Adam Ullrich

What were my biggest realizations?

1. Confirmation and Negativity biases seem to be largest mood constraints. Not dropping negative thoughts, and by extension negative people. Much progress has been made on this front, and still more to go.

2. Affirmations are guideposts for each week. A new thing to learn, a new subconscious directive. The key is keeping them reasonable and challenging enough to get a good result.

3. Habits, of body and mind must be worked together. Without one there is imbalance that effects my mood deeply.

4. Sleep is a necessity. The day changes with an extra hour of rest.

5. In certain circumstances, maintaining new and relatively delicate or "against the grain" habits is nearly impossible without compromise. The key is to set time constraint on when to return to the ideal versions of those habits.

What am I going to do more of this month? Less of?

1. More habits that are positive - exercise, breathwork, and writing

2. More time with positive people, less with negative people.

3. More garage work

4. More creative work

5. More focused time - reinforcing sacred hours

6. Less time being distracted

7. Less rumination

What am I excited about for the upcoming month?

1. Getting married this month

2. Writing more, reading more

3. Partially siding and completely roofing the garage

4. Time spent on personal and professional development courses

What patterns do identify?

• Negative self-talk coinciding with change - particularly large life changes.

• Time spent on professional development has gone up

• Time spent on personal development has gone down

• Garage work is a source of joy and stress

• Walks and hikes are a source of enjoyment and easy communication

What will I eliminate?

• Eliminate non serving habits

• Be honest about change and return to the present when negative self-talk arises

What will I double down on?

• Personal and professional development

• Coaching negative thoughts

• Time with family and friends (more hikes, focus on quality time)

• Garage work (siding, door installation, wiring)

Wins & Accomplishments For The Week

• Many instances of maintenance and home improvement this week. Swapped fiancés car battery, yard work, a bit of house work, and I have the framing for the roof complete for the garage! I’ve added 2 coats of water seal to protect the OSB floor from rain while I get the roof up.

• Started Morning Brew’s new manager boot camp. Amazing insight so far. I realized that I started in a difficult position and am doing quite well considering. I am a new manager, have inherited a team, and am building a new team, while building processes, adding new technologies, and changing a culture. Appreciate the recommendation to take this from my fellow Twitter friend and creator!

• Restarted evening light exercises and stretches - a necessity after the funny body positioning while building the garage frame. Amazing how much better postural exercises can make you feel. And in turn improve your thoughts as you improve your posture.

• My Birthday weekend - had steaks on the grill with some great sides courtesy of my best bud. Could not have asked for a better birthday meal!

• Did a bit of “adventurous” cooking using a recently gifted Ninja smoker grill. The wings turned out great!

• My fiance and I posed for a photo dressed like we were in the 1950’s - marketing for a local historical society’s yearly event. Upon reflection, I would not have done this a few years ago (avoidance of public notice) - now? Why not? Could be fun.

• Watched Harry Potter 5. I felt the parallels of my life when I first watched it and related to my younger self.

• Did 10 minutes of a LSSBB course. I am prepping myself for tackling this certification.

• With assistance, I now have a series of my blog posts transferred to my chosen platform of EZYCourse - this sets up the next stage of development of draft 4 of my journaling prompt guide eBook. I'm ready dig back in!

• Mistakes & Lessons Learned For The week

  • Overthinking about things outside of my control. Simple fix - talk about the sphere of influence and what is in and outside of control. Once at the forefront of the mind - it is no longer a problem.

• Habits

  • Breathwork 7/7

  • Exercise 5/7

  • Write 6/7

• Mood

  • Fatigue, and feeling a bit of fear. Then I got some deep rest and felt 100% better. Simple and known solutions for common (and repeated) problems.

• Gratitude

  • For my fiancé, my best bud, for peaceful moments of/in time, for those whom I share wonderful memories, my Twitter friends who have made in impact on me (larger they will ever know), for opportunities, and of course for supportive family - and opportunities to provide support.

