James Clear Newsletter Archive

Poet David Whyte on friendship:

“The dynamic of friendship is almost always underestimated as a constant force in human life: a diminishing circle of friends is the first terrible diagnostic of a life in deep trouble: of overwork, of too much emphasis on a professional identity, of forgetting who will be there when our armored personalities run into... See more

Writer Alice Walker on the discomfort of growth:

“Some periods of our growth are so confusing that we don’t even recognize that growth is happening. We may feel hostile or angry or weepy and hysterical, or we may feel depressed. It would never occur to us, unless we stumbled on a book or a person who explained to us, that we were in fact in the proc... See more

“In many cases, the bottleneck to achieving results is simply making the time to do the work.

You're capable of exercising, but are you making the time?

You're capable of writing, but are you making the time?

You're capable of reading, but are you making the time?”

“Books for mindset.

Quiet time to think for strategy.

Conversations with successful peers for tactics.”

“How did you accomplish that?”

“Same as everything else. Gradually, then all at once.”

A letter from author Anne Lamott on the value of reading:

“If you love to read, or learn to love reading, you will have an amazing life. Period. Life will always have hardships, pressure, and incredibly annoying people, but books will make it all worthwhile. In books, you will find your North Star, and you will find you, which is why you are here.

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B... See more

A Chilean saying on criticism:

“Criticizing a musician is easy, but it is more difficult when you have a guitar in your hand.”

“The Paradox of Focus:

Make the most of one opportunity and more opportunities will come your way.

Moving boldly in one direction causes more paths to unfold before you.

To get more, focus on less.”

“The best properties are rarely for sale.

The best employees are rarely job hunting.

The best clients are rarely shopping.

The best option is usually off the market. Most people think this means you can’t have it. What it really means is you have to go find it and sell yourself.”

“The more you move, the easier it is to keep moving. Maintain the momentum.”