What Unlived Lives Are You Holding In? | Vol. 13
Hey there,
If you listened to this week's episode of The PRST you heard me mention the concept of "unlived lives" that I read in Steven Pressfield's The War of Art (I'm really enjoying the book BTW, so I'm sure there will be more to come from it in the future). I've been thinking about the concept and how it plays into PRST--it really does a great job describing what PRST is trying to pull out of all of us. I'm jealous that Steven came up with the saying and not me, but he is an award winning author and much better with words than I am.
Here's a little more from Pressfield about unlived lives...
"The moment a person learns he's got terminal cancer, a profound shift takes place in his psyche. At one stroke in the doctor's office he becomes aware of what really matters to him. Things that sixty second earlier had seemed important suddenly appear meaningless, while people and concerns that he had till then dismissed at once take on supreme importance...
Other thoughts occur to the patient diagnosed as terminal. What about the gift he had for music? What became of the passion he once felt to work with the sick and homeless? Why do these unlived lives return now with such power and poignancy?
What happens in that instant when we learn we may soon die, Tom Laughlin contends, is that the seat of our consciousness shifts. It moves from the Ego to The Self. The world is entirely new, viewed from the Self. At once we discern what's really important. Superficial concerns fall away, replaced by a deeper, more profoundly grounded perspective...
Could our unlived lives have exacted their vengeance upon us in the form of cancer? And if they did, can we cure ourselves, now, by living these out?"
-excerpts from The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
If you remember, last week I reminded you in one of The Daily PRSTs that we are all dying...that was even the headline of last week's Weekly PRST.
So, if you have an unofficial terminal diagnosis, what unlived lives are you going to start living?
I wanna know...
Weekly PRST Feedback
Some people believe the number 13 to be unlucky but in the spiritual world 13 is actually a positive number. Here are a few interpretations of the number:
With this being volume 13 of the Weekly PRST I thought I'd ask for some feedback to learn more about what you like, don't like, and would like to see more of in each week's email. I'm definitely not feeling the "stuck" feeling the third description mentions but I do think this 13th volume can bring some changes or improvements to the email that will make it more valuable and meaningful to you.
So if you have some time, hit reply and let me know what you like, what you don't like, and what would make this email (or anything PRST for that matter) more impactful.
This Week's Top PRST
The most listened to episode this week was Thursday's episode of The Daily PRST "Don't Deny Your Dreams"
Passion. Relationships. Self. Time.
Each week this section will consist of curated blog posts, articles, podcasts, videos, etc. that address Passion, Relationships, Self, and Time--the components of PRST.
P
This section of the Not Investment Advice podcast was really good. The whole episode was great but this section about being a generalist vs. a specialist jumped out to me as an important concept for anyone looking to build something in their Pursuit. For most of my career as an advisor I have fallen under the umbrella of a generalist--I haven't had a niche and I haven't specialized in any one specific area of financial planning. I don't feel as if being a generalist amongst financial advisors has negatively impacted my ability to grow RLS Wealth. However, I do see how be a specialist would have potentially allowed me to grow faster or become bigger.
I don't believe there is a right or wrong answer--remember I'm not a fan of absolutes. I do think it is important to make a conscious decision as to whether or not you are a generalist or a specialist and understand why that is the path you are going down for the time being.
FWIW, this concept isn't just for those building--this can apply pretty much to any career.
R
The Family Board Meeting has been highlighted in The Weekly PRST before but it found itself in the "Time" section. This week I wanted to revisit it after my trip last week with Roman to NYC. When we got back in town my wife said she wanted to take the boys on similar trips next year, which I was fully in support of.
I have to imagine for the parents reading this, one of the unlived lives being withheld is experiencing more life with your children. If that's the case grab a copy of the book (or hit me up as I have tons of copies that I give away to RLS Wealth clients) and begin to make space in your life for more experiences.
Roman on the floor of the NYSE with my friend Jay Woods--one of the many lifetime memories made in NYC.
S
There's something for everyone in this short video. Amongst other suggestions Sadhguru makes, I was glad to see yoga mentioned. I've shared my love for hot yoga and how it has become my go-to form of exercise--I still lift weights and enjoy hitting the Peloton but of all the workouts I do, yoga is the one that I crave. Not only is a great workout it aligns with my meditation and breath work practices and pulls them into harmony with taking care of my physical self.
T
Some more from Steven Pressfield (and Oprah) to help you start living your unlived lives.
This Week Of PRST
The Daily PRST.
Monday: Ryan Holiday's Pursuit Of Stoicism
Tuesday: Taking Inventory
Wednesday: An Attitude Of Gratitude
Thursday: Don't Deny Your Dreams
Check out all of last week's episodes here.
The PRST. How Well Do You Know You?
PRST Shorts. I'm STILL close to having the next one ready. I finished getting enough film for the next short and need to record the conversation to provide the audio. We're probably a couple of weeks away from the next one. For now, get caught up on the first three Shorts.
The Blog. No new post this week.
On Our PRST. You can get caught up by visiting the OOP page here.
