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Kathy's avatar

It’s either "one day" or "day one." You decide. "One day" is a trap—a vague promise waiting for perfect conditions. "Day one" is a decision to act right now. There is no perfect time. The choice is yours: keep delaying, or take your first step today.

Isaac Stephenson's avatar

Needed to hear this. Got a date for a major surgery. It definitely not a bunt. That's good though hopefully in the long run there will be many benefits from it!

Dino Herbert's avatar

Good stuff, Michael (as usual)! LOVE the quotes! 2 others that I try to live by (may not be verbatim):

"Security is mostly a superstition. It doesn't exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Helen Keller.

"I'd rather be ashes than dust. I'd rather that my spark would burn in a brilliant blaze than be stifled by dry rot. I'd rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist." Jack London

Michael Easter's avatar

Excellent quotes!

Monty Dunnington's avatar

You mentioned you're in the finishing phases of your third book. Haven't you already written three books? Comfort Crisis, Scarcity Brain, and Walking With Weight?

Michael Easter's avatar

ha. Good catch. I consider Walking With Weight more a guide than one of my standard books.

This next book is more like my last two books: bigger idea with a big narrative.

Louis Cianca's avatar

I agree that going big has big rewards. For most of us, however, that is a scary thought. Risk can be frightening to many of us, including me. One thing that I try to remind myself of is, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained". Safety is comforting though, especially when the storms of life come crashing in on us.

One thing that I'm confused about, and that is in your article you mention loss aversion and that we protect we have rather than reach for more. Yet, in your book "Scarcity Brain" (which I loved), you talk about how we often go for the possibility of more rather than going for the sure thing that may be less. Which is correct, or is it both?

Michael Easter's avatar

This is a wonderful question! I actually asked Roy Baumeister (he's the top research in negativity bias and has done some loss aversion stuff) a similar question. Basically: "If loss aversion is strong, then why do people gamble?"

Here's what he said: https://youtu.be/epNu6I8aCZw?si=jjR_g4XuvcaSwMUw&t=4341

More broadly, I think we've set up the world where getting more is faster and more inexpensive than ever—e.g. food, possessions, info online—so leaning into more isn't really a loss.