How to “empty the tank” (for work & life)

Learn: How to “Be First”, Empty the Tank, 4 Paradoxes of Life

Read: 3 min

Hola from Playa Del Carmen, 

Walking down the street yesterday, I saw a dude with a big WordPress “W” logo on his shirt. 

Normally I’d keep walking (making up his story in my head).  

But instead, I curiously pointed and said “WordPress?”

Turns out he works for WordPress (Automattic) remotely and got here after being in Colombia and Mexico City (ha my exact same journey). We quickly became amigos. 

The same goes for the Argentinian gal I asked out at lunch the other day (going on date this afternoon).

Takeaway: Curious about something? Be first and just ask.

Time for 3 action nuggets of the week.

1️⃣ Be First 

“Be first” means being the first one to take action. 

First to say hi or even smile.

Fun game is to just smile at a random stranger. If they smile back… you just created a smile from nothing! So easy and actually quite amazing.

(Note: yes, they might think you’re weird occasionally. But who cares. They’re weird for being weirded out. We’re all weird.)

Smile, introduce yourself, text your friend when you think of them. Go first.

⛽ Empty The Tank 

Jesse Itzler is who I think of when I hear the word "success."

This clip from his recent keynote highlights part of his journey. From cleaning meat trucks, working 2 jobs, running marathons…

"I emptied the tank. man. I poured my SOUL into everything I did. Not everything will work out. But when you empty the tank you have no regrets."

While I love his story and the concept of emptying the tank…

It’s missing something.  

See everyone wants to empty the tank into their engine. That gets them far and accomplished. 

But in reality, most people have leaky tanks. 

So they don’t empty their tanks. Instead, their tanks are EMPTIED from small leaks of indecision and overthinking. 

This is exhausting — and the exact reason people STOP trying new things.

Instead, ask this simple question next time you’re stuck:

“Is this USING my fuel or LOSING my fuel?”

• Using = trying new projects and learning regardless of outcome. Impatience with actions, patience with results.

• Losing = NOT trying new things because of uncertainty or waiting for “the right opportunity”. Patience with actions and patience results. (spoiler: results don’t magically appear)

Check out the short essay I wrote here to use this in your own life.

🤔 Paradox

Paradoxes of life:

1.) Just because someone carries it well, doesn't mean it isn't heavy.

You never know what someone is going through.

But the heavy stuff leads to the biggest breakthroughs.

2.) Life gets hard when you try to make it easy.

• Exercising is hard, but never moving is harder

• Mastering a craft is hard, but having no skills is harder

• Uncomfortable conversations are hard, but avoiding conflict is harder

3.) The clearest sign of someone living their best life, is their LACK of desire to tell everyone they are living their best life.

4.) Your biggest struggles today can become your biggest accomplishments of tomorrow.

The story of what you overcame becomes someone else's survival guide.

Check out the full post on LinkedIn here. 

Abrazos, 

Mitchell aka "Miguel"