Very, very true. I clocked this at age 7. People never put effort into things that will really make them great; they get distracted by things that won't. At 7, I read a lot about great men and what set them apart. It was three things:
1. Organization - Most great people I know have very organized and focused minds, leaving little room for distractions.
2. Consistency - You really become the greatest by constantly improving on your best. Most great people don't do one thing, get applause, and then go back to mediocrity. They consistently improve. Wahab Sarumi proved this in university. He saved me.
3. Discipline - Most great people need discipline to achieve the two things above. Sometimes what we call “hard work” is just discipline in action. Disciplined people always work hard, but hardworking people are not always disciplined.
Lack of discipline and a lack of delayed gratification are what typically lead to most failures. I have seen people who work hard and still do not improve because, in one area of their life, they try to overcompensate for that effort with overindulgence.
It could be liquor, leisure, or leverage, according to Charlie Munger. The three deadly sins are subtly being advertised to us daily by people who have made fortunes by capitalizing on human weakness.
Very few fortunes are made from “selling human discipline.” People buy things like gym memberships and never follow through. Most fortunes are made by people who sell to “human weakness” and they are also never high on their own supply. The biggest tech billionaires try to get their kids to largely avoid the tech they sell because they know the dangers of their product.
Discipline is all conquering, and the greatest battlefield is the mind. Our temptations change over time. Once, I was a slave to my hormones, but I was making enough money to support the habit.
I later became addicted to crisis, thinking it was hard work. So-called workaholics also lack discipline. It takes a lot of effort to say no at both extremes. I eventually found the middle way, at great cost.
I am great to my family, and that is the most important thing in the world to me.
The Veranda
Why did we stop building verandas like this?
They weren’t wasted space
Shade. Airflow. Outdoor living. A quiet connection between the house and the garden
Sometimes the smartest part of a building is the space between inside and outside.
Africa Built Beautifully
…and this is why there is a loneliness pandemic
Everyone acts like they are okay alone and more than happy to cancel plans they make with their friends
All the best to all involved
Pregnancy and postpartum are some of the hardest parts of a woman’s life. The only thing anyone should be doing is trying to make it as easy and peaceful as possible.