Cognizant Incognizance

If you're a big Fall person, you have to be excited about the way the season is starting; satisfying stillness is already in the air, and the beating sun and constant rumble of summer parties are both dying down. Life moves slower this time of year as the winds of change begin to blow, and it's the perfect time to re-focus yourself on the task at hand. Let's go!

Humility is the act of tempering your self-importance and modestly acknowledging your talents or knowledge. It's a rare gift that can only be taught; never given or acquired. Humble pie is a dish best served cold, with a side of "slow your role" and a tall glass of "do better." I had a big helping of humble pie this weekend, and my feet are still wishing I hadn't cut such a big slice. What's for dessert in your world?

Pessimism, optimism, and realism are the three most common ways of viewing the world. Your outlook on life is generally reflected in the decisions you make; conservative investing might be an indicator of a pessimistic (or less optimistic) thinker, whereas outrageous projections in the stock market might signal that you're an optimist. Tonight, in honor of the beginning of the NFL season, I'm examining the pros and cons of the three worldviews as they relate to life AND to fantasy football! Enjoy!

Successful people share one thing, without question: goals. They're all working towards something. The path to success is lined with distractions, and none are more potent than your mindset. While you're working, others will be out having fun. While you're trying to decompress and refocus, other people are getting ahead of you. This week, I'm joined by my good friend Kyle Crawford, for a solid hour discussion on priorities, the fine line between survival and extravagance, and much, much more. Enjoy!

Take out the garbage. Clean the gutters. Decorate the house for the holidays. Stay late at work so you get the big promotion. What do these things have in common? They're all "small" stuff! We tell ourselves these are our top priority instead of what's truly important; our mental health, our physical health, and our families. Giving the "small" stuff all our attention stresses us out and devalues the "big" stuff, and that's what should truly stress us out.

Tell me if you've been here before: have something important to do, and you're a little anxious about it. Not only do you want things to go as planned, you NEED them to go as planned. Everything has to be perfect and so you spend an obsessive amount of time mapping out the variables and possible outcomes. Then, before you know it, 3 hours have gone by and you haven't even started.   Sound familiar? I thought so! Whether you know it (or acknowledge it) or not, the pursuit of perfection just forced you to procrastinate. And now you're under the gun to get that thing done (or worse). Simple solution to the problem: next time just do the thing

Happiness and joy are peculiar concepts. They seem temporary or elusive in our daily lives. Instead of waiting for happiness to come to us, and falling into despair when it doesn't, why not look for it in all that we do? Countless moments happen in life that aren't smile-worthy, and some might even be downright depressing, but you're alive to experience them! True joy, unbridled and incomparable satisfaction, can be found in almost anything when your perspective is corrected. Fix it today, and persevere!

Ambition...progress....hopelessness....one of these things is not like the others, am I right!? ***(Hint hint, they're more related than you might think, and I've got the perfect story to prove it!)*** Tonight I'll also be sharing an update on my progress in The Daily Stoic Challenge (no spoilers), a quick book recommendation, and some exciting news for anyone who fancies themselves an amateur chef like me. P.S. The image is unrelated but it's a frog sitting on a car windshield. You're welcome.

When was the last time you ate something adventurous? Took a different route to work? Changed your problem-solving approach? The answer for most of us is probably, "never," or "I don't know," or "why would I?" Humans are so used to their routines that we often forget how to connect with the world around us. Anything that isn't how we've "always done things" is scary and foreign. Imagine how much of life we're missing! This week I'm serving up a prescription for changing your perspective. Let's get heterodox!   Oh yeah, and you can check out the article I keep referencing here:

Short and sweet this week: hopefully everyone had a great Fourth of July on Thursday and spent some time with their loved ones! Monday is right around the corner, so you know what that means; rise & shine people! There's much to be done, and you can't get ahead of you're laying in bed. Shoutout to my friend Chris Blide for the new artwork, too! You can find him on Instagram @cblidecre8s and he's always posting samples of his work. Anyone looking for professional graphic design work, Chris is your guy!

Comin' in hot after a three-week hiatus, people! I've said it before and I'll say it again: relationships are HARD in all their forms (personal, professional, and otherwise). They all need focus, commitment, and energy to stay healthy and survive. When one or more of those pieces is missing, well...I don't think I need to tell you what's on the horizon. That might sound a bit harsh...BUT WAIT! What if....and bear with me here....what if you could take two proven business management concepts, change the keywords to add a human element, and finally crack the "longevity" code!?

If you go to a nutritionist for help with a diet, the first thing they'll likely do is ask you to record what you're eating now and examine it with you. Any diet that's geared towards weight loss (probably) requires you to cut out "empty" calories i.e. processed food that doesn't actually provide nourishment. Anything that you might eat just for the sake of eating it. The same concept applies to every other aspect of life! Nourish yourself with meaningful work and stimulating conversation, and stop eating emotional PopTarts (no offense intended, Kellogg's)!

