The Meaning Path is for people seeking more purpose, depth, and possibility — at a slower pace. Join us for inspiration and support on your path to courageously creating what matters to you.
The End — 100th Special!
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Read on mattkhead.com #100 – 19 Apr 2024Welcome! In case you missed it — last week I announced:
Wow… Newsletter number 100!Who would have thought I would get this far? That’s a lot of writing, a lot of fun, and a lot of showing up when I don’t feel like it. And so my 100th letter. I’ve gotta do something special, right? And last, “Matt K. Head Letter”, I better go out with a bang. So what could I do? Here’s the best I could come up with: I’m gonna take one line or so from each of my 100 newsletters. And I’ll present it here as a listicle of nuggets — insights, questions and quotes. Let’s dive in:1. The important thing is that you actually start! 2. Sometimes, staying too long can be worse than leaving too soon. 3. What’s one small action you could take right now that would have the most significant impact? 4. “What could you do today that will matter a year from now?” — Seth Godin 5. We get so bogged down in problem-solving mode that we close ourselves off to what is around us — Our best opportunities often hide in plain sight, and we just have to notice them. 6. Our work will inevitably break our hearts in the same way that a marriage will, for example, through death or divorce. 7. They achieved a lot but wished they had enjoyed the ride more — One thing they would do is go back to their younger self and tell them to be happier, and enjoy the moments with those special people, as it all goes by so fast. 8. We shouldn’t be changing ourselves to make others like us. It rarely works out in the long run, as we can only keep up the act for so long, and we are left drained and unhappy. 9. I find myself putting all this undue pressure on myself, but all it seems to be doing is making me miserable. There is no linear path to “success” in life. We are all on different journeys, starting from different places, with differing values. So the comparison to others is not helpful. Is all that self-imposed pressure actually helping you on your path to “success”? 10. What strengths, skills, and interests could you combine to become a superpower? 11. “The lesson I learned is that the player who looks least engaged may be the most committed member of the group. A cynic, after all, is a passionate person who does not want to be disappointed again.” — Benjamin Zander 12. You're stuck in a Dip. You could be on the verge of breakthrough success, or trapped in a deep valley with endless misery. What kind of Dip are you in? “When no one believes in you is when you most need to believe in you.” — Robin Sharma 13. What does it really mean to say YES? What are the consequences? And what are you comfortable saying NO to in order to achieve that “YES”? 14. Ambitious individuals often don’t appreciate what they have. 15. There will always be reasons to postpone your practice. So my challenge to you is this: when you feel the urge to practice, just do it! 16. There is always a way out. We must work up the courage to take the first step into the unknown. 17. “Success often takes longer than you think, and then happens faster than you would have imagined. So you need to commit to the long haul.” — Rich Litvin 18. What if, instead, you said, “You know what, I have no idea how that works”, and then got curious instead of pretending? That opens up new possibilities. 19. The trouble is that if you keep saying yes to these little (or not so little) things that zap your time and energy, you will have nothing left for what matters: your life’s work! 20. One powerful way to use regrets is to look at what we value now and consider how we might have future regrets based on our actions. 21. Stop trying to be “better”. Lean into what makes you “different”. 22. “People that are locked into something that comes to them naturally have such a competitive advantage over people who are forcing something they don’t have.” — Gary Vaynerchuck 23. What are you most proud of from the last 12 months? What are you most excited about in the next six months? Be honest with yourself. This isn’t something others are telling you to do but rather an intrinsic burning desire that you can’t switch off. 24. We inevitably enter a period of silence as one stage of our lives comes to an end, and we aren’t quite ready to venture into the next stage. 25. “We can live our life straight-jacketed by what we think we should do and be, or we can live a life true to who we really are. A life of authenticity and fulfilment.” — Ian Sanders 26. “You don’t need another sign. The fact that you can’t stop thinking about it is the sign you’re looking for.” – Light Watkins Your doubts are in proportion to the size of your dream. Be aware that you will have massive doubts when chasing big dreams. The more Resistance you feel, the more you are probably onto a good thing. It’s a sign that you’re on the way to the work you’re meant to do. In contrast, if you don’t feel any resistance, maybe you need to unpack that and reflect: What project are you avoiding that would trigger The Resistance? 27. What are you unwilling to let go of that is getting in the way of your desired progress? 28. What would a workday look like for you, where you went home feeling energised at the end? 29. “If you’re looking for productivity hacks, you are working on the wrong project.” — Dickie Bush 30. Everyone is fighting a battle you don’t know about. But part of becoming a master is overcoming these battles and shipping your work.How can you better embrace the necessary suffering along your path to mastery? 