Die Empty
Todd Henry
It's all about living a purposeful life. It's about daily applying in a non-church sense; be ing worthy to receive , understand an act upon promptings to guide your daily life
“Embrace the importance of now, and refuse to allow the lull of comfort, fear, familiarity, and ego to prevent you from taking action on your ambitions…The cost of inaction is vast. Don’t go to your grave with your best work inside of you. Choose to die empty.”
Each day that we postpone difficult tasks and succumb to the clutter that chokes creativity, discipline, and innovation results in a net deficit to the world, our organizations, and ourselves.
My new book, “Die Empty,” is about cultivating the mind-set and the methods you need to unleash your best work each day, and to increase the odds that, at the end of your life, you will not regret how you spent your days. It lays out a set of core beliefs that will help you be more purposeful in how you approach your work. They are:
You have a unique contribution to make to the world.
Humans, it seems , a re wired to find satisfaction by adding value through toil
Emulate your super heroes - make a list of them - chose attributes that make you - you, not making you them Wiling to ask counterintuitive questions not be creative
Establish code of ethics:
No one else can make your contribution for you.
Find your voice
Shadow pursuits - are activities that capture our attention and give us a sense of accomplishment , but serve as a substitute for the real work
Plan for experimentation
Something you experience may cause a flash of intuition but this burst of insight will quickly fade if you do nothing with it
Your contribution is not about you. Cultivate a love for the process.
Be confidently adaptable
Cultivate wisdom instead of establishing a rule
Build a specific practice of generosity
What can I offer - not what can I get - encourage and recognize others: write a note, make a call
Stay connected
Avoid comfort. It is dangerous.
Satisficing (Herbert a Simon) - compromising to settle for the best available option that meets most of our requirements - clogs your inner workings
Take a stand. Don’t shape-shift.
If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today - Steve jobs
Act with urgency and diligence - address the issues you've been delaying
Your understanding of your “sweet spot” develops over time like film in a darkroom. .
You have to try different things, and devote yourself to developing your skills and intuition , before you will begin to see noticeable patterns and understand your unique value. Patience is required.
You must plant seeds today for a harvest alter.
Define Your Battles:
Compassionate anger-creates in you an urgency to act
Hope and aspiration
Action defines reality and potential is nothing but unproven hypothetical value.
Be Fiercely Curious
Entertainment vs engagement - which are you
"What the net seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation" Nicholas Carr
Need commitment to the discovery process. - keep a list of questions
- keep a commonplace book of quotes, ideas, themes
- keep a list of books to read ( leave time at the end of a read to synthesize what you've read
- need a sacred place - your place to escape , think, pursue your deeper questions and stoke the fire of your curiosity
- commit to asking better questions, don't settle, stay mentally active
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone:
Let your actions define you, not your words
How would you act tomorrow if you knew that one day would be a permanent testament to your life
Walk into dark rooms - fear of harm, identity protection,love of stability, ego - enter and turn on the lights, sometimes turn off and immediately exit, won't discover if dont enter
We reward those who draw maps , not those who follow them
Set some goals
Live empty
Daily checkpoints - effectiveness not efficiency
E - focus on your ethics
M - focus on your mission - what will change, what's missing, what needs to be dropped
P - focus on people - who, close loops,serve
T - focus on your tasks - priorities, projects,
Y - focus on you
Purpose found through action not contemplation
Don't worry about being great in the eyes of others, focus on excelling on your work. ( how many great people can you name - maybe one hundred )
Discover the courage to begin taking small, daily risks and force self out of comfort zone