The act of introspection can either be a blessing or a curse. Once you dive down the rabbit hole, the outcome depends entirely on what you're doing with the information you gather. What do you do when you uncover something you don't like about yourself? Something regrettable you said? A disgusting habit? You have two choices: embrace reality and be blessed with the chance to change, or turn a blind eye and extend the curse of inaction. The choice is yours and today is the day to make it....what will you choose!?

The Chain Method!? No, I'm not talking about Fleetwood Mac. Human gene editing!? Yes, it's exactly as terrifying as it sounds. The world has an important decision to make: will our future be Utopian or Dystopian? Through "right action" and re-orientation the obvious answer is easily attainable. Make good decisions, build on your momentum, and before you know it you'll be rolling in positivity. Once you create, you should never break the chain!

When you feel yourself moving in the wrong direction, what's the first thing you do? If you're driving on an icy road conventional wisdom says you should "steer into the skid," but what about when it's your life's path that runs off-course? Uncharted territory is always a scary place to be at first, but every second you spend paralyzed is another second lost. So go on, what're you waiting for? Re-orient yourself and get back on track!

New month, new Daily Stoic theme, new focus! Have you ever felt like no matter what you do, you can't break your slump? Stuck in your old ways and not sure how to change? Unable to reconcile your past and present? Yeah, we've all been there...but sometimes the easiest way to move a mountain is to dig deeper!

This week I'm talking about altruism (what it actually is, what people think it is, and why they're wrong) and the importance of having the courage to admit when you've made a mistake. Both hit home for me personally and I'm happy to share a little bit about my experience with you, as always! One more thing: check out my website at www.cogincog.com for a centralized view at all my content! 

Welcome back! This week, is my final announcement, and we're just around the corner from "Cognizant Incognizance-as usual" my friends! I've got some choice words this week about the subjective nature of language, the importance of tone, and the equal (if not greater) importance of controlling your opinions when looking at the world. Word to the wise: more big things on the way so stay tuned! 

Welcome back! I have update 5/6 for you this week and trust me, this will all be over soon (my "announcement series" that is, I'm not going anywhere). I'm continuing with April's theme of "unbiased thought" and this week the focus is on the harmful distraction of judgment, and why it's important to know the difference between observing and perceiving. Enjoy!

Welcome back for another episode of Cognizant Incognizance! This week I've got another announcement for you and a new Daily Stoic theme to discuss; welcome to April AKA the month of Unbiased Thought. Tune in on your favorite outlet and I'll share some thoughts on Gym Class Heroes (not the band), how you're missing out on opportunities to win and making yourself lose, and one of the areas where I suck at taking my own advice. Enjoy!

Welcome back for the third installment in my announcement series! I've finally got the new equipment set up, so let me know what you think of the sound. More improvements are on the way; for the podcast, for myself, and hopefully for you. This is the last post for March and the Awareness theme, so stay frosty people. Enjoy! 

Welcome back for Part 2 of my Announcement Series. I'll share what I've been working on over the past week and a little preview of what I'm working on for next week, too. I think you'll really like what I've got in store for you over the next few weeks, and pretty soon here I'll be kicking this thing into overdrive. For now, we'll stick to our regularly scheduled programming with classic readings from the Daily Stoic and a little bit of the ole "me talking about me" to which you've become accustomed. Enjoy!

My journey is about to take a turn for the better! I'll have more details and updates in the coming weeks but for now I'll leave you with two words: Master Class That's right! And although this week was busy yet unproductive for me, which is why I'm just now getting to record this at midnight on a Friday, it's already almost a new week again. So no sense in dwelling on the past. Onward!

What's up people!? Just a heads up, I watched the mainstream news media for the first time in a while today and, without fail, it was wildly frustrating. My take on Michael Cohen, a slightly botched Thomas Hobbes quote, and the details of my minor existential crisis lie ahead. Enjoy!

What's up guys!? I'm working on this on a Wednesday yet again, that's really been my sweet spot lately. This week, I'll talk about two other podcasts (I bet you can guess one of them) and two thought experiments I engaged in as a result of listening. We're also piggy-backing on last week's Daily Stoic entry; is momentary pleasure worth it? Enjoy!

What's up guys!? This week we're doing a Valentine's Day episode (for obvious reasons). I'll share some thoughts on the essence of February 14th, what I'm doing for it, and as always today's entry from The Daily Stoic. Enjoy!

What's up people!? I'm keeping it short and sweet this week (mostly because I'm exhausted) but I'll be damned if I don't talk about the Super Bowl. That, Groundhog Day, impulse control, and roller-coasters. Enjoy people!

What's up guys!? The year of January is FINALLY over! It was a month filled with terrible presidential candidates, polar vortexes, and professional disappointments. I kept it short and sweet this week; just like the month of February. We've got a new theme this month and we only have 28 days to internalize it. Enjoy!

