Tag: Oscars

Pema Chödrön, Flowers for Algernon, Brokeback Mountain, Eckhart Tolle, and an African Proverb

Pema Chödrön, Flowers for Algernon, Brokeback Mountain, Eckhart Tolle, and an African Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on October 24, 2021

Sunday Supplement #24 (October 24th, 2021)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.”

– Pema Chödrön

Book of the Week:

Flowers for Algernon – Daniel Keyes

A mentally disabled man, Charlie, undergoes an experimental program that increases his intelligence. His journey mirrors and coincides with a test animal, a mouse called Algernon. The story is told through Charlie’s diary entries and focuses on how he perceives the world after the brain operation increases his IQ and begins to change his life. The procedure goes into uncharted territory as Charlie’s intelligence expands and surpasses the doctors behind the experiment. When Algernon starts to show signs of deterioration, Charlie fights to make sure the same doesn’t happen to him.

This short novel is one of the most heart-wrenching books I’ve read. Every high school student should have to read this before graduating. If it has slipped through the cracks in your life, I highly encourage you to check it out.

Charlie’s realizations of the world he lived in and how some people treated him before he knew their true motives is stirring. And the change in his character as his IQ grows paints a vivid image of hubris and arrogance. The themes of morality, love, cruelty, empathy, and intelligence vs. wisdom are powerful.

Flowers for Algernon is a sad read but one of the most important books I’ve read in my life.

Movie of the Week:

Brokeback Mountain

In the early 1960s, a ranch-hand and a rodeo cowboy develop a relationship when they take a seasonal job herding sheep on Brokeback Mountain. Hardships beset them as they navigate their lives in a time that doesn’t welcome their relationship. Marriage to their girlfriends furthers the complications for both the men and women. The movie beautifully depicts each character’s struggles and is a landmark in Cinema.

Ang Lee directed the stunning film and won Best Achievement in Directing, becoming the first Asian person to receive the award. Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Michelle Williams all received nominations for acting. The movie won Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana) and Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures – Original Score (Gustavo Santaolalla). It was also nominated for Best Achievement in Cinematography and was famously nominated but not the recipient of the award for Best Motion Picture of the Year.

Brokeback Mountain came out in 2005 when it still wasn’t a widely accepted part of life to show in film. The movie was often referred to as the “gay cowboy flick” and was the recipient of many cruel jokes. An attitude.co.uk article paid tribute to Heath Ledger’s response when asked what he would say to people who believed the movie’s gay themes to be disgusting. The question represented a point of view that wasn’t widely criticized at the time and was handled amazingly by Ledger.

There are many reasons why Brokeback Mountain is a brilliant film. And the impact it made on the times is one of its lasting legacies.

Brainfood of the Week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JZdecMzaWY

Aligning with the Present Moment – Eckhart Tolle Teachings

I’ve highlighted Eckhart Tolle in two previous Brainfood of the Week posts, Sunday Supplement #7 and Sunday Supplement #18, but I still come across clips of his I think are worth sharing.

In this video, Tolle discusses becoming okay with the present. Many people have an antagonist relationship with the present moment, which causes a lot of unnecessary suffering and happiness. People can believe that a future moment is more important than the current moment. When this happens, you are never truly at home with the now; you are always looking forward to some other destination. And when there is little future left, some people turn to the past and think about previous moments.

Tolle states that one of the most important things in life is being aware of your relationship with the present moment. Is the now welcomed, appreciated, or accepted? A worthy goal is to have a harmonious relationship with the present moment. And coming to alignment with the present moment can bring about a shift in consciousness.

That is a brief summary of what Tolle talks about in the video. Check it out, and check out his other videos and writings if it calls to you.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“He that beats the drum for the mad man to dance is not better than the madman himself.”

– African Proverb

This proverb reminds me of how we can be aware of others’ mental states but not always be empathetic. There can be someone who is upset or aggressive, and we make a judgment about who they are and how they are behaving. And at our worst, we can exacerbate the situation by provoking or laughing at that person. It might not be conscious, but this behavior can come up when us versus them mentality or an outsider is present. The African proverb provides a pulled-back perspective and shows us how we can be better.

