Love the title. The numerous Uber eats bikers are a bang on example of our preference for easy. Easy life, easy money, easy friends, easy food. But easy is soft, easy is weak, easy is effortless. Do something hard. It’s good for your mental health. Just ask the Uber Eats bikers.
Haha thanks Dad. Couldn’t agree more. Nothing easy is worthwhile. Hard things tend to be worthwhile, either for the outcome itself or the process that hard things put you through.
Love this Jack!!! You are so right!!! And with our constant commitment to and infatuation with screen time, and especially social media, many are less and less prone to get up and do something that requires more from our bodies and our minds. Such a detriment to our overall health in every way, and a damn shame to our humankind, our communities and beyond. My Nan and your Great Nan always said, “if it is difficult, it is worth doing, difficult things are worth doing”!!! Also, love dad’s comment on asking the Uber Eats Cyclists!!!
Thanks mum, appreciate you reading and sharing your thoughts as always. There is so much value in doing hard things daily… good for the mind, body, and spirit.
The answer is usually simple, Jack. But never easy. I love your reflections here! It's been a while, what kind of work have you been engaging in these days?
Hey Linart, thank you pal — I appreciate it! My days are mainly consumed by my job with the Ontario government and training jiu jitsu. And trying to publish once per month!
People have forgotten how to serve others, how service is love, and love is real work. Choosing the self gives us a perfect chat bot as a boyfriend. We're getting sicker because we don't know how to be in the world in real time. Great piece Jack!!
Loved this man! Agreed on pretty much all of it. Love that you just said it straight. The issue is real and grand, and the band-aids only temporarily obscure the depth of the real problem.
“We’ve made ourselves the most important thing in our lives, and so we self-centeredly worship and prioritize ourselves, rather than being of service to others.” - this is such a brutal truth. This very app I read and wrote you on one of any/many examples. I think alternatives to what we do online could also be assistive (delete the like button, no more star ratings, etc.). So much of online dialogue is a one way conversation - the words are static - propoganda posters. I guess what I am saying is what’s a way to a world less monologue more dialogue?
CansaFis, always so great to hear from you brother. Love the way you put it: “dialogue over monologue.” I think the problem is we all like hearing ourselves talk more than we like listening to others (myself at the top of that list). This is something I’m always trying to work on… talk less, listen more, give pause between conversation transitions.
I've been out on the bike in nature this summer far more than usual, and questioning the wisdom of spending as much time as I have away from my entrepreneurial desk. After all, if I'm not making things happen there, there's no paycheck. But the upside to several hours out on the bike are huge for my sleep, well-being, energy levels, and sense of clarity once I am sitting at work. It's the best feeling in the world to feel bone tired from actually doing something physical rather than staring at a screen too long.
"A big part of mental well-being comes down to choosing your hard. If you choose the easy fix, you’ll have hard problems that never go away. But if you opt for hard, temporarily uncomfortable solutions, the rest of your life will feel easy and enjoyable."
Thanks, Rick! You are spot on in that the challenge is finding the balance. But as you aptly point out, the things (like nature and exercise) that help us feel our best will help us be at our best when it comes to serving others in our lives, whether it be our family or clients.
Jack, such an essential viewpoint. And quite timely as I head for an MRI this morning on my back, that probably stems from not enough stretching and core exercise which is inversely proportional to the amount of sitting and scrolling I do. 😵💫
I thought this perspective and turn of phrase was the keystone of the piece:
“We all seem to fear getting tied down, when paradoxically, tying ourselves to people, places, and things is the only path to true liberation and freedom.”
James, always brings a smile to my face to hear from you. I hope your back is feeling better… rehab over a few months can work wonders (as I have recently experienced with my shoulder).
That is a line I am trying to embody, but it takes a daily commitment and awareness. But, I believe those words are something we must strive to live by our whole lives.
Love the title. The numerous Uber eats bikers are a bang on example of our preference for easy. Easy life, easy money, easy friends, easy food. But easy is soft, easy is weak, easy is effortless. Do something hard. It’s good for your mental health. Just ask the Uber Eats bikers.
