WORK LESS WEDNESDAY
WLW #118
👋 1. Quick Update From Rich
Hey everyone!
I’m back.
I haven’t posted on social media in 2 months.
I haven’t sent out WLW in over a month.
Everything is fine. 😄
I’ve got a lot of exciting stuff to talk about, including WHY I’ve been off social media recently, but that will have to wait for an upcoming podcast episode. (You can subscribe and catch up on past episodes here).
In the meantime, here’s a quick update:
- My wife and I just moved.
- My business is firing on all cylinders.
- I’m feeling more aligned with what I’m working on and how I serve my clients than I ever have.
Much more to come on all this, but just for today, here’s what I’ve been into this week:
📱 2. Addiction Is The Goal (The State Of Culture, 2024) – Blog Post by Ted Gioia
My friend Patrick McAndrew shared this article from Ted Gioia with me, and I think it’s spot on.
Ted says, “The fastest growing sector of the culture economy is distraction. Or call it scrolling or swiping or wasting time or whatever you want. But it’s not art or entertainment, just ceaseless activity.”
And it gets worse…
“Addiction is the goal.
Tech companies don’t say it openly, but they don’t need to. Just look at what they do.
Everything is designed to lock users into an addictive cycle.”
And the end-game looks something like this. ⬆️
What can we do about it?
I encourage you to read the whole blog post here.
6️⃣ 3. The Simmering 6 – Clip From Tim Ferriss & Josh Waitzkin
I’ve found myself referencing this idea of “The Simmering 6” with clients and friends recently.
It comes from Josh Waitzkin, the author of The Art of Learning, an eight-time US National Chess Champion, a two-time World Champion in Tai Chi Chuan Push Hands, and the first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt under nine-time World Champion Marcelo Garcia.
Here’s what “The Simmering 6” means:
“There’s the undulation, most people in high-stress, decision-making industries are always operating at this kind of simmering six, or four, as opposed to the undulation between just deep relaxation and being at a 10. Being at a 10 is millions of times better than being at a 6. It’s just in a different universe. Same as being all-in on a discipline is millions of times more intense than being 98 percent or 99 percent.”
“Your ability to avoid the simmering six directly affects your ability to then ratchet up to turn on to the 99 percent or the 100 percent. If you’re always at a simmering six, you’re just at 50 percent battery all the time.”
🤔 4. Thinking Time – The Road Less Stupid by Keith J. Cunningham
Keith Cunningham is an author, seasoned entrepreneur, and CEO.
His book The Road Less Stupid introduced me to an exercise he calls “Thinking Time.”
Here’s how it works:
“Over the last 25 years, I have practiced “Thinking Time” which is a 30 to 45 minute session of uninterrupted concentration. I start by preparing a high-value question before the actual session begins. My questions are designed to help me think about a problem or situation where I am uncertain (or too certain), stuck, or have been unrealistic in my thinking, which is usually a sign that I am about to do something stupid.”
Want to learn more? Here is an excerpt from the chapter on Thinking Time: https://gunnercooke.com/thinking-time-the-process-keith-j-cunningham/
🔥 5. My Go-To Incense – Nippon Kodo JINKOH SEIUN Aloeswood Incense
This has been my go-to incense in my office for the last few years.
It is described as follows:
“Richly scented with aloeswood to offer a distinct fragrance, the Seiun Jinkoh Aloeswood incense from Japanese brand Nippon Kodo is designed to create an alluring aroma for your home or workplace. You won’t miss the distinct notes of sweet honey and rich earthy tones, as they cascade throughout your chosen space.”
I use it daily for meditation and in my workspace.
Honestly, any incense from Nippon Kodo is going to be a cut above.
The’ve been around since 1575.
I also recently learned there are different grades of Aloeswood incense, including this Superior Aloewood incense, which retails at $3,445 for 60 sticks! 😮
That’s $57 per stick!