Wins & Accomplishments For The Week

• Personal development - continued to work on educational courses.

• Picked up and delivered a door for my aunt and uncle's garage. This required 2 tries - the first was the wrong size door (doh!).

• Met with a fellow Shipper and Twitter friend - always inspired by these meetings. Looking forward to future conversations!

• Fiancé's Bridal Shower was this weekend. She had a great time! Set up, tear down, and a bit of chauffeuring.

• Participated in Alex Hormozi's Live Stream (and bought his new book). Interesting experience, he is a master of his craft. If you haven't check out his free courses on Acquisition.com

• Progress on Garage Roof: Making headway in constructing the primary roof for the garage.

• Took time out each day to prioritize some rest - much needed. Sometimes it is difficult to catch up - all the more important to prioritize it.

Habits

• Breathwork 6/7

• Exercise 7/7

• Write 6/7

Mood - Top Biases

• Confirmation Bias: In this case represented in a relatively positive light where things are accomplished despite difficulties - having the expectation to get things done regardless of circumstances confirms that I can.

• Self-Serving Bias: Again, mostly in a positive light, in this case downplaying negative factors and attributing more to positive factors. If I have a bit of self-serving bias, I would rather it lean positive!

• Negativity Bias: The counterbalance to the other two. Mentions of fatigue, and overcoming challenges despite it have still created a propensity to initially lean negative before reframing (using the above biases).

Gratitude

This weeks entries reflect a sense of gratitude for relationships, opportunities, personal growth, and moments of relaxation.

Wins & Accomplishments For The Week

1. Productive Conversations and Planning:

   • Work wins, new challenges, new struggles, and new lessons. Too many to mention in any detail, and I try to keep work as a limited part of my reflection - incredibly important, but not all defining of experiences week to week.

     • Completed the OSHA 10-hour course

   • Calculated some project costs and scope for next leg of garage and additional projects. Picked up additional lumber for that next step (2nd roof)

   • Checked in on family members and installed pond dock posts.

Mistakes & Lessons Learned For The Week

• Not enough rest resulting in a migraine. The signs were there to sleep more, but I ignored them for relatively unproductive additional work or entertainment hours and paid for it. Feeling of exhaustion setting in, sleep more.

• Projecting negative emotions. Coinciding with the the above. Probably the biggest indicator of a need for rest. Ironically opposite of the below optimism bias.

Habits

• Breathwork 7/7

• Exercise 2/4

• Write 5/7 (bullet points and catch up day FTW here)

Mood

Cognitive Biases: Optimism Bias, Confirmation Bias, Recovery Bias

2/3 I am happy with! Optimism bias is something I've long worked towards, and recovery bias is resiliency. Resiliency and optimism are a fantastic combination. Now, to focus on confirmation bias - or attachment to pre-existing beliefs and seeking to validate rather than challenge them ( I need to be challenging beliefs rather than seeking to validate).

Gratitude

Valuing relationships, appreciating positive aspects of work and home, and for well-being.

Wins & Accomplishments For The Week

• Fixing a car, one part of a 2 part repair went well. The other part...not so much. This became a win when I was forced to request help. The solution to the problem I couldn't overcome was simple - and reliant on experience. Humbling.

• Hiking with my partner and dogs on new trails added to a nearby park. Mountain bikers were riding nearby, it has inspired me to consider riding again.

• Used a chalk line to mark an OSB board for a long angled cut. Why have I not been using this until now?

• Monthly review written and later revised and posted.

• Bachelor party weekend! Simple fishing trip with a guide (first time). Had a great time, we all limited on fish - the largest was a 15.5lbs striped bass.

• Garage project has had marginal improvement. Planning for the next stages of the build - framing then roofing with metal. Had an uncomfortable realization that this project will run over the anticipated budget. The silver lining is that is quite an experience to learn from.

