January 8th, 2023 | Issue #50

1 Quote. 1 Reflection. 1 Question.

1 Quote.

"But after two years of this, I said to myself, "What have I done in the past twenty-four months?" And the answer was, "Little or nothing." I recognized that accomplishment requires isolation."

-From: Nikola Tesla

-Source: Tesla: Wizard at War: The Genius, the Particle Beam Weapon, and the Pursuit of Power

1 Reflection.

Nikola Tesla wrote this during a time he spent entertaining high society with his invention, wireless light. He became the center of attention overnight and was swallowed up by the spotlight.

For two years he showed off his invention and other works but finally came to the conclusion he wasn't improving. He realized his answer was in the deep depths of silence, distance, and isolation. Whether you are: 

Starting a new business.
Getting another degree.
Learning a new language. 
Trying to get a promotion. 

All of these require you to be alone at some point but, just because you have to be alone, doesn't mean you have to be lonely. 

Personally, I have been spending a lot of time alone in recent months and I have grown to be comfortable with it. I like the process of writing and researching, not knowing where an article or Instagram post is going to go. When I find the right historical date or quote for the website I get the best kind of dopamine—the kind that comes from work. Being alone and working on the website is somewhat of a psychedelic experience because of the twists, turns, and unknowns. 

 Legendary college basketball coach, John Wooden summed it up best: “The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” 

1 Reflection.

If there was a 24-hour live stream of your life, what would you immediately stop doing?