Are You an Eegit? (Find Out!)

Every Sunday, I send you something to THINK about, a question to ASK yourself, something to TRY and invite you to SHARE.

Want to advertise in this Newsletter?

Book HERE

THINK

“Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom.”

– James Allen

This week, I’m going to do the unthinkable…

I’m going to compare meditation and money.

“How is that possible, Huw? The practice of meditation has nothing to do with wealth?”

Well, made up, sceptical person, you’re in for a surprise!

If you meditate consistently OR you’re on top of your personal finances, you’ll be able to use your experience to help you in the other area.

But that’s not all…

You see, the overarching principle in this week’s Newsletter will serve in EVERY major area of life:

Health
Wealth
Relationships
Adventure / Fun

YES, if you extract the message within this very Newsletter you’re reading right now, even this almost pointless over-extended sentence to build up your anticipation, your entire life can dramatically improve.

[😲 GASP from the now curious once sceptical person]

Would You Take the Pill?

This week, in my free Community, a member asked about meditation and mindfulness. He wanted to create a habit around it.

He asked us what our practices looked like and what our experiences were like.

The group shared what they did (apps used, time spent, techniques used, etc.)

and it brought to mind the concept for this week’s Newsletter…

Jonathan Haidt is one of the leading researchers on the Psychology of Morality and Flourishing and the author of The Happiness Hypothesis. In his book, he shares a wonderful sales pitch for it:

“Suppose you read about a pill that you could take once a day to reduce anxiety and increase your contentment. Would you take it? Suppose further that the pill has a great variety of side effects, all of them good: increased self-esteem, empathy, and trust; it even improves memory. Suppose, finally, that the pill is all natural and costs nothing. Now would you take it? The pill exists. It’s called meditation.”

Would you take it?

I would!

So, why do so many people struggle to meditate consistently? 🤷‍♂️

Despite knowing the science, which is unequivocal…

TDLR:

MEDITATION IS GOOD FOR YOU!

Why do people stop doing it or avoid it altogether?

Ah, Go On!

The answer could easily be copied and pasted into a question about:

Sleeping 8 hours a night
Exercising daily
Keeping to a budget
Investing every month

Meditating is one of the easiest things you can do.

It’s easier than all the options above.

But the inescapable truth is…

It’s easier not to do it.

Despite the benefits of the magic pill, sitting still in silence for a predetermined time is just too challenging for most.

In fairness, unlike some of the options above, it’s difficult to assess meditating. Many beginners feel unsure after a session:

“Am I doing it right?”
“I’m terrible at meditating, my mind doesn’t stop!”

It may take you 1-3 weeks to settle into the practice before you start appreciating the benefits. By then, many people have already quit.

For those of you who have kept going, you’ll relate to the benefits Jonathan Haidt shared:

Reduced anxiety
Increased contentment, self-esteem, empathy, trust and memory.

You might be like me, and cherish those blissful moments when it’s just you and your thoughts and silence. When you open your eyes after a session and everything is slower, calmer, better.

I’ve been fortunate enough to experience what Steven Kotler and Jamie Wheal (authors of Stealing Fire) describe as “ecstasis” half a dozen times – a state of heightened awareness or flow.

I’ve literally felt “high” from meditating.

All concerns and blockages have been lifted from my body. I’m resonating at a different level. You almost feel like you’re floating. It’s a magical feeling.

Once you’ve felt of the benefits of meditating, much like exercise, sleeping 8 hours or budgeting, it’s hard not to do it.

But despite the wonderful feeling a novice/intermediate meditator may experience from time to time, it doesn’t always play out like that…

There are times I get off the cushion and the tranquility is fleeting. I’ve got a massive list of ‘to-do’ items and 20 mins less time to do them.

Which leads me to another challenge you face when meditating, exercising or sitting down to do your personal finances…

And it’s the premise of this entire Newsletter.

The misconception of the moment.

Go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on GO ON!

Meditation, exercise, budgeting, investing, etc. CAN and DO feel fantastic in the moment, but the greatest benefits are the gifts saved for the future you.

Meditation:

Meditation isn’t a retreat from the world… It’s a way to show up fully present in it.
Meditation isn’t about emptying your mind… It’s about creating space to understand it.
Meditation isn’t about avoiding stress… It’s about transforming how we respond to it.

Exercise:

Exercise isn’t about sculpting your body… It’s about building the strength to carry life’s burdens.
Working out isn’t a punishment for what you’ve eaten… It’s a celebration of what your body can do.
Exercise isn’t an obligation to stay fit… It’s an investment in your future well-being.

Personal Finance:

Investing money isn’t about denying yourself today… It’s about creating choices for tomorrow.
Managing your finances isn’t just about the numbers… It’s about shaping the life you want to live.
Budgeting isn’t about restricting your freedom… It’s about directing your resources toward what matters most.

Whichever practice we’re referring to – Meditation, exercise, personal finance, sleeping, catching up with family & friends, etc. – Embrace and enjoy the moment…

But don’t forget to take satisfaction from the gift you’ve just given to your future self. Once compounded over time, it’s transformative.

Let me expand with some examples to drill home my point:

Meditation: You might not feel any benefit from one session or even your first ten sessions, but at some point, you’ll rise from the cushion with clarity, confidence and calm like never before. You might notice you’re not reacting to assholes or rushing into impulsive decisions. (Don’t you dare!)
Exercise: You might feel stiff, tired, weak and unfit for the first 1-3 weeks, but after 30 days, you start to feel ‘harder’ (come on, you’re better than that! 🤭). You notice your energy levels are higher and you don’t feel tired in the morning, you’re eating healthier because of the effort you’re putting in, you feel (and look) younger.
Personal Finance: You slightly resent putting money aside each month to cover one-off annual bills, but when a £500 car insurance quote lands on your doorstep, you hand over the cash that’s been set aside without a glimpse of remorse or stress. You recieve a gift from previous you.
Investing: You wish you didn’t have to invest £500 per month because you could have a lot of fun with that money instead. But five years on, you’re delighted to see £38,719 in your account, and you’re gobsmacked when you check ten years later to find £102,423. You wonder what you could achieve if you invested more for longer.

Discipline Now = Future Freedom

Take the Pill You Fecking Eegit!

Meditation is like a magic pill. Just like sleep, exercise, personal finance, and socialising.

Don’t surrender to the challenge of starting.

Don’t give in due to a lack of satisfaction.

The best is yet to come.

Give your future self that gift.

You deserve it.

Even if you are an eegit.

Reflect and share this with someone.

ASK

“Which magic pill are you not taking?”

“How would your life improve if you formed the habit?”

Write down what comes to mind.

TRY

Give your future self the gift of meditation, 8 hours of sleep, exercise, budgeting, socialising or investing.

In an ideal world, you’ll do them… in time.

But for now, focus on the area you KNOW that needs the most attention. Once you’ve engrained the habit, you can progress from there.

Which one practice, if you did it consistently, would have the greatest impact on your life?

You’ve already know what giving up feels like.

Find out what happens if you don’t.

HIT REPLY and tell me why your not an eegit.

If you don’t… I’ll assume you are. 🤣

Ah, go on!

I read and reply to every email, and remember, I’m rooting for you!

Remember: Little by little, a little becomes a lot.

Reply to this email and share how it went for you. Let me know if you’d prefer to remain anonymous.