What gets tracked?

You’ve probably heard the phrase: what get’s tracked, gets managed. 

It reminds you of the fact that tracking and data are important. They inform decisions and help keep you on track. 

This same business rule applies to your life as well. 

If you want to make real and meaningful progress in an area, you’ve got to measure and track it. 

Keep notes on books you’ve read. 

Write down scripture verses you’re memorizing. 

Maintain a workout log.

Things are far more likely to improve when you take the time to track and measure your progress. 

Sadly, the opposite is true as well. The things you pay little attention don’t get better and often deteriorate. 

Monthly Mash Up (September 2017)

Reading, and learning are a key part to growth. They stretch your mind, fill it with new ideas, and introduce new and varied perspectives to what you already “knew.”

Below is a mash up of the books, articles, and more that impacted me this month.

Quote I’m Chewing On

“Remember that you don’t know everything. Listen and take advice from other people. Always be ready to learn and try  to be better.”
— Jocko Willink, Way of the Warrior Kid

Books I’m Reading

If only I could read faster. I am still working my way through many of the books I began in August. Here are the three currently on my desk.

1. Musashi

2. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and His Confrontation with the World by D.A. Carson

3. On Killing by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman

Podcasts I‘m Listening To

1. Here We Stand - We are nearing the 500 year anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. Here We Stand will introduce you to a new hero from the Reformation.

2. Barbell Logic and 3. Barbell Medicine - If you have questions about exactly what it takes to get strong, these two podcasts are for you. They answer the whys, hows, and whats of barbell training in a thoughtful and helpful manner.

From The Internet

1. Your Fast Car via Seth Godin

2. A Book Is a Tool, Not a Trophy via FEE

3. How to Not Overthink. Act Now With An Adaptable Plan via Jocko Podcast

Taking back the capacity to think

Tristan Harris recently opened an interview with the following words from Neil Postman:

“We were keeping our eye on 1984. When the year came and the prophecy didn't, thoughtful Americans sang softly in praise of themselves. The roots of liberal democracy had held. Wherever else the terror had happened, we, at least, had not been visited by Orwellian nightmares.

But we had forgotten that alongside Orwell's dark vision, there was another - slightly older, slightly less well known, equally chilling: Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Contrary to common belief even among the educated, Huxley and Orwell did not prophesy the same thing. Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression. But in Huxley's vision, no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their autonomy, maturity, and history. As he saw it, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions." In 1984, Orwell added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we fear will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we desire will ruin us.”

In the end, both Huxley and Orwell may prove to be right with one phenomenon leading to the other.

But not if you make different choices. Not if you apply discipline and avoid the trap of pleasure technology can so easily bring. 

But you must be diligent and thoughtful. 

You can’t move throughout the world without thinking of the impact of each new shiny toy upon your life. 

Google may have already undone your capacity to think, but it’s never too late to get it back. 

Instead of being led astray and enslaved by technology, use it to order good books and read them. 

Books that make your mind work and sweat a little. 

Books that feed your mind solid food instead of candy. 

Books about history, theology, economics, and business. 

These may sound boring to you now, but you’ll sing a different toon in the end. 

Monthly Mash Up (July 2017)

Education doesn’t end when your time at school is done. It continues the rest of your days. Do this and you’ll continue to grow and mature over a lifetime, becoming smarter and wise with age. Do it not, and you’ll wish you had.

I stumbled across some outstanding resources in July and I’d like to share a few of them with you here. Below is a quote I’m pondering, three books I’ve read and four videos or documentaries I’ve watched. They each taught me some incredibly valuable lessons. Lessons that made me better and that’ll do the same for you if you let them.

Quote I'm Chewing On

“How you look is just as much a reflection of how you eat as how you train.” — Michael Mathews

You can’t out train a poor diet. This simple truth has us taking a fresh look at what we eat with a fine tooth comb. We’re tracking nutrient intake is a start but we’re also looking at food sources and timing to optimize our performance.  

What I'm Reading

  1. Bigger Leaner Stronger by Michael Matthews - I have been encouraged by the in depth look it takes to all aspects of training, especially nutrition.   

  2. The Warrior Ethos by Steven Pressfield - This short missive on the Warrior Ethos is a great reminder of the historical and universal truths found in every culture throughout history. A warrior is a warrior no matter where he calls home. That’s good news. Because we can do something about it. We can cultivate a warrior mindset.

  3. On Killing by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman - The world is not a perfect place. Things go wrong and often that puts lives on the line. What happens when and if that moment comes is important. Preparing yourself for that day is even more so. This book is part of that preparation. It will help you understand what happens when life and death hang in the balance.

What I’m Watching

  1. God’s Colonial Intent by Dr. Myles Munroe - This one was shared with me by a member of my community group and I immensely enjoyed it. If you’re looking for a little bit different spin on the overarching theme of the Bible, this one might be up your alley.    

  2. Creating Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard - How you make customers feel is the most important thing about your business. The better use you make of this truth, the healthier your bottom line will be.

  3. Fittest On Earth: A Decade of Fitness - Discipline is required however  you want to grow and improve. The athletes competing in the Crossfit games are perfect examples of this.

  4. What The Health - Watching this documentary earlier this month kickstarted a conversation around nutrition and exactly what we’re putting in our bodies. You may land on one side of the meat debate or the other, but films like this are often best used for self examination. They give you an opportunity to take a deep look at yourself.