In Sunday Supplement #10, I highlight David Foster Wallace’s “This Is Water” commencement speech. Wallace talks about how our certainties and judgments can be and often are totally wrong. At one point, he gives an example of someone cutting you off in traffic and our choice of how we respond. Most of the time, we don’t choose, and we just react. What if that person’s son or daughter is hurt, and the driver is just trying to help them as soon as possible? It might not be the case, but we have the option of how we view the situation.

These are reminders of how I can make my thoughts more conscious and what can happen if I choose not to practice that discipline.

Be aware of the music around you, choose how you dance, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Joyce Meyer, The Chronicles of Prydain, Good Will Hunting, Hugh Jackman, and a Zen Proverb

Joyce Meyer, The Chronicles of Prydain, Good Will Hunting, Hugh Jackman, and a Zen Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on October 17, 2021

Sunday Supplement #23 (October 17th, 2021)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“Don’t wait for everything to be perfect before you decide to enjoy your life.”

– Joyce Meyer

Book of the Week:

The Chronicles of Prydain – Lloyd Alexander

I usually recommend a single book for this portion of the Sunday Supplement, but I’m recommending a Young Adult series this week. The Chronicles of Prydain consists of five books set in Prydain, a fictional country ruled by a High King who oversees several smaller kingdoms. Lloyd Alexander wrote the novels, and in the introductions of the books, he tells how he was inspired by Welsh folklore he became immersed in while receiving army combat intelligence training in World War II.

The first book, The Book of Three, follows Taran, an “assistant pig-keeper,” as he loses charge of caring for Hen Wen, a magical pig, and follows it into the forest, beginning his hero’s journey. On his adventure, he meets Prince Gwydion, son of the High King of Prydain, who is in pursuit of Hen Wen to consult the pig’s prophetic visions. The two team up, and after befriending a creature called Gorge, Taran gets captured by the “Cauldron-Born,” the undead warriors of the Horned King. While imprisoned, Taran befriends a princess held hostage, Eilonwy, and they escape captivity. They find the legendary sword Dyrnwyn in their retreat and later meet up with the rest of Taran’s group. Ffleeddur Fflam, a kind by birth who chooses to be a bard, joins their troop, and together with the companions (later joined by the dwarf Doli), determines to stop the plans of the Horned King and his maser Arwan.

The subsequent four novels follow Taran and each of the main characters established in the first book. Taran starts as a disgruntled young teenager who slowly learns to challenge and reframe his perceptions and thoughts about the world as he grows in each book. Each character has their own journey and contributes to each other’s growth in unique ways.

While this series is found in the Y/A or children’s sections of most libraries and stores, there is much to learn and enjoy from these books. I’ve read it in the last year, and it is one of my favorite ventures away from my usual reading patterns. I can’t recommend it more highly.

Movie of the Week:

Good Will Hunting

Good Will Hunting tells the story of Will Hunting, a 20-year-old South Boston janitor and unknown maths genius who becomes the patient of a therapist and student of a renowned advanced mathematics professor as a part of a deferred prosecution agreement after he assaults a police officer. The movie delves into his relationships with the therapist, the professor, his girlfriend, and his friends and how he starts to face the task of confronting his past and thinking about his future for the first time in his life.

This film is a brilliant story that shook up Hollywood at the script stage. Matt Damon (Will Hunting) and Ben Affleck (Will’s friend Chuckle) wrote the screenplay early on in their acting pursuits, and it was this movie that launched their careers. At first, it was hard for the young actors to get the film made because they were adamant they would be playing a couple of the lead roles in the movie. Finally, the script got into the hands of Robin Williams (Dr. Sean Maguire), and he signed on, which gave them the star power to get the green light for production.

After the long wait for the movie to get made, the outcome was Oscar glory for Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. They both won the Academy Award for Best Writing – Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. The film was nominated for seven additional Oscars, including Best Picture, and won one other category, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Robin Williams.)

In an interview with Graham Norton, Damon talked about the experience of winning the Oscar at 27 years old and how he had the grateful realization that he didn’t screw over anyone to get the award. He explained how much he appreciated that he didn’t pursue the award his whole life trying to fill a hole. It’s an interesting perspective given that resonates with a message in the film about intimacy. I encourage you to watch the movie and find the link. It’s a brilliant story and sits high on many top film lists for a reason.

