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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 20th, 2022 | by Kyle Brennan
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1) Famed endocrinologist Hans Selye, who actually coined the term "stress," identified two kinds of stress:
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- Distress: Negative stress that leads to a range of negative patterns such as demotivation, low energy, deteriorating performance, and anxiety
- Eustress: Positive stress that leads to a range of positive patterns such as improved motivation, enhanced performance, focused energy, and invigoration.
Our stress experiences can be influenced by our own perception of the stressor, context, and situation. Do you feel overwhelmed with worry, or energized by the opportunity to beat it back? We all get to choose how we perceive daily stressors, and this perception creates the reality of how we respond.
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2) Mozzarella sticks are statistically the most choked on food. Take small bites!
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3) 9 times out of 10, if your hotel has a gym, they have free bottles of water or a filtered water station in there. Other than bringing your own refillable bottle, this is a good tip to to avoid the in-room bottled water extortion. h/t @mmasser
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What I'm Reading
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"To be or to do? Which way will you go?"
Revisiting another work from the great Stoic synthesizer, @ryanholiday
The Stoic philosophers acknowledged the dangers of the ego. History is littered with infinite examples of achievers and failures alike who couldn't help getting in their own way. Their sense of pride was more important than their mission. Many people like to think that the world is out to get them. They play the victim and think "Woe is me." In fact, the most common enemy lies within.
Ego is the Enemy is part of a larger series of books by Ryan Holiday on the four pillars of Stoic virtue - Courage is Calling, The Obstacle is the Way, Ego is the Enemy, and Discipline is Destiny
Rating: 3.9 / 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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What I'm Watching
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Watching Jonah Hill's new Netflix documentary — Stutz — in which he documents the life and lessons of his psychiatrist, I couldn’t help but grab my notebook and follow along with the instruction from a master at work. In ninety minutes, Dr. Phil Stutz walks us through his visual model of therapy, in an effort to change our destructive ways of thinking, and give us the mental homework we didn’t know we need.
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Popular Blog Post
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Getting in shape is hard work.
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Staying in shape is a full-time commitment.
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Here are the six resources and tools that I use to make my fitness journey just a little bit easier.
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Check Out Our Latest Podcast Episode
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Keith and Kyle sit down to discuss The Osage Reign of Terror, the birth of the FBI, book recommendations for beginners, and how obsessive behavior can be beneficial.
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Books discussed in this episode:
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Quote of the Week
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You know a workman by the chips they leave.
To judge your progress properly, just take a look at the floor.
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Reminder to share this newsletter with friends and family! Subscribe link here
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What's on My Reading List?
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Kyle's Published Work
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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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