31. Get in the habit of doing the thing rather than talking about it. “If there are people making good money doing what you do then the business isn’t the problem. You are… And if you try to do something else, you’re going to repeat the same bad business habits that are causing you to fail in your current business. Character is more powerful than capabilities when it comes to your success.” — Joe Polish 32. People make the mistake of quitting before allowing themselves the chance to get good. 33. You need to stop hiding and get in the game. You know that work you are avoiding. Maybe you’re waiting for the “right time”. Well, the “right time” doesn’t exist. One day, you will realise that today was the “right time”. 34. How are those “sensible decisions” no longer serving you? And how could you lean into what some may consider a “wrong decision”? 35. “Our conscious life is 16 hours a day, and we are going to spend half of that working, on average. And you’re telling me I’m supposed to spend half my life doing something I don’t want to do?” — David Senra 36. “You absolutely have the capacity to lift your work to the level of artistry and have an impact for the betterment of humanity. And yet we resign our lives to apathy because of this faulty perception of who we truly are and what we can really accomplish, staying violently stuck in half-alive lives. And here’s the really big idea: as we betray our true power, a part of us starts to die.” — Robin Sharma 37. “How come you’re up so early?” “Say, if you were headed where I’m headed, you’d be up early too. If you were gonna meet who I’m gonna meet, you’d be up early.” — Jim Rohn 38. Since we are only here on Earth for a finite time, rather than trying to do more things, why don’t we be selective in only doing those things that are truly meaningful to us? 39. This often stops the average person when they see someone super successful with a body of work. They think the master has some extraordinary power or gift from god. But no, they are just consistently showing up and figuring it out as they go along. 40. “One more bit of advice: to keep growing, silently and earnestly, through your whole development; you couldn’t disturb it any more violently than by looking outside and waiting for outside answers to questions that only your innermost feeling, in your quietest hour, can perhaps answer.” — Rainer Maria Rilke 41. Are you comfortable with how much time you spend on your smartphone? 42. At some point during my life, I realised many people in the best positions weren’t all that special. You just have to choose yourself! 43. You realise that your time on Earth is running out. And you want to make the most of what’s remaining. You no longer wish to give a damn about what people will think. The fear of regret of not following your creative dream is now more scary than being seen as a fool. 44. “The Internet has massively broadened the possible space of careers. Most people haven’t figured this out yet.” — Naval Ravikant 45. I’ve realised that life is an infinite game with no set rules or finish line. We are all on our own path. So we should: 46. Forget the masses. Are you consistently showing up to develop and nurture your “true fans”? 47. James Clear outlined 2 things to consider: 48. “The greatest geniuses sometimes accomplish more when they work less.” — Leonardo Da Vinci 49. What work are you hiding? Is there something you spend hours on but almost nobody else knows about? What’s getting in the way of you sharing your work? 50. We often think we need to “know more” to get started. That is just another form of procrastination. You need to use your voice to “find it”. 51. If you keep showing up and climbing the cringe mountain, you eventually start getting good. 52. Often, the prize goes to the person who refuses to give up. 53. Are you unintentionally building out too many projects under multiple brand names? 54. The people (metaphorically) knocking on my door are just as much a privilege as a burden. 55. “Don’t aim to be the best. Aim to be the only.” — Kevin Kelly 56. Is there a strange detour or trip from your life that changed your perspective or worldview? “The most important things in life are not the goal-oriented, materialistic things that everyone and everything tries to convince you to strive for.” — Steve Jobs 57. The truth is you cultivate a passion by committing to something and pursuing mastery. Is the ladder you are metaphorically climbing leaning against the right wall? 58. My dad told me recently that he feels like he is getting a second chance with the grandkids. He has more stress-free time with them. But when my siblings and I were kids, he was flat-out working hard to provide a good living for us. 59. “We are all on OUR OWN timeline. Stop letting society get into your head. Stop letting society rush your timeline. See your differences as a gift of perspective.” — Eunice Cheung 60. One of the great things about studying your heroes is that it sparks the flame of possibility in your mind. 61. All the answers are within you. 62. Remember: Perception is reality. 63. Lesson: Take breaks. If you feel like you don’t have time for a getaway, that’s an indicator you need a good break. 