Brainfood of the Week:

Hugh Jackman Interview on The Tim Ferriss Show

I’ve featured an interview from The Tim Ferriss Show in four other Sunday Supplements (#1, #5, #9, and #12.) Each interview is worth checking out, and this will be another brilliant one from the massive catalog of interviews conducted by Tim Ferriss. While the guests are the highlights from the podcast, Tim is a superb conductor for creating a fantastic flow and excellent dialogue with his guests.

In Sunday Supplement #1, I cover a brief background on Tim, so I’ll focus on Hugh Jackman and his interview for this post.

Hugh Jackman is an Academy Award-nominated actor, Golden Globe and Tony Award-winning performer, and philanthropist. He is often touted as one of the kindest people in Hollywood and makes an impression as much off-screen as he does on-screen.

In this episode of The Tim Ferriss Show, Tim asks questions about Jackman’s past and how he got into acting, his morning routine with his wife, and his faith and meditation practices. The interview takes a journey that paints a wonderful picture of Jackman’s life and how he got to the point where he is today. There are so many brilliant nuggets of wisdom to pick up from the interview, and it is also highly entertaining.

Check it out. It certainly won’t be a waste of your time.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind.”

– Zen Proverb

This quote reminds me of how the mind can be one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal if appropriately utilized. At our best, our minds can guide us and help us along the journeys we set for ourselves and the paths we want to explore. The experiences we encounter can be scary or exciting entirely depending on how we view the situation. Our thoughts and beliefs can all be our conscious decision if we learn to choose that way.

On the opposite side is an uncontrolled mind that directs our thoughts without our conscious input. I’ve noticed these reins most when I’ve come out of a funk or a binge and realized I had been in a hole for a certain amount of time without realizing I was there. Micheal Singer, who I highlighted in Sunday Supplement #12, discusses how we are like moviegoers at movie theaters in his book The Untethered Soul. We can get caught up in an emotional scene and get lost in the narrative, but if we pull back, we realize that we are conscious beings in control of how we view the picture.

This control is something I’ve worked on over the past few years of my life. It’s an interesting habit to build and one that has brought some amazing experiences. The Zen proverb above reminds me of the two relationships you can have with your mind. I believe the former is the experience we are meant to have.

Choose something next and exciting to do, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Jackie Joyner-Kersee, The Dog Stars, The Imitation Game, The Path of the Loner, and a verse from the Yajur Veda

Jackie Joyner-Kersee, The Dog Stars, The Imitation Game, The Path of the Loner, and a verse from the Yajur Veda

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on September 26, 2021

Sunday Supplement #20 (September 26th, 2021)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“If I stop to kick every barking dog, I am not going to get where I’m going.”

– Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Book of the Week:

The Dog Stars – Peter Heller

A few movies and books were highlighted over quarantine, like Contagion and Stephen King’s The Stand. While both discuss relevant issues, a story that deals with a similar situation in a different way is Peter Heller’s The Dog Stars.

While the above stories focus on the downfall of civilization, this novel picks up long after a flu pandemic wipes out most of the population. It follows the narrative of Hig, who continues his existence in semi-isolation in that hangar of a small abandoned airport. He lives with his dog, Jasper, and a recluse military man, Bangley, while they attempt to survive and find purpose.

The small cast of characters allows for a deeper exploration of what it means to be truly alone. Hig meets additional characters along the way, and each brings something unique to the narrative that makes a fascinating read.

Thankfully, the novel isn’t a downer. The book takes a unique situation and fully explores it from a point of view that isn’t all about chaos. Its narrative provides an introspective read that is well worth checking out. The Dog Stars was nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award and the Andrew Carnegie Medal in 2013. It might not be the most famous novel about a pandemic, but it might be one most deserving of a read.

Movie of the Week:

The Imitation Game

During World War II, mathematical genius Alan Turing attempts to crack the German Enigma code with his fellow mathematicians. Turing faces adversity in the workplace and is ostracized for his antisocial behavior and his private life.

