Don't Skip Two Days in a Row; Second Brain as a Habit, Thankful at Runyon Canyon

In the world of good habits, you should not skip any good habits two days in a row. It's a good habit rule.

I am working on good habits. There are things I try to do every day. Things have gone very well. I get up early and spend an hour executing my good daily habits. I do this early so there is less chance of being distracted. One of my habits is practicing speed typing every day. I am using a free app called 10fastfingers.com. I first got interested in the typing challenge due to my Crohns disease. I was looking for things I could participate in with my condition. The typing challenge has some positive attributes too. First, it does not take up any room in my apartment. Secondly, it's a functional skill that I can use. Lastly, it's a Rubix cube-level challenge, hard but not so hard that I will lose interest. The other challenge option I considered was a 10,000-block lego build, which would not have any positive features of my typing habit. Also, someone would step on a brick barefoot, which would not be a nice day for anyone. My end goal is to hit 100 WPM. So far this year, I have gone from 35-ish wpm to 60 wpm. I thought it was magical when I hit 50 wpm. I am thrilled with my success so far. But I noticed over the summer my typing habit was losing steam; I was missing more days than I was hitting. The not skipping two days in a row rule applies.

What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while. | Gretchen Rubin

My commitment to 100 wpm in the early morning is problematic. I have learned that it's time to tweak the system when habits lose steam. I now pair up my morning typing habit with some afternoon activities I have to do. Combining good habits you want to do with things you must do is like putting on your shoes. You have to put one on, so you might as well put on the second shoe next. In my case, I have to walk the dog at 3 pm, so afterward, I practice my 10 fast fingers habit. That is all it took to get me back on track with this good habit.

What I Am Reading

Building A Second Brain | Tiago Forte

Extending our bodies with tools also applies to extending our minds with software. The meat of this book is the habit of using a system to keep our ideas and projects organized outside our brains. I can't keep track of all my ideas in my feverish little mind. Expanding my mind's tools makes sense, like using a dishwasher to hide my dirty dishes. Putting notes into an app for later allows me to do more and worry less.

I like to think of the founding fathers writing all our historical documents. Man, could they think and write. I can't write and think like that, but then Madison and Jefferson did not have to remember access codes, passwords, and which side of the street the car was parked on. Taking notes and getting more stuff off our minds is key to being more functional with all our thoughts.

It is harder to use notes and apps, but not that much harder. Author James Clear says, "The hard way is rarely harder in terms of daily effort, but offten harder psychologically...". Putting the suggestions of the book into practice pays off instantly. I took notes as I was reading. Previously I have not been a big note-taker. It is psychologically more work. The second brain system allows me to organize my notes.

In chapter five, he lays out the simple process of putting notes into four bins: Projects you are working on now, Areas of interest that don't have a project, Resources you can use later like book notes, and lastly, Archives so you don't worry about losing anything you might want later. What is great about an app is the flexibility to move notes from one bin to another. I use the 4-bin system on my phone and my computer. I know where to find and store my notes in one of the four categories on every device. Capturing notes is as easy as learning how to use a new phone in my recent experience. I'll review the app I plan on using in a future post.

Running, Jumping, Climbing Trees

Gobsmacked! Last weekend I climbed up the east trail of Runyon Canyon. It is a crazy steep climb old me would do it twice a week with my dog. However, getting to the top of a Hollywood hill is one of my blue-sky achievement goals from a Crohn's recovery standpoint. Runyon Canyon is farther than I have walked in several years. It's been a good five years since I accomplished this climb last. The best I have done recently is make it around the block with the dog, followed by a long nap. This level of functionality exceeds my goals and expectations.

I am thankful and look forward to climbing more iconic hills.