The 100 Years Club Installment #93: The First Month of “Schooling”

Learning never ends.

The longer I live, the more I believe that our brains and hearts are capable of enormous change and expansion, provided we commit to it.

I devised a simple “curriculum” for myself at the start of September.

My metaphorical report card for the month would probably show mostly A’s, but keeping that momentum going is always challenging. I am determined not to “flunk out” at this stage of my life.

September highlights (starting with the positive):

1. I upped my tech skills, including basic podcast and video editing. I finished recording my first 50 podcast episodes. I continue to refine my selfie video and public speaking skills. Practice, practice, practice! (I was never the kid on stage in school plays. I wrote and directed, so this is all new.)
2. My “math” project involved an analysis of those episodes and a plan for the future.
3. Using my English skills, I wrote 16 articles for Street Fight and put the finishing touches on the event agenda.
4. Although I’m not a huge fan of gym class, I fulfilled my commitment to weights, cardio, and clean eating. I even went to a dance party. The photo below is of me and Daybreaker founder Radha Agrawal. Community is a huge part of my life these days, and she developed a powerful and immersive concept! 500M members worldwide!
5. I showed my school spirit at the U of M football watch parties and volunteered for SOS.
6. A “field trip” to Blueprint gave me new perspectives on proptech.
7. My “visit to the nurse’s office“ revealed some things I must fix (nothing serious).

As I get older, I feel compelled to pack more “credits” into my schedule. I still love what I do and I believe that new activities and learning can help keep our brains fresh and functioning.

When you feel like you haven’t accomplished enough…

Consider starting a “got done” list in addition to whatever system you use to track your “to-dos.” Keep the list short and achievable. I even put things I hate to do like “fold laundry” on my list. Seeing even one or two boxes checked off every day is meaningful.

As with exercising and learning new tech skills (see above), baby steps are just as important as hitting the big goal. 365 baby steps = one big box checked off in your life.

The major obstacles to change and growth are often inertia and fear.

Inertia and procrastination can have many causes (see below). In October, I’ll offer content about the most common fears—and my own irrational ones—and how to overcome them.

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Don’t procrastinate! Read these fun facts!

	Tips for overcoming inertia
	When you’re stuck in a relationship
	How the Internet fuels procrastination
	20 famous procrastinators