I'm obsessed with living a better life each and every day. I want to share what I learn and discover with you.
1% Better: A Tool to Double Your Typing Speed, How to Rebuild Your Attention Span, and 12 Ways to Engineer Luck
On the flip side. When I don't feel like typing at all, I use Wispr Flow. It's a voice-powered AI keyboard that turns whatever you say into clean, well-punctuated text. It works in Slack, Gmail, Notes, and anywhere else you write. Why I love it:
Try it out for free right now. A breathing technique that might change your lifeI've been thinking about breathing a lot lately. Kind of weird, I know, but hear me out. It's this thing we do 20,000 times per day, but we never really stop to consider how we're actually doing it—or whether we could be doing it better. I saw this clip of Rick Rubin on the Huberman Lab Podcast where he talked about a method called "Coherent Breathing". He started doing it to improve his heart rate variability (basically how well your body handles stress and recovers), and has seen amazing results. Turns out, he's not the only one. James Nestor, author of the best-selling book "Breath," shared a story about Dr. Richard Brown, a psychiatrist at Columbia University, who has his patients practice this same technique. No matter what they're dealing with—anxiety, PTSD, phobias, or eating disorders—it's always the first thing he has them do when they walk into his office. He's seen people "absolutely transformed" by this one simple practice. Anyway, here's the video I've been following along with. I even put it on in the background while I'm working and try to keep my breathing in rhythm with the chimes. A list of 12 ways to improve your luck - Article from George Mack
If you had to double your luck in the next six months, what would you do?
That's the question posed by George Mack in this article. He goes on to share 12 practical strategies for engineering more luck into your life—from how you network to how you show up for people. A few of my favorites:
Make unscheduled phone calls - Over the last five years, we stopped calling people. We started booking Zoom appointments and sending Calendly links instead. When did you last pick up your phone and dial someone without warning? Scheduled calls lock you into an agenda: “Let’s discuss Q3 projections” or “Can we sync on the deliverables?” Unscheduled calls wander. You ask how someone’s doing, they mention a problem, you riff on a solution—and suddenly you’ve stumbled into an opportunity neither of you planned. Super-agent Ari Emmanuel makes dozens of unscheduled calls every day. His opening line: “Can I help you with anything right now?”
Proactively make introductions - If friend A and friend B can get value from each other, introduce them. It’s a 30-second email for you, and it may change their lives forever. Maybe they will start a company together. Maybe one hires the other. Maybe they fall in love, have three kids and become soul mates. Networks are unique because they don’t divide when you share them -- they multiply. There’s no higher ROI on any other 30-second activity. (Note — do not confuse this with making introductions where only one side gets value from it)
Dish out baker’s dozens - A baker’s dozen is when a baker gives someone 13 when they expected 12. It isn’t the 12 that makes bakers’ customers happy — it’s the unexpected +1. Surprise generosity creates loyalty. People remember who exceeded their expectations. They tell others. They come back. They reciprocate. Apply this everywhere: Buy someone a book when they ask for a book recommendation. Ship Thursday when you said Friday. Show up twenty minutes early to help a friend set up an event. 👻Have a great week! P.S. Reply telling me what resonated most this week! (I read and respond to them all) Reader highlight from last week:
I've been thinking a lot about the power of small, daily interactions with strangers - and how I can intentionally build those moments of magic or joy in (change up my coffee shop route, talk to a stranger with a dog, etc). I just got back from 6 weeks in Europe and my wife and I loved the daily trips to the market or cheese shop, talking to strangers, etc. We're back home now and trying to replicate that feeling in our day-to-day routines.
— Amanda P.
Keep them coming!
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Hi! I'm Colby!
I'm obsessed with living a better life each and every day. I want to share what I learn and discover with you.
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