I.

I had an in depth conversation with someone older and wiser than myself. I shared that I’m not sure what caused the shift, but within the past year I feel like I’ve freed my mind of the societal constructs bestowed upon me. I’ve started to think differently. He brought up an old quote from Confucius,

“Every man has two lives. The second starts when he realizes he only has one.”

This pretty much describes how I’m feeling to a T. We grow up being told where to go, what to do, and how to think. Eventually, some of us free ourselves from these externally imposed norms. Some of us never do. No matter your age, consider this:

If tomorrow were your last day on Earth.

How would you spend it?

Remember how you answered this question.

Now go spend every day of the rest of your life like this.

II.

I finished reading the 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris for the second time. It’s a NYT Best Seller and one of the most famous self-development books ever written. I won’t bore you with my version, but here’s a 1 sentence summary:

“The 4-Hour Workweek is the step-by-step blueprint to free yourself from the shackles of a corporate job, create a business to fund the lifestyle of your dreams, and live life like a millionaire, without actually having to be one.”

If you haven’t already, read it. If you’ve read it before, read it again.

III.

Read this excerpt from Tao Te Ching, a philosophy based Chinese classic text written around 400 BC. When you’re done, write down your interpretation. Don’t overthink it. There are no rules. Just write. Reply to this email with your takeaway.

The master gives himself up

to whatever the moment brings.

He knows that he is going to die,

and he has nothing left to hold on to:

no illusions in his mind,

no resistances in his body.

He doesn’t think about his actions;

they flow from the core of his being.

He holds nothing back from life;

therefore he is ready for death,

as a man is ready for sleep

after a good day’s work.

In case you missed it, my best performing post of the week was 5 psychological hacks used by millionaires.