Habits

• Breathwork 6/8

• Writing 5/8

• Exercise 4/8

Mood

A busy week with little time for enjoyment until the weekend. It shows in the biases represented by my mood journaling entries. A bit of solitude, sleep and downtime seems to shift these quickly.

Top 3 Likely Cognitive Biases:

Confirmation Bias

Negativity Bias

Self-Criticism Bias

Wins & Accomplishments For The Week

• Garage: 75% of the framing is now done. 3 lumber runs to the store and a lot of sweat later, I have structure taking shape.

• More wedding prep. The final meeting with our photographers has been completed.

• Published a thread or essay each day this week for the July cohort of Ship 30

• Defining my audience, I am considering using the term Hybrid professionals as many of my audience can identify with pursuing multiple professions.

• Helped my sister with car troubles by replacing a wheel bearing. Performed this repair mostly in the dark with a flashlight - that made things interesting.

• Refined my game plan for continuing education. OSHA 10, a work-related course, a management course (considering MorningBrews), and the LSSBB.

• Hiking with dogs, visiting a farmers market, new couch assembly, and watching an old movie with my partner this weekend.

Mistakes & Lessons Learned For The Week

• Overdoing it with DIY - it is always worth asking for assistance on the heavy lifts!

Mood

• Positive outlook, (notes of positivity bias), tiredness and fatigue (confirmation bias of if then..I expect to be tired), and emotion and perspective reflection that has elements of self-serving bias.

  • Great nudges to further develop how I respond to my daily prompt: "What was/is my mood today, and why?"

Habits

• Breathwork 7/7

• Exercise 5/5

• Write 7/7

A bit late but pertinent for reflection nonetheless!

What were my biggest wins? What were my biggest realizations?

1. Spent meaningful time with my partner this month. We had difficult conversations and enjoyable adventures.

2. Finished draft 2 of my book and have since delayed starting draft 3. I now have a plan to get this started.

3. Met with several people virtually this month. All eye-opening conversations that I really enjoyed.

4. Many work wins. Using an AI notetaker for meetings has been a huge improvement.

5. Self-education - chipping away at 1 course and plans to dive into another.

6. Read several fun books as a destressing method - works well!

7. Wedding planning - we are nearly done with this part!

8. Garage is in the framing stage. 1 of 2 roof sections is up along with the first floor.

What am I going to do more of this month? Less of?

1. More time with others, self-education, garage work, ebook work, and personal writing.

2. Less entertainment, eating poorly, and not sleeping enough.

What am I excited about for the upcoming month?

1. Frame out the garage

2. Get draft 3 completed

3. Visit friends and family

80/20 Analysis June

Where am I feeling satisfied?

Beliefs

• In the power of weekly affirmations.

• Exercise, diet, and sleep are the keys to health.

• Spending time with people is important - as long as they don’t threaten your future. Which means distracting you from what is important to your path in the present.

• Camping - outdoors - is the key to the renewal of the body and mind

Where am I feeling dissatisfied?

Beliefs

• That failure indicates something negative about yourself.

• That others can influence how I feel.

• That I should not have to try hard to communicate effectively.

What will I double down on?

• Garage

• Time with my partner

• Draft 3 of the e-book

• Engagement

• Writing

Wins & Accomplishments For The Week

• Many work wins resulting from a series of new experiences. The top takeaways revealed personal weak points in knowledge and understanding that I am now planning to strengthen through education.

• Leaned on family to explore the options and reality of a difficult situation. While the intention is not to burden others with problems, there is an absolute need to discuss things that cause emotional disruption. In this case, I found the voice of wisdom that is removed from the problem and offers perspective. And just like that, what felt unmanageable became actionable.

• Made time to relax - very much needed. We went for a hike with our dogs, watched a movie, and generally made the time to de-stress.

Mistakes & Lessons Learned For The Week

• Relying on logic to avoid processing emotion. It is an easy out for what otherwise takes deep work and being uncomfortable. A recurring pattern with shorter and shorter loops - indicative of learning how to use both effectively.

