š How I Developed A Toxic Mentality
Personality Archetypes, Becoming a Listener, Preventative Healthcare, & Why Buddhism is True
This is the Bagel Bites version of Bread Crumbs where we make it easy for you to get smarter about your life and your work. So easy, in fact, you may want to go get yourself a Staples buttonā¦iykyk.
Todayās estimated read time: 4 minutes & 7 seconds.
This is written by the only brown-eyed child in the Clancy family, Paul.
One Cool Website
Explore the coolest thing humans have ever builtā¦the internet!
Ever wondered how two people could react so differently in the same situation? Me too! The epitome of this is the two types of dudes watching football when the game is on the line. One is convinced they will pull off the game-winning drive. The other is heading for the door. They watched the same TV but acted like they saw two completely different games!
This phenomenon is not relegated to NFL Sundays. You might see it in the boardroom, classroom, or office. They act so differently because they have different personality archetypes. Your personality determines how you will react to a situation. As you might imagine, itās really helpful to know what type of personality you are.
Thatās where the free website Principles You comes in. It was made by two emotional intelligence gods: hedge fund billionaire Ray Dalio and organizational psychologist and UPenn professor Adam Grant.
The website is a field guide for navigating different personality archetypes. The three most valuable insights Iāve gained are:
What type of personality archetype I am
How my archetype interacts with others
How to manage the weaknesses and blind spots my personality creates
One Thing Iām Working On
Practice makes progress.
I love to talk. And if you know me, you know I talk A LOT. On the bright side, Iām rarely helpless in conversations. But on the dark side, I inadvertently talk at or over people.
In all honesty, I have been slipping too much into the dark side recently. Over the past two years, Iāve rebuilt my life around the principles of stoicism, mindfulness, and jiu jistu. This rebuild has done wonders for my confidence, health, and outlook on life. However, the rebuild combined with my talkative nature created a toxic, preacher mentality.
If youāve spoken to me in the last two years, Iād bet one of these three topics came up. And more than likely, I probably recommended you try them out. The intent was virtuous. But, the execution was poor. Why? Because the key to helping someone is listening to them, not preaching at them.
Once someone feels heard, they are more receptive to new ideas. If someone didnāt believe I understood them, why the hell would they look to me for advice? So, what am I working on? I am working on listening twice as much as I speak.
Iām still in the early days of adoption. Itās been difficult but rewarding. Iāve found when I listen 2x as much as I talk, I gain more from the conversation. And, my relationship with the person deepens.
Hopefully you find this insight helpful. And if you see me talking more than I listenā¦call me out!
One Prediction For The Future
Life is changing fast.
Healthcare is a problem in this country. Quality care is expensive, hospitals are short-staffed, and communities are poorly educated on basic health practices.
There are many reasons for how we got into this mess. Iām specifically interested in our healthcare model. To fix this mess, I believe the United States healthcare system will shift from a diagnostic care model to a preventative care one in the next 20 years. Our country has historically been focused on treating disease, not preventing it. Why? Because preventative care is hard work. It requires regular check-ups, consistent monitoring of key health metrics, and change in a populationās lifestyle.
But, the benefits are massive. It reduces expenses, creates longer life spans, and makes it easier to manage chronic diseases.
Why do I think now is the inflection point? Two reasons:
The pandemic exposed the weaknesses of a diagnostic care model. It showed us that many ālifestyleā comorbidities (obesity, heart disease, smoking) can lead to catastrophic damage.
āSmartā medical devices are becoming cheaper and more effective. Fitbits & Apple Watches put the power of monitoring health in the patientās hands.
Over the next 20 years, virtual care and āsmartā medical devices will drastically reduce the friction of engaging in preventative healthcare. As a result, more people will adopt this approach. In turn, the private and public sectors will invest more in these areas.
Bread Believer Of The Week!!
You da realest
The Bread Believer of the week is ā¦..drum roll please š„ā¦ Harry Engoren!! Harry has been a loyal reader since Day 1. Heās given great feedback on what heās found most helpful (phone & bed trick) and what he thinks can be improved (our writerās voice). Heās also a favorite of Momma Clancy so you know we gotta give him that Clancy love!! Thanks Harry ā¤ļøš.
1 Great Book
There is no better bargain than a great book.
Why Buddhism is True is the personal journey of Professor Robert Wright. Wright takes you on a journey through psychology, philosophy, and multiple silent retreats to show how meditation can serve as a spiritual foundation in a secular age. As a pretty basic white dude, I had always seen Buddhism, meditation, and zen as some hippy-dippy mumbo jumbo. Boy was I ignorant!
Photo of the Week
Here is a picture of me after a long day of snowboarding in Wisconsin circa 2015. Yes, thatās a hand warmer on my faceā¦it was a long day, OK??
Thatās it for this week. See yāall next Sunday. Carb up today, yo!
- Paul & Luke