WPW: Maria Popova and Brainpickings

 

Lucy,

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote Read Write Think and Stay Whole Lucy. Today, I circle back to Maria Popova on Woman Power Wednesday. Maria started Brainpickings 14 years ago. 

In her words:

Brain Pickings was born on October 23, 2006, as a short email to seven friends. Seven years and several incomprehensible million readers into its existence, I began what has since become an annual tradition — a distillation of the most important things I have learned about living while reading and writing my way through life; private learnings offered in the public commons, in the hope that these thoroughly subjective insights of a single consciousness might be of succor or salve to another. It is the only overtly personal writing I do on Brain Pickings. (Though, of course, the whole of it remains a deeply personal exercise in processing my own life and annealing my own ideas through the lives and ideas I celebrate in writing.) We are, after all, made of the same stuff.

Like how Ryan Holiday deep-dives into the stoics, Maria has built her passion-work studying literature, art, and poetry that is not currently on the New York Times bestseller list. She finds classic-thinkers (or artists) and then connects dots between their thought and other's, or her own. I find this interesting and refreshing, much like I find Holiday's books so thoughtful and timeless. It seems especially invigorating as we live through a time when many people are so unsettled and upset.

Go here to read this year's Essential Life-Learnings from 14 Years of Brain Pickings. Scroll down to 14. Choose Joy. 

So few grains of happiness

measured against all the dark

and still the scales balance.

Lucy, you get to weigh the blue of your sky!

Dad

P.S. And note a link where you can see Maria's 13 prior years of essential life-learnings. And if you go deeper, you can also see thirteen of the pieces Maria has most enjoyed writing the past thirteen years. I'm hooked. Her writing style and her ability to use words in unique ways stirs and inspires me.

MiaGM: "I value?"

 
Hey Lucy,

As you know, we zipped over to Cape San Blas this weekend, and the WiFi is solid; the view from 'my back porch office' is rather nice, and the sunsets are remarkable.

At the end of the McConaughey podcast, which I listened to a couple of times last week, Tim Ferris asks Matthew his standard question. "So if you were to have a billboard metaphorically speaking to get a message, a question, an image, anything out to billions of people, could have a paragraph, could be a word, anything non-commercial, what might you put on that billboard?"

McConaughey: 'I value?' 

"It seems that the common denominator, or the bipartisan non-denominational solid stepping stones for us to evolve as a species, as a nation, and as individuals, is based on values. The fundamental principles that we can all agree on, I don’t care what side of politics you’re on, or what religion you are, is what do we value?"

What do we really value? We all want to be relevant. Well, let’s ask, “Relevant for what?"

Make it a great Monday,

Dad

FaaFF: Letter from a grandfather

 Good Fit as a Fiddle morning Lucy,

Saw this on an ESPN tweet and just loved it! Rays 1 - Dodgers 1 in Fall Classic. Yesterday was a 'travel day'; without any travel. Game three tonight.

Love you,

Dad

Anything goes: Digging deeper on McConaughey

Lucy,

I caught up with Sally in London early this morning, and she, like me, has gone all-in on Tuesday's Stay Whole: Matthew McConaughey talks 'Greenlights' on The Tim Ferris Show.

Here are a few other nuggets that resonate with me in a BIG way from the show:

My favorite poem, The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost. Always reminds me of Dr. Scott Peck and The Road Less Traveled.

Why has The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino had such an impact on Matthew, and how did he serendipitously happened upon it while studying to be a lawyer? [18:06]

Matthew’s 10 goals in life circa 1992, and what he was doing then. [26:52]

What did Matthew mean specifically with goal number five: be an egotistical utilitarian? [31:45] "That's what Jesus was up to!"

Take more risks. Why? [33:42]

What misconceptions does the world have about Matthew that he’d like to clear up? [1:21:30] Great stuff here on what Emily and I used to refer to as hard preparation, easy battle.

Hope you take some time to listen.

Love,

Dad

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

SWT: Matthew McConaughey talks 'Greenlights' on The Tim Ferris Show

Good stuff on Stay Whole Tuesday for you here, LuLu. 

