3 MINUTE MONDAY

Hi friend,

Here are four of the most important things I’ve realised about problems and stress:

1. Problems are a feature of life, not a bug.

There will never come a time when you have no problems.

What, did you think that one day you’re just going to wake up and cease having problems?

Like completing a video game and levelling up to a map where there’s nothing there?

That’s never going to happen.

Your problems will change, but having problems is going nowhere.

Dealing with problems is the cost of doing business as a human, not a personal curse.

2. Whatever negativity is consuming your thoughts probably won’t matter in 3 months time.

In 3 months, you won’t remember the corrosive texture of your mind.

Or the boring, repetitive things you thought.

Or maybe even what you were worried about.

But all that time you spent worrying will still have passed.

So you are sacrificing your joy and presence in the moment, for a problem which you won’t even be able to recall in the future.

Immortality would be the only life in which such flippancy with the days you’re alive for is acceptable.

3. Learning comes from the edges.

Change is uncomfortable and it rarely happens without a lot of stress.

Many of the periods of radical, important change in your life happened because of severe challenges that you faced.

Would you pay the price back then for the insights and developments you have now?

If so, have faith that whatever stresses you’re facing will lead to a greater version of you in the future.

This challenge is a gift.

Lean into the discomfort as if you invited it through the door.

Say thank you for the opportunity to learn and reflect, it’s making you better.

Antifragility is alive and well every time we overcome these obstacles.

4. Stop taking things so seriously.

No one is getting out of this game alive.

Literally.

In 3 generations, no one will even remember your name.

If that doesn’t give you liberation to just drop your problems and find some joy, I don’t know what will.

Life is inherently ridiculous and guaranteed to end sooner or later.

So you might as well enjoy the ride.

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MODERN WISDOM

I do a podcast which has had 500 million+ downloads. You should subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
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This week’s upcoming episodes:

Monday.
Gary Vaynerchuk - one of the internet’s OGs on dealing with hate online, his predictions for the future of online platforms and how to grow on social media.

Thursday.
Annie Jacobsen - a fascinating breakdown of how nuclear war could come about. How many nukes are in existence? What would happen if one was fired? Where gets hit first? What is the biggest bomb ever made?

Saturday.
Hamza Ahmed - harsh truths that men need to hear. This is half a podcast and half a coaching session intervention from me as we break down some of the biggest worries men have in the modern world.

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THINGS I'VE LEARNED

1.
​Stop exchanging things that matter for ones that don’t.

“If you already live a comfortable life, then choosing to make more money but live a worse daily life is a bad trade.

And yet we talk ourselves into it all the time. We take promotions that pay more, but swallow our free time. We already have a successful business, but we break ourselves trying to make it even more successful.

Too much focus on wealth, not enough focus on lifestyle." — James Clear

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2.
​The Matthew Principle of Self-Improvement.

There are two types of people; those who don’t know how to improve their lives, and those who don’t know when to stop.

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3.
​Just because you’re at the top does not mean you’re enjoying life.

“The upper ranks of corporate life are dominated by insecure overachievers: people who are driven by a deep sense of inadequacy and are not having any fun, even though they've supposedly won this very competitive race.” — Oliver Burkeman

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LIFE HACK

Never use your phone in a parked car.

I’m back driving again so have been reminded of something I learned a decade ago.

Stop using your phone when you park up.

You’ve rush through traffic to get to the gym or to go home… only to sit and look at your phone for 10 minutes before you get out of the vehicle.

What a waste!

Use the trigger of parking up to put your phone away and get on with your life.

(Hardcore version: only ever put your phone in the boot of your car)
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Big love,
Chris x

Try my productivity drink Neutonic.
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PS
It's been a tough week. Send good vibes pls.