Sacrifices and Saying Less

Hey all,

Hope you all got to see the Northern Lights if you were able. I went with some friends and thought it was pretty amazing to see, especially because it's a phenomenon often only reserved for Alaskans and Canadians who (factually), don't exist.

Anyway, this week, I've been thinking a lot about one thing: sacrifices, or maybe more accurately, what I feel comfortable sacrificing in my life.

Because, recently I've been quite busy, and I feel bad for neglecting some of the friends I would otherwise see often. Still, I have felt pretty productive this week and don't want to continue splitting my focus between my friends and personal goals.

But hey you might be saying, if you listen at all to any hardcore "productivity guru" the answer is obvious: they would say that the sacrifice of time with friends is one that people make to do great things.

Unfortunately, I'm not a productivity guru, and I'm definitely not one of those "sigma-male grindset" people who believe that the only way to do things is alone. Friends are useful and they provide people with important social nourishment that helps us stay happy and mentally sharp.

So, the question is, how do I make time for personal projects without sacrificing the connections I've made with others?

Funnily enough, this problem is closely related to one I face every week writing this newsletter: how do I say more with less?

Because in a sense, the solution to these questions is the same:

In writing, make every word do more. Make every word make the reader feel more emotion or impart more wisdom.
When it comes to friends, make every interaction mean more. Make every interaction build a connection or leave more of an impact.

As the saying goes:

The best writers say less.

So, if we want to be the best friends we can be (with our limited time), maybe we need to make each interaction more positive. Maybe some of us should give our all for 2-3 hours, and be as funny, caring, and loyal as we can be for a short time.

Like, maybe I can't be there for you all the time, but when I'm there, I should be damn sure I make sure you know I support you and will laugh, cry, and stand with you whenever I'm available.

Fortunately, the path toward being a better friend is a lot like the path to being a better writer.

Know your audience and speak to what they resonate with.
Don't waste time.
Focus. Sometimes talking with someone one-on-one is 100 times better than a group conversation.
Be authentic and show multiple sides of yourself.

So, that's what I'll be working on for a bit. All the while, I'll be asking myself: How can I be a better friend in less time? How can I sacrifice time spent with the people I care about while still building my connection with them?

Of course, I'll also be working to impart more knowledge in fewer words with every one of these blog posts. So, if you see a post that's 200 words long, know I'm practicing being a good writer, and definitely not being lazy that day.

And now, I flip the question on you: what pieces of time are you willing to sacrifice for your personal goals? Is there a way to make up that lower quantity with higher quality?

Till next week,

-Ethan