Volume 107
“Not every lion that chased a deer caught it, but every lion that caught a deer, chased it”
We’re almost two months into the year, which means the initial motivation has faded, the calendar has filled up, and most New Year’s aspirations are quietly being compromised downward. This is the exact moment that determines whether this year becomes another false start or a real inflection point. Progress from here doesn’t come from more excitement; it comes from recommitment. A reminder of why you started in the first place. You’ll likely need this inflection point again in months to come.
In this week’s issue, we focus on reclaiming control: strengthening your mindset by detaching from external noise, taking ownership of your training with a personalized plan, and investing early in a series of books with some fruits of your labor to come here in the future.
Let’s have a day.
Superset of the Week:
Brain - The Fallacy of External Happiness
We live in a world that teaches us that happiness lives out there. In the next promotion. The next PR. A smooth commute. A calm political cycle. A perfectly executed plan. The problem isn’t wanting good things. The problem is renting your emotional stability from circumstances you don’t control.
This is what Stoic thinkers warned against two thousand years ago, and what modern interpreters like Ryan Holiday continue to emphasize today: happiness that depends on externals is fragile by design. If your peace requires everything to go your way, then peace will almost never arrive.
The Stoics called this the dichotomy of control. The clear separation between what is up to us and what is not. Your thoughts, judgments, values, and actions? Within your control. Traffic, weather, markets, other people’s behavior, timing, luck? Not even close.
Epictetus opens The Enchiridion with this truth, arguing that most human suffering comes from confusing the two. When we hinge happiness on outcomes (success, praise, comfort), we surrender control of our inner world to chance. As Holiday puts it: if happiness depends on things going well, you better hope you get lucky. History suggests that’s not a great strategy.
Marcus Aurelius echoed this from the most powerful position in the ancient world. Despite commanding an empire, he reminded himself daily that serenity came not from circumstances, but from interpretation. “You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” Power over perception is freedom. Everything else is noise.
I think this is an important idea to consider in today’s day and age, specifically our current enviroment. What I observe, in real life and on social media, is an overwhelming desire of external happiness:
People completely swept up in the latest political news and scandal
Confidence in one’s financial future vying with the performance of a volatile stock market
The behavior of friends and family impacting mood for the day
A comparison culture that makes it feel as if you never have enough
This is not to say that some of these things aren’t important. Not to even say you shouldn’t care. The point is that if your aspirations (which we all should have) are to live a happy, fulfilled life, that one way to ensure that never happens is to leave your happiness to the chance of external events. Instead, create it for yourself. First, in between your ears.
When happiness becomes an internal practice instead of an external reward, life stops feeling like a gamble.
One Actionable Takeaway
Practice a daily “control check.”
At the end of the day, write down one thing that frustrated you. Then split the page in two:
Left side: What was outside my control?
Right side: How did I respond, and how could I respond better next time?
Repeat this for one week. You’ll quickly feel your attention shift inward, where real control, and real contentment live.
Body - The Perfect AI Workout Prompt
I’ve been amazed at the ability for these AI platforms to quickly generate really efficient and effective workouts. I have been training hard for 10+ years, and over time have accumulated what I feel is a stable wealth of information to program my workouts to progress on my own.
Saying that, I have been playing around with these prompts a lot, and cannot deny that they have made a leap. I have given it prompts as specific as “you are a trainer of Elite 15 Hyrox athletes” and “you are a student of Hany Rambod, elite Olympia bodybuilding coach” and provided details on what I wanted it to spit out. And the workouts? They’re legit.
If you are looking for a new workout plan, I have crafted the perfect copy / paste formula for you to get results. Simply put this in ChatGPT, enter your information where asked, and let the results speak for themselves.
The Prompt (Copy & Paste Below)
Act as an expert certified personal trainer and strength & conditioning coach.
Create a personalized weekly workout plan based on the information below.
The plan should be safe, progressive, and aligned with my goals.
