99 Truths and Things I Think
Anne's 12
Last week, I watched a terrific Ted Talk by Anne Lamott called 12 truths I learned from writing and life. I enjoyed hearing her share her wisdom with this collection of life lessons. I love how she shared so gently, yet with power and humor and depth. This video struck a nerve because...
I’m Nearing 100
Two years ago, I began the habit of writing and regularly posting a piece of my work on this blog. The purpose of developing this habit was to improve my craft, and many writers advise that writing and publishing on a schedule is the way to do so. I decided to put this advice into action. My focus was quantity and consistency, so I began writing every day and posting every week. This is significant because...
I’m Nearing 2 Years
Next week will mark my second year anniversary of blogging and my 100th post. I missed four weeks of publishing a blog, but I have not missed any days of writing. This habit has definitely grow as a writer and I can see that I’m finding my voice, my message, and my audience. The developing writer inside of me has much more growing to do, but this habit and practice has been powerful. The life lesson of showing up consistently and working on a schedule has made a huge impact on my path. This is one of my truths. And this is why I am...
Enjoying the 99
Next week will be my 100th. That’s a beautiful mile marker. But I can’t look past the beauty of number 99. That’s a great number as well, and I wanted to celebrate it. This week, I’m celebrating by sharing 99 truths I’ve learned. 99 things that are helping me live life just a little better. 99 thoughts, notes, quotes, and things I think. As you read or skim through this list, know that I know that these truths are not well ordered and very much in development. But that’s part of the developmental process I’m embracing. I’m learning and growing and sharing...
My Imperfect List of 99
Live Every Day With Purpose, Direction, and Intention
Love, Enjoy, Inspire, Encourage, and Positively Impact
Do not Conform, Be Transformed - Rom 12
Practice Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness… - Gal 5
Presence, Awareness, Compassion, Forgiveness, and Thankfulness
Actively Love God and Love Others - Mark 12:30-31
Seek the Simple Path: Silence, Prayer, Faith, Love, Service, Peace - Mother Teresa
Be Joyful; Be Intentional; Be Mindful
Be Present; Be Still; Be God’s
Deep Breathe In, Slow Breathe Out, Repeat
I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am - Rich Mullins
Strive to be the best version of me
Live Life Better - Brian Johnson
Show Up and Keep Showing Up
Real Change Spiral of Success: Aware, Assess, Aim, Act, Adjust, Again
Believe in the Process; Commit to the Process
Embrace Our Imperfections; Embrace the Mystery; Embrace the Process
Think Like a Gardener, Work Like a Carpenter - Daniel Coyle
Every Day We Have an Opportunity to Create a Living Masterpiece - Michael Gervais
What You Do Today Matters, it’s determining who you are becoming - Hal Elrod
Practice Excellence in Consistency; Be average, but make excellence in consistency your average - Gwen Jorgensen
If You Want to Change the World, Make Your Bed - Admiral William McRaven
Making your bed every morning is correlated with better productivity, a greater sense of well-being, and stronger skills at sticking with a budget. – Charles Duhigg
It’s Okay To Suck; It’s Not Okay To Skip (especially 2 in a row) - James Clear
You can do ANYTHING want, but you can't do EVERYTHING you want.
There will always be more opportunities than time to pursue them - Peter Drucker
Bookend Your Day with awesome a.m. and p.m. - Jocelyn Glei
Intentionally Build Awesome Routines, Habits, and Systems
Stay Ultra Tiny in Habits - Think Long-Term Sustainability
Every Habit Needs a Strong Why - James Clear
Make Identity-Based Goals - “I’m the kind of person who…”
Believe in the Aggregation of Marginal Gains; 1% - Dave Brailsford
Start Every Day With Grateful and Thanks
Smile.
Don’t Judge Others or Yourself.
Show yourself compassion - Kristin Neff
“I’m alright, nobody worry about me” - Kenny Loggins
Create Focus, Simplicity, and Tranquility - Dan Tricarico
Learn to say no politely but unapologetically - Stephen Covey
Do Deep Work; Manage Shallow Work - Cal Newport
Make Ridiculously Tiny Habits - Leo Babauta
Celebrate Tiny Victories “I’m Awesome!” - BJ Fogg
Have a Growth Mindset. Be Process Oriented. - Carol Dweck
What We Do Every Day Matter More Than What We Do Once In a While - Jocelyn Glei
Every morning we are born again.
