I recently started reading 12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson. This has been one of the best-selling and most popular books in recent years. The book has thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon, there are video summaries with millions of views on YouTube, and a quick Google search points you to the titular twelve rules, as well as several articles that discuss them in detail. Before even getting the book, I looked at all of those videos, reviews, and search results and thought that 12 Rules for Life was going to be one of my favorites. But I ended up reading the first two rules and I couldn’t go on.
To be clear, the book’s expertly written, the author’s articulate, and the rules are well explained. But some parts really rubbed me the wrong way, such as the fact that there are constant references to the bible and long anecdotes about lobsters. I ultimately decided not to finish the book, but luckily, I created a rule for myself where I promised I wasn’t going to read books I don’t like.
It may sound cliche, but life’s too short to do things you don’t like. Some of those things are inescapable, but thankfully, most of us have control over the books we read. Despite what some people believe, there’s nothing sacred about books. When you don’t like something, there’s friction involved. You’re wasting time and energy on an activity you’re not enjoying and those resources are better spent on other things, such as reading a book you actually like.
I constantly remind myself that time isn’t a renewable resource. Time is the only thing you can’t get back regardless of who you are and how much money you have. There are other great books out there, you just have to find them. The process can be time-consuming because you might have to look for recommendations, read reviews, or go through summaries. Spending time on something you don’t enjoy is a waste of time and energy. I kind of knew this already, but I needed to write it down.
This Week’s BIG Idea
Since I’m interested in bullet journaling, I recently got some writing supplies. Unlike some of the content creators I watched on YouTube, I got some simple items: gel pens, regular pens, colored pens, and two dotted notebooks. The idea is to organize the contents of the bullet journal and work on a simple setup. In fact, the simpler the setup, the better. The problem with many productivity systems is that it’s easy to get carried away with them and see them as a solution to all of your problems. But it’s hard to recommend a system until you’ve tried it for yourself and seen the results. I guess I’ll be discussing this more thoroughly in the next few weeks. So far, I enjoy working on an analog system that doesn’t involve apps, screens, or typing on a keyboard.
What I’m Working on
For the past few weeks, I’ve been doing my best to be consistent with several healthy habits. I’ve been watching videos about journaling, researching productivity systems, meditating on a daily basis, and doing my best to spend quality time with the people I love.
What I’m Listening to
I recently listened to the two-part episode where Tim Ferriss interviews Rolf Potts. Potts wrote a book called Vagabonding, which I summarized here, and talks about his experiences traveling all over the world. The podcast discusses several topics, such as travel tips and managing success. Although I haven’t been consistent when it comes to listening to the Tim Ferris Show (I only listen to episodes from personalities I recognize), I have to admit that I really like this podcast.
What I’m Reading
The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod: I just started reading The Miracle Morning a book that encourages you to wake up as early as possible and create a morning routine that improves every aspect of your life. This is a short book that you can read in a sitting if you have some free time and I’ll be sharing a summary soon.
What I’m Watching
I often discuss this idea of designing your life and coming up with systems that let you achieve your goals. Most of the books I’ve read on the matter, as well as the videos I’ve watched, often talk about this topic in a really straightforward matter. You think about things and then you figure out how to do them. But while I do believe some parts of the process are simple enough, it’s also messy. This is something masterfully articulated in the video below, where Nathaniel Drew talks about finding your north. Interestingly, he doesn’t describe the process as this romantic journey where you’ll always have everything figured out. Quite the contrary actually. Regardless of what they put out there, nobody has their life figured out. Never forget that.
This Week’s Quote
“Success is something you attract by the person you become.”
Jim Rohn
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