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Howdy from Denver,
Welcome to the 2 new subscribers from this past week!
No good news on the van quite yet, but we're hangin' in there.
Updates on my reading habits and van video #2 are included below.
Taking action on my reading goal
I provided an update on my reading habit during my goals check-in 2 weeks ago.
My media consumption was off track, & I wanted to set up an accountability mechanism for it.
Luckily, a fellow newsletter subscriber reached out with a similar goal (s/o to you, Cas!)
I now have a weekly check-in on Mondays to confirm I've completed 3x30min reading blocks each week.
Why the heck is this so important?
Information = in + formation.
What you take in literally forms you.
What matters most
This is such an expansive topic that I previously wrote an essay on it called "Prioritizing What Matters Most in the Attention Economy."
The piece above dives deep into the negative effects of cheap content.
I'll focus here on the benefits of meaningful content.
Research shows that regularly reading books has the following effects (source):
improves brain connectivity
increases your vocabulary and comprehension
empowers you to empathize with other people
aids in sleep readiness
reduces stress
lowers blood pressure and heart rate
fights depression symptoms
prevents cognitive decline as you age
contributes to a longer life
Shoot, I can get on board with all of these things.
So, what am I currently reading?
I'm reading 2 books:
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield - book on the conflict within when creating and how to remove barriers towards becoming more creative
goodbye, things by Fumio Sasaki - book on decreasing your physical possessions and increasing your quality of life
I'm also replacing cheap, rapid content cycles with meaningful, rapid content cycles.
TechCrunch - daily updates on startups, tech, & venture capital
Product Hunt - daily list of cool things people are building
Hacker News - daily updates on computer science and entrepreneurship
Wall Street Journal - daily updates on business, the economy, & international affairs
Similar to social media, each of these publications produces new material each day.
Unlike social media, this content pushes my creativity, makes me dream bigger, and improves my understanding of the world.
Additional publications that don't operate on rapid content cycles:
Sloww - high quality, synthesized pieces on the art of living
Angel List Venture Education Center - articles that make venture capital more accessible
Van Video #2
I recorded the van build and broke it into 5 videos:
Design & Demolition
Vertical Framing & Sound Insulation
Building the Bed Frame
Wool Insulation & Walls
Cabinets & Countertops
The second video, Vertical Framing & Sound Insulation, can be found below.
I'll continue to release each video here in the newsletter over the next few weeks.
Photos of The Week
Location this past week: Denver, CO
Hangin' with my pal, Monty.
The driver's side rear tire valve decided to fail in a new issue unrelated to existing issues. It was a slow leak, so I was able to fill it up here in order to drive it to the mechanic. Gotta be able to laugh at the wack circumstances here.
This is my route once I get back on the road. No Moab. No remote areas. Stick to major highways 80 and 84.
Thanks for reading
Gosh darn it - have a great week,
Josh
Want more Build content? Check out the links below
Listen to the Building Out Loud Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
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