In my own practices, I’ve seen this process play out repeatedly: people who show up consistently over long enough periods of time seem to outlast (and even: outperform) those who show up with unsustainable intensity, overly aggressive goals, and unforgiving standards. I’ve also seen the incredible results of B+ level competencies combining to form unique masteries in unique niches. Can we apply this to a life strategy at a broader level?

Why I “knight” people, and in this case: why I extracted a knightly vow from one of my best friends in the world, and asked him to extract the same from me.

If you’re a student, do you have a teacher that engages with you as an individual, distinct from them? Or are they teaching you as if they are teaching their own past selves? Why might the difference matter? It matters a lot: as much as we have in common, every difference makes a difference. Good teachers honor that, effective teachers work accordingly.

Have you encountered the “positive vibes only” flavor of popular spiritualism? Have you heard the term “spiritual bypassing”? Does the term “holding space” compute to you? Have you noticed in yourself (or others) the tendency to talk over others (offer advice or solutions) when they give testimony to their suffering? Most crucially: have you found ways to beneficially PRACTICE the “negative”?