A few years ago, I learned about a rather controversial experiment involving a colony of mice, and the more I read into it, the more familiar it sounded. Not because I’d ever run an experiment on mice, but the conditions, patterns, and outcomes of the experiment looked eerily similar to what I’d seen and knew about the hood. The experiment was called Universe 25. It was designed to create paradise for mice—a world with unlimited food, unlimited water, no predators, and plenty of space....
19 days ago • 3 min read
You don't remember the most important thing about yourself. And I'm not talking about your first kiss, where you grew up, or who your best friend is. That stuff is kind of important and is a part of you, but it’s not what makes you who you are. Those are the things you’ve done. I'm talking about the things that happened to you that you can’t remember, because your mind decided you couldn't handle them. So those things got buried so deep that you don't even know they're missing. Here's the...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Gen Z stopped drinking, and it’s cost alcohol companies almost $830 billion dollars in the past 5 years. But that’s not even the biggest story. The bigger story is how this has fundamentally changed society and how it will topple the college scam market, possibly even faster than AI and the student loan crisis. Fewer people are drinking alcohol than ever before. Now, I personally have been sober since December 23rd, 2013—almost 13 years—so my feelings on the matter should be obvious. However,...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Most people who grow up in traumatic childhoods don’t make it.Addiction, prison, poverty, broken relationships — the statistics are brutal. But there’s something interesting about the people who do survive it. There are a lot of bad outcomes for people who go through traumatic childhoods. This should come as no surprise, but children who endure abuse, suffer through neglect, and spend their formative years surrounded by drugs, poverty, and violence don’t have the best adult lives. I’ve...
4 months ago • 3 min read
Writing is like any other business:It doesn’t matter how good your product is if you don’t have a way to get it in front of customers. Your idea will fail to launch and fail to impact lives. That said, no amount of marketing or sales can save a terrible product.So while writing the book might be the easiest part, it’s also—by far—the most important. That’s because good writing is good marketing. If it’s well-written, people will talk about the book. They’ll recommend it. Word of mouth will...
12 months ago • 3 min read
Forgiving myself has been the most challenging thing I've done. I'm not sure I've done it, but I try every day. As of the writing of these words, I've got 12 years of sobriety. This isn't enough time to forgive myself, as I still feel guilty for my behavior under the influence and beyond. But each day is a new one I approach with humility and gratitude for my luck and second chances. The main idea I remember when forgiving myself is that the past isn't real. Understanding this concept is...
about 1 year ago • 5 min read
Before we get into today's newsletter, here are some announcements and updates. We're not one week out from my return to the ring after 8 years off. July 12th, I fight here in my city at the Highmark Stadium. I feel fortunate that I'm able to fight on this card in the heart of the city. The card is not broadcast or streamed. I know my email list spans the entire world, but I also know there are some people in the Pittsburgh area where I live. If you want to come down and enjoy a great night...
about 1 year ago • 5 min read
You keep getting scammed for three reasons—and none of them have anything to do with how smart you are, how much experience you have, or even whether you’ve got street smarts. Now, don’t get me wrong—lack of street smarts definitely makes you an easier target. But hustling follows a different law. It’s the same rule that determines who survives anything summed up nicely in the quote, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives, but the one...
about 1 year ago • 12 min read
Before we get into today's newsletter, I want to let you know that Zero-Edit YouTube is open for enrollment for the rest of the weekend. It's the 7-lesson course on my tactics for quickly making YouTube videos, growing my email list (welcome to all who joined), and making money. It's only open until midnight on Sunday because of a collaboration I'm running. Check it out here if interested. Being street smart is held up as the holy grail of intelligence and people skills. These days, it’s...
about 1 year ago • 14 min read
