The Graffiti Machine

Something I need to remind myself of regularly is that the time is going to pass one way or the other. What I mean by this is, the timeline is ticking away whether or not we do what we need to do. For example, if we want to get in better shape, start a business, scale a business, learn a skill, etc., and we put it off, that time is going to pass.   Say a decision was made to accomplish a goal, the...

Most have probably heard the quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." or some variation of it. There's also a version of the concept in the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People talking about sharpening the saw.   Sharpening the axe or saw is about preparation and being more effective. The concept of taking t...

We all find ourselves in a rut from time to time. Whether it's an artist block, work related, fitness or whatever, sometimes we aren't feeling the motivation to get it done. The best way out of a rut I've found is to simply force yourself to start rather than waiting to be motivated.   Sometimes it feels nearly impossible with motivation being so low. To effectively force momentum, a good way is t...

Any given situation is supposed to go the way it goes. It has nothing to do with us. When we put expectations on things, it causes disappointment. Once we realize this and try to detach from the outcomes, our minds can find more peace. Doesn't mean we can't do our best to get the outcomes we want, but in the end, it isn't up to us.

I came to a realization recently that the reason my mind feels like it is in turmoil all the time is because I am not living up to my own standards. This realizations came from some weird places, so this episode goes into some seemingly off topic things like ghost stories, spiritual healing, and shit like that.

I believe in you. It may sound corny since we may not actually know each other, but it's true. No matter where we are in life, we have the ability to improve and overcome the obstacles we face.   If you search around, you can find countless examples of people bouncing back from bad decisions, came from nothing, or any number of things that would derail a life. We all have what it takes to improve....

The concept of accepting the things outside of our control is a simple, but powerful concept that I find really helpful when shit gets tough. Simple, but not easy to impliment.

If you find yourself in a situation where someone consistently breaks promises, misses appointments, or shows up late, it's natural to begin questioning the value of their word. This is a common experience that many of us have had. What's even more intriguing to think about is that if you fail to keep your own promises to yourself, your own mind may begin to perceive you in a similar light. When y...

Ever feel like you're putting in the hours practicing, but not making the progress you feel you should be? I've definitely experienced this a lot over my life. The reason is most likely not a lack of commitment, but it lies in the way you're practicing. I first came across the concept of "deliberate practice" from a book called 'The Talent Code'. Deliberate practice is a more purposeful approach t...

For some years now, I've been a student of stoic philosophy. The biggest lesson from this philosophy is to focus on what you can control rather than things you cannot. It's often difficult to do and one can easily forget to apply this.   Most of the time, all you have control over is your actions and the outcome is not within your control. Focusing on the outcome—especially when it causes stress—c...

It feels like we're in an age of massive distraction. We're being distracted by the media, world events, politicians, etc. Then we're distracting ourselves with social media platforms and other apps on our devices. Today, I talk about these distractions and some ways we can identify when we're being distracted and how to regain focus.

This episode gets into some concepts from Stoic philosophy about there being an order to the universe and other potentially interesting shit. Find Bus on various platforms linked here: https://bus.graffitimachine.com/

I heard that most of what we do is forgotten. A lot of the day-to-day life stuff comes and goes, and the memories are lost. Do we do something about that? Do we try to create more memorable experiences, or does the fact that a lot of stuff is forgotten make the things you do remember that much more impactful?

I was thinking about how many little tasks come up that could be easiy taken care of, but I put them off. Those things occupy space in my mind. It would be ideal to just knock those things out so they're out of my head, but they often get put off.   They're often small things, but they build up. It's got me wondering what negative effects might be happeing by letting these things build up.

When we set big goals for ourselves, they can often feel impossible. One thing that can help put things into perspective is to look at some of the amazing things that have been accomplished by other people. Seeing these great achievements might help put your own goals into perspective. For me, I had an "If they can do that, I can definitely accomplish this" kind of moment. This episode breaks down...

For episode 100, I wanted to bring back a full conversation that Kub and I had. This episode was a the one that really set what we're doing in motion. I wish he was here in person for this, but we have a mission and we will just keep pushing forward. — Bus

If I woke up one day, and there was litterly nothing to worry about—business is running perfectly, no problems to solve at all—I think that would be much more conerning than how life normally is. There's always a problem to solve, always some adversity to get passed. If everything was good and there were none of those things to deal with, I would imagine I'm not pushing hard enough. I think it's a...

Sometimes it can feel like we're all in, or all out. Slip off your program in any area of life, and things start heading in the all out direction. Every now and then a season of all in commitment, very little "balance" can help to get the momentum going. Find Bus on various platforms linked here: https://bus.graffitimachine.com/ FULL TRANSCRIPT 0:00  So after recording the last episode, I was talk...

A lot of compromises can be a slippery slope. One compromise leads to another, then another, then next thing you know, shit can get out of control. It happens to all of us. The key is to keep an eye on it, and if you do fall off track, get that momentum going again. Even if you have to force it. Find Bus on various platforms linked here: https://bus.graffitimachine.com/ Full Transcript 0:00   I wa...

Negative emotions can be damaging to your physical and mental health, but they're also a normal part of the human experience. According to the law of polarity, you can't have one without the other. Lets talk about some tools we can use to limit the power of negativity. Find Bus on various platforms linked here: https://bus.graffitimachine.com/ Episode Transcription: 0:00  So I've been thinking abo...

When we think of mind control, we may think of it as some kind of science fiction shit, but if you really think about it, we allow people to control our minds all the time.   If someone says something that offends you, you might get pissed and let thoughts grow like weeds in your mind. Some people can spend hours, days or even longer in this state. The person that orginially offended you has proba...

An interesting concept to ponder is our identity. If asked who we are, we might respond with our name, occupation, hobby, or another label we've chosen to identify ourselves with. However, in reality, none of these things truly represent us. Some argue that even the voice in our heads isn't truly us; rather, we are the listener to that voice.

There is a balance between urgency and patience when it comes to working towards your own true potential. Urgency keeps you motivated until things take longer than you expected. That's where patience comes in. Losing patience can sap motivation and you'll lose your urgency. Balancing the two can be the answer to maintaining forward momentum.

There isn't anything in your life that is permanent. Every single thing you do, there will be a last time you do it. The last time you pet your dog, the last time you go to your favorite restaurant, even the last time you breathe. Given that we never know when that last time will be, it is vital that we learn to be present in the moment, because you don't know if that's the last time you'll have t...

In this episode, we dive into the 12 universal laws that govern the universe and explore how they can help us live more fulfilling lives. We discuss each law somewhat in detail and examine how they are interconnected. I truly believe that whether or not you believe in them, living your life and making decisions with these laws in mind will lead to a better life.