Hi Reader,

Welcome back to another week of excellent living.

Now I know that there are some bitter feelings we need to address.

I'd be upset too if my mustache didn't look the way it did.

My mustache is mustaching in ways only Tom Selig and I can comprehend.

I didn't ask for this much power.

The power chose me.

The limit to starting my newsletter with mustache humor does not exist.

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What I'm learning/thinking about 🧠

Listening to what your conscience commands you to do.

Viktor Frankl was one of the most legendary humans ever to exist.

He survived four concentration camps during WWII, using the horrific experience to forge his life's work instead of letting it break him.

His book Man's Search For Meaning appears in the top five favorite books of nearly every high-achiever I've ever met.

There's a passage from it that continues to guide my life:

I believe that we are guided by an intelligence greater than our own.

If we try to ignore what our conscience is commanding us to do, we will be miserable.

The fact that some activities bring us immense joy whereas others feel like trudging through quicksand is not an accident.

It’s our innate compass attempting to guide us toward what we are supposed to be working on and aiming at throughout our lives.

This is just as true on the macro scale as it is on the micro.

For a while, I've had an inner calling to take a break from caffeine.

I don't know why I have this feeling or where it comes from.

I just know it's here and if I ignore it (like I've been doing for years) I will continue to feel miserable.

As someone who places "feeling alive" at the top of my hierarchy of needs, it's been brutal.

And while I currently feel like a banana slug covered in wet cement that is slowly drying, I am honoring my conscience.

Because the more I listen to my inner guidance, the more my life expands.

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Where are you not listening to your conscience?

The longer you ignore it the worse things will get.

Trust that these feelings are showing up for a big reason.

And that the reason might just change your life!

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100 Days of Bold Rejection 😅

Ever since I quit my job in finance, "Fortune Favors The Bold" has been a guiding principle of mine.

It seems that every time I face my fears and live boldly, the Universe rewards me.

• Approaching a stranger at a cafe led to the best romantic relationship of my life
• Driving 8 hours to meet Tim Ferriss' mentor led to an unforgettable dinner and an opportunity to close a story loop that had begun 3 years prior on a flight home from Phoenix
• Running my first half-marathon (at night) in Joshua Tree led to a gold medal and a huge shift in how I see myself

These are just a few examples where I managed to override the fear that normally prevails.

I realized yesterday that I cannot control fortune (aka what happens to me), but I can control how boldly I am living.

So my latest theory is that by turning up the dial on being bold will increase the number of great things that happen to me.

If nothing else it will help me live a story worth telling.

Yesterday was day 1 of 100 of me living this experiment.

Inspired by Rejection Proof, an amazing book I am re-reading, I successfully completed my first attempt.

I knocked on two strangers' doors and asked if they wanted to go for a walk with me.

The first guy said no because he was dog-sitting and the owner was supposed to come home any minute.

The second lady said no with a "what the hell is this guy trying to sell me" look in her eyes that struck fear deep in my soul.

I immediately started sweating.

Stay tuned for 99 more days of me making bold (and outrageous) asks of strangers.

I have no idea how it will go but I can promise one thing:

There are going to be a lot of hilarious stories!

P.S. Please reply with your best ideas of how I should try and get rejected. All ideas are welcome.

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Quote of the week 📜

"Big ambitions, low expectations, and high standards are a powerful combination for living your best life."

- Shane Parrish

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What I'm reading 📚

Sam Altman's 13 Tips on How to Be Successful​

My favorite is: Have almost too much self-belief.

Self-belief coupled with strong self-awareness is a powerful combo.

And it seems that most people (myself included) slow down their progress due to a lack of self-belief.

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Sent with lots of love,

Gregory Russell Benedikt

Talk to me: hello@gregoryrussellbenedikt.com

Website: gregoryrussellbenedikt.com

Writing: Medium

Connect: Instagram & LinkedIn