Cultivating Clarity

Read Time: 4 Minutes

Welcome to Cultivating Clarity, where I share a weekly lesson to build your health and sharpen your mind. This week, we'll pivot our attention away from nutrition to our next topic, happiness. It's a human challenge as old as time, and one I've given serious thought to myself. Over the next 4 weeks, I'll share personal, scientific, and philosophical perspectives on the topic. ​Without further ado, this week's issue:

Background

I've recently become fairly obsessed with habits. It started in June, when my job was too busy to expect to get a workout in after work. So I became a morning exerciser. ​Not exactly a David vs Goliath story, but it led me to see the impact of small actions in the right direction on a regular basis. After a busy summer, I'm in as good of shape as ever, despite many days when I didn't "work out" for more than 15 minutes. ​As I consider habits, I find it particularly interesting to project their effects out for months, years, and decades. If I do the right things every day for 10, 20, 30, 40 years, the sky truly is the limit. ​James Clear's "1% better" visual comes to mind when I consider the effects of habits:

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Here are the 8 most impactful habits I'm focused on at 29 so that when I look back at my life when I'm 69, I'm proud of the life I lived.

The Habits

1. Exercising Daily

If you don't use it, you lose it. You rest, you rust. ​No matter how you spin it, not exercising will accelerate your demise. I've spent a good chunk of every day for the past 2+ years working with hospitalized patients, and the data are clear: More exercise = better life.

What to do about it?​​ Try Sahil Bloom's 30-for-30 approach: sweat for 30 minutes a day, 30 days straight.

2. Reaching out to friends

After college, friendships are harder to maintain. People move away, start families, etc. Maintaining a strong circle of friends requires intentionality.

Struggling?​​Set an alarm on your phone reminding you to text a friend.

3. Eating clean

Again, drawing on my experience working with chronically ill patients: Eating junk is not good for you. Forget Keto, Paleo, Gluten Free, Vegan, Atkins, and Weight Watchers. ​​Follow the 150-year rule: "If it didn't exist 150 years ago, it's not allowed in my body."

4. Saving money

I've been caught with a car repair bill that exceeded my savings. It's quite a terrible feeling. ​Life happens. Be prepared. ​​To make it easier: ​Automate a deposit into your savings account from every paycheck.

5. Collecting memories

I'm well aware that I'll never be younger and more able-bodied than I am today. Getting the family together for a trip will only get harder. ​If you've got a big trip that's been in the back of your mind for a while, make it happen. Life's getting away from you.

Worried you can't afford it? Read Bill Perkins' Die With Zero​

6. Telling the truth

Our anxieties are often a result of avoiding a hard conversation. It stunts your growth across all walks of life. ​Lean in and tell the other person what you're thinking. Ask what they're thinking. Doing so will transform your relationships.

Start with this question: What difficult conversations do I need to have that I'm avoiding?

7. Writing

Journaling helps me untangle my mind and make sense of life. 9 months ago I started writing online.

It's led to meeting some seriously impressive folks. It's also led to this newsletter, which is the backbone of my business.

If you're not sure where to start. . . Grab a Moleskine and a Pilot G-2 (0. 38mm is my preferred thickness) and write down the first 10 ideas that come to you.

8. Finding high-frequency people

Getting around high performers is the best way to elevate your own game.

If you're a high performer yourself, other high performers will welcome your presence.

Make a list:​​ Who are the high performers in your life who you need to spend more time with?

These are the habits that will let me live a life I'm proud to look back on in 40 years. Some of them might be useful to you. Others may not. ​As you develop your own habits, ask yourself these 2 questions:

"What are the things I'll look back on in 1, 5, 10 years, and be glad I did today?"

"What are the things I'm doing today that I'll wish I'd done less of in 1, 5, 10 years?"

Answer these 2 questions and act upon them, and your life will change for the better. It should be fun.

Until next week, Marcus

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