written by john c ashworth

I'm reading another terrific book. This one is written by Tim Ferris. He's an interesting character and I've been following him on and off over the years. His first book you may remember, The 4-hour workweek. A great title, and another book I recommend, but not because I think you can actually accomplish everything you need to in four hours a week. Because just like 'Tools of Titans' you can pick up a lot of great life strategies from Tim that have the potential to completely re-shape your existence, and set your life's path on a new and more evolved trajectory.

In 'Tools of Titans' Tim pulls all the best stuff he's accumulated over the years from interviews with the Titans he's interviewed on his regular podcast over the years. Some very interesting, uniquely engaged human beings who will help you shift your thinking in a way that allows you to believe that almost anything is possible if you are simply willing to defy your current belief sytems and how much they can really hold you back.

It makes me think of that trick we used to pull back in high school where we would walk quietly behind someone and gently put a hand on their back-pack. Applying just enough pressure so that they wouldn't initially notice. Subconsciously at first, the person would begin to think, "man, I'm feeling a little heavy, slow, like I'm having to work harder than I should." Then, finally, as slightly more pressure was applied the person carrying the backpack had no othe choice but to turn around and see what might be holding them back. To turn around and see if they had in fact caught their pack on something, or if their mind was once again playing tricks on them.

Your current belief systems are likely holding you back in a similar way right now. In fact, it's a fact. None of us are perfect. And none of us have it all figured out. The game is just to keep growing. Because remember, if you're not growing, you're dying. That's why I read and write so much. Without this pursuit, I might be locked-up somewhere and receiving my meals through the mail slot.

Whether you decide to read 'Tools of Titans' is entirely up to you. In fact, that was the intention of this post when I first sat down to write it. To make the recommendation for this book. But now there seems a much more important message that is coming through…

What's in your backpack? Weighing you down unnecesarily. What do you need to let go of so that you can break free and stimulate some personal growth. How heavy does it need to get before you are aware enough to turn around?

I know, we have all now been infected with the same virus. The one that attempts to make us believe that all this personal growth and self-improvement stuff is over-played. Over hyped. Over sold. It probably is, but it doesn't change the fact that it's still important. Remember, you're either growing or dying. What's most important is that you follow your own intuition and feed that intuition with the right informaiton from the right people. You need to construct adequate and intelligent filters. Like reading this post, for example. I'm glad you're here.

I've got to go for now. Need to get to that day job and go take care of the business of the day. Looking forward to getting back to my writing over the weekend. Once again, thanks for being a part of it. It's not as much fun without you.

Here's the challenge I want to leave you with today. Dig in to that backpack and look around this weekend or at least in the near future and decide what it is that you no longer need. What's in there that is weighing you down unnecessarily and often without you being consciously aware that it's happening. Now, let it go…

In 'Tools of Titans' Tim interviews Jason Nemer, cofounder of AcroYoga (Acroyoga.org). A technique that blends the spiritual wisdom of yoga, the loving-kindness of Thai massage, and the dynamic power of acrobatics. Jason was a two-time US Junior national champion in sports acrobatics and represented the US at the World Championships in Beijing in 1991.

When traveling, Jason always carries a couple Frisbee discs for the Frisbee golf he loves to play. As Jason puts it, "There's nothing like watching a Frisbee fly through the air away from you for minute or longer. It's magical."

Sometimes, rather than play golf, he stands somewhere he can gain altitude and perspective and just launches one of the discs with the intention of letting it go forever.

When he does this, he makes it intentional by asking himself a very important, intelligent and personal question as he watches it fly away…

"What am I releasing?"

Your turn.

-John