Question on getting out of the rut:

What is one tiny action that would create momentum?

I recently got this email from a subscriber:

First off, it's ok—we've all been there. In fact, my observation is that it's especially common for ambitious, high-achievers, who tend to default to a state of burning the candle at both ends, and wind up burning it out.

My advice: Momentum is the most powerful force in the world. When you're in a rut, a tiny bit of momentum is all it takes.

My favorite method for manufacturing momentum: Minimum Viable Progress. Minimum Viable Progress says to just do a tiny bit, as anything above zero compounds.

• If you're trying to get back into your workout habit, don't worry about going to the gym for two hours, just go for a 15 minute walk outside.
• If you're trying to get back into your work flow, don't worry about executing four hour blocks of deep work, just focus on one task for 15 minutes.

Avoid the tendency to think that the movement has to be perfect or robust. As Atomic Habits author James Clear says, "Just because it's not optimal, doesn't mean it's not beneficial."

Narrow your focus and start small—even tiny. Build from there.

Ask yourself: What is one tiny action that would create momentum?

Focus there and the rest will take care of itself.

P.S. I'm going to start answering more of the common questions I receive from subscribers in these newsletters. If you're interested in seeing this, reply YES to the email. Send me your questions and I'll do my best to help!

Quote on the power of enough:

"Beware of overconcern for money, or position, or glory. Someday you will meet a man who cares for none of these things. Then you will know how poor you are." - Rudyard Kipling

Never let the quest for more distract you from the beauty of enough.

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Framework on the importance of depth:

The 2 Types of Knowledge

Here's a story about German Nobel Prize winning physicist Max Planck and his chauffeur that I often think about:

After winning his Nobel Prize, Max Planck went on a tour, giving lectures at a variety of universities and institutions around the country.

His chauffeur drove him to all of these lectures, hearing him prepare in the car and deliver the talk over and over again. In fact, the chauffeur had heard the lecture so many times that he had it memorized.

Before one of the final lectures of the tour, he jokingly asked Planck if he could go up on stage and deliver it on Planck’s behalf. Surprisingly, the physicist agreed.

The chauffeur put on a jacket and tie and proceeded to deliver a perfect lecture, word for word, just as Max Planck would have done.

But at the end of the talk, a simple follow-up question was asked by an audience member.

Stumped by the question, the chauffeur quickly replied, "That question is so easy, I’ll let my chauffeur answer it," and pointed to Planck, who was wearing the chauffeur hat in the back of the crowd.

While the story itself may not be entirely real, the lesson it brings to life is important...

There are two types of knowledge:

1. Real Knowledge
2. Surface Knowledge

Real Knowledge has depth. It is flexible and dynamic. It can be leveraged in different ways, because the topic is truly understood, not just memorized. It is only acquired through hours and hours of working on a specific craft.

Surface Knowledge is the opposite. It's the amount of knowledge required to sound smart at a cocktail party or pass an easy exam, but it fails when put under any degree of scrutiny.

There’s a big difference between truly knowing something and just sounding smart talking about it.

A lot of problems in the world are the result of people with Surface Knowledge masquerading as people with Real Knowledge.

The goal: Seek to build Real Knowledge in your own endeavors, and to support those with Real Knowledge in theirs.

Important reminder on flawed logic:

Galileo was persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church for espousing his scientific belief that the earth revolved around the sun, which was a radical idea at the time.

Unfortunately, many people use this fact to justify the legitimacy of their own present-day radical views.

The Galileo Gambit is a logical fallacy that says that if your idea is ridiculed and vilified by the establishment, it must be right.

It goes something like this: "Galileo was attacked by the establishment and he was right. I am attacked by the establishment, therefore I am right."

Carl Sagan said it best:

"The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown."

Tiny life hack improving my relationships:

I'm always on the lookout for simple tricks that improve my life. Here's one that has had an outsized impact on my relationships.

Most phones have a "photo memories" feature that automatically surfaces old photos. Pop it open once a week and flip through the photos it shows. If there are any that spark a particular memory, send them to the other people in that photo.

It always prompts a quick catch up with people from your life and gives you a low-friction way to regularly stay in touch with old friends.

Highly recommend!