#118 October 25th, 2023

https://medium.com/@benjaminhardy/the-simplest-hack-to-being-productive-not-busy-57ac0715550a

These days it’s almost like we’re in a competition to see who is the most busy and who can jam the most activity into their day. But I think if we’re honest with ourselves we’d see that’s not really the path to a fulfilled and peaceful life. Generally, the path to a better life is actually paved with less, not with more. When you are super busy it may mean you don’t own your time because other people are actually imposing all of their priorities onto your calendar and crowding out what you actually want to prioritize. That begs the question, when was the last time you actually asked what you’d want to prioritize? What task will be the biggest help for you if you are able to finally get it done, or the biggest obstacle or setback if you don’t get it done? It’s so easy for our lives to get filled with little demands that feel so urgent and important, but you need to be honest if those are actually driving results toward what you want to accomplish. That is a place of worry, anxiety, and burnout, not a place of thriving. Define what MUST get done, and then actually execute on doing it.?

Should You Ever Work for Free?

A common question freelancers and some types of entrepreneurs must answer when starting out and building their businesses it should they do work for free in order to practice their craft and potentially gain exposure to new customers? Of course one of the drawbacks is any time and effort you’re spending on free work could have been put into paid work. There also is no guarantee that you will reach new customers or a new audience or create word of mouth advocates. It could happen, it’s just not a sure thing. You must consider the opportunity cost of what other tasks you could spend your time on instead of working for free. But there are also some times when unpaid work actually would be beneficial. Maybe working for free could get you into an event or in front of a person you would not have access to otherwise. You could test out a new offer or service without making the stakes too high. Do your homework to see if there is legitimate increased exposure to new clients that you could not get otherwise. Make sure you can trust the person you’re working for and that you have a specific outcome in mind from the free work. The end of the article offers suggestions on how you can respond if people are asking you for free work but you are not interested for any of the reasons discussed above

Knowing Your 'Why' for Fitness Goal Setting in 2020. What is Your Why?

It’s a general principle of habit formation and goal achievement that when you have a strong why motivating you then you will be so much more likely to do the necessary planning, work, and sacrifices that are necessary to make the change you want. This author in this article applies that idea specifically in the area of weight loss and health transformation. You’re not going to create lasting results if you’re changing with a vague goal of “get healthy” or if you’re motivated by what others think. You need to have motivation that comes from your core values and what is important to you, like the example of someone getting healthy to ensure their kids will grow up with their parents present and active. Most motivation comes back to either avoiding pain or pursuing pleasure, and it is up to you which one of those is a better fit for what you need to get done. Other tips from the author include thinking back to a time when you were healthy and fit, and seeing what circumstances during that time period could potentially be re-created to help you now. What parts of your daily environment were helpful then but you seem to have lost them now? It’s also important to remember that this is not a one time thing. Motivation naturally waxes and wanes but it will be present more often if you are consistently reconnecting to your why and reminding yourself of it.?

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CPA post of the week: What if I told you the biggest obstacle to passing the CPA exam isn't the content itself, but the story you tell yourself about your capabilities and whether you will be able to pass? How does self-belief affect your CPA exam journey?

When you believe in yourself, you're more motivated to stay committed to your study plan. Self-belief enables you to persevere through challenges, ensuring you don't give up when faced with setbacks like having to retake a section. Positive thoughts lead to positive actions. A confident mindset improves your performance because you are more focused and engaged when you study.

If you are stuck in negative thought patterns that fuel doubt and self criticism there are some solutions you can try. You have to be able to identify negative self talk when it is happening by recognizing unhelpful, irrational thoughts that undermine your confidence. Question and challenge those negative beliefs with evidence of your past achievements and hard work. Acknowledge that trying to pass the CPA includes challenges for everyone. Surround yourself with a supportive network that believes in your abilities and increases your belief in yourself. The voice in your head can be an asset; it doesn't have to be a hindrance!