Happy Monday!

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This week, the subject of discussion is persistence! So many people out there have incredible amounts of potential; the difference between success and failure is, much of the time, simply not giving up.

As a brief disclaimer: any links for items, books, etc. that are available for purchase are done through an affiliate program. This means that I get paid a small pittance of money for everything you buy using my links. I don't recommend things I haven't read/used, so using these links helps me out and gets you great products!

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Dogged Persistence

This week I'd like to remind everyone how crucial it is to be a healthy amount of stubborn in their daily lives. If there is one thing that has been made abundantly clear to me, it is the importance of determination with regards to accomplishment. Now I'm sure you've heard this all before, so I'd like to dive a bit deeper and provide some examples.

When I refer to persistence, I don't just mean trying the same thing over and over again (particularly if that thing isn't working). What I mean instead is the ability to keep the wind in your sails despite life's attempts at extinguishing your flame. Regardless of what you are trying to accomplish, there will always be someone else trying to steer you in a different direction or trying to get you to realign with established norms. When it comes to those who are successful, they almost always carve a different path; this path is also filled to the brim with disappointment and disbelief.

In his quest to create the lightbulb, Thomas Edison is famous for saying, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." He messed up more times than anyone else was even willing to begin. Jim Carrey was booed off stage at the beginning of his career, and JK Rowling was broke and penniless while being rejected by every major book publisher before she found someone willing to take a chance on Harry Potter. Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player and one of the greatest athletes to ever live, was cut from his high school basketball team.

The modern world has shifted towards instant gratification in almost all capacities. Groceries can be delivered same day, as can many packages from Amazon. You can purchase and download a book to begin reading instantly. You get likes and comments from your friends as soon as you post photos to social media. The speed of life has increased exponentially, and our access to information is infinitely higher than previous generations could have ever imagined. The biggest downside to this technological advancement is that now, more than ever, people are unwilling to be persistent.

The traits required to smile in the face of rejection and keep going are few and far between these days. I see people every day with huge amounts of potential get deflated at the first sign of rejection when trying something new. Many would rather play it safe than get uncomfortable. Use history as an example of how important it is to stay the course. If there is something you truly want in this life, know that the only barrier to achievement is staring at you in the mirror. Keep pushing forward, ignore the naysayers, and take every rejection as another bump in the road. You are all capable of accomplishing tremendous things if you simply embrace dogged persistence.

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Hit List

The most interesting things I've read, heard, or encountered this week:

For my fellow list-makers: The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande

I love checklists. I use roughly 5 different task list apps, keep a small handheld notebook that I write lists in, and have legal pads by my desk which happen to be excellent list-making implements. For anyone else who likes lists and organization as much as I do, this book will scratch every possible itch.

Holiday Gift Ideas: Black Friday Sale by Mizzen and Main

I am not affiliated with Mizzen and Main, and I receive zero commission for recommending them. That said, their dress shirts (and other clothes for that matter) are incredibly comfortable and built to fit people who work out. If you are like me, or have family members who exercise constantly, you know just how hard it is to find dress clothes that fit. These are a great option for the health-conscious men in your lives! (Thanks to the crew at Morning Brew for providing this discount link!)

Investing in the Metaverse: Jim Cramer's Guide to Investing in the Metaverse by CNBC

I personally don't love Jim Cramer (I think his lifetime returns on his "picks" is -28%), but I do think this article is a good way to get your hands dirty when it comes to investing in future-forward technology. Out of his recommendations, I think Roblox and Unity are two great plays at the intersection of gaming and technology.

How a growth mindset can help in the digital age: Growth Mindset: How Companies Get to the Next Level in the Digital World by Forbes

This article touches on some important concepts regarding a growth mindset in the workplace. Now, more than ever, technology is changing rapidly and what we know tomorrow may very well be different than what we know today. Understanding that growth comes from questioning your assumptions and changing your viewpoints as new information becomes available is critical.

A course I'm launching: Optimize your home audio/video setup for virtual meetings!​

As another reminder, I have put together a course to teach you how to optimize your home video setups now that working from home is so common. Using my experience in film production, I wanted to create a simple guide that tells you exactly what to buy and how to plug everything in. Even with no additional equipment, there are small tricks that can make you look and sound better on your Zoom calls and virtual meetings. If you want to get on the waiting list for when it officially launches soon, click here!

My documentary is also launching today: Rooting for the Underdogs on YouTube

I had the opportunity to travel to Vegas in April and document the athletes there as they tackled the CrossFit Games Quarterfinals. I'm really proud of the final product, and think that it will be interesting for people both in and outside of the CrossFit community. If you want to see what goes into a top-level camp, and how these incredible athletes navigate a competition weekend, be sure to watch the film when it premieres at 9am PST/12pm EST!

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That will do it for this week! Please let me know what you liked, didn't like, and what you want to see more of. Do you want it to be longer, shorter? Do you want specific topics covered more? Less? Have a wonderful week, and remember to please forward this to your friends -- helping get the word out and get more eyes on this newsletter is hugely helpful and greatly appreciated!

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