Mindfulness

Horizons

While the foreground of daily activity occupies so much attention, our cumulative culture has always looked to the edge for answers. Whether it’s cresting through the clouds on a flight, an inspiring rooftop view, or a simple walk around the neighborhood, we love the view of hope-filled distance. Beyond momentary charm, how can we embrace the edges of any horizon to stay sharp?

Action is obviously required, but staying wild and thinking big takes practice. Being busy can be addictive, and limited resources often make everything feel pressing. The closer the deadline, the more attention it’s given. This means devoted attention needed to analyze our own thoughts can easily be replaced with yet another task. If busy is boss, perhaps it’s time to meditate, to thoughtfully think. This mental exercise nurtures awareness and guides exploration. To avoid exercising in isolation, collide more wild ideas into weird conversations. The edge awaits explorers who have clarity, thanks to honest self-reflection, and then show up geared to get interested.

As boundaries come and go, avoid energy drains, shortcuts, mind-melting media, debt, addiction, and jail. There’s also no need to rush. Skyline views await us all from anywhere.

As boundaries come and go, avoid energy drains, shortcuts, mind-melting media, debt, addiction, and jail. There’s also no need to rush. Skyline views await us all from anywhere, and horizon hunters will remain indispensable. We go beyond the circular talk of brainstorming, and instead, edgecraft ideas into reality. We flirt with action, lean into Playforce Principles, and continue to ship on the timeline of now. As we poke the box, trust takes time to flourish but can be lost in an instant. Those who thrive on the edge adhere to prerequisites but see rules as suggested guidelines, while maintaining an extended range to see momentum that converges toward the next horizon.

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Elevation makes us all feel successful.

This riff is abstract, but the thesis is explicit: Opportunities await leaders who find answers on the edge. It’s also a reminder that one horizon is not the only endpoint.

From the ground, our view to the horizon is three miles. Peering atop the highest observation deck in the United States, humans can see up to 50 miles on a clear day. Each extent is just too cosmic to ever be the same, and gratitude ensures we don’t become numb to the raindrop of time we have.

This awareness creates a capacity to observe, trap, and sequence distant views as we hug curves and find the edges to appreciate all the horizons that keep us wild.

Brewed From Within
#95 📖 Life & Happiness

By Ben McDougal, ago

Winds of Outrage

Outrage is a waste of time.

Anger is instinctive, and there’s purpose in standing up for what we believe, but little is accomplished when the two are combined. Lashing out rarely makes us feel better, so why is abusive fury so common?

The winds of outrage get stronger as isolation increases. We live in a connected, but lonely time. Anything is a click away but a thoughtful conversation is increasingly rare. As we age, we spend more time alone, which further reduces diversity of thought. This social isolation causes the overproduction of neural chemicals in the brain, which increases fear and aggression. The mental instability swings us away from center. Instead of curiosity, empathy, and patience, a hardened state feels like the only way to be heard.

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Why must humans unite against things we don’t like so much faster and louder than rallying around those we do?

Without an intrinsic appreciation for the complexity of constant change, simplification is natural. This polarizes any position. When the answer must be yes or no, there’s no room for maybe. If one’s identity is defined by unconscious polarization, it is innate to assume that a threat must be met with force.

When leaders get loud in an aggressive way, does it strengthen their position? No. It looks desperate and detracts from the debate. The increased volume may attract attention, but more of the same only deepens close mindedness. When truth becomes personalized, it shortens the fuse that ignites outrage. How then can we calm, even harness the winds of outrage?

Imagine the serenity of a sailboat. Next time it gets windy with outrage, let your mainsail catch the gusts to move forward. Stay connected to the centering mast by leaning into your understanding, but invite pure wonder by allowing the jib to wave in appreciation for the intensity that comes with outrage. It can feel like strengthening the storm, but a thoughtful question can reduce tension. Our goodwill of active listening creates space for outrageous energy to dissolve. Even when there is little to agree on, as people feel heard they are more willing to listen, and when storms blow over, common ground can be found.

Brewed From Within
#44 📖 Leadership

By Ben McDougal, ago

Sticks on Ice

A friend suggested I write about micro vs. macro.

These two words have related, but opposite meanings. Everything happening right now (micro) is transitory, yet these micro-moments coalesce into the story of our comprehensive progress (macro).

The distraction of each micro-moment is impossible to avoid, but the Canadian saying, keep your stick on the ice, reminds us to chill, keep it simple, and be ready for anything. No matter where stuff lands on the spectrum between good and bad, micro eventually accumulates into macro. Alright, take a deep breath, enjoy a sip, and let’s brew on how staying mindful of the macro, helps us appreciate the micro.

