To kick this week off, I am going to pass along a recommended piece from each of the different content wells we dip into. One thing I will attempt to do a better job of this year with the Superset is every month, to go back and lay out some of my favorite content I consumed. Below you will find some of those recommendations from February:

• Podcast:

  • Brandon Sanderson with Tim Ferris - Genius episode about writing and story-telling

  • How to Train For Your First Marathon - Nick Bare Podcast

• Book:

  • Iron Hope by James Lawrence - Insane story of 101 Ironmans in 101 days

  • 5 Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom

• Article:

  • Harvard Business Review -7 Habits to Stay Focused in a World Full of Distractions

• Youtube:

  • From 3:10 to 2:33 – Changes That Made Me a Faster Marathoner

Kick off your week by hopping into one or a few of these media from February. Let’s have a week!

Brain - 5 Quotes from Modern Wisdom 830 with Alex Hormozi

I have been consciously trying to do a better job this year of revisiting a small list of podcasts and books that I felt had a profound impact on me. I am guilty as any of listening to a great podcast or reading a great book, being super inspired and challenged by the words, and then just rushing onto the next piece of content to continue the consumption wheel.

I’ve discussed in previous editions that there are benefits to the “volume” game - I am not one of those that opposes reading a number of books that focus on similar messaging. Sure, there is some overlap. Sure, there is some monotony. But I also believe in the power of continual reinforcement and the positive impact quality content has on our brain.

With that in mind, I think it is important to keep note of the content you consume that stands above the rest, and to make a concerted effort to revisit those pieces throughout the year. This is the benefit of highlighting the pages of your book or taking notes on the quotes from a podcast you enjoyed. Instead of having to sink the same amount of hours into consuming as you did on the first pass, you can quickly revisit the sections that resonated with you.

This week I jumped back into the well of Chris Williamson & Alex Hormozi, with Modern Wisdom Episode 830 - 24 Controversial Truths About Success & Failure - Alex Hormozi. I wanted to share these 5 quotes from a sheet of about 50 I had made on my first few passes:

1. “The biggest risk to your future isn’t your competition, it’s the distractions you insist on keeping in your life rather than doing the things you know you should be doing but aren’t. People delay doing things they don’t like for longer than it takes to do them.”

2. “General ambition gives you anxiety - specific ambition gives you direction” There is nothing more anxiety-inducing than “I want to be better, and I don’t know what at, and I don’t know how”

3. A lot of self work can be summarized into:

   1. Thoughts aren’t true

   2. Feelings don’t require actions

   3. Things aren’t good or bad, they just are

   4. Our greatest enemy is ignorance

   5. To change your life, change your surroundings

   6. Our actions, not our pasts, define who we are

4. People get frustrated not achieving what they want because they think they are going to jump across a cavern in one leap. But if you picture your goals like you’re trying to build a bridge across that crevice, and every brick you put on that bridge is progress, and each one of those bricks represents a skill you need to learn along the way, it just takes all the way until you get to the other side that you can actually walk across - the walking across is the outcome, the external perceived achievement. But if you can reframe your progress as what are the 100 skills you need, then you can have much faster feedback cycles of wins you have along the way

5. You can make anything that feels circumstantially negative in the moment, if you ask the question “what would make this thing the best thing ever”

   1. Chris Williamson gives the example": Had just started a podcast, snapped his achilles, which felt like the worst thing ever. What he did was decide well if he can’t do anything physical, he might as well keep going with this podcast he started. Modern Wisdom is now a top 50 podcast in the world Right now, we probably have the version of the snapped achilles that is going on in our life, but you also have the version of the top 50 in the world podcast that is waiting for you to take action as a result of your snapped achilles

Body - 5 Easy Ways to Consume More Protein

It’s easy to just sit here and recommend that everyone should be consuming more protein - .8g to 1g per pound of body weight, as the common standard goes. But I also understand that for many, especially those just getting started on truly dialing in their diet, that total number for a daily protein intake can be intimidating if not broken down into smaller bites (no pun intended).