What we do today is what matters most. – Buddha
Accept responsibility for EVERYTHING in your life and you’ll have the power to change ANYTHING in your life - Hal Elrod
Deep Learning is Profoundly Relational - Lori Desautels
What matters is not our Status, but our Trajectory; not where we are, but where we are going - Brian McLaren
Look For Ways To Optimize and Maximize Daily Potential and Performance
Optimize Your Life. Actualize Your Potential - Brian Johnson
Have an Optimal Day
Be Deliberate, Be Intentional, Enjoy the Process
You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf - Jon Kabat Zinn
Strive for consistent, balanced, long-term, personal growth.
Examine habits; make intentional choices.
Lean into life - David Hayes
Life is a series of obstacles and setbacks; living is overcoming them. - Dean Karnazes
Be a Reader, Learner, Discoverer, and Writer
Recognize the Beauty and Value of Every Human Life
Cherish Our Shared Humanity
Be So Good They Can’t Ignore You - Steve Martin
Be a Craftsman. Build Career Capital. - Cal Newport
Champions Do the Ordinary Things Extraordinarily Well - Tony Dungy
Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you were capable of becoming - John Wooden
Talent is a Skill: it can be developed and improved by any person and in any area - Anders Ericsson, Daniel Coyle
Be an “Every Day” Guy, Not an Everyday Guy. Build Your Cathedral. Today is a great day to get better. Now how are we going to do that? - Rick Weinheimer
Notice, Want, Do, Like - James Clear
Rome wasn’t built in a day, but every day they were laying bricks - James Clear
Anything less than a conscious commitment to the important is an unconscious commitment to the unimportant - Stephen Covey
Live to a Higher Standard - Allistair McCaw
Build a Tribe, Create a Movement - Seth Godin
Be the Change That You Wish To See In the World - Mahatma Gandhi
Be Kind Whenever Possible. It is Always Possible - Dalai Lama
Be Humble in Your Aspirations, Gracious in Your Success, and Resilient in Your Failures - Ryan Holiday
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. – Aristotle
Develop and Nurture the right kinds of habits.
The Habit Loop: cue, routine, reward. - Charles Duhigg
Pay attention to and question the automated routines in life - Charles Duhigg
Control the controllables.
Think and act like Andy Dufresne.
Perfection is the Enemy of the Good
Be Productive, Not Busy
Journal and Write Every Day
My daily work doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does have to be daily.
If it matters, schedule it.
“I’m a mule, and the way that I have to work is I have to get up at the same time every day, and sweat and labor and barrel through it really awkwardly.” - Elizabeth Gilbert
Create Quantity. Quality will follow.
Be Remarkable - Seth Godin
Act Your Wage - Dave Ramsey
“If you’ll do now what other people won’t, you’ll live later like other people can’t” - Larry Burkett
Choose to “Live the Dream” This is a Daily Decision.
Live Life By Design.
Choose your attitude each morning - Debra Searle
A well-designed life is a life that is generative—it is constantly creative, productive, changing, evolving, and there is always the possibility of surprise. You get out of it more than you put in. - Bill Burnett
Design Your Environment - Make the Best Choices the Easiest Choices - James Clear
Ready, Fire, Aim. Start Before You’re Ready - Brian Johnson, Richard Branson
Don’t Risk Inaction - Rob Bell
Discipline Creates Freedom
Hammer the Stone
Clock In, Battle the Dragon, Clock Out
Don’t Break the Chain
Learn Cross Disciplines, Draw on Lots of Sources, Be able to apply as a balanced source of wisdom to draw upon, Adjacent Possibilities
When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive; to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. – Marcus Aurelius
Wear Sunscreen - Mary Schmich
Show empathy and compassion.
Be Kind
‘Living the Dream’ is a choice
‘Living Happily Ever After’ is a daily decision
So what are the...
Truths You’ve Learned
What have you learned from life? What truths do have to share? I have a challenge for you. Start making your own list of truths and things you think. You may not have 99 (and if you counted, you know I didn’t either), but start now. Start with one. Build slowly, enjoy the process, and…
Enjoy the day!
