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- The will to practice (115)
Welcome back to the 1st Law Newsletter - Friday Edition.
In this email:
The will to practice
On attachment
The will to practice
“It’s obvious to me now that while one gets better at things over time, it doesn’t become any easier if one is also progressing to higher levels—the Olympic athlete finds his sport to be every bit as challenging as the novice does.”
What’s your 4 am? The great Kobe Bryant was in the gym at 4 am shooting free throws. He took up tap dancing to strengthen his ankles. He would challenge players to 1v1 games up to 100. The moral is that if you are not willing to be in the gym at 4 am, play a different game because you are competing with someone who is. I have been thinking about this lately: What game are I playing? Do my actions and thoughts align with my long-term goals? What are my goals? I am trying to get to the essence of my self and remember the different obsessions I have had over my life, and whether any of them recur often.
The most important thing is having the will to practice. When you are winning, anyone can trade places with you. Winning builds confidence and reinforces the work ethic, results are a positive feedback loop. What sets people apart is the work they are willing to do in private—the hours of practice and the failures that no one sees. Set your life up for your obsessions so you always have the will to practice.
I want to earn a living from writing this newsletter full-time, but that means I need to have the will to write and read every day. I must continually research topics and ideas, and be so ahead that I have time to put my own spin on the ideas. The newsletter has already evolved from the first edition I released, and I believe if I stick with it, in 5 years I will be able to provide much more value than I do today. Stick with me. It will not get easier, but I will get better.
“All of our miseries are nothing but attachment.”
Thanks for reading!
Lucas