🍞 How To Change Your Reality

Learn 10x more effectively from anything, achieve your wildest goals, & check off your bucket list

This is Bread Crumbs, where we come up with a different one-liner every week right here to explain what we do. Because we like to keep our Bread fresh. It’s the little things, ya know?

Today’s estimated read time: 4 minutes & 56 seconds.

This edition was written by Luke! (thanks for the idea Jonathan)

PS: each newsletter is written by one of us. Paul wrote editions 2, 4, & 6. I wrote 1, 3, 5, 7, & this one (8). Alright let’s get into it!

One Tiny Habit

Under 5 minutes a day can change your life.

I have been obsessed with entrepreneurship for the past 5 years. For the first 4, I thought I was on my way to becoming the next Zuckerberg. I heard common founder mistakes, researched emerging industries, & learned applicable skills. I was uber-productive and ready to start the next big thing!!

In the 4th year, I founded the blockchain club at UIUC - Illini Blockchain. I quickly realized I had NO IDEA what I was doing. I made tons of common mistakes, barely knew a thing about blockchain, & didn’t have many applicable skills. I was shocked. I had been learning about entrepreneurship for 4 years, how was I so unprepared???

Well during those 4 years, I never took action on what I learned.

• I heard about mistakes, but didn’t make any myself.

• I read about industry trends, but didn’t write any myself.

• I learned about skills, but didn’t develop any myself.

Since founding my club, I’ve gotten more shit done in less time because I actually implement the ideas I hear! In the process, I’ve formed a tiny habit to learn 10x more effectively:

When I’m consuming non-fiction content (not for entertainment), I write down specific experiments & insights I can put into action. If I’m not able to write down anything specific, I know that book, video, podcast, article, or thread is just fluff and I should stop reading, listening, or watching as soon as possible.

If the experiment is plausible and aligned with my goals, I give it a try. For example, in January I experimented with answering 4 questions every day. Since then, I have written 110k words of reflection I never otherwise would have done.

If you’re not getting something actionable out of it, you’re probably wasting your time. And given enough time, consuming content with the intention to take a specific action WILL change your life.

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One Insightful Question

Stop unconsciously floating through life & start thinking about things that really matter.

Growing up as the youngest of 4 kids, I tried to win at everything. From card games to school grades, I was constantly at odds with my siblings. By my freshman year of high school, my competitive nature eroded the relationships & friendships I valued the most.

I took a step back and realized that my end goal was to differentiate myself. And competition was my instinctual way to achieve that end goal. But, it was causing a bunch of unneeded stress.

So, I changed course with a new plan. I channeled my competitive energy from casual card games to lifting & learning. My reality completely changed. Nowadays, my siblings are some of my best friends. All of this change came from asking myself one simple question:

What is my end goal here?

By asking yourself what it is, you can see the other paths to that end goal. Each path has its own own risks. Being competitive with my siblings was one way to get my end goal. But, I ran the risk of deteriorating my relationships with my siblings. That was a risk I was not willing to take.

This question applies to many areas of life. Is your end goal getting a good tech job? Or is it having the financial freedom to travel the world? Is your end goal getting a girlfriend? Or is it feeling closely connected with other people?

By figuring out your end goal, you shine a light on new paths that are less stressful, more plausible, and more rewarding.

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One Guiding Principle

Principles can guide you to a great life.

On a cold Friday morning in Champaign, I was giddily excited. I had just gotten out of a 10-day Covid quarantine and like most college freshmen, I was going to celebrate with a night of partying. It was a great time. But after a few hours, I suddenly woke up in my dorm room bed. Apparently, I had blacked out. I comically pieced back together the night with my roommate and then decided to play some chess.

But after a few minutes, I suddenly woke up. This time with the paramedics next to me. I also couldn’t remember basic facts, my body felt exhausted, and my tongue was pulsing with pain. Apparently, I had a seizure.

A few days later, I saw a neurologist. He diagnosed me with epilepsy and told me I could never get drunk again. My mind raced. I’m in college…that’s what you DO in college. How was I supposed to have fun at bars? Or talk to girls? Or dance with strangers?

For the first few weeks, my fears came to life. My dance moves felt awkward & conversation was forced. But slowly, I got better. My dance moves felt smoother, my conversations flowed better, and my confidence skyrocketed. Over time, I was doing better than ever before.

How??

Because I adapted to the situation I was given. I didn’t have alcohol as a social lubricant, so I needed to grow into my true, authentic self. This experience has led me to one fundamental insight:

If your back is against the wall, you will figure it out.

Humans have done this throughout history. NASA figured out how to put a round peg in a square hole during Apollo 13 . Napoleon Bonaparte figured out how to win battles as they were happening. We can also use this principle to do things we would never otherwise do.

• Want to backpack through South America? Book the flight.

• Want to get better at public speaking? Commit to a speech.

• Want to get better at running? Sign up for the race.

Don’t sit back and wait for the perfect moment. Take the first step (action begets action). If you figure it out, you’ll be proud of yourself. If not, you’ll have a hilarious story to tell.

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5 Great Resources

A curated list of content to help you explore your curiosity.

• An awesome letter to your teenage self full of timeless wisdom. HIGHLY RECOMMEND

• You feel productive but you aren’t because you consumer too much insight porn.

• The go-to handbook for managers.

• Going sober might make you a more fun & fulfilled person.

• A simple diagram on how to increase your surface area of luck.

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Meme of the Week

See y’all next Sunday. Even if you are gluten-free, you can still get yo bread up 💯

- Paul & Luke