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3MM: Tough Questions, Cats & Hitler
3 MINUTE MONDAYHi friend, My North America live tour is getting close to selling out - LA, Vancouver, Toronto and Nashville are all gone. New York City, Austin, Boston, Denver, Salt Lake City & Chicago - limited tickets left. I’ve been reflecting on a lot of Morgan Housel’s work ahead of recording with him later this year. I came across a list of difficult questions to ask yourself from him. Using these as journal prompts is one hell of a way to humble yourself… Which of my strongest beliefs are formed on second-hand information vs. first-hand experience? If I could not compare myself to anyone else, how would I define a good life? Whose views do I criticise that I would actually agree with if I lived in their shoes? Who do I envy that is actually less happy than I am? Looking back, am I any good at anticipating how I would feel and react to risks that actually occurred? Is my desire for more money based on the false belief that it will solve personal problems that have nothing to do with money? How many of my principles are cultural fads? Whose silence do I mistake for agreement? What kind of lifestyle would I live if no one other than my immediate family could see it? What events nearly happened that would have fundamentally changed my life, for better or worse, had they occurred? What views do I claim to believe in that I know are wrong but I say them because I don’t want to be criticized by my employer or industry? How much of what I do is internal benchmark (makes me happy) vs. external benchmark (I think it changes what other people think of me)? Am I thinking independently or going along with the tribal views of a group I want to be associated with? Whose approval am I auditioning for? Which of my principles would I abandon if they stopped earning me praise and recognition? If I could see myself talk, what would I cringe at the most? What question am I afraid to ask because I suspect I know the answer? How much have things outside of my control contributed to things I take credit for? How do I know if I’m being patient (a skill) or stubborn (a flaw)? What crazy genius that I aspire to emulate is actually just crazy? What strong belief do I hold that’s most likely to change? Which future memory am I creating right now, and will I be proud to own it? Am I addicted to cheap dopamine? If I were on my deathbed tomorrow, what would I regret most? MODERN WISDOMI do a podcast where I pretend to have a British accent. This week’s upcoming episodes: Monday. Thursday. Saturday. THINGS I'VE LEARNED1. Owning a cat is associated with a two-to-threefold greater risk of schizophrenia. The leading suspect is a parasite known as Toxoplasma gondii, which infests cats and can sometimes infect humans as well. Parasites like Toxoplasma gondii might also alter human behaviour, boosting sexual risk taking and sexual aggression. — Steve Stewart-Williams 2. “Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, and Mao Zedong all shared at least one thing in common: they hated their fathers. Remarkably, all 3 seemed to have loved their mothers, and Hitler and Mao saw themselves in alliance with their mother against their father.” — Rob Henderson 3. “Separate accounts increase your odds of divorce by 20%. Taking a “we-before-me” approach to money seems to increase your odds of going the distance.” — The Blaze LIFE HACKSubstack. Honestly I love it. Probably the best "social media" platform I use, even though I've never posted and am not affiliated at all. Reading books can be tough sometimes, reading a 10 minute article is usually doable and that's what the site is filled with. Highly recommended, totally unaffiliated. Big love, Try my productivity drink Neutonic. PS |
3 Minute Monday
Podcaster with 1bn+ plays. I write about the most important lessons from the best thinkers on the planet. 300,000+ people read my free newsletter. Press subscribe to join.
3 MINUTE MONDAY Hi friend, I spent the last 9 days at a retreat. By far the most intense thing I’ve ever done. Think of it like Navy SEAL Bootcamp for emotions. It’s way too soon for me to explain what I learned, but here’s an idea that came to me when reflecting on my experience… The Anorexic Hermit Crab. There’s a kind of hermit crab that dies if it doesn’t find a bigger shell. Its soft, vulnerable body grows slowly over time, until the shell that once protected it becomes a claustrophobic...
3 MINUTE MONDAY Hi friend, My North America live tour starts next month! New York City, Austin, Boston, Denver, Salt Lake City & Chicago have limited tickets left. Come and see me live. There’s a problem with how we all take advice when pursuing personal development. Guidance doesn’t sculpt us into something new, it exaggerates who we already are. The pattern is almost cruel: the ones who least need the medicine are the ones most likely to overdose on it, while the ones who need it...
3 MINUTE MONDAY Hi friend, The brand new Modern Wisdom Reading List Vol. 2 is live, featuring 100 more books to read before you die. Download it now - https://chriswillx.com/morebooks/ I saw a comment on one of my videos this week that really struck me. I wish I could remember who posted it but I can’t. Thank you for inspiring this essay <3 “Why is it that when I mess up it’s my fault but when other people mess up it’s also my fault?” Let’s call this The Atlas Complex. If you care too much...