Hi friend!

Here's your forever-free email I send at 7 am every Friday.

Each week, I send you something cool you can watch, read, use, and listen to.

If you dig it, or if you have any suggestions, reach out to me and let me know. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you hate it, cancel anytime. If you hate me, cancel me anytime.

Here's something for you to...

1) watch.

How to Find Your Life Purpose

From author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck, Mark Manson.

Mark's blunt and no-nonsense approach to personal development is refreshing and to the point. He's also pretty damn funny.

2) read.

How to think for yourself

Written by entrepreneur, investor, and essayist, Paul Graham.

This beautifully-written essay highlights the difference between having to think independently and having to think like everyone else.

Working for a company, managing or otherwise, means you can't afford to go against the grain. Starting your own business, however, requires you to think independently.

It didn't take me long to realize I don't work well in a universal mindset. I was a terrible student in school. I hated working for other people. I crave control over my schedule, energy, and effort.

Many of my friends on the other hand, rely on the structure of having others control these things for them. There's nothing wrong with enjoying the consistency of going to a job every day. We're all different.

This essay makes a case for both tendencies and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Other masterpieces of Paul's include: What You Can't Say and Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule.

A passage from this essay:

"Independent-mindedness seems to be more a matter of nature than nurture. Which means if you pick the wrong type of work, you're going to be unhappy. If you're naturally independent-minded, you're going to find it frustrating to be a middle manager. And if you're naturally conventional-minded, you're going to be sailing into a headwind if you try to do original research."

3) use.

MonicaHQ

Monica is an online database for you to organize and strengthen your relationships.

Loved ones. Acquaintances. Networks.

You can track when you last spoke to someone, what you talked about, their family members, birthdays, special events, etc.

Last month, I Zoomed with a client whom I hadn't spoken to in almost a year. After glancing at his Monica info, I asked him how his son did with finishing his last year of his computer science degree. He was astonished and delighted. He thought I had an incredible memory, when really I'm just a cheater with a database.

As someone who hates using social media, Monica is a Godsend.

4) listen to.

The Truth about Black Friday

An important PSA on shopping, especially during this holiday season.

This pairs nicely with a recent Seth Godin blog on the difference between shopping and buying.

Extras.

Favorite blogs.

The Boring Truth to Becoming Happy

Most of you know, but I was in a reallllly bad place three years ago. Today, I've literally never been happier. Here's how I turned it around.

Why I Tell My Friends I Love Them

And kiss them goodnight and tuck them in.

The Sexiest Thing in the World

How my perception of love has changed over the years.

Bonus!

If you've been enjoying these newsletters, I encourage you to spread the word. It'll be worth it.

In fact, use the referral link at the bottom to refer friends you think would also like The Friday Four.

If you refer 3 people, I'll send you a personalized video of me, singing and dancing about how much I love you.

I'm not kidding :) Off to the races!

Quotes.

“Spending a little more money on something and pretending it doesn’t bother you—that’s what being an adult is all about.”

-Drew Gooden

“Shopping is the act of imagining what you might want. It’s the thrilling but risky exchange of money for something that you’ve never purchased before. Something that might be better than you hope, but it might not.”

-Seth Godin

“Whenever you can, swap ‘Let’s think about it’ for ‘Let’s decide on it.’ Commit to making decisions. Don’t wait for the perfect solution. Decide and move forward.”

-Jason Fried

Thank you as always for the support, friends! If you enjoyed this newsletter, I encourage you to forward it or invite your friends to subscribe. I hope you all are happy and healthy!

Much love.

Dill 💙