#43 – Needless Knowledge, Identity, Getting Strong, and Astronauts

  • Knowledge You Don’t Need
  • Why Identity Matters
  • Getting Strong Is Easy
  • And Another Thing

Knowledge You Don’t Need

To get good at most things, you really only need to master around 20% or less of what the experts talk about. Fitness is the subject I know best, but I would say I only get to use about 5% of my knowledge because that’s about all people need to be their fittest. The best experts are the ones who have a depth of knowledge, but filter what matters most. The rest of what you learn beyond the basics satisfies curiosity and passion.

Why Identity Matters

Identity drives change. There are three identities I use to be the catalyst for change:

  1. My current identity is how I see myself. Is this what I want to be?
  2. My future identity is who I want to become or be seen as. Who is this person and why do I want to be them?
  3. My goal-oriented identity enables me to make decisions that relate to an outcome. I am a good tennis player. I am a novel writer. I am a calm and cool person. Does the choice I’m making now reflect that identity?

Reflect on your identity. Write it down. Make it easy to see every day.

Getting Strong Is Easy

Improving endurance is hard. Becoming skilled in a sport is hard. Getting an education is hard. Mastering your sleep and nutrition is hard. Out of all the things you can train, getting physically stronger is the easiest. Yes, it takes work, but the time and effort required is minimal compared to most things. And it lasts longer when going untrained.

How? Do two total body workouts per week, following a few basic principles, and I can guarantee beyond a doubt that you will get stronger.

I can teach you or you can buy this book.

And Another Thing

There’s an influencer going around calling themself an astronaut because they did one short suborbital space flight. My girlfriend put it best: that’s like calling myself a pilot because I flew on an airplane. Your identity matters, but some titles have to be earned.

Become An Astronaut

“We make emotional choices and justify them with logic. Careful that you aren’t justifying getting out of something you know you should do.”

Shannon Hayes

For quotes, stories, lessons, and daily motivation, download my app, Courage Mindset.