I'm enjoying Tim Ferris with our Austin neighbor Matthew McConaughey this week. He touches on a lot of things that resonate. His father was a 'peddler,' and so was my Grandfather, William Patton McDowell Jr.

McConaughey was a goal setter and journaled about his dreams from an early age. Mom knows about some of my earliest journals and the goals I set years ago. I know you, too, are a journaling-type. He talks about how we tend to journal when we are at tough spots in our life, but he learned early why it is important to also journal when things are going well. 

His new book, Greenlights, looks like a winner - a guide to catching more greenlights—and to realizing that the yellows and reds eventually turn green too.

Give it a listen and stay whole,

Dad

Thanks Jim Loehr: Looking forward to reading Leading with Character!

Lucy,

A while back, I shared 'I am Woman' and Jim Loehr on FaaFF and the missing link from my bookshelves, my signed and annotated copy of Jim Loehr's The Power of Full Engagement. I ended the Fit as a Fiddle Friday intending to run Jim down for a new signed copy. That 'intention' lead me back to my Nashville tennis buddy, Jay Senter, now 80 and still 'fully engaged' playing championship-level age-group tennis around the US.  

Jay kindly connected me to his best friend Jim, and voila . . .

The photo above shows Jim's kind note in my new book, plus his latest book, Leading with Character: 10 Minutes a Day to a Brilliant Legacy, which has moved to the top of my reading list. Jim even used my favorite word, oscillate, in his note, which I love!

Make it a great 'oscillating' Monday,

Dad

Jim Chapman (82) on life habits that have helped him stay RELEVANT

Lucy,

With line-of-sight on eight generations of working professionals, I'm studying what it takes to maintain 'relevance' and find your 'voice' throughout your career and your life. Put another way, what does purposeful-work look like in your twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, and so forth, allowing unique individuals to do amazing work well into their 9th and even 10th decade of life!

Taylor's grandfather Jimmy Chapman (82), is a great example. The photo is Jimmy talking to your sister Sally about architecture projects in his Atlanta office. (See Jimmy's crowning achievement: 'I'm so proud I'm about to pop.')

I recently encouraged Sally and Taylor to interview Jimmy, before they left for London for the next three years. The interview is remarkable, and I am certain it will be treasured. Today, on Fit as a Fiddle Friday, listen to Jimmy's response to this question:

What life hacks or habits do you consider the most important that have allowed you to stay healthy and maintain high-energy for so many years?

Five takeaways:

1. Infused with a love of movement and physical activity at an early age
2. The importance of 'energy' and 'discipline' when you need to spend long hours at your craft
3. Variety and diversification of exercise throughout life
4. Develop habits that involve fitness
5. Have a 'place to go', surround yourself with like-minded individuals

Great stuff, LuLu. 

Stay fit,

Dad

Patty Sheehan: "Some kind of peacefulness about what you are doing"

 

Good morning Lucy,

Patty Sheehan is a World Golf Hall of Famer and one of the greatest women to ever play the game. I found the above from Patty interesting, plus this from her HOF induction speech in 1993. The 'peacefulness' part really resonated with me.

"I saw myself as a winner from a very young age. I played with boys all my life, and I seemed to be their equal, if not better. I never thought of myself as anything less than a winner. To be successful, you need drive, determination and a belief in yourself, and some kind of peacefulness about what you're doing."

While Harvey Penick may be best known for The Little Red Book and his teaching of Tom Kite and Ben Crenshaw, did you know that Harvey also worked with Betty Jameson, Betsy Rawls, Mickey Wright, Kathy Whitworth, and Sandra Palmer? Those ladies won over 240 LPGA tour events, 2 U.S. Women's Amateurs, and 10 U.S. Women's Opens.

Lastly, I've been using the abbreviation WWW in my journal lately, as an acronym for my 'world is working wonderfully.' It is just a little reminder that the world can work in your favor if you approach things from a place of purpose, and as Patty says, with some kind of peacefulness. It does not mean there will not be bumps in the road. But, not much will rattle you when you come at it this way.

Is your WWW on WPW?