64. It’s ok to wander. You don’t have to accept what society wants from you. Wait until you’re ready. We waited five years after marriage before having our first kid. And I wouldn’t change a thing as those two years living in London were priceless, the adventure of a lifetime. And: You may meet an unwitting guide like I did, who triggers a breakthrough. Or something may force your hand, like the pandemic, forcing significant change on people. Maybe you will experience a heartbreak that will change everything, or maybe you will meet that one person you can’t not be around. 65. “If you haven't already, can you define what you have an innate ability for? And match that with what you're willing to hustle to get.” — Matthew McConaughey 66. We typically get more insights and good ideas away from the desk. It’s essential to break up your day. 67. There is a vast difference between the person who tries (to show up with kindness, appreciation and respect) and the other who never breaks out of their selfish busyness and frustration in the name of ambition. 68. “Working hard for something we don't care about is called stress: Working hard for something we love is called passion.” ― Simon Sinek 69. CHALLENGE: Record and publish a 1-minute Walk & Talk video on your main social platform. Don’t overthink it. Just do it! 70. Stop comparing yourself to those miles in front of you. It’s not helping. Start looking to those you CAN help a few steps behind you. 71. ‘“There are four parts to intrinsic motivation: autonomy, mastery, purpose and community.” Cultivate them, and you will have all the drive you need. 72. “It is not an idle or airy-fairy proposition to declare that the universe responds to the hero or heroine who takes action and commits. It responds positively. It comes to the hero’s aid. — Steven Pressfield 73. The person who has committed to their dream (or calling) wakes up a different person. They have a new drive, a new thirst. Ready to jump over obstacles and smash through brick walls. Opportunities open up to those who are committed to their path. Your lack of commitment is limiting you. 74. In what areas of your life are you craving “less”? 75. “Quality isn’t based on the amount of time invested.” — Rick Rubin 76. Accept your flaws, courageously follow your heart, nurture that soft, tender part inside you, and boldly bring it to life. Remember: To be human is to be imperfect. Don’t feel guilty for loving what you love; have the courage to pursue it. 77. What are you getting good at? (And is it the right thing?) 78. “So, all of this to say, be less busy. Have more freedom, more options. Long-term prioritise work that maximises enjoyment, curiosity, and energy. I firmly believe all of this eventually leads to better outcomes, it has for me.” — Louie Bacaj 79. And so I had a choice: I could bury my head in the sand, close off my emotions, and pretend nothing was happening. Or I could step up and be the father figure my family needed during this time. 80. Use the cards you are dealt to your advantage. 81. A friend told me: “My grandma had many apple trees. She would always say that it takes some years of cultivation until you can harvest the first apples.” There’s a big lesson in patience and cultivating that long-term mindset. 82. It’s time you started leaning into your weirdness. That’s how you will stand out as an authentic and respected leader in your field. 83. It’s such a paradox as you feel far away from any sense of creativity. You’re exhausted. But once you start moving, you gather momentum. 84. You need space for the connecting of dots. And that is where silence and solitude come in. 85. “Your art is what you do when no one can tell you exactly how to do it. Your art is the act of taking personal responsibility, challenging the status quo, and changing people.” — Seth Godin 86. “What would you like to do if money were no object? How would you like to spend your time?” — Alan Watts 87. What is one goal that, if you achieved it this year, would change EVERYTHING? 88. The conversation you don’t want to have is between you and the success you desire. 89. Following your obsession lights a fire inside. 90. “Small EXPERIMENTS, repeated over time, are the recipe for transformation in business, and life.“ — Noah Kagan 91. How is “what got you here” blocking you from the next level of success? 92. There is always a kinder and more human-first way to lead through the chaos. 93. You like to do it all yourself. Needing help feels like you’ve let the team down. This can lead to burnout from taking on too much and resentment toward others who don’t work so hard. Reframe help as “helpful”. 94. But here’s the thing: By copying others, you will always be behind. 95. “Whenever you go against your true nature to serve your culture, you freaking hate it.” — Martha Beck 96. You never really know when something might be the last time. 97. I invite you to consider this idea: Rather than trying to “get” to it, how could you come “from” it? 98. If you find yourself stuck in a mental loop, ask yourself, “Is this useful?” and “Will I care about this in one year?”— Ben Meer 99. It’s ok to change course to support what matters. 100. Pause. ~ That’s it for the “Matt K. Head Letter”! Cheers, Matt P.S.Thank you for being here! I’m grateful to have had you on this journey. I wish you well on your path. If you want to continue with me on my new venture, I invite you to join The Meaning Path: Forwarded this email? Sign up here Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube Thanks for reading! |
The Meaning Path
The Meaning Path is for people seeking more purpose, depth, and possibility — at a slower pace. Join us for inspiration and support on your path to courageously creating what matters to you.
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