Welcome to Constantly Curious, Edition #14!

This week at a glance:

• The Myth of Some Day

• 3 Quotes/Ideas

• Proof You Can Do Hard Things - Why is Matters!

• A Must-Watch Documentary

If this is your first time reading - welcome! Join us as we explore curiosity every Thursday!

With that said, let’s get into it -

The Myth of Some Day

It’s very easy to fall into a state of perpetual state of “some-day’s”, “eventually’s”, and “maybe’s”.

Resistance (as the great Steven Pressfield calls it in his book, The War of Art) can be a real bitch. If you let it, it will do anything it can to keep you from taking action.

Well let me say this - your goals, dreams, ambitions and ideas can’t wait another day. You must take action. Every day you don’t, Resistance is winning. It’s preventing you from reaching your full potential.

One framework that helps me take action - ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen if I do ____?”

If the answer is any less than:

1. fired from your job,

2. divorced from your spouse,

3. potentially in jail

The “worst” that can happen isn’t bad enough.

Three Quotes/Ideas of the Week

Creating Proof that You Can Do Hard Things

Nat Eliason’s piece, Proof You Can Do Hard Things, is one of the best short essay’s I’ve read in some time. In it, Nat describes why creating proof that can you do hard things is so important. Most likely, calculus doesn’t really matter to your future employer - what does is your ability to learn challenging topics and create solutions for complex problems.

The piece especially resonated because the attitude described is exactly how I navigated my most challenging college courses. I knew that Physics and Chemistry Labs weren’t going to really matter in my post-grad professional life. BUT, I knew that excelling in those classes would prove (to myself as much as others) that I was capable of excelling anywhere.

This is applicable in each of our lives. Next time your boss asks you to complete a complex task, re-frame it. Rather than complain, think “this is an opportunity to prove to myself that I am capable”.

Now, instead of just “tasks” you’ve accomplished, you have a stack of “problems you’ve solved”.

So,

• When you want that big promotion/pay raise, THIS IS YOUR AMMO.

• When you want to find a new job, you have more than just your resume.

• When you want to switch careers altogether, you have PROOF of your ability to do. hard. things.

A Must-Watch Documentary

I love documentaries. These days, I find myself watching them more than any other genre of TV or Movies. Unsurprisingly, I love being able to dive into subjects I know nothing about, and learn about them.

Winner of the 2018 Oscar for Best Documentary, Free Solo chronicles Alex Honnold, widely regarded as the greatest free soloist ever, and his pursuit of conquering El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.

There’s just one catch…he climbs without a rope.

Yeah, it’s as f*cking nuts as it sounds…

There’s so many incredible documentaries out there, but I’m not sure I’ve ever come across one with more stunning cinematography. The climbing sequences will make your palms sweat, and you will feel palpable anxiety as you watch Alex hang thousands of feet above Yosemite’s floor.

If you’ve been looking for something compelling to watch, look no further. You can stream Free Solo on Disney+ right now.

Stay Curious, Friends!