This year is off to an…interesting start. Can someone please let 2021 know it’s not a contest?
Two days ago, we all watched in real-time as a group attempted to overthrow our government. It was a poor man’s version of storming the Bastille, except they wanted to keep the King in power.
Consensus is a rare commodity anymore, but I believe we can all agree that what happened at the Capital this week is inexcusable…
…And it didn’t occur in a vacuum. Anyone looking would’ve seen this train roaring right at us. Instead, many chose to soothe themselves with the idea that these people aren’t to be taken seriously, or that it’s all for show. It clearly wasn’t. While we pacified ourselves on a diet of interviews in diners and gentle think pieces about the disaffected middle class, they were plotting.
Anything burns if you pour enough accelerants on it. The truth is, white gas has been pouring on these embers for years. Social Media gave it oxygen.
In any society, there are lines that can be pushed but never crossed. This past Wednesday, 1000’s of people-urged on by elected officials– high-hurdled them.
The last time the People’s House was breached was over 200 years ago. That’s a number we should definitely try to beat.
On to the Good Stuff:
1. In the early ’90s, the world looked on in horror as the former Yugoslavia disintegrated. Spectacularly.
Places like Kosovo and Bosnia were inextricably linked with atrocity. Nearly 30 years on, things are quieter, but not fully resolved. Overt violence has been replaced with things revisionist history and onerous zoning regulations. The shooting may have stopped, but the aggression hasn’t.
2. Polina Marinova continues to knock it out of the park with her newsletter, The Profile. In one of her latest posts, she writes on the importance of one’s Content Diet, and how critical “watching what you eat” can be.
“In a world that bombards us with clickbait and articles solely written to sell ads, it’s up to you to become more aware and intentional about your own content diet. Ultimately, the information you consume on a daily basis will determine how you think about and see the world.”
Literary superfoods, each of these will nourish your heart & mind both.
4. Airlines are in the fight of their lives, and some storied carriers are on the ropes. In an excellent piece packed with maps and pictures, Paul Soprano walks us through United’s history in Cleveland, Ohio. It’s a lovely look back to a time when travel was glamorous and less fraught. Be sure to come back for Part 2.
5. While we’re waiting to get back out in the world, take a listen to this podcast from Stuff you Should Know on the Eiffel Tower.
That was the last thing that went through my head before my life was upended.
In the time it will take to read this sentence, I had gone from having a great game, to blowing out my knee.
This is the story of my road back, and how it can help you.
I am part of a local pickup soccer group. We have a long-standing weekly game. We’ve played for long enough now that many of our kids are now old enough to join us.
On this night, my team worked the ball out of our end, beat a few defenders, and were on a breakaway towards the goal. One of my teammates sent a beautiful pass across the field to me. It came across my body from the right and onto my left instep. Running full speed, I did the only thing I could do and took the shot…
… and then I was on the ground, pounding my fist into the turf. As I struck the ball, my right shoe caught in the turf, my right knee bending completely inward. That hurt, but my foot hurt worse. I’d learn later that I had also fractured my foot in multiple spots on the way down.
I managed to get off the field and get to my car. Fueled on adrenaline, I somehow got home, where my wife helped my get my shoe off. It looked bad and felt worse.
I saw a specialist the next day, and they tentatively diagnosed a sprained MCL. It was still too swollen to see if it was torn or not, so I was fitted for a Bledsoe Brace and sent home to wait for my MRI.
Waiting became almost unbearable. The pain had ebbed a little, but I didn’t know exactly what I’d done. And without knowing what was wrong, I couldn’t start working to fix it. I’m impatient on a good day. Having nothing to do but wait was its own kind of hell.
Three weeks later, I got my results. My MCL wasn’t torn, (good news!), but I had a severe sprain (ok). I also had a completely torn ACL (wait, what?!), and it apparently had been that way for a while.
Convinced they’d sent me someone else’s results, I called back. They assured me that they were correct, and I went from mildly annoyed at being in limbo to scared.
Would I ever get to play again? What would life look like if I couldn’t? Soccer wasn’t just a game I loved, it was also the nexus most of my social life was built around. Picturing a life without it was tough to take.
I realized that some things were out of my control, but that if I was going to be kept off the field, it wouldn’t be for lack of trying.
My rehab plan was built around NOT repairing my ACL — given that I had been without it for some time, we would instead focus on the surrounding muscles to cope.