A ranked compilation of unproduced scripts floating around Hollywood is released. “The Black List” is famous in the movie industry, and many brilliant screenplays have topped it over the years. The Social Network and Juno are some of the highlights from past years. Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon were linked with the role of Alan Turing at various stages, but Benedict Cumberbatch eventually landed the leading role.

The film has a well-rounded cast supporting Cumberbatch with Keira Knightley, Charles Dance, Mark Strong, and Matthew Goode all giving commanding performances. The Imitation Game received eight Academy Award nominations in a tough year and only won one. It arguably should have won more, but Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay for Graham Moore was the only Oscar win.

The Imitation Game has an intricate story that encompasses many different themes to help flesh out the plot. The personal struggles of Turning and Knightley’s Joan Clarke are central to the film and give it an extra dimension of depth that shouldn’t be overlooked. It is a movie worth seeing and one that warrants more than one watch for film buffs.

Brainfood of the Week:

Miyamoto Musashi – The Path of the Loner — video by Einzelgänger

Einzelgänger is a YouTube channel that creates videos exploring different people and ideas of history with the aim of making content that inspires, resonates, and entertains. The tagline of the channel is, “In search of…”

In this video, Einzelgänger recounts the story of Miyamoto Musashi and the legacy he left behind. Musashi was born in the 16th century and embarked on a warrior’s pilgrimage, “musha shugyō,” when he was fifteen. He traveled independently, practicing his sword skills while engaging in a series of duels to the death. Once Musashi gained Ronin status, he faced his most challenging opponent Sasaki Kojiro and won. He then renounced lethal duels and later retired and used his time to pass on his wisdom.

Musashi wrote about the path of the warrior— the samurai way of discipline, focus, restraint, and honor. He compiled 21 principles on how a warrior should live in his work Dokkōdō.

After giving a brief summary of Musashi’s life, the video explores Musashi’s Dokkōdō and its application to the modern-day. There are many lessons about honor, focus, and society that are well worth the look.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Only actions with perseverance can ensure success.”

– Yajur Veda

There are four sections of the Hindu Vedas, and they have many verses and passages worth checking out. The one above, from the Yajur Veda, discusses perseverance and its rewards. I always keep an eye out for passages that jump out to me or those that I come across that remind me to keep pursuing my interests and goals. I smile when synchronicities occur right when I need a sign, and I believe that the universe provides these moments when you most need them.

It can be a challenge to pursue your passion or keep on the path towards your goals, but I believe that perseverance has its rewards. When I encounter difficulties or setbacks, I try to be kind to myself and remind myself that hard work pays off, even if it’s in ways I didn’t expect. If you genuinely believe that what you are working on has meaning for you, keep going for it and don’t give up.

Take a moment to appreciate your hard work, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Dr. Glenn Doyle, Personality Isn’t Permanent, Hacksaw Ridge, Marcus Aurelius, and 1 Corinthians 13:2

Dr. Glenn Doyle, Personality Isn’t Permanent, Hacksaw Ridge, Marcus Aurelius, and 1 Corinthians 13:2

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on September 5, 2021

Sunday Supplement #17 (September 5th, 2021)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“When we base our worth on something that fluctuates, like our mobility, our body size, and shape, or our productivity, we’re setting ourselves up to feel like crap when life throws us a curveball… Our inherent worth is NOT tied to how attractive or useful we are to someone else.”

– Dr. Glenn Doyle

Book of the Week:

Personality Isn’t Permanent – Benjamin P. Hardy

Benjamin P. Hardy is an organizational psychologist and bestselling author. His blog posts have received over 100 million views and have been featured by the Harvard Business Review, New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, and other esteemed publications.

In Personality Isn’t Permanent, Hardy analyzes and debunks misconceptions around personalities that have become popular assumptions over time. He explains why tests like Myers-Briggs and Enneagram can be psychologically destructive and are misunderstood for personal application. The purpose of going over the misconceptions is to show how they don’t root anyone in a stuck pattern of behavior.

From there, Hardy shows how to break free of past misconceived personality limitations. He shows how to design a current identity based on the desired future self and reframing past traumatic experiences. He also breaks down how to enhance your subconscious to overcome addictions and limiting patterns and how to become confident in defining your life’s purpose.

