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The Observe and Rapport Newsletter
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A weekly guide of my favorite books, articles, products, and lifestyle habits.
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January 31st, 2025 | by Kyle Brennan
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Thought of the Week
Don't Copy the What. Copy the How.
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One of the best mental models I've learned comes from Kobe Bryant:
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Kobe didn’t just study basketball. He studied greatness—in sports, music, business, and art. His reasoning was simple:
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“No matter what discipline you are in, there's a common denominator in how we approach our craft. The attention to detail. The level of commitment. Those things are the same across the board. That is my message: Don't look at what I did but how I did it.”
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The mistake most people make is that they copy tactics instead of principles.
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They try to replicate the exact workout, the same morning routine, or the specific investment strategy of successful people—without understanding the underlying why.
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Instead of imitating outcomes, reverse-engineer the process. Study the frameworks, mental models, and systems that lead to mastery. The what is surface-level. The how is transferable to anything.
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If you get the how right, the what takes care of itself.
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What I'm Reading
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Having spent my entire life in Catholic school, I developed a strange aversion to religion - like a child who was force-fed Brussels sprouts every night. However, in recent years, I’ve come to appreciate that religion has an intrinsic purpose for humanity.
Curiosity led me to challenge myself: Should I try to read The Bible from cover to cover?
My first hurdle was figuring out where to even start. Which version? Which translation? And even if I managed that, would I actually understand the language, subtext, and moral takeaways? My understanding of biblical stories was shaped by well-meaning but uninspiring Catholic school teachers. Frankly, none of it felt relevant or modern.
Enter Rob Bell, a preacher, poet, and scholar who makes the Bible feel less like an ancient relic and more like an engaging, thought-provoking conversation. In What Is the Bible? Bell breaks down the stories in a way that’s relatable and human. He draws from history, culture, and linguistics, not to make you feel like you’re reading a textbook, but to reveal the profound humanity behind the text.
As Bell points out, the Bible isn’t a Christian book, a Jewish book, or even necessarily a book for people who believe in God. It’s a book about what it means to be human. After all, it wasn’t written by God but by humans—a diverse library of books penned by roughly 40 authors over 1,500 years on three continents. Bell’s key insight is that the Bible isn’t meant to be read literally, but literately. When you understand how people thought, behaved, and communicated in the historical context of these stories, the characters and arcs become less abstract and more deeply human.
What I appreciated most about Bell’s approach is how he reclaims the Bible from its reputation as an outdated collection of rules and fairy tales. He shows it for what it truly is: a series of progressive, even subversive, stories about healing, restoring, and renewing the world. Far from being primitive, these ideas were light-years ahead of their time, and they still challenge us to be better humans.
Rating: 4.4 / 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Also, shout out to a few folks who reached out with some additional suggestions if this is a subject you're curious about:
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My Latest Article
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Sometimes the smartest move is knowing what not to do. Success is often about sidestepping stupidity. First, do no harm.
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What I'm Watching
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Wow, what a show. I don't get to watch much TV in general but with time off from work with our newborn baby girl, I need some good television to power me through the 2 a.m. diaper changes and burping. This 6-part series from legendary director Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, Lone Survivor, The Kingdom) was ruthless in its drama, story arcs, and entertainment.
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Set in 1850s Utah, this story follows a mother and son fleeing from their past while confronting the harsh landscape of freedom and cruelty in the American West. It depicts the land wars between the U.S. military, the Native American tribes, and the Mormon Church, led by Brigham Young.
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What I'm Listening To
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To be honest, I wasn't sure I liked Piers Morgan - my understanding of him only stemmed from viral clips of fiery exchanges with guests on his television show. But listening to him explain his position on the current political landscape in America, I couldn't help but agree with him on multiple points. Take this excerpt on the state of cancel culture:
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When you operate on a principle of cancel culture, of virtue signaling, of fact-devoid bullshit of things like supporting trans athletes in women's sports to the point where it just destroys the integrity of women's sports irrevocably... When you pound those drums, actually you're behaving like a facist. Where you want people to think like you, to act like you, to speak like you, to have the same values, to have the same principles, to have the same heroes, to read the same books, watch the same movies, to laugh at the same jokes, etc. And if you deviate, then we'll destroy you. That's facism!
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Quote I'm Pondering
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“There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”
— Lenin
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Keith and Kyle sit down to discuss the recent unexplained drone sightings around the country, Søren Kierkegaard's philosophy, social bubbles, and the story of "The Wager."
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Books discussed in this episode:
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Top Books of 2024
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Browse my favorite book selections hand-curated by me. I also earn commissions so if you buy anything, those earnings get reinvested right back into this fancy newsletter ;)
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Affiliate Links!
I've had the fortunate opportunity to partner with some great brands that I love. Use the links below to find great hats, sweatshirts, and sunglasses
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- Huega House - 15% off first order with promo code: KYLEBRENNAN. My everyday hat is the Athletic Association in Green & white
- Find the Good Brand - 10% off first order with promo code: OBSERVE. I've been loving my 3 Simple Words Embroidered Hoodie in cream.
- WMP Eyewear - Excellent array of eyeglasses and stylish sunglasses. My favorite are the Sawyer Polarized for $45
- Amazon Storefront - Check out my collection of favorite books, workout gear, and tech tools for work-from-home!
- LMNT - I start every morning with LMNT's electrolyte drink, filled with salt, magnesium and potassium. It tastes delicious and contains zero sugar or any other junk. Try LMNT Risk-Free with a free sample pack (US only).
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33 Life Lessons on My 33rd Birthday
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Thirty-three was a big one. Mostly because I became a dad. Our daughter was born on New Year’s Eve — a fitting arrival for a kid destined to reset everything. It’s been a beautiful, if slightly sleep-deprived blur ever since. I’ve only been “Dad” for less than ten months, but if I’m being honest, I’ve been preparing for the role for over …
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Depth Over Downloads: Why Spending Time with Books Still Matters
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Everyone wants faster information. But no one asks if faster information leads to better understanding — or a better life. In the age of AI and tweet-sized wisdom, we’ve confused information with transformation. But there’s a massive difference between knowing what a book says and being changed by it. The Delusion of Instant Learning In a recent interview, political journalist Ezra Klein admitted he once believed …
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The Jack Reacher Approach to Never Being Caught Off Guard
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There’s no difference between a pessimist who says, ‘Oh, it’s hopeless, so don’t bother doing anything,’ and an optimist who says, ‘Don’t bother doing anything, it’s going to turn out fine anyway.’ Either way, nothing happens.” —Yvon Chouinard, Founder of Patagonia I don’t read much fiction, but I’ve always been hooked on Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. He’s not your typical …
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