acknowledges that other people in the world don't deserve to be ground up for the slightest advantage. He isn't a perfect man. He can be brutal. But, with introspection, has discovered integrity. He would die to see his country made great and to see it fulfill his promise. But, if given the chance to win without integrity or lose with integrity, even if no one but himself would know... he would choose to lose 10 out 10 times.
Who do you think everyone roots for? We are our stories.
You are rich and powerful. There is no winning. You are going to die. Within a year everyone will have forgotten what you cared about. 50 years after your death everyone will have forgotten your name. In light of that, maybe try loving your neighbor first, yourself second, and building a world third.
Don't mistake kindness for weakness, and don't mistake strength for integrity.
All of our greatest teachers and every major religion has placed love for our neighbor as one of the highest commandments. You can see the chapter and verse for each religion in the member community here.
Until next week!
Spencer, Owner of 4K Weeks
P.S. I'm serious about the 33 Day Foundation. It works, and in the nascent 4K Weeks Community, I am happy to help you define your goals and stay accountable.P.P.S. Here is your reward for reading this whole email: This is awesome... What a time to live.
DAD JOKE O' THE WEEK
What's the difference between a camera and a sock?
A camera takes photos. A sock takes five toes.
Shoutout to Instagram user Natalie S. for contributing this week's joke! The best ones are really the ones that make you facepalm.
Think you can do better? We're waiting for your Dad Joke entry!
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