The book is a fun and quick read and mixes in studies and statistics with true stories of intentional self-transformation. Some of these stories include examples of Vanessa O’Brien, who quit her corporate job and set the Guinness World Record for a woman climbing the highest peak on every continent in the fastest time; Ken Arlen, who instantly quit smoking through a change in his identity narrative; and, Andre Norman, who became a Harvard fellow after his fourteen-year prison sentence.

Personality Isn’t Permanent is well worth the read and contains many inspirations for breaking free from your past to become the person you want to be.

Movie of the Week:

Hacksaw Ridge

Desmond Doss enlists in the Army as a conscientious objector with the aim to save lives as a medic rather than take lives as a rifleman. He faces abuse and ostracization from the Army and his peers in basic training. Doss fights for his beliefs and right to serve and ultimately proves to himself and his peers that these beliefs were worth upholding.

I’m not a big fan of war movies, but the genre has produced many brilliant films in the past that show more than a dramatization of events.

Hacksaw Ridge tells the true story of Desmond Doss, who served in the Battle of Okinawa and refused to kill people. He became the first man in American history to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot.

There is much to admire about this movie in addition to its story. The acting from Andrew Garfield (Desmond) and Hugo Weaving (Desmond’s Father) is superb. Teresa Palmer, Rachel Griffiths, and Luke Bracey also steal many of the scenes they’re in and add to a well-rounded cast that carries the film.

The movie was nominated for six Oscars, winning two—Best Achievement in Film Editing and Best Achievement in Sound Mixing. The other notable categories were Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, and Best Achievement in Directing.

It isn’t a film that you watch casually on a Saturday night, but if you do decide to watch it, you’ll experience a movie that does more than just pass the time.

Brainfood of the Week:

Marcus Aurelius – How to Build Self-Discipline (Stoicism) — Philosophies for Life

Philosophies for Life is a YouTube channel that breaks down philosophers’ works for a modern audience. Their channel has just shy of 30 million views and animates videos based on great thinkers like Plato, Friedrich Nietzsche, Aristotle, and Immanuel Kant.

In this video, Philosophies for Life looks at Marcus Aurelius’s autobiographical writings, Meditations. Aurelius was the Emperor of Rome from 161AD to 180AD and was considered the last of the five good emperors. His Meditations autobiography contains key insights on building self-discipline, and the video goes over ten important points from the writings.

Aurelius highlights the importance of finding your purpose by having a clear understanding of your goals and the tasks that fit within them. The biggest source of self-discipline is having a reason to do the task. If you don’t know what to do, start with what interests you. Build a practical plan of action to achieve your goals and be fully committed. Believe in yourself.

Mini milestones are a great way to keep you on your intended path and help you reach your outcome. They help you achieve your goals and avoid succumbing to being overwhelmed. Each day is a new chance to reset and move forward. Remembering that you have power over your mind, not outside events, helps you stay disciplined.

These are just a few of the topics the video discusses. You can always pick up a copy of Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations, but I find these videos helpful and quick motivational boosters.

I hope you enjoy the video and gain something from it!

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”

– 1 Corinthians 13:2

In my research on this quote, I saw that versions of this passage replaced charity with love. In this context, it reminded me that love is something you can give as well as receive.

I’ve posted many times about the necessity of love in our lives to help give us meaning. This can be in the form of friendships, intimate relationships, and community. Being more aware of myself and my actions helps me connect in these different relationships and helps me connect with what’s around me. An act of kindness, whether given or received, often shines a light on my day.

I’m glad I came across this passage because it reminds me that accomplishments by themselves can mean little. I hope you find personal meaning in this passage as well.

Thank you to all my friends and family who have been there in my life.

Have a blessed week ahead!

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Maya Angelou, Michael A. Singer, City of God, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and verse 122 of the Dhammapada

Maya Angelou, Michael A. Singer, City of God, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and verse 122 of the Dhammapada

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on August 1, 2021

Sunday Supplement #12 (August 1st, 2021)

Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.

I hope you take something away from this post that enriches your week ahead!

Quote of the Week:

“You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated.”