Mood

Mood journaling may be the most revealing of cognitive biases. This week I noticed confirmation, negativity, and self-serving biases. In context, end-of-day journaling would likely lean towards the negative rather than the positive at the start (considering fatigue and daily challenges). Confirmation bias is all too easy to not notice (again a result of fatigue, I think). The most concerning and impactful to notice is self-serving bias. Indicating a wider view is necessary for the causality and results of events.

Habits

• Breathwork 4/6

• Exercise 5/5

• Writing 6/6

Wins & Accomplishments For The Week

• Garage work - floor joists are in and the lean to part of the roof is going up!

• Went swimming for the first time this year - a birthday party. Bought a gift for a 5-year-old cousin, puzzles, etch a sketch, a book, and some homemade popsicle molds. At least 2 of 4 were a hit!

• Had a breakfast date - impromptu - food to go and ate while watching the nearby river and the boats. Small moments of joy that led to great conversation.

• Grill out, a small gathering to discuss and work on wedding prep (Wedding preparations are coming along - my next quest is finding music...), swimming, and some reminiscing. Quite a full week and weekend!

Mistakes & Lessons Learned For The Week

• Did not get to my quarterly review - there is still time!

• Spending time talking with someone who I can't help and who will not help themselves. A massive drag on bandwidth and generally leaves me feeling negative. The solution is to choose not to engage.

Habits

• Breathwork 5/6

• Exercise 5/5

• Writing 6/5

• Cold Exposure 2/2

Wins & Accomplishments For The Week

• Planning for the eventual purchase of a multifamily property. I have a timeline, and some of the tools available, and am building the network needed to be successful. Many thanks to those helping me with this journey.

• Switched from Hypefury to Buffer for scheduling Tweets. I realized I did not need the advanced options on Hypefury and Buffer is free at the level I require. Easy switch.

• Had our 6-year anniversary! - Celebrated with a meal on the nearby river. So much progress, good memories, and overcome challenges have taken place in that time.

• Signed up for a GoLeanSixSigma subscription to earn my black belt. My list of things to learn has gotten very long - I will need to compartmentalize and get after it.

• Enlightening call with a fellow creator which led to another wonderful call through an introduction. It seems that creating and building in the digital space changes communication for the better. A willingness to take risks and be vulnerable in ways that are unlikely in person. Growth accelerators.

• Went hiking, and picked berries with our dogs this weekend. A great way to get out in nature and destress!

• The garage is in the framing stage! A big learning curve as I go along, but progress is now occurring rapidly.

Mistakes & Lessons Learned For The Week

• Preparation before new experiences is simple and makes a world of difference.

• Negativity was clouding my judgment leading to mild catastrophizing. A solid night's rest generally solves this.

Mood

• A range of emotions, from positive and motivated to tired, frustrated, and disengaged. Seeking balance.

Habits

• Breathwork 8/8

• Exercise 5/6

• Write 8/8

Gratitude

• Valuing relationships, personal growth, and the simple joys of life.

Wins & Accomplishments For The Week

• Work wins this week were varied and mostly focused on new forms of interactions, coming to terms with new expectations, and focusing on the tasks at hand without losing sight of the goals.

• Garage project phase 1 block and concrete work complete on schedule (a quarter 2 goal)! Laid 50+ blocks this week and poured the last concrete. Next up, framing. There is an art to mixing mortar and concrete just right. To build forms that will look good when removed. To laying block in a straight, even line.

• Got my wedding suit in - looks and fits great! Shout out to Studio Suits.

Mistakes & Lessons Learned For The Week

• Prioritizing sleep has not been on the top of my list while focusing on accomplishing tasks has. The end of this week (today) has shown me there is a point of diminishing returns. The problem is noticing it. It feels good to knock out projects. Slowing down is not something I want to do. I'll try to offset this with a bit more rest and improved nutrition.

