Monday, May 1
9:34am
“I’m terrible! I’m horrible!”
My son was already in a bad mood.
I wouldn’t let him use the 120-volt outlet to build a cardboard and tin-foil lamp for his bed. (The repurposed-LED-flashlight solution wasn’t powerful enough for him).
And after he settled down and read a book, we went to play a little Mario Kart.
And I trounced him.
But with all his negative self-talk about losing the races, I had to turn it off.
“Fine. Turn it off. I don’t care. I hate Mario.”
He was so mad at his performance.
“I’m terrible! I should be first! That’s the goal, isn’t it?”
I explained that—just like his recent Honorable Mention at a piano competition—the goal is to perform your best.
To become independent of the outcome.
And enjoy the process.
I tap into this idea in Change State, my book about harnessing your environment and mental capacity to live a happier, more fulfilled life.
Specifically, the chapters on Storytelling, Creativity, and Flow. But it’s an idea that runs throughout the full 151-page book.
Check it out here if “being more fulfilled” is something that interests you:
Have a great Monday.
Jeffrey
P.S. For good measure, I wrote about “outcome independence” on my son’s lunchbox note today.