[Please Stand By] | #2
“Do the work. Think, fast, wait.” “Are you actually working toward your vision, or just taking action relevant to your vision?” Think I’ll take some time to think. See you soon. Nick
Nick
January 12, 2021
“Do the work. Think, fast, wait.” “Are you actually working toward your vision, or just taking action relevant to your vision?” Think I’ll take some time to think. See you soon. Nick
This far into my writing, my obsession with over-analyzing, contemplating, and battling Time is obnoxiously obvious. Time drifts on with or without us. It’s permanently fleeting. And only through Time are we able to achieve anything. Whether mere minutes or small effort compounded over years – the allocation of Time
I had a few things in the hopper and was debating what to finish editing and publish. Yet all day (week, really), there have been the same thoughts and quotes spinning through my head. It’s been admittedly hard to focus on anything else, especially with all my other normal Sunday
Minimalism, or more specifically “simple living” is a philosophy that focuses on…simplifying your lifestyle. It colloquially centers around reducing excessive material goods, not focusing on the pursuit of material wealth as a source of purpose, and overall living a more virtuous, simple life. I like to think of it as
Among all the clichés and allusions regarding what life is like, my personal flavor is that life is like an amusement park. As a kid you’re experiencing a crazy array of new experiences – good and bad. The fear of a sky-scraping roller coaster, the disappointment of a $12 park
When a blizzard rolls in, snow flurries signify its arrival. The glossy white mist quickly consumes the area, hurling tiny comets across our field of vision. One of the most immediate sensations is effectively being blinded. The snow wisps into our eyes, coating our cheeks and eyelashes – quickly melting
An important distinction I draw in my life is the time before and after I was making truly conscious decisions. That doesn’t separate from accountability, but it does draw a uniquely distinct line between the past few years and the rest of the time I’ve been alive. This distinction helps
“I close my front door and turn on the light…I let out a breath and hold in a sigh” Among the few constants in life, losing momentum might be the most frustrating. The progressive slide back into unwanted rhythms we thought were behind us. Seemingly unending new ways for the
With the holidays here and very nearly gone, I wanted to share something small I started last year – a holiday playlist. I had hoped to share this a bit sooner and put a little extra curating into it, but falling behind seems to be the trend around G+D these
Within the first year of my consulting career I was labeled a ‘flight risk’ by the department leadership team. I know this because several managers I was close with told me so. A ‘flight risk’ is someone who has a high probability of leaving the firm for another job. Not
We’ve all seen or know someone that sucks the energy out of room. Whatever the situation is, you can count on this person taking an overly realistic or boring approach. The person who in that moment, invokes visions of a disgruntled stranger popping a child’s balloon or an internet Karen
Why do we lose track of the things that bring us the most joy when things get difficult? I’ve seen this written in dozens of articles and it’s been confirmed through countless anecdotal conversations, along with my own seemingly endless cycles of first-hand experience. The experience of waking up
There are infinite possibilities in life. Yet we often feel trapped. The weight of work, financial obligations, relationships and social expectations all become a binding, burdensome straight jacket. It feels like things won’t ever change. That we are powerless to push back and free ourselves. And that how things currently
There are single player games and there are multiplayer games. Solitaire and Sudoku are single player games. Monopoly and Scrabble are multiplayer games. This clear separation exists in the video games as well. There are single player driven experiences, which tend to have a strong focus on rich story development
I’ve been hearing this phrase a lot – in podcasts, interviews, and even personal conversations with people I most respect and admire. Maybe it’s a timely coincidence, or maybe for the first time I’m simply appreciating the value within this phrase. Regardless, it’s been rattling around my head the past
As I get older, my conversations steer toward “well, what’s next?”. This is inescapable with the people I am closest to. We discuss work, interests, and aspirations – then riff on what makes the most sense to do or how to make it happen. How to make the right move. This is
I’ve been skydiving once. I have a clear recollection of that day and how I continued to process what was happening. The weight of what I had committed to settled in as I drove deeper into endless plots of corn and soybeans. On that drive I realized I didn’t know
And…we’re live! A handful of days later than expected (as should be expected) and the new site is up and running. And so far, thankfully no data hacks or ransomware attacks – not bad for the first 24 hours. So first, if you’re reading this – again, thank you…truly. Next,
If you’re reading this, I assume you are one of the 2-5 regulars we have on the site – so thank you! Within the next 7 days we are hoping to have a new site up and running for G+D. It won’t be a dramatic facelift in terms of style,
First day of fall. One of my favorite days of the year. A marker of so many of wonderful things soon to arrive – changing colors, darkness that slowly sets in as we get closer to winter, cold weather paired with baked goods, and enjoying the temperature progressively drop into
A concept that spans a wide array of disciplines is the path of least resistance. With people, we regularly want to do what requires the least amount of effort. That’s a key origin of how habits form, particularly habits we don’t necessarily want to have or continue. It’s what we
At my first job out of school, me and all the other consultants in my practice were issued our standard Lenovo’s. Model T450 if I remember correctly. Your laptop was a good signifier of your status and/or specialization at the company. The professional elites – Director level types – were
There are places that, when traveled to, enhance our experience of life. Fantasies about Michelin rated meals, historic landmarks, and sun soaked beaches – things we plan long in advance to take a break from our day to day lives. Sometimes while on these trips, we have experiences that don’t
I love the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The trend started over 10 years ago with Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man has been a wildly entertaining and enjoyable ride. The films have undoubtedly had a positive impact on our social culture in their relatively short existence (while acknowledging how long