Mood

• My journal entries reflect a mix of determination, frustration, and long-term focus.

Habits

• Breathwork 7/7

• Exercise 6/6

• Writing 7/7

Wins & Accomplishments For The Week

• Works win of all kinds. The more experiences the more interesting work becomes as I have more tools for solving problems. Our expertise can encourage interest.

• Spent time with my 2 nephews - 15 years apart. One helped me with outdoor projects and the other.. I was introduced to a show called Bom Bom. The younger one was hesitant at first as I don't see him quite so often, but I won him over by the 2nd evening!

• Much garage construction work was accomplished! Drainage is in - hand shoveled about 1 ton of gravel. Bought the framing boards - quite the experience carrying 16ft boards in a 7ft bed (even with a hitch extender).

• Had awesome feedback on my journal prompt guidebook - thank you to all who are supporting me in this. Excited and equally humbled by the feedback. Ready to get to work on draft 3.

• Went to a family pool party, went to a summer festival for my fiance's dad's Father's Day, a grad party, met my father for Father's Day, and called those who have been father figures - busy weekend.

• Passed on my first open bail fishing reel, a pole that was my grandfather's, and a tackle box to my older nephew. Sentimentality can be constraining, but it is also touching. To feel or hold a multigeneration item used for the same purpose is an experience each time when you consider it.

• Copper, our boxer/lab/greyhound turned 5!

Mistakes & Lessons Learned For The Week

• I need to enforce my personal rules - I make them because of experiences and lessons learned. To not enforce them is to relearn the same lesson.

Mood

• Overall, a mix of determination, self-awareness, and a desire for progress. Experiencing some moments of overwhelm and fatigue but remaining committed to my goals and recognizing the importance of balance and taking things step by step.

Habits

• Breathwork 6/7

• Exercise 5/7

• Writing 7/7

Gratitude

• Valuing meaningful relationships, personal growth, resilience, empathy, connection with nature, and embracing change.

Wins & Accomplishments For The Week

• Impromptu breakfast date. Grabbed some grub and visited a local overlook - great weekend morning!

• So much garage work! Sealed the wall, then later in the week made forms, poured concrete in the forms, and every other block core (28 bags), laid about 30 blocks, shoveled gravel, laid drainage pipe and sediment mesh. Whew! Busy week - I love watching it take shape.

• After engaging a bit more on Twitter, I've noticed the algorithm adjustments..are not great. I'll need to spend some time learning more.

• Found a connection between my 9-5 and writing. Narrative and storytelling as a framework for change.

• Read Cradle Book 12 - Loved this series.

• Had insight while doing breathwork. Mastery moves the world. The movers and shakers are masters at what they do. Simple but profound the longer you think of the implications - and the average life path vs the select few who come to mind.

• Took minutes for a work meeting - planning to use AI for this next time.

• Planned for future home and maintenance projects. The value in renting and leasing is huge considering the mental bandwidth and time savings. However, owning is an experience all by itself. I can't say I'd trade one for the other. Though it bears consideration.

Mistakes & Lessons Learned For The Week

Not wearing proper PPE during projects. Inconvenience is a minimal cost for health protection.

Mood

• A busy week leads to ups and downs in mood. Ultimately positive. Reflecting, guiding, and directing the negative.

Habits

• Exercise 4/4

• Write 8/8

• Breathwork 7/8

• Cold exposure 1

Gratitude

• Grateful for positive challenges, neighbors, location, opportunities to come to terms with experiences, and acceptance of reality.

Wins & Accomplishments For The Week

• Prepared for our upcoming wedding, made reservations, bought a suit, and made plans. Time is flying by until the date!

• Went camping for one night. We made smores, hot dogs, eggs, and coffee in the morning. Slept in the open air when it got dark and woke up when it got light. Our dogs ran through the creek while I attempted a bit of fly fishing (moderate success! 1 fish).