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Want me to lean into a topic on your mind? I’m ready when you are.

Last week’s writing on intrinsic motivations seemed to resonate, as it was encouraging to hear from many of you. After a few dispirited days, I was back at full speed with Global Entrepreneurship Week. Our web3dsm gathering, 1 Million Cups, an angel investor event, premiering our Techstars Iowa Accelerator 2022 Demo Day video, and watching friends like you bring so many things together, was a groovy way to celebrate entrepreneurs who serve their local communities and bolster the global economy.

A focal point for me, was an opportunity to speak at the United Fall Leadership Conference. To maximize the impact, I cranked up the volume in a new talk tuned specifically for students and educators. I call it “No Permission Required”. The energy of accelerating others is unmatched, but there’s an extra boost as we’re exploring education and making a ruckus to activate linchpins along the way! It was cool to connect with 200+ high school students from all around Iowa and one of my sessions was recorded, so here’s me sharing my heart in full effect.

Alright, by now you’re thinking, how does this have anything to do with micro vs. macro or staying ready for anything by keeping your stick on the ice?

Well, after this whirlwind of wonderful, the brutal cold season found it’s way into our home. The highs of so much stimulant collided with the lows of isolating sickness. As always, mental fitness was tested. Within the worry of caring for loved ones and the frustration of my own pain, the goodness from days before felt distant. Agitation is hard to fend off during tough times, but with sticks on the ice, we can better embrace the challenge, bend without breaking, and appreciate what makes good times great.

As we give thanks, keep your stick on the ice by recognizing how special each micro-moment is, as they compile into our own macro-moment called life. Happy Thanksgiving!

By Ben McDougal, ago

Intrinsic

We all have bad days. When they string together, the stress gets heavy. This mental weight becomes especially unwieldy when the cause is unclear. After a couple down days, I went searching for the origin of my cloudy mood.

Along with insight on entrepreneurship, venture capital, and community building, Brad Feld talks a lot about mental fitness. The entrepreneurial lifestyle is a lonely roller coaster and I’m thankful for leaders like Brad (and many others), who have helped destigmatize the complex circuitry between leadership and mental health.

I found this entrepreneurship & mental health series from Techstars helpful, then wove in this 2015 interview to translate my temporary despair. Brad talked about how he’s gone through serious bouts with depression and through those challenging times, he’s been able to identify one of his intrinsic motivations to be perpetual learning. He went on to describe how even when he was busy and perceived to be successful, if boredom began to set in, an isolating absent of joy may soon follow.

This gave me clarity. I realized that one layer of my own intrinsic motivation is also learning. I like being in situations where I’m exposed to new things, thinking about fresh ideas, solving interesting problems, hearing stories from different people, and building into things I really care about. When there’s a lull in the action, it’s easy to think the ride is over. While this thought is misguided and untrue, it’s still disheartening. Mental fitness means something different for everyone, but here are a few exercises I plan to maintain within my practice.

  • Link learning with teaching.
  • Recognize that the storm will pass.
  • Find trusted peers to release tension.
  • Use this stimuli of stress to focus.

Adam Grant reminds us that strength does not come from ignoring pain. It stems from knowing that your past self has hurt and your future self will heal. Within the crucible of entrepreneurship, hardship is inevitable. Radical self inquiry keeps leaders aware of their mental fortitude. Such awareness then helps us maintain and uncover new stepping stones that illuminate our own path to thrive beyond momentary setbacks.

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Calm is one of my favorite apps. The guided meditations and sleep stories are a healthy aspect of my daily routine. Here are 10 ways to boost your mental fitness, a mental fitness training guide, and free mindfulness resources from these focused friends.

By Ben McDougal, ago

Winterizing

As temperatures drop, those who live in seasonal climates prepare for winter. There are chores around the house and year-end tasks to wrap-up in business.

Transitional times can be uplifting, but the coming chill can also freeze progress. A temptation to coast makes it easy to push action into the future, but in doing so, a message that once united momentum can start to feel dispirited.

The team has earned a relaxing break, but what goals were not accomplished? Instead of putting progress on ice, reverse engineer past goals to determine whether a few final acts might move the needle. These sneaky achievements add closure and a positive boost for initiatives after the break.

Doing what’s easy delays hardship, but this resistance causes suffering. Winterize your world by attacking hardship. This demonstrates commitment, and the cold will feel more like an elegant refreshment that conditions invincible warmth.

Brewed From Within
#102 📖 Life & Happiness

By Ben McDougal, ago