Dad

Stay Whole LuLu: Walking

Lucy,

Checked in with Sally in England early this morning. She was on a walk in the countryside and sent another stunning photo. See more here at wilkinsonblog.com with password: charleston.

Ryan Holiday's chapter on walking, in Stillness is the Key came to mind. Holiday says, "It is probably not a coincidence that Jesus himself was a walker - a traveler - who knew the pleasures and the divineness of putting one foot in front of the other."

I'm also reminded of this post from our Covid-19 days together last spring: Humility on WPW, plus two girls on a walking mission.

We miss you, and love you!

Dad

Let the game come to you and 5 questions on MiaGM

 
Hey Lucy,

Big day in Singletary-land with both Emily (YETI) and Taylor (CJ Coleman - London) starting new jobs. I'm proud of those two for matching their passions and talents with such exciting brands. Hang on for the ride and let the game come to you, eBug and T!

I had some more 20-somethings pop up in my life this weekend, wanting to talk about purposeful career strategy. I've started asking these five questions as a primer:

1. What is your dream job at this phase of your career, and why?
2. What are your long-term goals and aspirations, and how will these make the world a better place for all?
3. How are you doing matching your passions and talents with your career plans?
4. What are your three favorite books and three favorite movies?
5. What do you most like to do in your spare time, and are you making time for the things on your list? If so, how much time?

Make it a Great Monday,

Dad

P.S. Sally and Taylor arrived in London late Saturday evening and have tucked away in their country-side estate (photo above) for their 15-day quarantine. How exciting to have a daughter/sister and son-in-law/brother-in-law living in London! 

Sally has shared updates and pictures here at wilkinsonblog.com

Password: charleston

It was fun to hear about your weekend with Susan and Dana and the alpaca. That was kind of them to host all of your friends (Covid-style camping out!) on the farm.

Oscillate, as in Oscillating Dynamic Variable Resistance

 
Howdy Lucy,

Yesterday, on Anything Goes, we talked Pareto Principle (80-20) and how Richard Koch wrote THE book on the 80-20 rule, extending it beyond the well-known business application and into life, happiness, and success.

One of my favorite words is 'oscillate'. You've heard me use it for years when discussing the importance of learning to 'oscillate' in and out of our four capacities - mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical. Life is best lived when one learns the art of oscillation, along with the importance of proper stress or stretching ourselves in each area, so we learn and grow. To me, this is what makes life so fun!

Since today is Fit as a Fiddle Friday, I offer Mike Romatowski's Ten Golden Rules of Speed Training. And this fun string of words: oscillating dynamic variable resistance.

By-the-way, that is my friend Jeff Young on the left above, who was Romatowski's first student when he moved his Mach-3 Speed Training gym to San Antonio. Jeff, a scratch golfer, now travels the US teaching classes on Mach-3 Speed Training.

Happy Friday,

Dad

Dear Harvey: Life is long if you know how to use it

 
Good morning Lucy. I'm trying something new on this 'Anything Goes' Thursday. I'm writing Harvey Penick, one of the wisest individuals to ever grace our community. 

Dear Harvey,

I've meant to write to you. 

Our golf course has been closed for overseeding, so I miss my evening 9-hole walks with your good friend and legend-in-his-own-right, Roane Puett. 

I've been studying the 80-20 rule through Richard Koch, along with Seneca's On the Shortness of Life: Life Is Long If You Know How to Use It. These two are akin to each other and in alignment with the way you taught. Learn what will help you the most, and don't waste time on the other stuff.

Your friend, and top-pupil, Tom Kite, has been kind to me at Train 4 The Game, helping me understand things he learned from you years ago. Tom and I recently worked on 'deceleration,' a term I found a bit odd for golf, but now I understand.

Recently, I've been into something called 'Oscillating Dynamic Variable Resistance' and Mike Romatowski's concepts at Mach 3 Speed Training. Romatowski has a lot to say about men 50 years of age and up who think they can no longer gain clubhead speed. He also likes to focus on women's collegiate golfers and how they often overtrain, leading to fatigue and injury. These topics interest me and tie back to the 80-20 principle, as I seek to get the most 'gain' out of my time in the gym.