What's up people!? This week I welcome a special guest and, as I'm sure you've guessed by the length of the episode, we had a severely engaging conversation. Strap yourself in for a wild ride that starts with auditory and emotional pattern recognition, meanders through cerebral hemispheres, and ends with conspiracy theories about The Beatles and Greg Kinnear (among other things). Enjoy!

What's up people!? Late nights at the end of the week are becoming my sweet spot lately. This week I'll detail how I "effectively" coped with a surprise power outage, share the importance of perspective, and outline my theory on the existence of possibly the evilest villain in literary history. Enjoy!

What's up guys, guess what time of the week it is!? That's right, time for me to blab into a microphone for a half hour! This week I'll be blabbing about the results of a personality test I took recently (yes, I know, they're essentially all the same test with different phrasing) and how I plan to use the results, instead of just closing the tab and searching YouTube. Enjoy!   P.S. check out my buddy Teets on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/darrick-teeter

What's up people!? Welcome to 2019, I hope you're ready for the best year of life thus far. I feel like I barely made it out of 2018 with all my limbs attached, but it was one hell of a ride as per usual. Tonight I'll be giving you my personal "Year in Review" for 2018 and set some lofty goals for 2019 and beyond. Enjoy!

What's up people!? This week my good friend Joe Graham joins me, and we've got something on the brain: cults! The who, what, where, how, and why. Religious cults, professional cults, societal cults, and corporate ones. And, if you stick around long enough, we'll share some details about the best cult of them all; OURS! Enjoy folks!

What's up guys!? Back again for another week of personal exploration. Phrases that irk me for some reason and the power of negative energy lie ahead, and I went a little Joe Rogan-heavy in the middle. I could have gone on for another hour about that, but we'll save the meat on that plate for another time. Tune in next week to hear about some of the tech predictions I've been reading up on, and I'll give you one of my own, too. But for now, enjoy!

Here we are again, back on the proverbial horse! We have a guest in the house this week; one of my oldest friends, the great and powerful Kyle Crawford. Dissecting transformative habits, defeating self-sabotage, and the surprising correlation between death and ambition all lie ahead. Enjoy!

The moment you've all been waiting to ignore has arrived...Episode 10! This week I break down a psychological study based on two types of happiness, weigh the benefits of giving v. receiving compliments, and dive into the new Daily Stoic theme for November. Oh yeah, and I hate fantasy football. Enjoy!

What's up people!? We've got a real mixed bag this week, and a Thursday edition to go along with it thanks to technical difficulties. Holiday "hangovers," real hangovers, delicious beer, and the fickle nature of free will are all on tap tonight. Enjoy!

What's up guys!? We're leading up to Thanksgiving on Thursday and its sure to be a great finish to the week. Tonight I touch on the importance of food and family, indulge in a brief exploration of the emotional side of our brains, and share how you can stop being afraid of dogs. As always, lets see if next week's is any better than this one (no promises).

This week, I touch on the concepts of perseverance, duty, affirmations, and washing your bed sheets. I could have made this an hour long episode but I'd just be recording myself watching Netflix at that point. So instead, I cut it short to spare you the boredom, and I'll focus on making next week's better than this one.

And now, back to your regularly scheduled programming! I missed an episode last week (not that anybody noticed). Unless you're ready for more rambling, 10 more cents, and a new theme for the month, I suggest you tune out. If you're ready then just a warning: I promise next week will be better than this one.

Here we are once again folks! The latest installment of everyone's least favorite show featuring me, the world's worst podcaster. We have a special guest this week: my friend and co-worker Sean. We talk about Toastmasters, Julius Caesar, and not complaining about the hand you're dealt. The cards are great this week, so all I can try to do is make next week's a little bit better than this one.

Better late than never, am I right!? Here we are again, but on a Thursday this time. It's a quick episode tonight but it's an episode nonetheless. shout out to honest friends, fall weather, and my favorite baseball team.This edition is mediocre at best, which is fine by me. My only goal is to make next week better than this one.

This week, I've invited my good friend Joey Graham along for the ride. Join us as we ramble incessantly about chameleons, social media identities, useless college degrees, and interpersonal relationships. They say ''the third time's the charm,'' but I'm not too focused on that right now. My only goal is to make next week's better than this one.

The second installment of my journey and the first one of October; no background music this time. Please pardon me while I perfect that part. Still just me rambling into the microphone about nonsense. Next week, I'll have my good friend in attendance to talk about interpersonal relationships, social media personalities, and chameleons. Let me know what you think! My only goal is to make next week better than this one.

The inaugural session of me sitting in my room and assessing my weekly progress through the journey called life. Its short, sweet, and to-the-point. And also not very good. Guests, engaging topics, and better production quality to follow on a weekly basis. My only goal is to make next week's better than this one.