Demographics:
Age: [YOUR AGE]
Gender: [YOUR GENDER]
Height & Weight (optional): [OPTIONAL]
Current fitness level (beginner / intermediate / advanced): [YOUR LEVEL]
Goals:
Primary goal(s): [WEIGHT LOSS / MUSCLE GAIN / ENDURANCE / STRENGTH / GENERAL FITNESS]
Secondary goals (optional): [OPTIONAL DETAILS]
Time horizon (e.g., 8–12 weeks): [OPTIONAL]
Training Availability:
Days per week available to train: [X DAYS]
Time per session: [X MINUTES]
Equipment Access:
Available equipment: [BODYWEIGHT ONLY / DUMBBELLS / HOME GYM / COMMERCIAL GYM]
Cardio options available: [TREADMILL, BIKE, OUTDOOR RUNNING, NONE, ETC.]
Limitations & Considerations:
Injuries, pain, or movement restrictions: [LIST OR “NONE”]
Experience with lifting or structured training: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION]
Preferences:
Preferred workout style (circuits, traditional lifting, HIIT, hybrid, etc.): [YOUR PREFERENCE]
Exercises you enjoy or dislike (optional): [OPTIONAL]
Output Requirements:
Provide a weekly schedule (Day 1–Day X)
List exercises with sets, reps, rest times, and tempo if relevant
Include a brief warm-up and cool-down for each session
Add simple progression guidance for weeks 2–4
Keep instructions clear and beginner-friendly if needed
Ask clarifying questions only if absolutely necessary. Then generate the full plan.
Action of the week: Do this on your own and get your plan. Come back in 4 weeks and provide it more information on what you have or haven’t enjoyed, where you are with your goals, etc. It’s the easy button of fitness right now.
Book - A New Chance To Read Before You Watch
If you were one of the people who read A Song of Ice and Fire before Game of Thrones hit HBO, you know the advantage. The show was great, but the books gave you depth. You caught the foreshadowing. You understood the politics. You felt the weight of decisions long before they played out on screen. Watching became richer because you already lived in the world.
That exact window is opening again.
Last week, Brandon Sanderson (yes, my favorite author and the one I’ll never stop recommending in here) announced a major deal with Apple. Apple is developing a Mistborn movie series and a Stormlight Archive television series (likely for Apple TV+). This is not a rumor. This is real. And if it’s done right, it has the potential to be the next era-defining fantasy universe.
Which is exactly why now is the time to read.
If you’re new to Sanderson, here’s the short version: he is known for airtight magic systems, massive interconnected worlds, and endings so good they’ve earned their own name - the “Sanderlanche.” His books reward patience, attention, and curiosity. I personally read all five Stormlight Archive books in about four months at the beginning of last year (during and after my honeymoon) and I still think about them weekly.
These stories are made for adaptation. But like Thrones, the deepest payoff belongs to the readers. If you want to join that group, see below:
Where to Start (Simple Reading Paths)
Mistborn (Best entry point)
The Final Empire
The Well of Ascension
The Hero of Ages
This is a tight, cinematic trilogy, perfect if you want momentum and a fast payoff before the movies arrive.
Stormlight Archive (The magnum opus)
The Way of Kings
Words of Radiance
Oathbringer
Rhythm of War
Wind and Truth
This is the long game. Epic in every sense. If Apple executes even half of what’s on the page, this series will dominate conversations for a decade.
Read first. Watch later. Trust me, future you will be glad you did
Breakthrough of the Week - 3 Question Morning Filter
Here’s a 5-minute morning system from Tim Ferris to identify your most pressing to-dos:
Every morning, ask yourself these three questions—on paper:
“If I could only accomplish one thing today, what would make everything else easier or irrelevant?”
This cuts through noise and surfaces the true lever. Not what’s urgent, what’s impactful.“What am I avoiding because it feels uncomfortable or mentally heavy?”
Ferriss points out that the most important actions often create resistance. Discomfort is usually a compass, not a warning sign.“Which task, if left undone, will cause stress tomorrow?”
This prevents future tax, unfinished work that compounds anxiety.
Then apply one rule:
Circle one task and schedule it first, before checking email, social media, or messages