6-Second Sunday: On useful lies, your ideal day, and gardening

6 Ideas. 6 Second Skim. 6 Minute Read.

Happy 6-Second Sunday!

Here are 6 ideas I’m applying that take 6 seconds to skim and 6 minutes or less to read…

Overview

1. Idea I’m Adopting: Useful Not True

2. Practice I’m Doing: Describe Your Ideal Day

3. Lifestyle I’m Following: Core Three Activities

4. Lesson I’m Remembering: Your Worry Does Nothing

5. Skills I’m Honing: Cooking and Gardening

6. Quote I’m Rereading: On Living with Uncertainty

Let’s dive in.

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Idea I’m Adopting: Useful Not True

Derek Sivers, someone I consider a role model for how I want to be in the world, has a saying: Useful Not True.

The Idea: Besides a few undeniable laws of physics, everything is made up. In a world where everything is based on what people think, say, and do, you can decide to believe in things that are useful but not true. A belief doesn’t need to be true for it to be useful. And we should find beliefs that are useful to us, even if they aren’t true.

Ask Yourself: In an area I’m struggling with, what belief could I adopt that would be useful even if it’s not true?

My Example: I’m a successful entrepreneur who is in the early stages of creating a great lifestyle business.

Derek wrote a book called Useful Not True that should be out soon.

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Practice I’m Doing: Describe Your Ideal Day

Why It Matters: The world is changing and there’s a growing disconnect between what we’re told about how the world works and how it actually works. 

You might start your own business but crave the certainty of a stable job and income. You might have a well-paying corporate job that feels soul-sucking and gives you no time to enjoy your life. You might retire with millions but not know how to spend your time.

Describing your perfect day will give you an ideal to work towards. It will give you independent direction in a world where we’re mostly just copying each other.

Journaling Practice: With pen and paper, describe your ideal day without imposing any “realistic” restraints. 

If you need help brainstorming, answer these questions:

• How would you spend your time from waking to bedtime?

• What work would you do?

• What skills would you learn? 

• What hobbies would you take up?

• Would you get involved in the community? If so, how? 

• Where would you live? With whom? What is your home like? 

• Why did you choose that city? What places are you visiting every day (trails, gyms, etc.)?

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Lifestyle I’m Following: Core Three Activities

Bow hunter and endurance athlete Cam Hanes has organized his life with beautiful simplicity around three activities: lift, run, shoot.