January 28th, 2023: Greetings from Austin and welcome to the many new subscribers that found me from the Tim Ferriss shoutout this week. #1 The Great Contemplation This week I published a piece on Every talking about a broader shift I’ve been seeing in how people are relating to their work. I think many people are underestimating both how much things have changed in the past three years and also how much things will likely continue to change.
Thank you for sharing and for always rooting for so many people early in their journey! Hearing you talk about "being someone people can root for" is what planted the seed for my own essay this week. It's easy to be nervous when you start out because you don't think anyone is out there rooting for you.
"I think people are easy to root for. If you look at others with a question on your mind, “what seems to be firing up this person?” you quickly find a lot of interesting things going on. We are often held back from even looking for these positive signs by our own insecurities. We are scared of standing out and end up projecting our fears onto others rather than paying closer attention." -- This idea is so powerful and eye-opening, Paul. Yet, so simple and clear. I did not know about your writings until I "discovered" you via my friend Michelle Varghoose. I'm doing a full immersion now; what you're doing is so fascinating. Thank you!
Rooting for others takes lots of time and energy. Some might call that work, but it’s generous work that compounds over time, as evidenced by the outpouring of support when Tim Ferriss shared your essay. Thanks for your generosity, Paul!
I am one of the new subscribers you mention; I will work through your posts slowly but I thought I would start here and share my two cents.
"And people are waking up to the fact that it’s normal to talk about wanting more out of life than a life built around a career."
I truly hope this is true; the fact we are talking about it tells me it is but it is a difficult subject. For me, the shift has been happening in the last few months, a year at a push. It culminated in the creation of this Substack in, what I call, one moment of madness.
Without going into too much boring detail about my aspirations as a teenager and how I ended up in a corporate world, job, my observations point to little work / life balance for many people; and that, of course, directly impacts the 'wanting more out of life'. It seems that the way towards recognition (monetary or otherwise) is paved with taking on more work, logging on at silly o'clock and never logging off. Emails ping at all hours of the day and, with many of us working from home (it has several benefits, but this is a different matter altogether), it seems difficult to switch off. Great to see people are starting to look up - myself included by the way and I am not 'there' yet - and think about other, equally important things in life.
P.S. I have subscribed to your podcast. As of Dec 2022, I have been enjoying podcasts and sneak in time to listen whenever I can. Looking forward to the content :)
I read this newsletter twice. For over 30 years I have kept the majority of my writing hidden away. Something has kept me from publishing the bulk of it. A large portion of my work is published under someone else’s name. Certainly, I have shared enough in my name to be known in my circle as a writer, but man, I have so much good stuff to share. What the heck is stopping me? (rhetorical)
A typo: But yhe art of being easy to root for is not something that comes naturally to most people and is something I’ve had to work to embrace a little more over the last year.
Thank you for sharing and for always rooting for so many people early in their journey! Hearing you talk about "being someone people can root for" is what planted the seed for my own essay this week. It's easy to be nervous when you start out because you don't think anyone is out there rooting for you.
This newsletter felt different, like there is a new iteration of you and your work emerging. I can’t put my finger on it but it’s awesome!
"I think people are easy to root for. If you look at others with a question on your mind, “what seems to be firing up this person?” you quickly find a lot of interesting things going on. We are often held back from even looking for these positive signs by our own insecurities. We are scared of standing out and end up projecting our fears onto others rather than paying closer attention." -- This idea is so powerful and eye-opening, Paul. Yet, so simple and clear. I did not know about your writings until I "discovered" you via my friend Michelle Varghoose. I'm doing a full immersion now; what you're doing is so fascinating. Thank you!
Rooting for others takes lots of time and energy. Some might call that work, but it’s generous work that compounds over time, as evidenced by the outpouring of support when Tim Ferriss shared your essay. Thanks for your generosity, Paul!
Hi Paul,
I am one of the new subscribers you mention; I will work through your posts slowly but I thought I would start here and share my two cents.
"And people are waking up to the fact that it’s normal to talk about wanting more out of life than a life built around a career."
I truly hope this is true; the fact we are talking about it tells me it is but it is a difficult subject. For me, the shift has been happening in the last few months, a year at a push. It culminated in the creation of this Substack in, what I call, one moment of madness.
Without going into too much boring detail about my aspirations as a teenager and how I ended up in a corporate world, job, my observations point to little work / life balance for many people; and that, of course, directly impacts the 'wanting more out of life'. It seems that the way towards recognition (monetary or otherwise) is paved with taking on more work, logging on at silly o'clock and never logging off. Emails ping at all hours of the day and, with many of us working from home (it has several benefits, but this is a different matter altogether), it seems difficult to switch off. Great to see people are starting to look up - myself included by the way and I am not 'there' yet - and think about other, equally important things in life.
P.S. I have subscribed to your podcast. As of Dec 2022, I have been enjoying podcasts and sneak in time to listen whenever I can. Looking forward to the content :)
Belief capital ftw
This is excellent Paul.
dude thanks for the mention. I am really hoping the "buddha of the self employed" thing catches on
I read this newsletter twice. For over 30 years I have kept the majority of my writing hidden away. Something has kept me from publishing the bulk of it. A large portion of my work is published under someone else’s name. Certainly, I have shared enough in my name to be known in my circle as a writer, but man, I have so much good stuff to share. What the heck is stopping me? (rhetorical)
My vision of you getting on Rogan may be surpassed by Ferris, first
A typo: But yhe art of being easy to root for is not something that comes naturally to most people and is something I’ve had to work to embrace a little more over the last year.
... or something by to catch our attention 🤔