You don’t need to be a bodybuilder to benefit from higher protein intake. Whether you’re trying to lose fat, build muscle, or just feel fuller throughout the day, the protein is key. But if you are one mentioned above who is either just getting started or struggling to hit that .8 to 1g window, here are 5 easy ways to increase your intake:

1. Start Your Day with 30g+ of Protein

   1. Breakfast sets the tone for the day. Skip the poor quality, on-the-go meal and grab a high-protein option. Here’s an easy go-to:

      1. 3 whole eggs + 4 egg whites (approximately 30g protein)

      2. Add a side of low-fat cottage cheese (½ cup = 14g protein) or a Greek yogurt (Fage 0% = 18g protein) if you need more variety.

         1. High-protein breakfasts curb cravings later in the day and stabilize energy levels. I typically have a meat and eggs + egg whites every day for breakfast

2. Use a Protein Shake as a Meal or Snack

   1. A quality protein powder makes hitting your goals simple. I recommend a whey isolate or plant-based option with at least 20-30g protein per scoop.

      1. Mix with water or unsweetened almond milk for convenience Add frozen berries or peanut butter if you need more calories One shake per day can cover 25-30% of your protein needs.

3. Double Your Protein Portions at Lunch and Dinner

   1. Most people serve themselves 3-4 oz of protein. Bump that up to 6-8 oz and you’ll nearly double your intake with zero extra thinking.

      1. 6 oz chicken breast = 50g protein

      2. 8 oz salmon = 56g protein

      3. 8 oz lean ground beef (93/7) = 48g protein

         1. I will consume as much as 8 to 10 ounces of meat at lunch and dinner. New studies have proven there is not a cap for how much protein you can properly digest in one sitting. Send it!

4. Keep High-Protein Snacks Ready to Go

   1. Snacking often turns into mindless eating. Plan ahead with these easy options:

      1. Beef jerky (1 oz = 10-12g protein)

      2. Greek yogurt cups (15-20g protein)

      3. Low-fat string cheese (6-8g protein each)

      4. Hard-boiled eggs (6g protein each)

         1. Stock your desk drawer, car, or fridge so you’re never caught hungry.

5. Add Protein to Your Carbs

   1. Instead of plain carbs, pair them with a protein.

      1. Add diced chicken to rice or pasta

      2. Mix egg whites into oatmeal (½ cup egg whites = 13g protein)

      3. Top toast with cottage cheese or smoked salmon

         1. Small changes = big wins. Every time you add protein to a meal or snack, you’re stacking up grams that get you closer to your daily goal.

Start small, be consistent, and watch your energy, recovery, and body composition improve.

Book - The “25 in 25” Reading Challenge

I’m a fan of structure and easy-to-follow rubrics. This challenge I came across in a podcast this week checks exactly those boxes.

If you are looking to read more books this year, try setting up some parameters that works within your schedule to challenge yourself to “25 in 25” - reading for 25 minutes a day in 2025.

The structure of the challenge is laid out here: Time: 25 In 25

I think most of us will resonate with the reasoning laid out in this piece:

“We’re more likely to keep our resolutions when they’re concrete and measurable. “No screens 6:00-9:00 p.m.” works better than “reduce my screen time.” Also—and this may seem counterintuitive—it’s often easier to keep a resolution when we do an action every day than when we do it sometimes. Habits form best when we do an activity often and consistently, so by reading for 25 minutes each day, we’re more likely to make it a habit. We’re exploiting the power of the “streak”—and maintaining a streak is so satisfying. As Andy Warhol observed, “If you do something once it’s exciting, and if you do it every day it’s exciting.”

The journalist here mentions a key points - one being that sure an audiobook can count! - but also a few general tips:

• Quit reading a boring book. I used to force myself to finish any book I started. No more. Life is short, and there are too many great books to enjoy.

• Always have something to read. I keep a stack and a to-be-read list on hand so I’m never caught between books.

• Use the library. It’s free!

• Take advantage of odd moments. I read in a dentist’s waiting room or in a long check-out line. If you always have a book with you, you’ll always have something that’s both productive and entertaining to do.

• Follow your inclinations. I read what I feel like reading, not what I “should” read, and I don’t feel obligated to read a book that I receive as a gift. 

• Replace social media time and doomscrolling with reading. One of my friends swapped her favorite social media app for an e-reader app, so every time her finger automatically went to tap that corner of her home screen, she was prompted to read.

25 minutes is 1.7% of your day. If you are looking to read more this year, try the 25 in 25.