If you take one thing away from today’s newsletter, let it be this - thank a Veteran today. Regardless of what the news and our modern times say, we are so fortunate to have what we have and live where we live, and it is due to the sacrifice and service of those willing to risk it all to ensure we have it.

Here are a few great stories to read to get the red, white, and blue coursing through your veins, and to lean into the thankful nature:

• 0400: A Veterans Day Story

• Meet the Only Woman in History to Receive a Medal of Honor

• A Retired Marine And A Photojournalist Confront War's 'Invisible Injuries'

Choose gratitude today - “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”

Brain - Make Learning a Lifelong Habit

Take a second to reflect for me - when was the last time you truly set out to learn something new - whether a subject, a hobby, a craft, a career?

As kids and young adults, we are constantly put in situations where we are strongly encouraged to learn. We spend 20-odd years going through school, covering a wide variety of subjects. We learn sports so we can participate with our friends. You probably (unsuccessfully) attempted to master an instrument at some point. You learn to play chess. You get the point -

At some point in our life, we enter a stage where we settle in and choose what we want to do for work, who we want to hang out with, and what we want to do. A natural side effect of this “settling in” is that we root ourselves in comfortable situations and things we know. And a bi-product of that is that we are rarely pushed and encouraged to go outside of that comfort zone to learn more.

It’s been shown that actively choosing to take on the learning of a new skill or information stimulates the brain in a way that little else can. The American Phycological Association credits learning with benefits like:

• Mental health: Learning new skills can improve mental well-being by helping you build a sense of purpose, boost your confidence, and connect with others

• Brain plasticity: Learning a new skill causes your brain to form new connections and neurons, and to strengthen or weaken existing neural pathways.

• Health: Research shows that crafting can have a positive effect on your health, including improving your memory and concentration skills, and boosting your self-esteem.

There is a great piece in the Harvard Business Review called “Make Learning a Lifelong Habit” that puts science and data behind the idea that for various reasons, we should never stop seeking to learn new things.

I encourage you to read the piece above, but here are a few snippets from the article:

• The Economist recently argued that with all the disruptions in the modern economy, particularly technology, ongoing skill acquisition is critical to persistent professional relevance.

• And apart from its utility, learning is fun. It’s a joy to engage a new topic. Having an array of interesting topics at your disposal when speaking to colleagues or friends can boost your confidence. And it’s fulfilling to finally understand a difficult new subject.

• Developing a learning habit requires you to articulate the outcomes you’d like to achieve. Would you like to reinvigorate your conversations and intellectual activity by reading a host of new topics? Are you looking to master a specific subject? Would you like to make sure you’re up-to-date on one or two topics outside your day-to-day work?

• We’re all born with a natural curiosity. We want to learn. But the demands of work and personal life often diminish our time and will to engage that natural curiosity. Developing specific learning habits — consciously established and conscientiously cultivated — can be a route to both continued professional relevance and deep personal happiness.

You don’t have to read a biography about World War 1 to check this learning box. I have always wanted to learn how to DJ music, and I plan to take up acquiring that skill in 2025. It will force me out of my comfort zone, but provide an environment to do something that I enjoy (music), and have to put time in to learn.

If it’s been a while since you’ve tried to learn something new, what is calling you to go chase it?

Body - Mind-Muscle Connection in the Gym

One of the biggest breakthroughs a person can have in the gym is coming to understand the function of mind-muscle connection in their lifts. Reflect for yourself - have you ever been in the gym performing a workout and felt like you could feel EXACTLY where and what muscle you were targeting while performing that movement?

Mind-muscle connection is a powerful concept in fitness, referring to the mental focus that directs your mind to the specific muscle you’re working as you perform an exercise. This connection encourages deliberate movement and improved muscle activation, leading to more effective workouts. Science backs this up too - studies have shown that intentionally focusing on the target muscle can lead to greater muscle recruitment and growth over time.

By focusing on specific muscles, you’re able to recruit more muscle fibers, which leads to more strength gains and muscle hypertrophy. It also enhances form, as you’re more mindful of your body’s position, which reduces the risk of injury.

Example thought process - You are standing there in front of the mirror, doing alternating bicep curls with a dumbbell. Instead of simply focusing on getting the weight to the top of the movement and lowering it, we would focus on - 1) Keep the lower body stable, core engaged 2) No swaying in the movement, keep the elbow in a fixed position 3) Contract with just the bicep only, no sway or thrusting of the weight up that could recruit your back or front delt into the movement 4) lower with the bicep strength only.

If you want to work on mind-muscle connection in the gym, here are a few tips:

1. Lower The Weight - Bad form and poor mind-muscle connection comes from too much focus on how much we are lifting, and too little on how we are lifting it. Practice feeling the movement with as little weight as needed to start

2. Slow Your Tempo - Mind-muscle connection comes from control and intentionality. Count a few seconds on the lowering of each movement

3. Visualize The Movement - It might sound cheesy, but visualize how a good rep of the lift looks. What is stable? How is the weight being moved? Where exactly are you trying to feel it, and what does contracting that area feel like?

4. Use Isolated Movements - Want to feel a bicep movement? Do a single arm curl with your elbow fixed on a bench. Want to feel your quad? Do a single leg leg-extension, etc.

Book - A Top Takeaway From Atomic Habits

One of the areas I seek to improve this newsletter is isolating topics down to a single takeaway for the week - something actionable in the Brain / Body / and Book section. It’s something I have been thinking a lot about lately, especially with reading, as I am always working to become whatever a “better reader” means. To me right now, that main focus is less on reading to read, and more on reading to get actionable insights.

At least one volume a month, I will go back through my shelf of books and try to pull what my ONE biggest takeaway from the book to take action on. This week we start with the top of the pyramid of self-help books - Atomic Habits by James Clear.

When I recommend Atomic Habits, one of the most actionable takeaways I discuss to make the case is the concept of focusing on systems instead of goals to achieve lasting change. James Clear argues that while goals give direction, systems create the framework that enables consistent action. This shift in focus is particularly impactful because goals are typically one-time achievements, while systems are the ongoing processes that sustain those achievements. For instance, if you want to get fit, setting a goal to "lose 10 pounds" may give temporary motivation, but it’s not sustainable. Instead, building a system around a daily exercise routine or healthier eating habits lays the groundwork for ongoing improvement.

Clear explains that the small habits we repeat each day contribute to who we ultimately become—"You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems." By designing systems, you’re building habits that are sustainable and less dependent on willpower. He suggests starting with very small, manageable actions, like doing one push-up or reading one page each day. These micro-habits are the building blocks of larger routines and can be gradually increased as they become second nature.

To make this actionable, focus on one habit you want to build, like drinking more water. Instead of setting a specific water goal, design a system around it—such as drinking a glass of water with every meal. This approach makes it easier to integrate the habit into your daily life and builds momentum over time. By prioritizing systems over goals, you’re setting yourself up for steady progress and a greater chance of long-term success.