watch the game tape.

i learn by observing behavior, synthesizing lessons, and then applying those lessons in low-stakes, real-world contexts. it's a tried and true process for me. i call it "watching game tape." in the past i've run into obstacles in my personal and professional growth journey when I lose access to compelling experiences to observe learnable behavior and/or lose access to low-stakes opportunities to experiment and apply my learned lessons.

watching game tape for me is all about incremental and focused self-improvement. when i was younger, and interested in the theatre of politics, i'd spend hours a day watching c-span - studying posture, speech cadence, eye movement...you name it. my goal was to understand the multi-dimensional composition of a skilled politician. how do they think, talk, move, respond, even breathe. i'd then spend time talking with my little brother about what i learned on c-span and what i thought about it. then i'd run for student office, or start my own statewide PAC, or sign up to manage a local legislative campaign, just to test out my new skills. wash, rinse and repeat.

it's still the only way i know how to learn. in every environment in which i've been denied access to real game tape and simulative experiences, i've noticed a decline in my growth and performance. also, in every situation where i've been too afraid or self-conscious to go out and test my learnings in the real world, i've stagnated. for me, each day of day of my life is an opportunity to review, learn from, and eventually create game tape.

as i learn, advance and try new things, i aim to leave game tape (and honest annotations) for those coming behind me who need help demystifying the world's they'd like to traverse one day. i think daily about the people who went (and go) out of there way to create and share game tape to help me and others better understand and engage with life, work and play.

find your game, your game tape, and good coaches willing to help you with their truthful annotations.

term of the day: solana.

song of the day: Da Birds by Griselda. posting this one for the Virgil line. rest in power, Virgil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ynm4H8IyhY