I hope you have good WiFi up there because I have shared some fun links.

See you at the club,

gPage

Woman Power Wednesday: A junior on a mission and the Autodesk Foundation

 

She’s a junior on a mission

Youngest gal with a vision

She’s going places

Making spaces

For amazing things

To happen

Spirits not dampened

Seat belts fastened

She’s going places!

I love you Lucy May Singletary, stay the course,

and Happy WPW!

Daddio

Sent you this over on LinkedIn: Autodesk Foundation

"We invest in organizations across three areas: energy & materials, health & resilience, and work & prosperity. Portfolio organizations receive funding, software, training, and support to maximize their impact."

Who we support | Portfolio here

SWT: Richard Koch breaking down success on The Tim Ferris Show

 
Hey, Lucy on a Stay Whole Tuesday afternoon,

I'm into The Tim Ferris Show for my podcast this week, and specifically Richard Koch on Mastering the 80/20 Principle, Achieving Unreasonable Success, and the Art of Gambling (#466). Koch's business book, The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More with Less, is a classic and the only book that Ferris has ever agreed to write a forward and give a quote. (Makes sense for the guy who wrote The 4-Hour Workweek!)

Koch has a new book called Unreasonable Success and How to Achieve It: Unlocking the 9 Secrets of People Who Changed the World. 

Here are the nine:

• Self-belief
• Olympian Expectations
• Transforming Experiences
• One Breakthrough Achievement
• Make Your Own Trail
• Find and Drive Your Personal Vehicle
• Thrive on Setbacks
• Acquire Unique Intuition
• Distort Reality

He breaks each of the secrets down on the podcast.

Take a listen,

Dad

How's your LinkedIn game on Make it a Great Monday

Hello, LuLu on MiaGM,

Good times in College Station on Friday night, catching up with your peeps. I got down to brass tacks with Mays School of Business, Junior, Amy Solheim talking LinkedIn. It is important to build your professional brand while you are in college, especially if you plan to work as a generalist. I had talked with Amy about LinkedIn earlier this year, so when Amy shared she still had not updated her photo, nor her background header image, we whipped open some laptops and got after it. Next up for Amy is adding a compelling 'About' section, right, Amy? 

If you are studying to be a brain surgeon, you can take a pass on LinkedIn. But most of your friends, including Amy, are gearing their studies in a more 'generalist' direction. I touched on this back on a Stay Whole Tuesday in March: Do good, make money, triumph as a generalist. Digging deeper here: Why specialization can be a downside in our ever-changing world, from Angela Chen on The Verge. 

As Uncle Ricky likes to say, you need to get your 'front-porch' in order. If you wait until you start looking for a job, you will be way behind the 8-ball. And if you have an unkempt front-porch, you send a message that will be difficult to overcome.

(I could be YOUR) Advanced LinkedIn Strategy Coach ANDY.FOOTE puts it this way on his site LINKEDINSIGHTS.COM:

• When people check you out online, they search on Google.
• Your LinkedIn page is usually the first search result they see.
• You only get one chance to impress. Everyone is in sales now.
• Don't let your mediocre LinkedIn profile page hold you back.

I bet Amy has questions for me, and I definitely have questions for Andy, starting with these two:

1. What is with the period in between your first and last name?
2. How do you make that LinkedInsights.com icon pulse like that on your profile page?

Love you, LuLu, and remember, we are ALL IN SALES!

Dad

Fit as a Fiddle Friday: Inspiration and mental health

Lucy,

It's Fit as a Fiddle Friday. Mom and I are excited to see you and your friends tonight in College Station. Autodesk has given us the gift of a day off and encouraging everyone to recharge. I woke up thinking about mental health, not physical health, and what started out as a simple idea . . .

"Energy and persistence conquer all things," said Ben Franklin . . .

[Side note: World Mental Health Day is observed on 10th of October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health.

The Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.]

Somehow, morphed into this . . .

Let's call it 'inspiration for a poem by gPage'

Stay tuned and see ya soon (-;

And indeed, energy and persistence conquer all,

Daddio