My first exercises focused simply on regaining strength-it’s amazing how fast everything atrophies. Leg bridges, walkouts, and more filled my days. Later, I progressed to lateral movements, and working with resistance bands. There was also a horrible attempt at getting back on a treadmill. I tried to tell myself it was progress, but really it was just a dumb move on my part, and about 90 days too soon.
At the 4 month mark, my therapist and I decided I was ready to try and run. I started small. 1 minute on, 4 minutes off. Repeat three times. Seemed simple enough but was anything but. Still, I kept going. Thanks to COVID restrictions, we had shifted to tele-visits, with my son filming me running up/down the street so she could see my form.
All seemed okay, and I got the greenlight to keep pushing. Our visits ended, with her wishing me well, but also leaving my case open for 90 days- a lifeline, just in case.
At this point, I’d hit a crossroad. I was “healed,” but not better. I needed a simple path forward, something that would let me focus my energy on getting better. Below are the steps I used to get on track.
1. Have a plan that removes friction.
I would try and run, but it was inconsistent, and I didn’t have much of a routine. What I needed was consistency, and a clear plan that did not involve a lot of thinking.
Enter Hal Higdon. By total chance, I saw his training programs in a newsletter I get, and decided to check it out. The 5k “novice” was just what I needed. The program’s secret weapon is that it removes the friction of decision. Each day has a specific training; some days you run, some days, you walk/run, and 1 day a week you rest.
Your only job is to look at what day you’re on, and do whatever it says to do. That’s it.
2. Use small steps to build a streak.
You may have heard of the “Seinfeld Strategy” before, where the comedian talks about the power of building a streak, and how seeing visual proof of that streak builds momentum.
After a few days you’ll have a chain. Just keep at it and the chain will grow longer every day. You’ll like seeing that chain, especially when you get a few weeks under your belt. Your only job is to not break the chain.” — Jerry Seinfeld
Actual sheet I used. Photo courtesy of author
The first week went as expected. When I hit a mile-and-a-half, I yelled. Completing 2-miles felt like winning a gold medal. As they days roll on, it’s important to celebrate each new win, in whatever form that may take for you.
Real progress happens when you focus on more on “finish” and less on “fast.”
3. Support will come from places you least expect.
I have been floored by how supportive the running community has been. Many may have simply been passing along a kind word. Some were likely paying forward the support they’d received.
From comments here on Medium, to encouragement at the gym, to tweets from people I’d never met, the support was invaluable.
If you’re in the same spot I was in, my advice is simple: when you see support, grab it. When it’s your turn, give it freely.
4. Come for the rehab, stay for the mental clarity.
When I started to run, I had a reasonable idea of what to expect physically. I knew I’d be sore, get winded a lot, and that persistence would beget endurance.
What I never saw coming were the psychic benefits. I’m much calmer on days that I run. I feel that I’m on a much more even keel than I was when I first put my shoes on. With my mind free to run (no pun intended), all kinds of ideas spring up. I wrote much of this article while jogging. I won’t dare to try and explain the neuroscience behind it, but can tell you I feel amazing. To be able to say that in a year like this is something.
I’m still running and have almost completed another 8 week cycle. My times are still terrible, and I sweat way too much, but I don’t care. The feeling of accomplishment outweighs both of those.
It will be there for you too.
Summing Up:
Find a plan that removes friction/decision making
Use small steps to build a streak- focus on finishing, not how fast you can run.
Use your streaks to build momentum.
Support may come from where you’d least expect- when you see it, take it with gratitude.
2020 is in our rearview mirror, and brighter days await! I hope this finds you ringing in the New Year healthy and safe.
Here are 5 things I want to share with you this week.
1. On Christmas, a lot of people got presents they didn’t necessarily want or need. On the surface that seems like a good problem to have. But left unchecked, “stuff” becomes overwhelming, and your things wind up owning you. A good way to start the year is by clearing away the white noise in your life. And a good first step for that is to ask yourself something like, “how many towels do I really need?”
3. The other day my son and I were in line at Costco, when he asked me how credit cards work. More specifically, what happens between when you swipe your card and when you get your receipt. I had no idea. Maybe you didn’t either? This video explains it well.
Merry Christmas to those of you celebrating! I know this has been a year like no other, but wherever this finds you, I wish you a season of joy & wonder.
