Open Loops #115

👋 Welcome to the 115th issue of Open Loops, a weekly newsletter to help you think, grow, and build momentum.

My name is Reza, and every week, I sift through over 100 pieces of content —newsletters, articles, podcasts, books, and (way too many) tweets—to pull out the most interesting, actionable ideas.

To truly grasp the world, we need both a microscope and a telescope: the microscope to cherish the intricacies nearby, and the telescope to dream beyond the stars. Are you tuning in to both the minute and the vast?

Other people’s prescriptions for joy, success, connection, expression, anything at all, aren’t yours. You can trust what works for you. You can like what you like. You can move from your own center and let it guide you.

Listen to your longings and let them move you. They mean something.

Man is like an infinite spring coiled up in a small box, and that spring is trying to unfold itself. All struggles, individual or social, are the result of this attempt to unfold. When the struggle becomes a conscious effort, it is spiritual.

✦ Consistency is key with both workouts and the food you eat. Don't expect instant results, building the physique of your dreams takes years.

✦ Fitness doesn't have an on/off switch, it's a lifestyle, and this is a major mindset shift you must make.

✦ Hire a coach. You'll make more progress in 3-6 months than most make their entire life.

✦ Eat nutritious foods, not just to lose fat but to fuel your body and brain. You get out what you put in.

✦ Getting fit won't just improve your body. It'll improve all aspects of your life.

As a leader, you are the upper bound for how much anyone in your company will care. You need to do more, care more, attempt more than would seem reasonable. It will seem like overkill. But too much is the right amount.

Perhaps the reason why you have a hard time saying “no” to others, is because you don’t have a strong enough “yes” to say to yourself.

This newsletter is my creative outlet. When I’m not writing it, or working out, I help founders and their early teams bring clarity and structure to the chaos of building early-stage brands. If you’re a founder navigating GTM, you can lean more here.