Reflect: The Struggle is Real Want to get better at anything? You’re going to have to struggle.Not in the social media "never stop grinding" kind of way. But in experiencing productive discomfort.Whether it's Workouts that embarrass your body just enough to send the signal that it must adapt and get better for next time. Or Wrestling with a problem long enough to convince your mind that this is important, that we need to dedicate resources to learning it. Progress often starts with a touch of...
12 days ago • 9 min read
Welcome to my monthly Science Digest.This month we're going deep on self-control, expectations, and training. We'll start with the most fascinating study of the bunch...where a group of researchers gave participants magic mushrooms and observed them for hours at a party...Except it was a placebo, not a real psychadelic. Did they act different? Read on to see. As always, these monthly digest pull from the most interesting research I've come across and are designed to keep you informed, and...
23 days ago • 9 min read
Reflect: Know when to push...and step back. Peak performance isn’t about doing more. It's not about the endless grind. It's about self-awareness. It’s about knowing when to do more... and equally important, when to do less. Great performers periodize their effort. They build in time to refuel, allowing stress and challenge to turn into growth. You Don't Have to Feel Great to Perform Great (Read this on the Growth EQ website here.) “I said to myself: what the hell am I doing here... I just...
26 days ago • 6 min read
Reflect: Persistence Vs. Compulsion There’s a difference between persistence and compulsion. The former is driven by a will towards progress, while the latter is driven by insecurity. For most of us, there is always going to be a bit of both. But we need to recognize when insecurity becomes dominant and do everything we can to keep it from being at the wheel. A Shining Example of True Greatness (Read this on the Growth EQ website here.) We often write about actual greatness versus pseudo...
about 1 month ago • 5 min read
VIEW ON WEBSITE May 15, 2025 The Power of Having Your Own Back In this issue Reflect: Character Development Original Feature: The Power of Having Your Own Back Listen: The Skill of Being Disciplined Other Good Things: The Wrong Way to Motivate Your Kids Reflect: Character Development You don't become what you think. You become what you do. For all the talk of the power of positive thinking or manifesting the life we want, our actions make the difference. It’s easy to think about the thing....
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
False Promises of The Manosphere: A Crisis of Mattering and Status Read on TheGrowthEq.com Reflect: Motivation Isn't Magic Motivation will inevitably wane—it happens to the best of us. If you expect to be motivated all the time, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Ride the wave of motivation. Don't fret if it's not there. It'll come back. Keep showing up. Stick to your process. Look for inspiration in the right places. Read: A Crisis of Mattering and Status (Read this on the...
about 2 months ago • 7 min read
Welcome to my monthly Science Digest.This month we're talking about resilience and performance. We'll talk about how to harness controlled aggression, the power of a team around you, and even how sleep impacts our ability to be tough. As always, these monthly digest pull from the most interesting research I've come across and are designed to keep you informed, and provide some actionable insight. And... My new book, Win the Inside Game, just got massively discounted! It's 25% off! Save $9! I...
about 2 months ago • 7 min read
Save Your Brain: A Digital Survival Guide Read on TheGrowthEq.com Reflect: Excellence Requires Intimacy You don’t need more hustle, you need better oscillation. The oscillation between deep work and real recovery. Stop halfway resting and halfway working. Emails open. Slack buzzing. Brain half on the task, half on everything else. Work deeply. Rest deeply. Get out of the muddy middle. Read: Save Your Brain, A Digital Survival Guide (Read this on the Growth EQ website here.) Our brains are...
3 months ago • 12 min read
Welcome to my monthly Science Digest.This month we're diving into the psychology of competition versus cooperation. Are they zero-sum, or mutually beneficial? We'll turn to our primate cousins for some insight. We'll also go into the role of testosterone in competition: is it about aggression? And finally, how Tetris might help us deal with stress and trauma...and may be the thing we need to be playing after a tough loss. As always, these monthly digest pull from the most interesting research...
3 months ago • 7 min read