A&B #26

Hey friends,

Can you believe tomorrow is March? It seems 2021 is flying by. On the bright side, I'm looking forward to more sunlight, warmer days, and maybe even reading outdoors.If you haven't been reading a lot so far this year and want to keep yourself more accountable, here's a free reading tracker. You can print it out or follow your reading progress using the digital file.  

Alright, let's dive into this week's newsletter.

📚 Book Lessons:

I'm still making my way through The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday.Here are 3 more amazing lessons from the book: 1) It's Okay To Not Know Everything "If you wish to improve, be content to appear clueless or stupid in extraneous matters–don't wish to seem knowledgeable." –EpictetusNo matter how smart or knowledgeable you are, in our hyperconnected, 24/7 always-on media world, it's impossible to know everything that's going on. That's why it's so important to be able to say "I don't know" when asked a question or your thoughts on a situation. You don't need to have an opinion or be up to date on every single topic, and that's perfectly okay.2) Anger Isn't A Strength, It's A Weakness "A real man doesn't give way to anger...The nearer a man comes to a calm mind, the closer he is to strength." –Marcus AureliusEver notice how athletes talk trash to their opponents? It's because they're trying to provoke them, to get them angry, and throw them off their game. That's because being angry is a weakness. Strength, meanwhile, is the ability to maintain your emotions in hard situations rather than letting your emotions control you.  

3) Stop Getting Upset About Things That Haven't Happened

"Clear your mind and get a hold on yourself and, as when awakened from sleep and realizing it was only a bad dream upsetting you." –Marcus Aurelius Many of the things that upset us during the day are a product of our imagination, not reality. And getting upset about things that haven't happened is like continuing a bad dream while we're awake. It's a bad habit that needs to be stopped as soon as we become aware of it. Wake up right now instead of creating a nightmare that doesn't exist.  

✅ Actionable Advice:

1) Remember that it's okay to not know everything

• The next time someone asks you about a topic you don't know about, be comfortable saying "I don't know."

2) Remember that anger is weakness, not strength

• The next time you feel a wave of anger arising, remember that it's not going to help you make better decisions and to stay calm, cool, and collective.

3) Remember to stop getting upset about things that haven't happened

• Be aware of your thoughts as you go about your day and if you finding yourself getting upset about an imaginary situation, snap out of the bad dream you've created by reminding yourself what is real and what is not.

🎧 Podcast Update:

I've been taking my favorite lessons from the podcast and turning them into clips on YouTube.Here are two awesome clips from my podcast with Blas Moros–the man who has read 650+ books:

• How To Decide What Book To Read Next

• How To Take Notes While Reading & Write Book Summaries

📖 Reading Lesson:Did you knowing judging books by their appearance will make you a better reader?Here's a thread about WHY I judge books and why you should too.

⭐️ Weekly Quote:If you found the time to watch:• Parks and Recreation - 63 hours• Game of Thrones - 63.5 hours• Breaking Bad - 61.3 hours• The Office - 74 hours• Friends - 88.5 hoursI think you can find some time to read a book.(share here)

📸 Photo of the Week:

My friend

Joe Wells

wrote a great article that shares 20+ books that started off as essays.

For instance, here are three bestselling books you'd be surprised to learn were originally essays:

• The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

• Zero to One by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters

• The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande

You can read Joe's full article here:

Essays That Became Books

.

PS: I had the pleasure of being on Joe's podcast recently, you can listen to our conversation about how to become a

better reader here

.

Thank you for reading this week's newsletter, I'll see you next Sunday!Read on,Alex W.PS: If you enjoyed this newsletter, please share it with a friend. They can subscribe here.