This Week’s BIG Idea
The year is almost over which means I’m working on some “best of 2022” lists, as well as thinking about the new year and what that implies. Overall, this year was incredibly positive: I read a bunch of books, and more importantly, I learned a lot from them. There’s definitely room for improvement, but investigating topics I find interesting gave me the mental clarity I needed. I recently wrote down a list of some areas I’d like to learn more about. The most important ones are philosophy, happiness, parenting, and what the stoics called “living the Good Life”. Of course, I also want to explore some passions and hobbies, but those aren’t a priority. I’ve reorganized my TBR in such a way, that I have the most important books up top. I’m going to be reading and summarizing them soon which is exciting.
But reading books and writing about them on the internet weren’t the only projects I started in 2022. I also started using a traditional journal, a bullet journal, a commonplace book, and a second brain. Although not all those projects took off, I learned a lot from them. I hope this is a trend that I can continue next year as well.
What I’m Working on
It’s almost the end of the year and it’s time to reflect on all the books I read this year. This means that I’m working on a list with all the books I read, as well as my personal favorites. Although this is a time-consuming task, I enjoy reviewing all the best books of 2022. I know some of the non-fiction books I read and summarized have helped me tremendously in several areas of my life, including relationships, business, personal finance, parenting, happiness, success, and so on. Both the complete list of books I read this year, as well as my top ten list will be ready in a few days, so look forward to that.
What I’m Listening to
As I mentioned in my previous newsletter, I took a break from podcasts this week in order to organize my subscriptions and think about the ones I like the most. I recently listened to The Old 97s on The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. I don’t watch TV often, but I don’t regret seeing that special, and one of the best things about it is the music, particularly the song embedded above.
What I’m Reading
But it isn’t all about the “best of 2022” this week, I also read some books.
- Mass Effect: Ascension by Drew Karpyshyn: It took me years to complete the Mass Effect trilogy of games and I was so enamored with the universe the developer Bioware created that I eventually read the first book in a series of four. I enjoyed Mass Effect: Revelation a lot and now I’m finally reading Ascension. This book bridges the gap between the first and the second game and it makes the Mass Effect universe richer.
- Shoe Dog by Phil Knight: I just started reading Shoe Dog and I can already tell I’m going to enjoy this book a lot. For those unfamiliar, Phil Knight’s memoir details how the Oregon native traveled around the world and made a deal with a group of Japanese businessmen to import shoes to the United States. His business took off and he founded Nike. This is one of those page tuners that I had trouble putting down. If you’re remotely interested in the short description I just provided, you should give the book a chance. You won’t regret it.
What I’m Watching
Reading The Daily Stoic encouraged me to ask some crucial questions. This isn’t a question, but an emphatic statement we should all have present at all times: Memento Mori. For those unfamiliar, this phrase translates into something like “Remember You Will Die”. Although no one wants to think about death, this statement can help you live life to the fullest, as Ryan Holiday eloquently explains in the video above.
This Week’s Quote
“As long as you are alive, you will either live to accomplish your own goals and dreams or be used as a resource to accomplish someone else’s.”
Grant Cardone
You can subscribe to my newsletter on Substack here or using the form below.