By Colby Kultgen
Hey friends.
If you're new here, this is the newsletter where I share the 5 best things I find each week to help you get a little better each day.
Let's dive in!
Today at a Glance:
1. Idea: How to build your focus like a muscle
2. Tool: A song that reduces anxiety by 65%
3. Quote: The tenacity of human beings
4. Thread: One pattern in all miserable people
5. Funny: Accepting all cookies
Read time: 3 minutes 51 seconds
1% Better is brought to you by Helix Sleep:
Make 2025 the year you invest in sleep
The best investment I made in 2024?
No contest: my sleep.
These 3 changes transformed my nights:
- Switched to decaf coffee (No more late-night caffeine jitters).
- Committed to a “no phone in bed” rule.
- Upgraded to a Helix Midnight mattress.
Since getting my Helix Midnight:
- I fall asleep faster.
- I wake up with more energy.
- And it’s even helped with my lower back pain.
Here’s the truth:
You spend 1/3 of your life in bed—don’t settle for anything less than great.
How to build your focus like a muscle
Focus is a skill.
And there’s an argument to be made that it’s the most valuable skill of the 21st century (It'd be my pick).
I like to think of it like a muscle.
Strengthened with deliberate training, weakened with neglect.
If you’re constantly switching between tasks, checking notifications, or working in a distracting environment, your ability to focus erodes. But with consistent effort, you can rebuild it.
Here’s the exact step-by-step process I used to train my focus:
Step 1: Set a timer for 5-10 minutes
Start small. Pick one task and commit to focusing solely on it for a short amount of time.
Step 2: Start working and observe distractions
Whenever you notice yourself getting distracted (e.g., checking your phone or opening another tab), acknowledge it without judgment and return to your task.
Step 3: Reset the timer if needed
If you get too distracted and stop working entirely, restart the timer and refocus. This builds the habit of snapping back quickly.
Step 4: Track your distraction patterns (this is key)
Notice what consistently pulls your attention away—specific websites, notifications, or internal thoughts. Make adjustments to minimize these triggers (e.g., use website blockers or turn off notifications).
Step 5: Gradually increase the timer
Each time you complete a session without distraction, increase the duration by 5-10 minutes.
Bonus Tip: Use Focus Triggers
Try:
- Music or soundscapes – Binaural beats, lo-fi, or white noise can prime your brain for focus.
- A dedicated workspace – Working in the same spot conditions your mind to associate that environment with deep work.
- A pre-focus ritual – A simple habit (e.g., making tea, putting on noise-canceling headphones) can signal your brain that it’s time to concentrate.
I've trained my brain to instantly drop into focus mode anytime I hear this song.
A song that can reduce anxiety by 65%
Speaking of songs...
In Dr. Andrew Huberman's 3-hour episode on music, he discusses a study done by University of Pennsylvania where listeners a 65% reduction in anxiety after just three minutes of listening to a specific song.
The song:
Marconi Union - Weightless
As someone who has dealt with anxiety for years, I'm always on the lookout for new things to add to my toolkit.
I know I'll be using this one.
A mindset shift that might change your life
John Collison (co-founder of Stripe) on human tenacity:
As you become an adult, you realize that things around you weren't just always there; people made them happen. But only recently have I started to internalize how much tenacity everything requires. That hotel, that park, that railway. The world is a museum of passion projects.
When you start seeing the world this way, even something as ordinary as a sidewalk becomes fascinating.
Someone had to plan it, fund it, get permits, pour the concrete, and make sure it lasted.
It didn’t just appear—people willed it into existence.
Like, have you ever just looked at a skyscraper and thought, “Shit, humans made that”?
Every inch of steel, glass, and wiring was put there by someone who figured out how to make it happen.
It's crazy!
The world isn’t just a collection of things—it’s a testament to human persistence. And once you see that, it changes what you believe you can create, too.
One pattern in all miserable people
A close friend sent me this thread, and I think Taylin nailed it here.
Overthinking.
It’s the silent killer of joy, ambition, and peace of mind.
Here’s the TL;DR (but as always, I recommend checking out the full thing):
- Develop meta-awareness: Notice when you’re overthinking. Meditation helps.
- Untangle emotional knots: Unprocessed emotions fuel overthinking. Feel them to heal them.
- Overthinking = indecision: Accept consequences, align with your values, and move forward.
- You don’t have a thinking problem—you have an action problem: Some problems can’t be solved by thinking—only by doing. Make action your default mode.
- Overthinking is scattered consciousness: A scattered mind leads to scattered results. Reduce distractions, train focus, and protect your attention.
- Break thought loops: Thinking won’t stop overthinking—writing will. Dump your thoughts onto paper, separate facts from stories, and clear the mental chaos.
The bottom line?
Control your attention, and you control your life.
🫴🍪
Have a great week friends!
—Colby