– Maya Angelou

Book of the Week:

The Untethered Soul – Michael A. Singer

Michael A. Singer is a remarkable person with a wild adventure of a life story. Singer studied and taught economics, established a meditation center, and later picked up programming as a hobby, which led to the founding of the Medical Manager Corporation. WebMD later acquired his company for around $5 billion. In his autobiography, The Surrender Experiment, Singer recounts these pivotal moments.

The Surrender Experiment was a New York Times bestseller, and Singer’s follow-up book The Untethered Soul reached the number 1 spot. While his first book recounts his life story, The Untethered Soul goes over his thoughts and insights on limitations in our human experience and how to break through those barriers to become more conscious of the many opportunities around us.

The best indication I can give for the quality of the book is Deepak Chopra’s endorsement, “Read this book carefully, and you will get more than a glimpse of eternity.”

A lot of self-help and spirituality books can be wordy and fluffed up unnecessarily. In this book, Singer makes every sentence convey something thought-provoking. It is one of those books you can put down in awe after reading one paragraph.

There are many brilliant thoughts and ideas in the book. The way Singer breaks down these concepts into easily digestible content is wonderful. I had a hard time not underlining everything when I read it. I highly recommend The Untethered Soul and hope you check it out!

Movie of the Week:

City of God (Cidade de Deus)

Two kids’ paths in the favelas of Rio diverge as one becomes a kingpin while the other struggles to become a photographer.

The movie was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing.

In 2004, it wasn’t a common occurrence for international films to be nominated for anything other than Best Foreign Language Film. It’s baffling that City of God wasn’t nominated in this category, but it’s no surprise that it received nominations in the other categories. If it wasn’t for Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, the movie might have won a few awards.

Even though the movie didn’t win any Oscars, it is on many top films lists and is considered one of the best movies in Cinema history.

Director Fernando Meirelles explained how because of the content and his decision to cast unknown actors, he didn’t receive any funding for the movie. He ended up backing the film with his own finances and received support across the board in production and post-production from friends he worked with for years. The result was a critically acclaimed film that made over $30 million from a $3.3 million budget.

Many movies from the early 2000s don’t stand up to a modern viewing, but this is a film that will become an ageless classic. The movie may be in Portuguese, but its story breaks through any language barriers. Its themes of poverty and choice are powerful and are based on a true story. If you haven’t seen it yet, you’ll have a great movie night ahead.

Brainfood of the Week:

Tim Ferriss’s first interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger on The Tim Ferriss Show.

I’ve featured Tim Ferriss’s podcast on the Blog in a few posts now— Sunday Supplement’s #1, #5,and #9. The reason for this is because Tim is an excellent interviewer and has many interesting guests from a wide variety of fields on his show.

In this episode, Tim interviews Arnold Schwarzenegger. Most people won’t need an introduction to Schwarzenegger, and the podcast does a great job of quickly highlighting Swarzenegger’s career before delving into topics and stories Arnold hadn’t spoken about before. He recounts his time growing up in Austria, moving to California, and becoming a millionaire through real estate and landscaping before his career took off.

The above highlights are just a glimpse into the whole episode. There are many more entertaining and impactful stories that Arnold shares throughout the podcast. I didn’t know too much about Schwarzenegger before listening to this interview. I knew that he was an actor and the ex-governor of California. I’m glad I gave this episode a listen because there is a lot to learn from this man who journeyed from a very small village in Austria to becoming one of the world’s most recognizable people.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good.”

– verse 122 of the Dhammapada

The Dhammapada is one of the best-known Buddhist scriptures, consisting of a collection of Buddha’s sayings in verse form.

This particular quote reminds me of the power of consistency and focus. It’s easy to be discouraged when one focuses on the distance between where you are and when you want to be. A reason for that experience is the concentration on the gap being the focus of your perspective. Instead of entertaining that viewpoint, a reframe can be knowing each step you take on the path is one step closer to your goals. Every drop in the water pot is progress.

In Sunday Supplement #8, I recommend the book Atomic Habits for insights and strategies on starting new routines or discontinuing negative ones. It discusses a similar principle as the above quote from the Buddha in taking small steps consistently over time to reach great distances. I try to adopt this mentality with any hobby or goal I set for myself, and I’m grateful for the synchronous moments that remind me to keep moving forward.

Take some small consistent steps, and have a blessed week ahead!

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