Haha thanks Dad. Couldn’t agree more. Nothing easy is worthwhile. Hard things tend to be worthwhile, either for the outcome itself or the process that hard things put you through.
Love this Jack!!! You are so right!!! And with our constant commitment to and infatuation with screen time, and especially social media, many are less and less prone to get up and do something that requires more from our bodies and our minds. Such a detriment to our overall health in every way, and a damn shame to our humankind, our communities and beyond. My Nan and your Great Nan always said, “if it is difficult, it is worth doing, difficult things are worth doing”!!! Also, love dad’s comment on asking the Uber Eats Cyclists!!!
Thanks mum, appreciate you reading and sharing your thoughts as always. There is so much value in doing hard things daily… good for the mind, body, and spirit.
The answer is usually simple, Jack. But never easy. I love your reflections here! It's been a while, what kind of work have you been engaging in these days?
Hey Linart, thank you pal — I appreciate it! My days are mainly consumed by my job with the Ontario government and training jiu jitsu. And trying to publish once per month!
People have forgotten how to serve others, how service is love, and love is real work. Choosing the self gives us a perfect chat bot as a boyfriend. We're getting sicker because we don't know how to be in the world in real time. Great piece Jack!!
Thank you so much, Sadia! Really appreciate you reading and showing up in the comments here :)
Loved this. Especially "go places Wi-Fi routers won’t reach."
Our back country adventures were top of mind as I wrote that. Many many more to come.
Loved this man! Agreed on pretty much all of it. Love that you just said it straight. The issue is real and grand, and the band-aids only temporarily obscure the depth of the real problem.
Always great to hear from you Jeremy. Real problems require real solutions, and quick fixes are temporary. Thanks for being here pal.
“We’ve made ourselves the most important thing in our lives, and so we self-centeredly worship and prioritize ourselves, rather than being of service to others.” - this is such a brutal truth. This very app I read and wrote you on one of any/many examples. I think alternatives to what we do online could also be assistive (delete the like button, no more star ratings, etc.). So much of online dialogue is a one way conversation - the words are static - propoganda posters. I guess what I am saying is what’s a way to a world less monologue more dialogue?
CansaFis, always so great to hear from you brother. Love the way you put it: “dialogue over monologue.” I think the problem is we all like hearing ourselves talk more than we like listening to others (myself at the top of that list). This is something I’m always trying to work on… talk less, listen more, give pause between conversation transitions.
Choose your hard! Love that!
I've been out on the bike in nature this summer far more than usual, and questioning the wisdom of spending as much time as I have away from my entrepreneurial desk. After all, if I'm not making things happen there, there's no paycheck. But the upside to several hours out on the bike are huge for my sleep, well-being, energy levels, and sense of clarity once I am sitting at work. It's the best feeling in the world to feel bone tired from actually doing something physical rather than staring at a screen too long.
"A big part of mental well-being comes down to choosing your hard. If you choose the easy fix, you’ll have hard problems that never go away. But if you opt for hard, temporarily uncomfortable solutions, the rest of your life will feel easy and enjoyable."
Thanks, Rick! You are spot on in that the challenge is finding the balance. But as you aptly point out, the things (like nature and exercise) that help us feel our best will help us be at our best when it comes to serving others in our lives, whether it be our family or clients.
Jack, such an essential viewpoint. And quite timely as I head for an MRI this morning on my back, that probably stems from not enough stretching and core exercise which is inversely proportional to the amount of sitting and scrolling I do. 😵💫
I thought this perspective and turn of phrase was the keystone of the piece:
“We all seem to fear getting tied down, when paradoxically, tying ourselves to people, places, and things is the only path to true liberation and freedom.”
Take good care.
James, always brings a smile to my face to hear from you. I hope your back is feeling better… rehab over a few months can work wonders (as I have recently experienced with my shoulder).
That is a line I am trying to embody, but it takes a daily commitment and awareness. But, I believe those words are something we must strive to live by our whole lives.
Excellent stuff. A good diagnosis
Thanks Ryan, appreciate you reading!