Aerial View:

• Intro thoughts

• Mindful Minute: What does it mean to be a man to you?

• Conscious Consumer: Clean Kitchen Nutrition

• Quote of the day

• 3 key questions to reflect on

What’s up men, welcome back. If you haven’t noticed, I’ve cut the frequency of these back to every other week. It feels more aligned with my schedule and mental capacity at the moment, so I’m leaning into that. Intuition guides the way- always.

October and the beginning of November were pretty chaotic, and I definitely burnt out once or twice. Over stimulated, too much bluelight exposure, not enough time outside, that type of thing. I opted to tap back into work-horse mode in preparation for a strong Q4 close and holiday/cyber season push, and while I’m glad I did, I definitely felt the brunt of that go-go-go mentality that I haven’t been in as much lately. Anyways, 95% of the prep work is done, and we’re geared up to crush our goals in the next 7 weeks. I am fired up, and grateful to be in a position where this is where I am channeling my focus and energy.

Mindful Minute - What does it mean to be a man to you?

Today, I want to share a journal entry I wrote in early 2023 that I am just now revisiting to reflect on. I believe all men should take the time to deliberately write up their own response to this prompt at some point.

Prompt: “What does being a man mean to me?”

Why do I think this is important to have clarity on? So we can lead our lives according to our own terms. Society dictates a million different meanings for what it means to be a man, but there is only one meaning that matters: your own. Without taking some time to deliberately define it for yourself, you’re playing a guessing game and allowing room for ambiguity & internal misalignment.

But why am I outwardly sharing my own? Because the point of this newsletter is to share my truth- the principals and motives that drive me. I realized that most people out there really only know me through the lens of the business I’m building. I know for some, it will never go past that, and that’s fine. But I want this newsletter to be about the MAN behind the brand, to foster connection between my humanity and my output (projects) as to shine light on the depth of those projects.

Here we go.

“01/08/23- I think there are personal pillars each individual has in their own criteria for what it means to them to be a man. As of today, here are what I believe to be my pillars:

• Integrity above all else
  

• Disciplined, unshakeable resolve, relentless drive (not passion)
  

• Extreme accountability & ownership across all fronts

• Physical fitness- testing oneself, always evolving, finding out how far you can push your body & taking care of your physique, brain, and heart
  

• Control- always striving to be in/under control (NOT controlling) ie. not binging or excessive gluttony 
  

• Nourishment- fuel yourself to be the best of your ability. This give you your best chance of optimal output/performance
  

• Long term sight trumps short term desires (unshakeable pursuit)
  

• In touch with the feminine side- arts, poetry, music, creative expression, and uses it strategically 
  

• Led by emotion, but acts according to logic (Responds versus reacts)
  

• Considers repercussions of all actions on self & others (present & future)
  

• Thinks for himself, does not blindly adapt or let others influence him 
  

• Is physically capable to protect himself & his family
  

• Is mentally capable to handle crisis
  

• Leads by action, not words
  

• Can admit when he’s wrong
  

• Always seeking improvement & further learning
  

• Massive self reliance

As of today, I’d add the following: 

• Embraces hard decisions, doesn’t retreat from them
  

• Embraces hard conversations, as they lead to progress. No passive approach
  

• Takes steps despite fear
  

• Trusts each step made with minimal second guessing/doubt once taken
  

• Authentically loves to the best of his ability- in any ways known 
  

• Knows when to ask for help, and actually asks
  

• Ruthlessly helps others with no expectations- brings others up
  

For me, this will continue to evolve over time. I don’t know what I don’t know, and there is so much more to learn. I will revisit this again within the next year or two, and look forward to adding/revising and sharing with you guys.

I challenge you to take some time to write this out for yourself. I think it will bring you a new level of clarity around a topic you may not even realize plays a significant role in solidifying your mental footing. 

Conscious Consumer

A little different than previous product/brand spotlights, today, I want to highlight my buddy Kyle’s Instagram page. Nutrition plays a HUGE role in building healthy minds and bodies. Making healthy decisions can be tough in 2024 with the surplus of choices, especially with the clever marketing tactics of big CPG brands claiming to be healthy. Kyle puts out educational content that helps you navigate the grocery store and see through the BS to make sure you’re buying and eating top tier products that are delicious and actually ideal for your health. Give him a follow, I promise you it’s a good move. I don’t call him the king of the grocery store for nothing.

Quote of the week

Write your own definition. Live it. Simple. From the OG Stoic himself.

Rise and Reflect - 3 Questions to Inspire Impactful Action and Critical Reflection

1. What 5 values are most important to me in my definition of being a man?

2. How does my definition of being a man differ from the traditional norms instilled in our society?

3. Am I living my life by example within my pillars of being a man? How can I live my life closer to that definition?

My Ask of You

If you found value in this newsletter, I ask that you please share it with others:

• Forward it: Send this email to friends, family, and/or others.

• Talk about it: Share your thoughts on social media using #MindfulMan

• Invite others: Encourage those around you to subscribe here and join our community.

As leaders, it's our duty to help others. If you found this newsletter helpful, share it with someone who it may help. Change starts here, together.

Thank you for being here.

Sails up, eyes open.

Until next time,
Dan Baird