My fun fact: I meditate every day.
#6 - 10.25.20
Brother -
As you meet new team members, a classic work "ice breaker" you'll encounter is to share a fun fact about yourself. I've always hated this question. You're forced to try and conjure up a unique humblebrag, or worse - you realize you're just not that interesting. I've finally found my fun-fact that I say with pride - I meditate every day.
This sparks more interest than you'd imagine. People are curious and will often approach me 1:1 afterward. Why do you do it? How did you get started? What app do you use? The list goes on.
The 'why' is simple - it's the best ROI of any 10-minute activity I do. I start every day with it.
My colleagues will often tell me they want to try meditation or have tried it before - but no longer do it. When I ask why - the answer is usually the same. They just don't have 10 minutes in their day.
My journey with meditation started a little more than two years ago. You know the influence behind it. There are some benefits to having a hippie health and wellness coach as a partner (👋 Hey Katia!)
When I began - it wasn't every day. I went through streaks. I'd go a week straight, and then a month off. Then twice a week, three times... you get the picture. In short, over the last two years, it has become more consistent, and the reason why is because I see the results.
You know how I'm wired. There's a child-like passion in me, and when I'm irritated, I get worked up easily. It's become a meme in our family as Dad makes a world-class impression of me when this occurs. He makes the blood rush to his face, furrows his eyebrows - and most famously - imitates a quivering upper lip. A lip that looks like a fish hook is caught in it, and somebody is above me with an invisible string - playfully pulling it, as if I were a ventriloquist doll.
Over the past years, these episodes have happened less and less - and I'm not even sure the last time it occurred. Meditation is to thank for this.
Meditation improves three things: (1) self-awareness, (2) compassion, and (3) stress. Key pillars for your personal growth, and a foundation for a calm mind. Meditation is literally a bicep curl for the brain.
The science behind it is astounding. Your IQ can be up to 50pts higher when your mind is calm vs. stressed and anxious. This makes sense. How many times have you said something 'stupid' that you regret in a wave of frustrated emotions?
If you google 'famous people who meditate,' you'll realize every world-class athlete, CEO, or artist meditates. I won't bore you with the list, but I will call out that even the rapper Kendrick Lamar finds it critical to his success.
So my note to you is to try it out. The scientific benefits are clear. The best performers in the world all do this. But most importantly, if you give this a try - you'll have a decent ‘fun fact’ for all of your upcoming 'get to know you' events with your colleagues.
Let me leave with a quote and a meditation.
"A fit body, a calm mind, a house full of love. These things cannot be bought - they must be earned."
-Naval
Katia and I created a meditation for you. I'm tired of hearing, “I don't have 10 minutes…” So give me 5 :)
Enjoy the dance,
Nate