Such a great post, @Brad Stulberg. As I have gotten older, I have become more and more of a proponent of grounding myself with reality by doing things that just aren’t hard, but are a challenge waiting for me to tackle. In 2020 when the lockdowns happened, I was relegated to walking an hour a day. I sprained my ankle during that time and it really confined me to the only exercise I resisted: yoga. Nothing is more humbling than holding a pose for a minute and staying engaged than yoga. Sure, yoga was basically physical therapy for my ankle and healed it nicely. But it was the stuff in-between that allowed me to connect with what was difficult. I became more grounded and calm. I also learned that if I could hold a crow pose, I could change the water pump in my car. This post says so much about building your character—lessons taught by my parents and lessons I still hold close to my heart to this day. Thanks for writing this.
Really good post. Nowadays, you will probably be misinterpreted when you speak that prefer manual jobs to office jobs. People are so lost in their comfort that they cannot even imagine the possibility to like ‘‘hard’’ physical jobs. They simply don’t get it that is what us are meant for.
There should be a requirement for politicians especially to have to produce or work on something real. A physical thing once a year. Because just being a career politician is disconnected from reality as you say.
So they should have to spend a week in a kitchen or factory that makes widgets or on a farm running a tractor or something.
My job in quality control required me to have several years of experience to qualify for the certificate, the “ticket” to even get in the door. It’s funny how someone who gets to run a country doesn’t even have to have any experience in actually living and working in that country.
I seem to recall a blurb about some ancient culture in the book https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dawn_of_Everything, where aspiring leaders in that culture were subjected to some tough tests, including a bunch of public ridicule, before they could lead. Maybe we need that.
Thanks for this! I really resonate with this interpretation of good results and especially ability to weasel your way out of bad outcomes, because things are so interpretable.
I joined Riflemen’s union (militarized civilian’s organization) a couple of years ago. During the final training, we were in the woods, with the first task being under cover against the other team. It was pouring rain and I was laying in a ditch under an evergreen with water running down my boots. Everything wad soaked pretty fast. After the task was done, I somehow was expecting they will drop the overnight in a self-made shelter part and we’ll go home, because, I mean, WE WERE WET AND COLD!
That didn’t happen of course, I slept with wet pants in a sleeping bag, standing guard every two hours. Being with them really showed me how I have been used to having an escape from uncomfortable situation in my knowledge job. There is always a way to talk yourself out of things there.
I feel this, for sure. I work on technology policy day-to-day. "Winning" takes months of hard-to- measure work... and results in a policy statement that may still take months or years for someone else to actually take advantage of.
Far and above standing around the proverbial water cooler addressing those wins and the work to get there, I prefer standing at the tailgate of a friend's truck after an early morning outdoor workout in the rain, sipping coffee and commiserating on the challenges-- and victories-- of daily life with my workout buddies.
Thanks Brad, I am the CEO of a software company and I spend my time outside of work in a self imposed analogue world. Hand tool woodworking, cycling and multi day hiking. It is good for my mind and soul. I just finished reading Shop Class is is soul craft by Matthew Crawford, where he expands on the same points you have articulated here. Cheers David
Love this Brad, this is an essay topic I’ve been thinking about and trying to articulate myself so it’s nice to see it written in words. No matter how much money or success I may achieve, I always know I’ll stay humble due to the realities of the discomfort of a tough run, or knowing I have a soccer match in a few days where it’s possible that the person I’m marking may absolutely destroy me. These things help remind you you’re just a basic finite human like everyone else.
You write about this in The Practice of Groundedness, right?
I feel like I’m revisiting this paragraph after a while and loving it!
When the barbell drops, it drops. When you want to run under three hours for the marathon but go 3:04, the result is right in your face. It is hard to get out of touch with the world—or to become full of yourself—when you are working hard on something that is concrete, and when your successes are earned and your failures cannot be rationalized by corporate mumbo jumbo or social media hot takes. Doing real things in the world provides gravity, both literally and figuratively.
