Amazing committment to "non-negotiable" processes to achieve the goals of being your best self. KUDOS!
And KUDOS on your good fortune of having a partner who supports your process.
A book recommended by Bobby Wagner (yes, that Bobby Wagner) a few years ago called "Chop Wood, Carry Water" speaks, in a simple story, of learning to love 'the process'...and the exceptionalism will take care of itself. It's a kind of focus on 'the process' rather than the goal kind of approach that, while applicable to any endeaver, helped make BWag one of the best LB's to ever play the game.
Congratulations on your personal development, Ken. It is probably presumptuous of me but I thought something was different in your writing for Seaside Joe, compared to the Field Gulls years, and I think you've really added another dimension to your analysis. Some of that may just be natural improvement by working so hard for so long, but I think when we remove things that block us and practice things that help us, every part of our lives should get better.
This was probably the most you've ever said in so few words, and my mind has been racing since I read it yesterday. Clark is the cutest dog on the planet!! I have always admired you and your incredibly kind insights and patience. Will give you my thoughts off-line. 😄
Thanks for sharing Kenneth. The evolution of Seaside Joe has been really fun to watch and be a part of. I love the more focused Seahawks/football content since switching to substack, but I still appreciate and enjoy these periodic personal check-ins.
As Marshawn so wisely advised, "Take care of y'all mentals, y'all bodies, and y'all chicken."
That's awesome, Kenneth. And inspiring! I enjoyed your writing years ago on Fieldgulls, and was stoked to find your Substack recently through Twitter. Thanks for sharing the great and hard work you've been doing!
You’ve got me curious. I know there are a couple non-negotiable habits I do on a daily basis now but I never thought of them as a contract between me and myself. I’m going to consider a couple of beneficial things that I’ve wanted to do regularly for a long time but have just never fully committed to and see if a mental contract between me and myself will get me going and going. Thanks. Go Hawks!
You’re a legend Kenneth (or obsessive compulsive 🤔😁). I admire you’re commitment. You are truely an inspiration.
Oh, and don’t mind being “a one big stupid brag”. As Marcus Aurelius said in his ‘Meditations’:
“Everything which is in any way beautiful is beautiful in itself, and terminates in itself, not having praise as part of itself. A thing is therefore made neither worse nor better by being praised.”
Fasting is the bomb, I've been mostly eating one meal a day for awhile now and everything gets better when you adopt that practice. I still eat the same amount of food but because it all occurs at once it gives my body time off from the hormones that eating produces (namely insulin).
My non-negotiable habit is walking my dogs twice a day, every day. I got my dogs just over 10 years ago so I figure I've taken them on just over 7,300 walks by now. The only walks I've missed are when I was away when my dad died.
How often do you ask yourself the three words, "Am I crazy"? You seem to be an intensely creative soul and a lot of highly original people appear to be crazy. It's funny how the crazies have given us our greatest cultural and scientific treasures.
Sep 27, 2022·edited Sep 27, 2022Liked by Seaside Joe
I hopped on the 3-word train early this year. As a lifelong Catholic my first non-negotiable daily habit was going to Mass every day. My streak started March 2 this year, but Ian may break it tomorrow or Wednesday. The second habit was jumping out of bed the moment my alarm sounds. I didn’t track when I started doing it, but it was also in March. I had a slump around mid-year but since recovered with even more determination.
I didn’t add another one since then. Maybe this post is the inspiration I need. Time to stack another habit (I do 15-30 minute meditation Monday to Saturday at the church, arriving early to Mass to do so, but still didn’t commit enough on Sundays, which is the day I go with the whole family).
I also do intermittent fasting, on and off, and I don’t do it every day. I like the ancient idea of days of fasting and days of feasting, so I fast on normal days, but feast on Sundays and some other special occurrences. My window is also wider (10h).
Things I want to add: a 12 minute HIIT and another 15 minute meditation. Still trying to beat my perfectionism and just start doing at least a jog those 12 minutes.
So, again, thank you for the candidness and inspiration!
Thanks for sharing, Kenneth! I also appreciate your thoughts on movies. I notice your sense of humor and love for movies comes across when the moment is right. 😂🎥
My own journey started on a very specific day. While I don't recall the date, I know exactly when it was and what happened. I had a leadership position in a college where I worked, and one day when I was eating lunch a buddy of mine came up to me and said, "Doug, how are you doing?"
I proceeded to explain to him (Bob) all of the many problems I was having and how everything was going sideways in spite of my efforts. And here is what Bob said to me that changed my life completely:
"And to think this is what you have chosen for yourself!"
My first impulse was to get up and punch him until it hit like a bolt of lightning that he was 100% correct. That moment marked the day I decided to take responsibility for making my life work the way I wanted it to work.
Unlike you though it has not been a steady road upwards and onwards, and I have to keep reminding myself of why I am doing what I am doing. But I am a happier person, no doubt!
Thank you for a reminder of how that all works--I love the "non negotiable" commitments.
Clark is awesome!
I am a dog person 100%. Dogs are the only other living beings that actually like humans as their default setting...perhaps their only flaw.
p.s. Cats don't really 'like' humans so much as 'tolerate' them.
Amazing committment to "non-negotiable" processes to achieve the goals of being your best self. KUDOS!