It’s no secret that more and more people are cutting the cord, and ditching traditional cable for streaming platforms. For soccer fans, having access to channels like NBCSN and Bein Sports mean stead access to games for the first time…ever?
Now channels are looking to move more and more games behind paywalls. That could mean the death knell for channels like NBCSN. Further, what happens to platforms like Fubo if those games are no longer available? Do subscribers vanish too?
In the early days of the pandemic, hoarding cash was the name of the game for airlines. All retreated to their main hubs, pulled flights down, and used daily cash burn as a barometer of relative health. Brett Snyder, aka Cranky Flier argues that the time for such conservative behavior is over, and now is the time for airlines to experiment with new routes and get back in the game.
Fortune favors the bold, but does it favor carriers with aggressive strategies? Snyder certainly thinks so.
Hanlon’s Razor is a maxim that states, “never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” In other words, not everything people say is necessarily a personal attack. Polina Marinova walks us through how keeping this in mind can help avoid petty arguments. In this season of grievance culture, and social media rage machines, that might be the best gift we can give each other. One of the next best would be to sign up for Marinova’s newsletter, The Profile. It’s fantastic.
The Queen’s Gambit has brought chess back into mainstream discussion. Its rules require a steady mind and concentration- the antithesis of today’s Attention Economy. Getting off our phones and back to games like this can reap huge benefits- the least of which is the ability to think clearly. From the article:
“Our problem today is not that we don’t or can’t pay attention, but that the systems and structures of society oblige us to pay attention so frequently and fleetingly that we cannot in fact concentrate. Lacking an ability to concentrate, it’s a struggle to construct and maintain a coherent and autonomous sense of self, which leaves us at the mercy of digital, commercial and political puppeteers. Without concentration, we are not free.”
Many people used their extra time this year to finally chase their creative dreams. New Podcasts sprang up, got back to playing music, and dusted off their pens to write for the first time in years (including yours truly). Whatever your endeavors are, keep this quote from James Clear in mind, and above all else, keep going!
“Your favorite athlete’s first workout was just as bad as yours.
Your favorite chef’s first meal was just as bad as yours.
Your favorite artist’s first work was just as bad as yours.
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things (this week).
Interviews with most pro-athletes today are terribly anodyne. “All credit to the team,” “I just want to give 100%,” blah blah blah. Eric Cantona was always the opposite. His on-field play was amazing. His actions off it even more so. If you have time over the holidays, take a few minutes to watch some clips. To wit: “When seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.”
Speaking of which, even now there are highlights. Small victories are all around us; we just need to be looking for them.
We now have two vaccines authorized for use. Both far exceed even the rosiest of projections. Clearly a big victory, both for science and humanity. If you are still looking for a Christmas miracle, this is it.
This week I stumbled into Peak Internet. If social media ever had a value-added service, this is it.
2020 will end, I promise. 2021 will start right on cue. Time will march on like it always does. You can set your watch to it.
This year, the lost art of resilience made a comeback. That’s so cliche, that I almost didn’t write it. The last 270 days have all been an exercise in going with the flow, and adapting on the fly.
There is a sublimity in giving in and trusting the process. I (mostly) don’t sweat the small stuff and only control what I can. I fought this and lost, trust me. When I finally came around to that way of thinking, life suddenly became much more of an adventure.
As the saying goes, you can’t change the ocean, but you can learn to surf.
When most years end, it becomes de rigueur to look back on the last 12 months.
-Where’d you start? -Where’d you want to wind up? -Did you get there?
With 2020 lurching it’s way into the record books as the worst. year. ever., I think most of us have trended our expectations down. Maybe you abandoned them all together?
No one would’ve blamed you for erasing everything off your list except “stay safe.” Everything slowed down.
But as life marched on (as it invariably always does), some things accelerated. Entire industries saw their 5 yr. plans condensed into 5 months. People chased dreams and/or returned to school. Side Hustles are having a heyday.
My point? If we learned anything this year, it’s that life is short. If you knew how many days you had left, would it change how you spent your days? Who you spent them with?
My guess is yes.
Just reading the chart rearranged my mind. Take a look, calculate your estimated time left on this rock, and let me know how it made you feel.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel now, and no, it’s not a train. We have a ways to go yet, but blue sky is in sight. As we emerge from these “unprecedented times” (sorry!), what will you take away from it?
