Hi Reader,

Welcome back to Renaissance!

This newsletter is meant to:

• Teach you cool stuff
• Inspire you to take bold action
• Make you pause, smile, and maybe even laugh

It's part of my mission to live a story worth telling while helping YOU do the same.

If you're ready to create more meaning, fulfillment, and adventure in your life, click the button below:

Why wait any longer?

What I'm learning about 🧠

A better way to think about problems.

James Clear is the bestselling author of Atomic Habits.​

If you haven't read it, I recommend ordering it immediately.

Here's how Mr. Clear thinks about problems:

In case you're wondering, his nemesis is named Mr. Foggy and lives near the Golden Gate Bridge.

James splits them into two groups:

• Muddy puddles
• Leaky ceilings

He says:

"Some problems are like muddy puddles.

The way to clear a muddy puddle is to leave it alone.

The more you mess with it, the muddier it becomes.

Many of the problems I dream up when I'm overthinking or worrying or ruminating fall into this category.

Is life really falling apart or am I just in a sour mood?

Is this as hard as I'm making it or do I just need to go workout?

Drink some water. Go for a walk. Get some sleep.

Go do something else and give the puddle time to turn clear."

But what about leaky ceilings?

Here are his thoughts on the other type of problems:

"Other problems are like a leaky ceiling.

Ignore a small leak and it will always widen.

Relationship tension that goes unaddressed.

Overspending that becomes a habit.

One missed workout drifting into months of inactivity.

Some problems multiply when left unattended.

You need to intervene now."

_

I love how clear (hah!) and simple he explains these two types of problems.

I especially resonate with him questioning whether life is falling apart or if he's just in a bad mood.

My problems never seem as bad after a short walk outside.

The next time you have a problem, ask yourself:

Are you dealing with a leak or a puddle?

What I'm thinking about 💭

My new 3-step coaching framework.

I’ve always believed that “daring to dream” is the beginning of any grand adventure.

It takes courage to admit to yourself (and others) that you have some grand idea of who you could become and what you could accomplish.

This is why Vinny (my co-host) and I chose the name, The Dare to Dream Podcast.​

It’s meant to inspire you to embark on the adventure of your life.

But what do you do once you’re ready to embark on your Hero’s Journey?

First, you Define Your Dream.

The word “dream” has a vague meaning and can mean different things to different people.

So let’s be clear.

For me and my clients, your dream is either something:

• You’ve always wanted to do but haven’t yet because it’s scary
• You KNOW deep down you would regret it if you never did it
• You’ve been putting off until “someday”

This leads us to step #2 which is Creating The Commitment.

I’ve talked a lot about “commitment devices” which are actions you take in the present moment to lock in a desired future outcome.

Getting “Live a Story Worth Telling” tattooed on my arm was a very personal commitment device.

It ensures that I will never settle for a boring and ordinary life.

I wouldn’t be able to look myself in the eyes if I did.

During this stage, we ask the question:

"What is the most outrageous and dangerously playful action you could take NOW to LOCK IN a desired future outcome?"

A minor example would be booking the flight today for the dream vacation you’ve been putting off.

An extreme example would be smashing your smartphone with a sledgehammer to cut back on screen time.

The third step is called Take Bold Action.

It’s really self-explanatory.

You use fear as a compass and start doing all the things related to your dream that you’ve been too scared to do.

• You break the belief that fear is a bad thing
• You do something that terrifies you and realize you didn’t die.
• You get comfortable being uncomfortable.

And when you take bold action consistently, a magical fourth step appears.

But instead of having to do anything else, this fourth step is a byproduct of your bold action.

It’s when the universe gets involved and starts rewarding your bold action.

You move from linear progress (1+1=2) to exponential progress (1+1=12)

Unexplainable things start happening in your life as opportunities and people start magically showing up.

This leads to the final outcome that you were hoping for all along.

Your life becomes a story worth telling.

Think about it.

The stories we want to tell most are the ones that are so wild and outrageous that they don’t make logical sense.

Any rags-to-riches or underdog-to-hero story is amazing because the protagonist succeeds despite the odds being stacked against them.

This is my new and improved coaching framework.

But it's not for everyone.

It’s for people who want to live an extraordinary life, defy the odds of being average, and live a story worth telling.

If this sounds like you, reply to this email with:

"That's like me!"

And I'll have my people call your people :)

Quote(s) of the week 📜

"If you feel resistance before you begin, it's usually procrastination and you need to get started.

If you feel resistance after you begin, it's usually feedback and you need to make adjustments." - James Clear

What I'm reading 📖

A brilliant article on "Why You Can't Hoard Life."

​Click here for a short read on why experiences are meant for having, not for hoarding.

P.S. Oliver Burkeman is another prolific author. His book 4,000 Weeks is another must-read.

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Sent with love,

Gregory Russell Benedikt

Website: gregoryrussellbenedikt.com

Podcast: The Dare to Dream Podcast​

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