And KUDOS on your good fortune of having a partner who supports your process.
A book recommended by Bobby Wagner (yes, that Bobby Wagner) a few years ago called "Chop Wood, Carry Water" speaks, in a simple story, of learning to love 'the process'...and the exceptionalism will take care of itself. It's a kind of focus on 'the process' rather than the goal kind of approach that, while applicable to any endeaver, helped make BWag one of the best LB's to ever play the game.
Congratulations on your personal development, Ken. It is probably presumptuous of me but I thought something was different in your writing for Seaside Joe, compared to the Field Gulls years, and I think you've really added another dimension to your analysis. Some of that may just be natural improvement by working so hard for so long, but I think when we remove things that block us and practice things that help us, every part of our lives should get better.
This was probably the most you've ever said in so few words, and my mind has been racing since I read it yesterday. Clark is the cutest dog on the planet!! I have always admired you and your incredibly kind insights and patience. Will give you my thoughts off-line. 😄
Thanks for sharing Kenneth. The evolution of Seaside Joe has been really fun to watch and be a part of. I love the more focused Seahawks/football content since switching to substack, but I still appreciate and enjoy these periodic personal check-ins.
As Marshawn so wisely advised, "Take care of y'all mentals, y'all bodies, and y'all chicken."
That's awesome, Kenneth. And inspiring! I enjoyed your writing years ago on Fieldgulls, and was stoked to find your Substack recently through Twitter. Thanks for sharing the great and hard work you've been doing!
You’ve got me curious. I know there are a couple non-negotiable habits I do on a daily basis now but I never thought of them as a contract between me and myself. I’m going to consider a couple of beneficial things that I’ve wanted to do regularly for a long time but have just never fully committed to and see if a mental contract between me and myself will get me going and going. Thanks. Go Hawks!
You’re a legend Kenneth (or obsessive compulsive 🤔😁). I admire you’re commitment. You are truely an inspiration.
Oh, and don’t mind being “a one big stupid brag”. As Marcus Aurelius said in his ‘Meditations’:
“Everything which is in any way beautiful is beautiful in itself, and terminates in itself, not having praise as part of itself. A thing is therefore made neither worse nor better by being praised.”
What you’ve been doing is a beautiful thing!
Fasting is the bomb, I've been mostly eating one meal a day for awhile now and everything gets better when you adopt that practice. I still eat the same amount of food but because it all occurs at once it gives my body time off from the hormones that eating produces (namely insulin).
My non-negotiable habit is walking my dogs twice a day, every day. I got my dogs just over 10 years ago so I figure I've taken them on just over 7,300 walks by now. The only walks I've missed are when I was away when my dad died.
How often do you ask yourself the three words, "Am I crazy"? You seem to be an intensely creative soul and a lot of highly original people appear to be crazy. It's funny how the crazies have given us our greatest cultural and scientific treasures.
https://www.indiatimes.com/culture/who-we-are/11-famous-geniuses-from-history-who-were-actually-quite-quite-crazy-260547.html
I hopped on the 3-word train early this year. As a lifelong Catholic my first non-negotiable daily habit was going to Mass every day. My streak started March 2 this year, but Ian may break it tomorrow or Wednesday. The second habit was jumping out of bed the moment my alarm sounds. I didn’t track when I started doing it, but it was also in March. I had a slump around mid-year but since recovered with even more determination.
I didn’t add another one since then. Maybe this post is the inspiration I need. Time to stack another habit (I do 15-30 minute meditation Monday to Saturday at the church, arriving early to Mass to do so, but still didn’t commit enough on Sundays, which is the day I go with the whole family).
I also do intermittent fasting, on and off, and I don’t do it every day. I like the ancient idea of days of fasting and days of feasting, so I fast on normal days, but feast on Sundays and some other special occurrences. My window is also wider (10h).
Things I want to add: a 12 minute HIIT and another 15 minute meditation. Still trying to beat my perfectionism and just start doing at least a jog those 12 minutes.
So, again, thank you for the candidness and inspiration!
Thanks for sharing, Kenneth! I also appreciate your thoughts on movies. I notice your sense of humor and love for movies comes across when the moment is right. 😂🎥
Thanks for the update!
Wow 150 lbs congratulations even though I know you weren't looking for validation.
Did you watch the highlights of the All Black's vs Australia rugby I sent you ?
Great article!
My own journey started on a very specific day. While I don't recall the date, I know exactly when it was and what happened. I had a leadership position in a college where I worked, and one day when I was eating lunch a buddy of mine came up to me and said, "Doug, how are you doing?"
I proceeded to explain to him (Bob) all of the many problems I was having and how everything was going sideways in spite of my efforts. And here is what Bob said to me that changed my life completely:
"And to think this is what you have chosen for yourself!"
My first impulse was to get up and punch him until it hit like a bolt of lightning that he was 100% correct. That moment marked the day I decided to take responsibility for making my life work the way I wanted it to work.
Unlike you though it has not been a steady road upwards and onwards, and I have to keep reminding myself of why I am doing what I am doing. But I am a happier person, no doubt!
Thank you for a reminder of how that all works--I love the "non negotiable" commitments.
Very interesting to read. Good for you, all around. I was going to suggest flossing, but then I see you've taken care of that. :)