this edition of the [no hustle] huddle went out on Monday 2nd October 2023

One of the biggest issues with the education system is that it doesn’t teach how to go DEEP; how to be intentional and focus deeply on a subject.

You hop from one lesson to the next, them often contrasting and contradicting.

History one moment, one of the sciences the next ?

You rush from one to the other, always doing your best to keep up.

Is it any wonder we’re so susceptible to hustle culture?

Is it a surprise our default setting is to keep busy and distract ourselves?

We weren’t taught to sit, think, and just allow our focus to work its magic. Instead, taught to work hard and get as much done before we move on.

An endless list of “to-dos” that began in childhood and continues to dictate today.

This is the hustle, my friend. We quite simply don’t have a chance; set to fail.

It’s why it is so important to 1) Value INTENTION, and to then 2) treasure it.

The older I get, the more I realize this. When I get scared or go through a “tough period”, I panic and find myself trying to do this and that and all the others ?

I spread myself thin because that’s what they taught me to do.

And at first, this is fine. But then the days stack up. And the work racks up. Each day, I feel thinner. Burnout approaches to the point you feel almost iridescent.

There’s no simple solution, of course.

When you hit a rough patch, you have to work hard. 

And yes, you probably need to hedge your bets (at least a little).

But the answer is NEVER to lose yourself in this.

Because the more you try to do, the less you can DO.

And the more you try to be everything to everyone, the less impact you will have on anyone — and that is an incremental debt that eventually expects payback.

So the key, so often in life, is to take a breath and reconnect with INTENTION.

• What do I need to do?
• What work do I need to do?
• What is a Hell Yes right now?
• Where does my focus need to be?

Intention! Say it over and over… intention, intention, intention.

It’s a word that guides us, yet it is one we weren’t taught to understand. But that’s okay because you weren’t taught a lot of things. It doesn’t have to be what stands between you and what’s around the corner.

As we’ll see in a moment ??

from the [no hustle] community

Benefits of Slowness: A Counterintuitive Approach to Thriving in Hustle Culture — Too often we focus on the word SLOW, but it isn’t about being slow… it’s about intention, focus, and the commitment to prioritize what we need to.

Why Intention Beats Pace: A New Perspective on Progress — The issue with all this is, of course, the world around us is so fast-paced and relentless … so how can you be intentional without falling behind?

3 actions to take this week

? bookmark this → as usual, the answers we crave have already been “figured out” long ago, as this article from The Daily Stoic shows.

? watch this → sometimes you just have to double dip that chip … it feels apt to do this with Ryan Holiday as he shares 12 ways to build resilience (which is a key component to INTENTION, as we discuss real soon).

? DO THIS → Do Something Today with All Your Intention — maybe it’s a simple task like making a cup of coffee … maybe something harder like a task at work … whatever it is you choose to do, commit to being 100% intentional about it; give it your entire focus (no distractions, no “extra” … just you and IT).

this week’s featured book

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius — Seen as we’ve already dipped our toe into the world of Stoicism, it feels like a good time to shine a light on this amazing book that was never supposed to be a book.

It’s a journal. A man’s journal who lived a long time ago. A man who had so much: power, wealth, wisdom… yet a man nevertheless asking the same questions we continue to ask. 

I’m continually amazed at how the solutions we need are found in the past.

OR, as often is the case, somewhere within, already inside you ?

?️ pass the mic

The first person who sprang to mind when I thought of the word INTENTION is the mighty Mitch Joel — of Six Pixels of Separation fame.

I came across Mitch when I first ventured into the online world of blogging back in 2008/09. He’s someone I had the pleasure of interviewing (a few times), and he continues to be someone I follow, learn from, and lean on from time to time.

He’s a smart cat, there is no doubt. 

And he’s GREAT at what he does.

But what attracted me to him—and what continues to—is his commitment to doing the work he needs to do; the work that inspires him. He is intentional. He seems to push all else to one side so he can remain rooted in what truly matters.

? drop the mic

If you want to be INTENTIONAL…

• with your work
• your focus
• your feelings
• attention
• application
• art
• …

You need to take ownership and work on it every single day!

It’s doubtful it will come naturally to you. Because, again, you were not taught how to go DEEP. Worse, you were taught the opposite.

It’s sad, but we live in a surface-level world ?

We like the idea of going a Mile Deep and having a real, lasting impact.

Yet for that, you need to build layers of resilience and be proactive in your perseverance. Not some days. Not during the chapters of life where you feel you have extra to give. You need to commit and recommit ALL DAYS.

And it’s so hard because 1) the world isn’t set up for it, and 2) you weren’t taught.

That means you need to teach yourself.

And yes, that is frustrating because you already have enough on your plate. Yet this is your life, and so all any of us can do is take ownership of what we can ?

So before you move on with your day, take a few moments to reflect.

Please, give yourself permission to take a few moments to reflect.

As you do, think about how much you try to do. Think about your journey called life so far, and how often you’ve programmed to rush from one to another.

Be mad at it. Be frustrated. Be angry ?

But then… breathe; decide if you want it to be that way.

If you do, that’s cool. You’re on the right path.

If not… you have work to do.

Make today the day you commit to it.

The best way to begin is to DO the task mentioned above ☝️☝️ because all this is, is a practice. It’s repetition on repetition, training yourself to focus and be intentional with your time and energy.

Whether it’s making a cup of coffee… going for a walk… writing an email… the task doesn’t matter; it’s the intention you place in being intentional that does.

The more you do it, the more you will DO it.

Thanks for being here with me and please reply and share your thoughts after reading this … I’d love to hear what you have to say ❤️

AND if you know someone who needs to read this too, forward it to them and encourage them to subscribe to the huddle ?

Thanks for reading, my friend, and thank you for being YOU.

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