Foxhole Friday: Vol. 5

A Tidbit Nipply in June

Happy June, everyone! The year is officially half over—so what does your scoreboard look like? How many of those enthusiastic New Year’s resolutions are still going strong?

I’ll admit it: I’ve already failed at one of mine—to journal more about gratitude. But I’m still crushing another: staying committed to studying Stoicism. In fact, I’ve kept up my daily goal of reading at least a portion of a Stoic text every single day.

Here’s the truth: most resolutions fail. And that’s okay. The trick is to accept it, move on, and double down on the ones that stick—because those are the ones that turn into habits.

And here’s another truth: you don’t have to wait until January to start something meaningful. Why not a “Half-Year Resolution”? I started one this June: daily cryotherapy.

That means stepping into -166°F for three and a half minutes, every single day. Sounds manageable... until the cold hits your bare skin. Brutal.

So why the hell am I doing it?

Mental toughness. A commitment mindset. Dramatically reduced inflammation. Better athletic performance. And honestly, just to prove to myself I can.

So—what’s your Half-Year Resolution going to be?

John J. Radzwilla
CEO, Hook & Barrel Magazine

Avoid cursing people with the "tyranny of low expectations."
from Trident Mindset

The CEO of the Trident Mindset, Chriss Smith, often says: "People will meet the bar you set for them. If you set the bar low, they will stoop down to it. If you set the bar high, they will rise to the occasion and meet it."

Many of us sometimes hold people we care about to low expectations because it seems compassionate. We don't want to add pressure.

But what we're really doing is harming their belief in themselves. If we don't expect much of people, they will learn to not expect much of themselves.

This is often referred to as the bigotry of low expectations; on the surface, it seems compassionate or kind to excuse poor performance and tolerate wasted potential, but it ultimately teaches helplessness and traps the person in mediocrity.

One of the most powerful things you can do for someone you care about is to treat them like they’re capable of greatness - even if they haven’t proven it yet.

Expect the world of someone, and they'll learn to expect that of themselves. Hold them to the standard they are capable of meeting.