A short Heroic +1 episode by Brian Johnson (recorded Oct 13, 2024) that highlights the importance of mastering fundamentals for long-term health and performance. Brian draws on quotes from Peter Attia's book Outlive (Desmond Tutu: '...stop just pulling people out of the river...'; JFK: 'The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining'; Sir John Templeton: '...impossible to produce superior performance unless you do something different...') and challenges listeners to identify one common habit they can change today to pursue superior performance and better health.
Chapters
Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another heroic one. And at last plus one. We talked about the process I followed to create over 700 philosopher's notes over the last 15 years. Time flies when you're having fun. As I chip away at my big goal of a thousand notes, as you may recall, I highlighted some of the quotes that will make it into my notes. On Peter Attia's great book on the art and science of longevity called Outlive, I emphasized a quote by Thomas Kempis. He once said, the loftier the building, the deeper the foundation must be laid. Then I challenged you to dominate your fundamentals just a little more today as I reminded you that greatness is all about consistency on the fundamentals. Don't forget wooden socks in McRaven's bed as well. Today I want to soak our souls in a few more quotes from that great book. You know how a lot or most books have great quotes that precede each chapter? Here are a few of my favorites from Outlive. The very first quote in the book is from Bishop Desmond Tutu. He tells us, there comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they're falling in. Attia put that before the very first chapter in the book, in which he respectfully criticized the fact that modern medicine is way too focused on treating symptoms of chronic disease and not focused enough on the systemic causes of those symptoms. Again, there comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they're falling in. In another early chapter, Attia quotes John F. Kennedy, who told us, the time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining. In other words, don't wait until you have a chronic disease to optimize your health. Start now. Then he quotes Sir John Templeton, who told us, it is impossible to produce superior performance unless you do something different from the majority. And that's what I want to focus on for today's one. You want to break free from the tyranny of poor health and chronic disease that is becoming more and more normal. All caps do something different than the majority. Let's get specific. What's the number one thing you know you could be doing a little differently? Yes, perhaps. Nearly everyone you know does this thing and it seems to be okay, but you know it isn't optimal. Even if everyone does it, what is it? And is today the day to do things differently, to create the superior performance you want? Then of course, inspire those around you to consider doing the same. Awesome. Let's go, hero.
