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Words never cease to amaze me. Put them together in the right order, and they become a mirror, a map, a slap in the face—or all three at once. My friend Jay Yang and I compiled a list of 20 sentences that have shaped our lives. Which one hits you hardest? ♻️ Repost if they resonate. ——— 👤Follow Colby Kultgen for daily personal development content.

A question I can't get out of my head: What award are you trying to win that doesn’t exist? The more I thought about it, the more I realized how often I fall into this trap. 🏅 Most hours worked. 🏅 Least rest taken. 🏅 Never said no. 🏅 Didn't ask for help. If I had a trophy for every time I sacrificed myself to seem strong, dependable, or put-together—I’d need a new IKEA shelf every month to hold them. But why do we do it? Here's the harsh truth:​ This pursuit doesn't come from a place of ambition—it comes from a place of lack. We chase these imaginary awards because we’re afraid. Afraid that others will see us as unreliable, incapable, or incompetent. So we swing hard in the opposite direction. We overwork to look committed. Say "yes" to everything to seem reliable. Avoid asking for help to appear competent. But in reality, we’re performing for judges who don't even exist. And the only one holding us to these limiting beliefs is ourselves. Your challenge this week:​ Name the award you’ve been trying to win that isn’t real. But don’t stop there. Ask yourself: What’s driving me to chase it in the first place? When you stop performing for an invisible panel of judges, you can finally start living from a place of truth instead of defense. Image credit: themindfriend on Instagram _____ ♻️ Repost this if it resonated. 📌 P.S. I share 5 ideas like this every week in my Monday newsletter. Sign up now + I’ll send you a free goal tracker: https://percentbetter.com/

I’ve always been fascinated by Japanese culture. The mix of old and new. The attention to detail in everything. The deep-rooted sense of respect among the people. Here are 7 Japanese concepts that changed my life (and may change yours too): 1. Kaizen (改善) – A principle of continuous improvement. Key lesson: Set small, achievable goals. Improve slowly. ——— 2. Kintsugi (金継ぎ) – Repairing pottery with gold. Key lesson: No matter how broken things may seem, you can always put the pieces back together. ——— 3. Hara Hachi Bu (腹八分目) – Eat until you're 80% full. Key lesson: Savor your food—let your body tell you when to stop. ——— 4. Ikigai (生き甲斐) – A reason for being. Key lesson: Find purpose at the intersection of what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. ——— 5. Oubaitori (桜梅桃李) – Don’t compare yourself to others. Key lesson: Embrace your own unique timeline. ——— 6. Wabi-Sabi (侘び寂び) – Embrace impermanence. Key lesson: Find beauty in the impermanence of life. ——— 7. Gaman (我慢) – Keep dignity during distress. Key lesson: Meet hard times with patience and perseverance. ——— Have you ever been to Japan? If so, what impact did it have on you? ♻️ Repost if it resonated! 👤 Follow Colby Kultgen for more content like this.

As a Canadian, this post hit home for me. We’re world-class at saying “sorry” for things that don’t need apologizing. But over-apologizing can quietly chip away at our confidence—and how others perceive us too. This cheat sheet from my friend Jade Bonacolta is packed with simple (and powerful) swaps to help reframe your language at work: Instead of…try saying: 1. Sorry for rescheduling → I appreciate your flexibility. 2. Sorry to bother you → Thank you for making the time. 3. Sorry for venting → I really value you listening. 4. Sorry for running late → I’m grateful for your patience. 5. Sorry I had to take that call → Appreciate you waiting. 6. Sorry for jumping in → I’d love to offer a thought here. 7. Sorry for the mistake → Good catch—thanks for flagging it. 8. Sorry, I don’t get it → Mind repeating that? I want to make sure I’m following. 9. Sorry, does that make sense? → Let me know if I can clarify anything. Tiny tweaks. Big impact. (Speaking from experience) ——— ♻️ Repost if you're guilty of this. 👤Follow Colby Kultgen for more content like this!