Hello and welcome to 4-Minute Friday where I share, in four minutes or less, the latest things I’m doing to enhance my health, save money, and make day-to-day life easier and more enjoyable.
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Study That Won’t Surprise Anyone:
With the new age of biohacking, metric tracking, and health crazes popping up left and right, one thing is clear – people are searching for ways to elongate their lifespan.
Which is great, people are living good lives and want to carry on longer with the ones they love around them.
However, this has opened the door for niche communities to pop up touting their product/lifestyle/hack that will surely add years to your life.
Don’t get me wrong, focusing on the minutiae (within reason) is a lot of fun and something I clearly do from time to time. But it shouldn’t take us away from what’s most meaningful.
In a recent study published by the American College of Sports Medicine, a group of more than 3,000 people ranging from 50-80 years old were followed over a 3-year period. The purpose was to examine the various risk factors that led to mortality in the group over the study period.
Put bluntly, they analyzed the commonalities in the people who died.
And what was the number one predictor?
More than having multiple comorbidities such as diabetes and cancer, more than being a smoker or chronic alcohol user, and even more than old age, it was simply how much a person moved.
By having participants use a wearable device, they were able to identify the people who moved the most – that is, were the least sedentary.
So before you spend $250 on that new juicer, lace up your shoes and get those steps!
Mindset I’m Embracing:
Shane Parrish, author of the Farnam Street blog, puts out a fantastic newsletter each week that has personally led to many insights and breakthroughs.
This week’s edition was my favorite to date.
Prompted by the recommendation, “Stop fighting your nature. Start winning with it.”, here’s a small snippet.
You’re born with certain core traits. Fighting them is like being a sprinter forced to run marathons – exhausting and futile. But these “limitations” can become your biggest advantage.
…
Stop asking: “How do I fix myself?” Start asking: “How do I position myself where my natural traits are assets?”
- Shane Parrish (Farnam Street)
Where in your life do you feel like a sprinter whose being forced to run marathons because it’s mainstream?
We’re all born with unique gifts that provide us an inherent advantage – not allowing these to shine through is doing injustice to yourself and on a broader scale, those around you.
Those things you see in yourself as quirky or weird are often the things you can leverage to be more successful in your occupation, personal life, and beyond.
A related gem from the recent book The War of Art that I just finished:
Our job in this lifetime is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.
- Steven Pressfield
What I’m Spending Money On:
Coffee.
Not a cup of $.02 Folgers made in the home pot, but coffee shop coffee.
Which we all know can be well overpriced and do damage to your funds account when done regularly.
However, with some time off for winter break, I’ve needed to mix up my routine of solely doing work at home.
Even when everyone has headphones in and is doing their own work, there’s a sense of camaraderie at many coffee shops and I’ve realized this is beneficial for productivity.
Especially for those who regularly WFH, feel cooped up, and are often distracted by their own devices, heading to a coffee shop or even a library can pay dividends.
If nothing else, it gets you caffeinated and out of the house for a few hours.
What else?
It’s true, getting older really is an evolution, especially when you find yourself looking forward to getting new socks and underwear for Christmas. If you’re lost on gift ideas for friends/family, Bombas socks are a great idea… super high quality and the comfort is next level.
Simply, be authentically you.
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DISCLAIMER
This is NOT Medical advice. Consult your medical professional before starting any supplement, diet regimen, or workout program.
Great read Zach! Always look forward to your 4-Minute Fridays!