7% BETTER NEWSLETTER - 2.23.25
This Week: 100% Effort, Rethinking Reading, and the Power of Stretching
Welcome back to the 7% Better newsletter. Cultivating an identity as someone who always gives their full effort is the foundation for meaningful change. Effort can’t be optional. Without a commitment to 100%, we need to step back and examine the roots of our hesitation. It’s “Hell yeah” or “No”. We need to eliminate “sure” and “ok” from our vocabulary. Bring undeniable energy to everything you do. Let it radiate through the groups you engage with and illuminate the work of the entire team!
Effort can’t be conditional. It can’t be on display only when the potential outcome might benefit us directly. Sometimes it’s necessary for us to work hard so someone else can shine. A mindset that reserves full effort only when there’s a personal reward is a selfish one. This approach will leave us without supporters when we need them most. Work to clear a path for others to rise and watch as they reach to pull you up right alongside them!
“The person who clears the path ultimately controls its direction, just as the canvas shapes the painting.” - Ryan Holiday, The Daily Stoic
Giving anything less than your full effort signals doubt and lack of trust, in yourself and others. Have faith in the work you’ve put in behind the scenes and watch it translate into the results you’re aiming for! Believe in the abilities of the teams you’re a part of. Becoming united with others in faith and effort creates a momentum that propels everyone to new heights!
And with that, here are some of the ideas, tools, and practices helping me this week:
Listen to Coach Buzz Williams offer some life advice to journalism students
The Mizzou Basketball Coach provides some straightforward but powerful wisdom
Quote that’s been keeping me grounded this week
“You have to assemble your life yourself—action by action. And be satisfied if each one achieves its goal, as far as it can.” - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations (Book 8)
Podcast Clip That Changed How I Approach Reading
The Tim Ferris Show #737: Naval Ravikant and Nick Kokonas (SKIP to 17:35)
This whole episode is great, but I recommend jumping to 17:35 for Naval Ravikant’s reading “hack”. In his words, he “started treating books as throwaway blog posts or bite-sized tweets or Facebook posts. And I feel no obligation to finish any book.” Naval goes on to discuss how he might be reading through 10-15 books at a time, doesn’t always start at the beginning, and stops reading once he feels he’s gotten the information he was looking for.
For me, taking away this pressure to finish a book from cover to cover, especially on a denser, more intimidating topic, makes reading feel more approachable and the information more attainable.
Question to Reflect On this Week
What is a bad habit that you’re working to overcome?
Addition by subtraction is the idea here. We, myself definitely included, often focus on learning new skills, habits, traits, but more progress in our self-improvement journey can sometimes be made by eliminating destructive tendencies. These are often the biggest roadblocks to positive growth. This week, start by trying to identify a few in your routine.
Habit of the Week
2-Min Stretch to Start & End the Day: Stretching is a habit I don’t want to overlook in my daily routine. When I’ve made it a consistent habit in the past, I’ve found it builds my physical durability and sharpens my mental focus. Starting and ending with just two minutes of focused movement helps your body wake up and unwind, grounding you in the present moment.
Here are some poses to try:
