To care is to self-care
The toughest man alive, that’s what they call him: David Goggins. Former navy seal, completed over 60 ultra-marathons, holds the Guinness world record for pull-ups, and tons of other amazing achievements. Not something I can easily relate to š
A colleague however, upon my request to share with me what fascinated him, pointed me to a 2019 podcast with the guy. And as it turned out, it was well worth listening to. During the interview, David Goggins elaborates about his tough childhood, about ‘diving into your fears’, as well as about his time in the navy seals and the harsh trainings they had to endure.
And as I was doing the dishes just now, a few years after listening to the podcast, I suddenly remember how David spoke about a particular training event that was dubbed ‘Hell Week’: a 130 hour arduous crucible of physical and mental challenges, which often involved being in ocean water, at freezing temperatures, for hours. (Listed to the fragment here)
David explained about how we was able to make it through these psychological hardships by using a number of ‘tricks’. At 7:11 into the fragment he says this:
“If you don’t think about yourself, there’s no pain. […] In these moments when you’re struggling, if you are a true leader, and worry about your men and women beside you, your mind doesn’t care how cold you are anymore. Your mind is only worried about taking care of the men and women beside you.”
So by being concerned about the well-being of the people around him, and taking care of them, David was able get outside of his own head.
In other words: Caring can be a form of self-care.
And now I’m wondering: is this applicable to my more average life as well? If I actively shift my attention away from my own well-being, and more towards the well-being of the people around me, would I be able to better endure my personal hardships? Because that would all of a sudden make another great argument for a more altruistic way of living: it shaves off some of your personal hurting.
Index
āMake the world work, for 100% of humanity, in the shortest possible time, through spontaneous cooperation, without ecological offense or the disadvantage of anyone.ā - R. Buckminster Fuller
1. UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM
On sustainability
- The Story of Stuff (2016)
- See no evil (2016)
- Sustainability is a political problem (2016)
- Use it all up (2016)
2. UNDERSTANDING HOW THE WORLD WORKS
On nature
- Nederland als rivierdelta (2023)
- What more do you want (2021)
- Opposite directions (2015)
- Nature VS. artifice (2015)
- The lowest state of energy (2015)
On human nature
- All of us possess āstrongly positive directional tendenciesā (2022)
- De richting van chaos (The direction of chaos) (2020)
- The collective consciousness (2016)
- An overture on consciousness (2016)
- What makes humans different? (2016)
- Distinction, not individuality (2016)
- Grief (2016)
- Human body heat map of emotions (2015)
- Existential conservatism (2015)
- Quote: Undercurrent (2015)
On the meaning of life and living
- You are a leaf on a tree that has been growing for billions of years (2023)
- You are not just studying for your future (2021)
On culture
- Culture overrules nature (2016)
On morality
- Scarcity / Gratitude (2017)
3. UNDERSTANDING HOW CHANGE WORKS
On the Next Level Society
- Quote: Ancient Heart (2023)
On behavioral change
- How do we open people up to the idea of change in a time that screams for control? (2018)
- People don't change (2020)
- The one-senctence persuasion course (2017)
On marketing sustainability
- How creative agencies will save the world (2017)
- Why donāt people change their unsustainable ways? (2017)
- Sustainability needs marketing (2016)
- The carrot, the stick, the scenery and the cool (2016)
- How our focus on individual accountability puts the brakes on progress (2016)
- Checklist for sustainability communication (2016)
- Rule #6 in sustainability communication: Donāt tell me Iām wrong (2016)
- Wanted: Adjective (2016)
- Framing farming (2016)
- Weāre not saving the planet (2016)
- Brainstorm: Uitkomsten - Van weten naar willen (2015)
- Brainstorm: Oproep! (2015)
4-A. FIXING HOW WE DESIGN THE WORLD
On naturalness
- Why we crave naturalness (these days) (2015)
- é”ŗå
¶čŖē¶ (2015)
- What is naturalness? (2015)
On naturalness in behaviour
- Quote: Love someone exactly as they are (2022)
- Part of the Art: Levenslessen van een kunstenaar (2020)
- Deep listening (2020)
- Naturalness in Taoism (2020)
- Comfort car (2016)
- Quote: Trust yourself (2015)
- Quote: Unapologetically herself (2015)
- Deep ecology (2015)
- Naturalness in human behaviour (2015)
On naturalness in art
- Tokkelen / En opeens maken je vingers een fout (2020)
- Quote: Beauty is found... (2019)
- What art does (2015)
Artworks of interest
- The artist-free art of SemĆ¢ Bekirovic (2020)
- 4'33" (2020)
- The Magic Carpet of Daniel Wurtzel (2016)
- The generative systems of Brandon Morse (2016)
- This photo of Loouis Fernandes (2016)
- The Lotus wall of Daan Roosegaarde (2015)
- The mobiles of Alexander Calder (2015)
- The drawing trees of Tim Knowles (2015)
- The barely controllable brushes of Fabienne Verdier (2015)
On naturalness in architecture
- Principles of a great playground experience (2017)
- Unscripted use (2016)
- Acting natural does not mean: re-enacting nature (2015)
- 9 basic principles of biomimicry (2015)
Architecture of interest: naturalness
- Change is life (2019)
- Movable homes (2016)
- University building in Kolding, Denmark (2015)
- New Andean (2015)
On livable architecture
- Co-housing: The Wandelmeent (2016)
- The 'Cauliflower neighborhood' and the 'Woonerf' (2016)
- An organic approach to city design, or: Getting out of the way (2016)
- To watch: The Human Scale (2016)
- Cars make us lonely (2016)
- Flex (2016)
- Everyman's architecture (2016)
Architecture of interest: livability
- Zumthor vs Hadid (2021)
- Pluralist Tower (2020)
- Kowloon Walled City (2016)
On naturalness in design
- Dynamic art, architecture and design (2020)
- The three scopes of human design (2017)
- 9 basic principles of biomimicry (2015)
Design works of interest
- AI-generated rugs (2020)
- Open Up lamp (2015)
4-B. FIXING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OURSELVES
On well-being, self care and happiness
- Enough (2023)
- On old age (2022)
- To care is to self-care (2020)
- Quote: A little bit of 'I want to save the world' (2020)
- 8 key rules of living - A manifesto by Alain de Botton (2020)
- Modes: Make every time, quality time (2020)
- Daily dents (2018)
- Alternative missions (2016)
- Quote: Lightly, child (2016)
- Education (2016)
- Exercise in the recognition of virtuous feelings (2015)
4-C. FIXING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUSINESS AND SOCIETY
On responsible business
- Ethical marketing yardstick (2023)
- Notes on responsible marketing (2020)
- Notes on Net Positive Business (2020)
- Open brief aan Kees Klomp, deel 1 (2019)
- Open brief aan Kees Klomp, deel 2 (2019)
- Let's talk: Hoe ziet een responsible business er nu werkeljk nu? (2019)
- How big corporates frame our world in their benefit (and against ours) (2019)
- Public spaces should be ad-free (2018)
- Globalisation is not a natural phenomenon (2017)
- Judging the merit of a business (2017)
- The Business Ethic (2015)
On Positive Design & design ethics
- Think UX' talk over Positive Design (slides + podcast) (2018)
- On manipulation (2016)
- The essence of a gun (2016)
- We're bad parents (2014)
On privacy
- Deel 1: Het 3-factor model van privacy (2020)
- Deel 2: De uitdagingen van online privacy (2020)
- Deel 3: Zo kan privacy ook (2020)
Progressieve bureaus van Nederland, 2021
- Categorie: Digital (2021)
- Categorie: Branding & communicatie (2021)
- Categorie: Strategische innovatie (2021)
- Categorie: Product design (2021)
- Categorie: Systems change (2021)
- Categorie: Freelance collectieven (2021)
OTHER NOTES AND WRITINGS
On digital design, CX/UX, and technology
- Mind states, or: How to describe a User Experience (2016)
- Quote: The real problem of humanity (2016)
- Quote: Staying human in the Machine Age (2016)
- Quote: Good design... (2016)
- De slapende potentie van je Verbal Identity (2014)
On the travel & hospitality industry
- Cooperation across the travel sector: whoās in? (2018)
- Samenwerken in de reisbranche: wie durft? (2018)
- Travel sector seeks greater cooperation and more knowledge about travelers (2018)
- A state of liminality: How understanding traveler psychology can facilitate smarter investments (2018)
- A state of liminality: Hoe begrip van de psychologie van de reiziger helpt om slimmer te investeren (2018)
Miscellaneous
- MIMI-model (2023)
- The Unbearable Lightness of Beingā¦ isnāt that unbearable (2021)
- Quote: On writing (2020)
- Ghosts (2017)
- Link dump, 2 (2016)
- Link dump, 1 (2016)
- The Clock of the Long Now (2016)
- Learning styles (2016)
- Gentle reminder (2016)
- Summer (2016)
- Opinion-size-shape-colour-origin-material-purpose noun (2016)
- The perfect walk (2015)
- The mind grows thoughts (2015)
- Still there (2015)
- Bigger (2015)
- Trimennen (2002)
On minimalism
- Multiple articles published at Understanding Minimalism ā
About