Patience is a virtue. An aphorism that we have all been told, told to other people, and told to ourselves. Patience and consistency coupled together are a powerful concoction – the makings of greatness. But blind patience is weaponized attrition. It can leave us complacent and apathetic as our life
Image Source: The Last Dance Michael Jordan is synonymous with greatness. I don’t need to give any background because everyone knows who he is. And The Last Dance only reinforced and detailed his achievements. He is the benchmark of hard work, discipline, and talent in a single entity. Everyone
Do you remember what it was like before you born? That’s most likely what we’re facing at the end when the lights go out for the final time. Not an experience of everlasting non-existence, just the final flick of a switch to set it back to nothing. I do sometimes
Reading is one of the single most powerful activities in how it compounds over time. It can increase your ability to focus, expand your understanding of concepts and the world around you, and inspire your mind to become more creative and see the world in new ways. There are 2
I would have never guessed that a single horizontal line would be one of the most interesting models I learned about. And I certainly wouldn’t have guessed that same model would have a meaningful impact on my life. Shane Parrish’s blog Farnam Street (and Podcast Initiative “The Knowledge Project”) is
I was so close to not writing this. That last moment where you nod and confirm you’re going to hold of doing something until tomorrow when it was meant for today – I was at that moment and knew I’d regret it if I did it. Today was just a
Every day is a good day for gratitude. Every day is a good day to make sure the people care most about know how you truly feel. Some days (like today) are better reminders than others, but they are all certainly good. Few things are more important than finding a
Every day I try to remind myself to ask and answer 4 questions: What are my ultimate goals? What motivates me to be creative? What will stop me from achieving these goals? What can I do about it today? What are my ultimate goals? – It’s helpful to have some
Image Source: Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) It’s crazy for me to think how much of my time I have spent wondering what to do. I wouldn’t necessarily call it reflecting…it’s always been more of a loud, near constant panic. Trying to figure out what steps I needed to take
So much of what happens is not our choice or in our control. It makes it exceedingly easy to carry pieces of a passive mindset or victim mindset with us, which in turn only release control further. Things that happen in life, while difficult, are typically completely normal and common,
Here is the first version of our logo. And the first non-written creation we want to share with everyone. The thinking behind the design: The Light Bulb: This represents Grit – You. Your mind. What you can control in life. The Dynamite: This represents…Dynamite – Life. Fate. The
I wanted today to be a little more brief. I want to mention 2 things I’ve been thinking about the last couple of days, then spend the rest of the day coming up with ideas for future topics and how to keep creating things I want to and that you
I had a dream a couple weeks ago. I can’t recall if it was a daydream or while I was asleep, but I still remember how vivid it was. In this dream I was sitting out on my balcony, looking out a few of the different house plants I have
There are 24 hours in a day, and you are currently occupying all of them. Even without trying, one way or another the hours get allocated because they must. There is no saving time. There is no redistributing it once the day is gone. And the cycle repeats every 24
By most metrics, I have a good job. I am compensated competitively, I have an uncommon amount of autonomy and schedule flexibility, and I have very few people I report to and have to interact with. I work at a small business that is technically a start-up, which increases my
When external stresses fundamentally change how we live our daily life, we are forced into a situation of evaluation. We reflect on how severely the change has impacted our lives, what adjustments have to be made in response, and how we will choose to view the world around us in
You wake up, bit of a blur. Didn’t really sleep as well or wake up when you had hoped. You throw some clothes on and head out to grab a couple of things before the day starts. Not really paying attention, as you are focused on the task at hand,
I saw a close friend of mine for the first time in a comparatively long time and in the myriad of topics discussed, we landed on your impact to other people and social responsibility / courtesy. Whenever we head out into the world, we are making dozens of little decisions.
The most beloved products are of good quality, consistent, and make the buyer feel excited about their purchase. The most excitement that can be created is usually linked back to a meaningful story, a connection to a community or an organization, or inspiring a sense of purpose and hope. We
Image Source: Alesso album artwork Sometimes you’re a little burnt out. Didn’t quite catch the right sleep cycles, have a had a few rough days, or simply just don’t feel like yourself. In these moments it’s really easy to lose yourself and lose your capacity to show yourself empathy and
For years my underlying obsession was finding a way to optimize my life and break away from needing to hold down a normal job or live within the neat parameters that corporate culture defines for us. Looking to people I had envied, I identified skills and accolades they carried and
George Orwell’s 1984 is the first (and so far only) book I have ever read in a single day. I thought it would be good to familiarize myself with a classic that told a story that has been the standard fictional depiction for societies to point to as examples of
I recently had the realization that I derive the most value from changing and growing as a person. New hobbies, that first bite of a well-executed recipe, realizing how foolish my perspective and actions had been the previous year, and particularly the journey started here with Grit and Dynamite –
After today that’s what’s left for 2020. 129 days until January 1st, 2021. It’s not difficult to find a piece of thoughtware or a meme begging for this year to end. The most consistent topic I have seen is the hatred for the mere existence of the year 2020. And
Time is frequently painted to be both the most precious and villainous energy in the universe. It is invaluable, cannot be created, and no amount of political or financial capital can recapture lost Time. We use it in the literal to describe living in the moment, being present to truly
“I just want a glimmer of hope” That’s the only lyric to this song. Echoing throughout the sonic waves of glimmer. The brief clip of 2 guys speaking about music production (namely the utilization and oversimplification of bass) is a nice capture of one of life’s simplest but purest treasures
