3-2-1: An inspiring before and after story.
Plus: A case against alcohol, the secret to happiness & Ed Sheeran wisdom.
Hey — Dean here.
I’m back in Toronto packing things up in preparation of my move back to Sudbury to help out my dad.
And while I used the word packing, the truth is about 50% of this move is about subtracting the unnecessary.
I’m getting rid of anything that is not essential to the life I want to live.
It’s the same mindset I use with building a successful body.
It’s all about getting rid of the unnecessary to focus on the vital few.
Speaking of vital few, lets get into today’s 3-2-1.
3 ideas from me
2 ideas from others
1 recommendation
1/ Think of habits like Bic pens.
What you are doing in 2024 are things you should still be doing in…
2025
2030
2040
2050
This is counterintuitive, but to create change you need to focus on habits that won’t change.
2/ A story you never hear.
“My life was sh*tty until I discovered alcohol and then everything magically improved.”
There is nothing redeeming about alcohol. It impairs decision making and reaction time.
It wreaks havoc on our sleep and emotions.
And it’s a masking agent that allows us to hide from who we are and what we are struggling with.
A good rule of thumb to remember is if something impairs your ability to drive a car, it’s going to impair your ability to live your life.
3/ The secret to happiness.
It’s simple. It’s the ability to systematically solve your own problems.
lose weight ✅
recover your health ✅
build a body you are proud of ✅
create financial freedom ✅
invest in rewarding relationships ✅
remove the toxic — people, mindsets and things — from your life ✅
develop strength of mind ✅
build self-discipline ✅
live with purpose ✅
be seen for who you truly are ✅
Unfortunately, this is not something you have ever been taught how to do, but it’s a skill you can learn at any age.
I know. I’m doing it.
That’s what this newsletter is all about.
1/ A strategy from Peter Attia
3 thoughts I had as a result of watching this…
Peter mentioned he has multiple therapists. It’s a reminder that everyone — no matter how successful — has problems that are bigger than they can handle on their own.
Victor Frankl, who wrote “Man’s Search for Meaning,” said something that mirrors what Peter talks about. Between stimulus and response we have the power to choose. Peter’s therapist took that idea a step further by sharing how to harness that power of choice.
Everyone — including yours truly — should have a therapist. We all need a neutral third party to help us navigate our self.
2/ A mindset from Ed Sheeran.
Ed compares song writing to turning on a tap. “Sh*t” water will come out when you first turn it on, but eventually clean water will flow out of it.
To get good at songwriting, you need to get “sh*t” drafts out so that the great stuff can emerge.
I think the same advice applies to the learning of habits. Our habits are going to be “sh*t” in the beginning when we first “turn them on.”
But if we keep showing up everyday, eventually those habits will turn into something beautiful.
1/ Twitter thread from Dominic Frisby.
Dominic shared 12 habits that he feels contributed to his weight loss success.
A few things that resonated with me…
Dominic created these changes after he was 50. I love the “change after 50” narrative, being that my transformation started when I was 53. People need to know that change can happen at any age.
He not only lost weight, but his training has allowed him to transform what his body looks like and what it can do — all after 50!
While I don’t resonate with all his habits, Dominic has done what we all must do — create our own program that works for us.
🙏 That it for today.
Thanks for reading.
👀See you again next week my friend.
PS → 🥳Enjoy the newsletter? Please forward to pal. It only takes 30 seconds. Writing this took me 4.5 hours.
Did you know?
I do premium one-on-one coaching for those looking to lose at least 10% of unwanted body weight.
I have lost 23% of unwanted Dean and it has transformed my entire life.
Imagine how your life would change if you could lose 5%, 10% or more of unwanted you.
Let’s book a time to chat.
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