• I finished draft 2 of my book. Next, I need to build the covers and implement feedback.

• Laid concrete block for my garage. Sealed the blocks that will be abutting dirt.

• Watched the movie Hot Fuzz again (one of my favorites). An underrated movie to be sure!

• Work wins were numerous this week. Many new learning opportunities.

Mistakes & Lessons Learned For The Week

• Not enough water or protein. Lower energy.

• Not consistently prioritizing sleep.

• With new work opportunities come inevitable mistakes and lessons. Some were easier than others. All will be beneficial in the long run.

Mood

• Fluctuating based on meeting personal and professional goals, navigating challenging experiences, and seeking a balance between it all. Typically a day of being "off" is followed by a day of learning from the previous. It is tiring - though a strong sign of rapid learning.

Habits

• Writing 6/6

• Breathwork 5/6

• Exercise 1/2

Gratitude

• Grateful for my relationships, experiences, nature, and personal growth. Valuing the support and presence of loved ones, appreciating my surroundings, and striving for personal and professional growth.

A bit of a recap from the weekly review. This bodes well for goals and journaling progress as it shows consistent actions to meet quarterly goals.

Monthly Wins and Realizations

• Traveled to a new country - the UK! Loved the experience. Surprised by the similarity of culture between the US and the UK. The difference I felt feels like it comes from age - the UK has had hundreds of years more to mature as a society. Which I believe is the source of the largest differences.

• It is a difficult thing to maintain habits in the face of changing circumstances. The same can be said for meeting goals. Having core habits, and core goals, makes it possible to progress amidst change.

• Draft 1 is completed and draft 2 is in the works this month for my journaling prompt guidebook. The process has taken longer than I anticipated - mostly because of bandwidth issues. Which can be summed up as scattered focus.

• I'm on track with my goal to complete the concrete block work part of my garage by the end of the 2nd quarter. Building something you get to use and experience for years is a compounding experience.

Most Satisfied

• Places: The UK, and later home upon returning.

• Habits: Breathwork, and writing as core habits with exercise becoming one (again)

• Beliefs: Belief in the self overcomes most, if not all of life's obstacles. Because our perspective makes our reality.

Least Satisfied

• Habits: Sleep and exercise volume.

• Beliefs: That anxiety is a valid reason to not accomplish what I want to accomplish.

Patterns Identified

• Anxiety is a driver of poor habits, and some level of fear is a driver of life decisions.

• Consistency over time in conjunction with goal setting gets results.

• Self-belief conquers fear, anxiety, and inaction.

• People are a constant source of growth.

Doubling Down

• On habit maintenance and goal focus.

• Maintaining boundaries.

• Cultivating self-belief.

• Meeting new people.

Wins & Realizations

• Spoke to many friends and family members about recent travels. I think a significant part of traveling is the stories we get to tell after experiencing novelty. 

• Draft 2 of my journaling prompt guidebook is in the works and 65% complete!

• Bought my wedding tux (custom Tweed)!

• Thank you letters are a life hack.

• Stood outside and enjoyed the weather.

• Met targets at work!

• Watched a comedy show by Bert Kreischer. One joke caused us to laugh for 3 or 4 minutes straight!

• Missed a chance to show my appreciation for someone, reflected on it, and endeavored to make up for it the next we meet. The next day the opportunity arose and just as planned I was able to express (simple handshake and engaged discussion) my appreciation for them. Synchronicity and manifesting thoughts at work.

• Worked on my garage - I plan to complete the blockwork by the end of June! 

• Spent a lot of time with family during the holiday weekend. Volunteered for Memorial Day service, and motored around on my 800 Drifter to get from place to place. 

Mistakes & Lessons

• Allowing things outside of my control to affect my mood. It never helps anything to dwell on what cannot be changed. What helps is to focus on changing ourselves - adapting.

Habits

• Breathwork: 8/8

• Exercise: 4/4

• Write: 8/8