Hey Reader,

Hope you had a great week.

This week's post examines workplace drama — specifically exploring this common predicament many of us have found ourselves in throughout our work lives:

To confront or not to confront our colleagues and coworkers who get under our skin.

Personally, I always found workplace interactions to be a bit whacky and unnatural. 🤷🏻‍♂️

For one, by its very nature, "the workplace" is an environment based on constant evaluation, feedback, acknowledgment, praise, and criticism... which means it's a hotbed for triggering our ego in either direction — indulging it or destroying it.

This is because we all to some degree want to feel like others see us as good at what we do, reliable, and as a subject matter expert in our field or trade.

The other whacky part is that we interact and collaborate with our colleagues and co-workers almost every day, but do they really know us and vice versa?

When we show up for work, we're all pretty much on our "best behavior", keeping things light and cordial, doing our best to get along, and not stir the pot.

We slip into our "business mode" — playing that narrow role described by whatever our job title reads while rarely ever exposing our shadowy "emotional" side that we reserve for family and close friends.

And the people we work with only see this version of us and vice versa — that calm, cool, collected, conscientious "character" we're so adept at playing.

But what happens when someone irritates us and that "shadowy" side of ourselves that we trained so well to conceal during work hours emerges? 🧟

Because let's face it, others can irk us and in our work or at our jobs it's no different.

Maybe your boss or supervisor takes a firm tone with you that you are taken aback by.

A co-worker you're collaborating with speaks to you in a way that gets on your nerves.

Maybe someone is openly critical of you or your work.

And while it's not so much what was said to you, it's their overall tone and demeanor that rubs you the wrong way.

It's nothing insulting or disrespectful, but it's stern — said with enough oomph with that "serious look" hanging from their face that convinces you that you are indeed being disrespected.

Instantly your inner child surfaces and interprets it that you are being scolded, "ordered around", or "talked down to".

Whatever has been sparked inside you, the bottom line is you feel invalidated.

This triggers that classic internal debate: do we say something to this person or let it go?

What would you do?

Read the essay (7 mins) ➜

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Two Lessons To Inspire Us From Beethoven 🎻

Did you know in the last decade of his life, Beethoven composed the greatest triumph of his remarkable body of musical work — the Ninth Symphony?

It is considered by many critics to be the greatest piece of music ever written.

It's pretty astounding that one of his greatest creations came at the end of his life. That alone is motivating and inspiring.

But here's the real kicker: Beethoven did it when he was deaf.

As author Brian Clark points out in this article which inspired this entry: deafness possibly freed Beethoven as a composer because he no longer had society’s soundtrack in his ears.

Meaning, the fact that he couldn't hear the expectations and standards set by the masses, he was free to just create from a place of truth within himself — allowing him to define his own meaning of what a masterpiece sounds like.

Lesson 1: Sometimes the boundaries and constraints we set for ourselves are based on the expectations of others: family, friends, religion, the media, etc. Define your own meaning of success and happiness.

Lesson 2: No matter where we are in life, no matter our age, situation, or circumstance it's never too late to do our best work just as Beethoven did with the Ninth Symphony. It's never too late to go down a new path, pursue a passion, take the plunge on something calling you, or change your life period.

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The Biggest Reason We Fail

What's do you think is the biggest reason why we don't achieve our goals or our habits don't stick?

And what do Rocky Balboa, a sabertooth tiger, and the messy middle of goal-setting have to do with it? 🥊 🐯

Actually, a whole lot!

I explain it all in my latest YouTube video.

Watch the video ➜

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4 Life Lessons I Learned From Our Elders
​James Napoli | 6 Minutes

This author went through an unexpected health scare a few years ago, forcing him to confront his mortality in a way he never had before by considering what kind of life he wanted to live.

He thought about what would he want to do with the time he had left if his health took a turn for the worse. So he turned it into a project by interviewing people aged 80 years and older about their lives asking them to share their pivotal experiences, major reflections, biggest regrets and general advice for how younger people can live their best lives.

The results... simple yet deeply wise.

1. Be persistent
2. Be patient
3. Be grateful
4. Smile

​Read the post ➜​

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📹 Interested in Learning How To Use YouTube To Generate Income?

There are still about 50 spots left in the upcoming cohort for Ali Abdaal's Part-Time YouTuber Academy which starts in June. If anyone is interested in it, you can check out his webpage to learn more or feel free to reach out with any questions.
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​As Always, Keep Creating,

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