For me, part of that meant a return to music. And by that I mean actively listening. Anymore, music is just something happening in the background while you do something else. I realized I missed the days of making mix tapes; either for my friends to share things I found novel, or as a way of telling someone how I felt when words failed.
But mostly I missed the shared experience of giving & receiving new songs. A friend of mine and a couple of buddies have started making regular mix tapes. Okay, they’re online and called playlists, but that means they’re accessible to everyone. They’re excellent. Give ‘em a listen.
I work for an airline. Last month, I somehow managed to mark 23 years at my job. I say that not to brag, but to point out that even in the midst of a global pandemic, I managed to hold on to the job I love. I’m mindful of how fortunate that makes me, and hope that I am able to ride this through to the other side.
The industry has completely transformed since I joined it, with many former giants like Pan Am relegated to history books. Their legacy lives on through those who helped build them. This is a beautifully written, bittersweet account of the last flight of the once mighty Clipper.
Will it mean the end of your high school friend’s nonstop posting of crude memes? Probably not, but there’s hope.
In the meantime, logoff, and reconnect with those in your life that matter. Call, text, meet up in whatever manner you feel is safe. It will do you a world of good. Trust me on this one.
It seems like everyone is starting a podcast these days. According to a recent study, at the start of 2020 there were over 850,000 active podcasts and over 30 million available episodes. That’s good news.
The bad news is with so many choices, it can be hard to find shows that you like and that deliver value.
Below is a quick list to help you make the most of your listening time.
Business Casual was born out of the Morning Brew newsletter empire. Each week, host Kinsey Grant discusses all things business with a variety of guests.
From gaming, to the future of education, to entrepreneurship, this pod covers a lot of ground.
It’s many things, but never boring — I’ve yet to finish an episode without learning something.
Short Wave is NPR’s latest foray into science. With new shows each weekday, host Maddie Sofia and crew take on different topics that are relevant (a recent episode discussed the latest on fighting the Coronavirus), and quixotic (bat guano?).
This show’s superpower is taking subjects you might not understand well and distilling them down into easily digestible parts.
After multiple books, and a blog, the leading expert on time management and digital minimalism has finally entered the world of podcasting. And the world’s a better place for it. New episodes drop twice a week- one longer form, and one shorter. In each, Newport takes on questions from his readers and tackles issues ranging from how to best manage grad school to how juggling Zoom calls and home schooling. A reviewer once described him as “the Chuck Norris of Productivity.” Indeed.
Is there a podcast that never fails to surprise and/or delight you? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to check it out.
Scrabble as blood sport. I love words, and studies have shown the importance of exercising your mind, but this is next-level.
“Top players aren’t interested in words for communication, just for maximizing their score. Indeed, believe it or not, some of the top players don’t speak very good English; they’re from Thailand or Malaysia and have memorized all these non-words with one goal in mind — winning tournaments.“
If you had asked me a year ago, which industries I thought would boom in 2020, Plexiglass would not have made the list. Yet today, it’s everywhere. Will it stay once the pandemic ends?
“…overnight, [global] demand increased by roughly four times what it was the prior year.” Manufacturers had a hard time keeping up, and customers faced months-long waits. At the same time, suppliers realized that the boost was temporary; unlike face masks and rubber gloves, plexiglass barriers are a durable good. Besides, even if the crisis passes and the barriers are retired, plexiglass, unlike many other plastics, can be recycled into other plexi products.
“You’re under no obligation to remain the same person you were a year ago, a month ago, or even a day ago. You are here to create yourself, continuously” –Richard Feynman
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. This year has been particularly transformative for me- not with regards to the normal benchmarks we use, but with something of a more subtle shift. I’m writing again, making an effort to be less cynical (progress, not perfection), and trying to be intentional in everything I do. I also started running. How about you? What changes have you made this year? What’s on your list for 2021?
I hadn’t heard this album by the JudyBats in years, but recently dug it out, and it instantly made it’s way back into heavy rotation. They also still hold the record as “most polite towards their audience” of any concert I’ve ever been to. It’s fantastic, and worth your time. Give it a listen!
Thanks for everything! I know Gratitude lists can be a dime-a-dozen, but this year, they seem to have a certain gravity to them. It’s always been important to see the world with an abundance mindset; the ‘Rona just brought that into stark relief. Spoiler alert; you made this list.
What caught your attention this week? I’d love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments below.
Kevin Sent 