Such a great post, @Brad Stulberg. As I have gotten older, I have become more and more of a proponent of grounding myself with reality by doing things that just aren’t hard, but are a challenge waiting for me to tackle. In 2020 when the lockdowns happened, I was relegated to walking an hour a day. I sprained my ankle during that time and it really confined me to the only exercise I resisted: yoga. Nothing is more humbling than holding a pose for a minute and staying engaged than yoga. Sure, yoga was basically physical therapy for my ankle and healed it nicely. But it was the stuff in-between that allowed me to connect with what was difficult. I became more grounded and calm. I also learned that if I could hold a crow pose, I could change the water pump in my car. This post says so much about building your character—lessons taught by my parents and lessons I still hold close to my heart to this day. Thanks for writing this.
Thank you for sharing this, Shannon. Love it.
Really good post. Nowadays, you will probably be misinterpreted when you speak that prefer manual jobs to office jobs. People are so lost in their comfort that they cannot even imagine the possibility to like ‘‘hard’’ physical jobs. They simply don’t get it that is what us are meant for.
I really resonate with your ethics and genuinely appreciate that you dive deep when you write. Thank you for this. 😊
There should be a requirement for politicians especially to have to produce or work on something real. A physical thing once a year. Because just being a career politician is disconnected from reality as you say.
So they should have to spend a week in a kitchen or factory that makes widgets or on a farm running a tractor or something.
My job in quality control required me to have several years of experience to qualify for the certificate, the “ticket” to even get in the door. It’s funny how someone who gets to run a country doesn’t even have to have any experience in actually living and working in that country.
I seem to recall a blurb about some ancient culture in the book https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dawn_of_Everything, where aspiring leaders in that culture were subjected to some tough tests, including a bunch of public ridicule, before they could lead. Maybe we need that.
Thanks for this! I really resonate with this interpretation of good results and especially ability to weasel your way out of bad outcomes, because things are so interpretable.
I joined Riflemen’s union (militarized civilian’s organization) a couple of years ago. During the final training, we were in the woods, with the first task being under cover against the other team. It was pouring rain and I was laying in a ditch under an evergreen with water running down my boots. Everything wad soaked pretty fast. After the task was done, I somehow was expecting they will drop the overnight in a self-made shelter part and we’ll go home, because, I mean, WE WERE WET AND COLD!
That didn’t happen of course, I slept with wet pants in a sleeping bag, standing guard every two hours. Being with them really showed me how I have been used to having an escape from uncomfortable situation in my knowledge job. There is always a way to talk yourself out of things there.
I feel this, for sure. I work on technology policy day-to-day. "Winning" takes months of hard-to- measure work... and results in a policy statement that may still take months or years for someone else to actually take advantage of.
Far and above standing around the proverbial water cooler addressing those wins and the work to get there, I prefer standing at the tailgate of a friend's truck after an early morning outdoor workout in the rain, sipping coffee and commiserating on the challenges-- and victories-- of daily life with my workout buddies.
Thanks Brad, I am the CEO of a software company and I spend my time outside of work in a self imposed analogue world. Hand tool woodworking, cycling and multi day hiking. It is good for my mind and soul. I just finished reading Shop Class is is soul craft by Matthew Crawford, where he expands on the same points you have articulated here. Cheers David
Great post that articulately describes the classic internet advice to get away from screens and “touch grass”!
Love this Brad, this is an essay topic I’ve been thinking about and trying to articulate myself so it’s nice to see it written in words. No matter how much money or success I may achieve, I always know I’ll stay humble due to the realities of the discomfort of a tough run, or knowing I have a soccer match in a few days where it’s possible that the person I’m marking may absolutely destroy me. These things help remind you you’re just a basic finite human like everyone else.
You write about this in The Practice of Groundedness, right?
I feel like I’m revisiting this paragraph after a while and loving it!
When the barbell drops, it drops. When you want to run under three hours for the marathon but go 3:04, the result is right in your face. It is hard to get out of touch with the world—or to become full of yourself—when you are working hard on something that is concrete, and when your successes are earned and your failures cannot be rationalized by corporate mumbo jumbo or social media hot takes. Doing real things in the world provides gravity, both literally and figuratively.
Even better is doing real things in the real world WITH other people.
Reminds you that there are others on their own journeys, with their own challenges, motivations, etc.
Helps with that whole loneliness epidemic we keep hearing about too.
Thank you Brad, sharing your perspective and how you reflect on these topics 🙏