ABB:Ed A Bit Better Every Day
A Bit Better Every Day
Being a good man is a direction, not a destination.
It doesn’t mean being the nice guy. It means getting a bit better at the things that actually matter. For me, that’s being courageous, wise, kind, and funny. Whatever you’re working towards, get Field Notes in your inbox.
What it is
It meets you where you are.
ABB:Ed won’t hand you a programme. It’s a direction for men who want to get better. People often say “oh, he’s a good guy” but rarely explain what that means. The working-out, week to week, happens in Field Notes.
Why these four
Why these four, and not a longer list.
Plenty of words could go on a list like this. These four make the cut because they all point at the same thing: what actually matters. Wisdom is knowing what matters. Courage is protecting it. Kindness is how you treat people while you do, especially when no one’s keeping score. And not taking yourself too seriously is what keeps the other three honest.
They also need each other. Courage without wisdom is just careless. Wisdom without kindness leaves you isolated. Kindness without courage gets taken advantage of. And the best kind of funny takes all three. Held together they’re enough to steer by, and short enough to remember on a bad day. Not a system to memorise, just four things to keep turning back to.
If you only remember four things
Four things to live by.
What ABB:Ed stands for, in four words.
-
Courageous
Protect what matters, and face what’s hard, including what you feel.
-
Wise
Think it through, learn from it, and know what actually matters.
-
Kind
Treat people well, especially when no one’s keeping score.
-
Funny
Find the lightness, and don’t take yourself too seriously.
Field Notes
Get Field Notes. This is where the actual thinking lives, sent to your inbox every so often. If you want something you can use, not just read, this is the part worth signing up for.
No spam. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.
Almost there. Check your inbox and click the link to confirm. Then the next Field Note is yours. Barry