The 14 best comments on Two Percent
Wisdom from the Two Percent community. I.e., You.
Post Summary
We’re starting a new quarterly post where we round up the top community comments on Two Percents posts.
Magic happens in the comments, where additional information, insight, and inspiration comes to light. It can help us all live better, think differently, and more.
I’ll highlight some of the best comments and give some extra thoughts/information you can use.
We’ll cover:
How to be self-reliant and find your path in life.
How to balance saving for retirement and living well now.
How to stay active after a running injury and the benefits of cross-training.
Rucking weights and the “low and slow” fitness method (plus a really dumb but useful equation around that method).
The truth about fear.
A great portable exercise tool.
How to use a fitness tracker better.
Dog-friendly travel.
Nutrition for long rucks.
A powerful comment on weight loss and gain.
How to put on muscle and avoid fat gain.
Benefits of the Tsimane Diet.
The value of experimenting on yourself and what conditions are best for experimentation.
How to fail, get back up, and kick ass.
Housekeeping
Full access to this post is for Members of Two Percent. Become a Member. You’ll get all Two Percent posts, their podcasts, and access to our wisdom-filled comments section.
The new Two Percent Dad/Mom Hat is out. It’s the perfect lid for manning grills, mowing lawns, wrangling kids, and staging violent coups against the HOA.
Audio/podcast version
The Post
I love our comment sections. They’re the heart of Two Percent—the place where the community gathers to weigh in, exchange ideas, and help each other.
I recently spent some time reading the comments from the past three months and … DANG. You all are cool as hell. We have a wonderful group of humans making each other better here.
So I thought it would be fun and informative to round up some of the best comments on Two Percent posts and run them with some commentary. I plan to do these posts every three months.
There isn’t a singular theme to these comments.
Some are inspiring.
Some are informative.
Some ask wise questions that I answer.
Two Notes:
I’ve lightly edited and shortened some of these comments for the sake of brevity.
This post is long. Skim it and look for topics that interest you. Then dive in.
Top Two Percent comments: June-August 2024
1. On finding your path in life
From: How to Love Your Job
Commenter: Matt Pecic
The comment:
At my daughter’s recent graduation ceremony from high school, her principal spoke to the graduates about what’s next for them (careers, college, military service, etc.) and referenced The Comfort Crisis (and talked about being a Two Percenter!) and the value of being uncomfortable.
Afterwards, as a family we talked about the joy, the excitement, and the adventure of the journey ahead of her.
I explained to her that I know very few people whose career or life turned out as they envisioned as an 18-year-old. For most, our paths took unexpected turns that led to unforeseen jobs and destinations. The path ahead is wild and unpredictable. And while that may seem a bit scary, it is also beautiful.
I hope she falls into that 51% of extremely satisfied with their jobs. And if not, I hope she has the awareness, the ability, and the courage to change her situation or to pivot into another career.
This was followed by a comment from Matt Feldman, who wrote:
When I speak to individuals who are considering starting new consulting practices (i.e. chasing job happiness), I reference Jim Collins and the Hedgehog Concept. You need to connect a niche around (1) what you like with (2) what you are good at and (3) where there’s opportunity (often in the form of money). And don’t stray from that niche.
Michael’s thoughts
That tracks with me. When I was a professor, very few of my students got jobs in what they majored in.
Take me: in college I planned to be an oil executive! And yet I took the most fiscally irresponsible turn ever and became a “writer,” which, fun fact: when I tell people I’m just meeting I’m a writer, 98 percent of them think that means I live in a van down by the river. Of course, I should only be so lucky.
Maybe life as an oil baron would have been great. Who knows. Either way, I love what I do—humans have an incredible ability to look back on the past and believe things worked out “as they should” and not want to change anything about our lives.
Regarding Matt’s three points in the hedgehog concept, I’ve found the more I connect 1 and 2 (what I like and what I’m decent at), the more 3 becomes irrelevant to me.
For me, finding the right path made the financial figures something of a moot point.
I love what I do so much that, as long as I can cover my expenses and buy my dogs Rolexes (kidding), I don’t care so much about the number in my bank account. That wasn’t always true when I had a job I didn’t love.
I’ll admit it took me awhile to find this position. There were a lot of fits and starts. Opportunities that turned out to not be a good fit. But by being willing to take a few risks and focus on 1 and 2 on the journey, I found my sweet spot. For now, at least. The journey ain’t over.
2. On balancing saving for retirement and living well now
From: How to Love Your Job
Commenter: Ray Watford
The comment:
The notion that life will automatically improve upon reaching retirement or some other event is a gamble many take, often to the detriment of their present well-being. The reality is that the future is uncertain, and postponing happiness or fulfillment until an arbitrary milestone can lead to missed opportunities for joy and satisfaction in the present. Striking a balance is indeed crucial—it's important to plan and prepare for the future, but not at the expense of the life we are living now.
Living with intention and making choices that bring fulfillment and happiness today can lead to a more satisfying life overall. Instead of "slaving away" for a distant promise of a better tomorrow, it's valuable to find ways to enjoy the journey, nurture relationships, pursue passions, and take care of one's health and well-being now. This approach not only makes life richer and more enjoyable in the present but also fosters a sense of contentment and resilience that can carry into the future, regardless of what it holds.