Sloww Sunday 039: Lessons on Living, Mental Models, Life with Purpose

Sloww Sunday Newsletter 039 (Dec 6, 2020) — Lessons on Living, Mental Models, Life with Purpose, & More

Hi friends,

Sloww is your guide to awaken the art of living.

Each week, Sloww Sunday helps you get a little wiser.

PS: Have something mind-expanding you want considered for the newsletter? Send it over!

1. Sloww Stuff

🆕 A Guide to Personal Freedom: “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz (Book Summary)

This book currently has a mind-boggling 30,000+ reviews and a 4.7/5.0 rating on Amazon. It’s great for anyone who is beginning to take more intentional control over their mind and life. Think about it like introductory mental mastery.

🆕 25 Life Lessons from “The Last Lecture” by Randy Pausch (Book Summary)

Randy Pausch was a professor who was given only months left to live after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and ten tumors in his liver. The book covers 53 short lectures on living. I’ve compiled my favorite life lessons into this summary.

🔒 “Ikigai 2.0” eBook + Workbook Launches Soon

Premium Members will have access before the end of this month! If you have a New Year’s Resolution to find purpose, this will get you going on the right path.

🔒 “Behind the Scenes” New Premium Series

This series is intended to give you a more transparent look into my life and Sloww. What does my life actually look like? Do I practice what I preach? How is Sloww doing as a business? What have I learned about solopreneurship? I have some fun ideas to share with you soon.

2. Speech I’m Enjoying

🎧 Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture — Achieving Your Childhood Dreams
(75 mins | YouTube)

This is the original video of Randy’s “last lecture” speech. There’s a reason it has over 20 million views. In Randy’s words: “Many people might expect the talk to be about dying. But it had to be about living.”

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.” — Randy Pausch

3. Video I’m Watching

📺 Mental Models 104
(68 mins | YouTube)

Mental models expert George Mack returns to the Modern Wisdom Podcast. I always learn something new from these discussions. If you enjoy this one, check out the previous mental models podcasts: 101, 102, & 103. Want to go deeper? Some of the books on my reading list include: Super Thinking (Gabriel Weinberg), The Great Mental Models (Shane Parrish), and Poor Charlie’s Almanack.

“What you need is a latticework of mental models in your head. And, with that system, things gradually get to fit together in a way that enhances cognition.” — Charlie Munger

4. Article I’m Reading

📖 Life with Purpose
(20 mins | Aeon)

This is a completely different angle on “life purpose.” Can we learn about purpose and agency from biology? The subtitle of the article says, “Biologists balk at any talk of ‘goals’ or ‘intentions’ – but a bold new research agenda has put agency back on the table.” I admit I don’t understand everything this article covers, but it’s fascinating nonetheless.

“This link between organisation, information and agency is finally starting to appear, as scientists now explore the fertile intersection of information theory, thermodynamics and life.” — Philip Ball

5. Quote I’m Contemplating

The brain can be developed just the same way as the muscles can be developed, if one will only take the pains to train the mind to think.
— Thomas Edison

Sharing: If you enjoyed this issue of Sloww Sunday, please share socially or send it to a few friends to spread the word!

Support: If you’re interested in supporting Sloww, there are a few financial and non-financial methods other than the Premium Membership. See ways to support.

Feedback: It’s always much appreciated. Please send me an email or reach out socially.

Have an attentive week!

Kyle Kowalski
Founder, Sloww