Garrett Cotton

Look at this guy: Having the time of his life in Costa Rica. Eating fresh food. Dancing Salsa with Strangers. Hiking in the rainforest. Could you image going from this to working 60 hour weeks at a job you hate the very next day? I couldn't do it. This is me. After an amazing vacation that changed my life, I decided to quit my job. Did I have a savings? No. Did I have another job lined up? No. I had a vision. And that vision needed my complete focus. Today? I am figuring it out. I joined X to be in a community of builders and learn the skills necessary to realize my dream life. Being at 150 followers so far means way more to me than all of the money I was making at my soul-draining job. I can't wait to see what the future has for all of us!

High intelligence + high agency = building rocket ships to bring humanity to mars. Low intelligence + high agency = starting a small business without caring about optimization. High intelligence + low agency = crying about how rich people should not exist. Low intelligence + low agency = playing victim while following the default path laid out for you. The lesson = with the right amount of agency, it doesn't matter how intelligent you are.

How to future-proof yourself: - Act without permission - Share your work in public - Make as many mistakes as possible - Get really fucking good at what you do - Learn AI by trying to automate yourself out of work - Deeply embody that any and all problems can be solved

One most important task in life is to experiment until you find that one thing that feels like play but is worth paying for, because most of life's stress comes from the feeling of work for minimal reward, and that drastically dampens your health, relationships, and mind.

A few years ago, I wanted to be a motivational speaker. I would listen to Eric Thomas, Tony Robbins, and David Goggins each day before going to work. Then I realized... People don't need motivation, they need understanding. Regardless of how many motivational podcasts I would listen to, my habits wouldn't change. It wasn't until I got into philosophy, neuroscience, and system-building that I finally UNDERSTOOD why I was behaving the way I was. My goal with my brand is to spread understanding and give people the tools to forge their own path. That's the only way to make permenant change 🔑

Your brain wants to use the familiar path of least resistance. The same habits. The same places. The same people. But if you want to change your life, you need to consciously take the dirt road, over and over again, until it becomes as smooth as a highway.

I am obsessed with the basal ganglia. This is the area in the center of your brain that is sometimes referred to as your "animal brain" It's what stores habits. The only superpower I know of in the real world is the ability to program this area to hold the habits you choose..

We live in a world so obsessed with success & optimization it leaves no room for adventure & spontaneity. Stop trying to control every aspect of life. Learn to walk by faith and follow the flow. Do your best but detach yourself from the outcome. You’re not meant to be a machine.

The pain of authentic self-reflection. Look in the mirror and own up to who you are. Be excited for who you could be.

@GamewithDave A classic

Name a video game that has a special place in your heart. GIFS ONLY!

@thedankoe This is actually the greatest post each time. Need to hear it each time!

figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out figure it out

I used to think that I wanted the fastest cars, biggest houses, and best jewelry. But over the last year, I realized that what I really wanted was the freedom that money buys. The ability the travel the world, meet new people, learn new things, provide for family. That’s where it’s at 🔑

Negative emotions are the most important ones to feel. They tell you where to go, what not to do, and what you really want. But everyone is afraid of feeling them…so they distract themselves perpetually. Put the distractions away and listen.

Just went to Minnesota for the first time… That cold is on a whole different level. You would have to pay me to live in a Northern city 🥶

life happens in the micro-decision. Big events are only 0.05% of your lived experience. If you want to be happy and fulfilled, you need to pay attention to the other 99.95%.

do jobs still actually care about where you went to school? Seems like a great way to overlook talent.

Happy thanksgiving 🦃🍁! Keep this same thankful energy you’re feeling today throughout the whole year! Don’t just pretend for the holidays.

@thehowietan I am so happy I came across this post. Sometimes we forget how blessed we are by simply having health and a good state of mind. The first question is one I need to ponder on for a while. I don’t want to live a life dictated by fear

"You have end-stage kidney failure" That's something you don't expect to hear in your 30s. It brings into focus all the things you didn't do, and all the risks you didn't take. It made me think I didn't want to die with "I wish I did" My pride, my fear of judgment, my fear of failure, all dissolved in the face of death. I sometimes find it easier to post about my feelings than post what the algorithm wants. And that is why I write and create videos. And if one day, I ask a question, talk about a topic, or post an inspiration that improves your life even by 1%, then I will have succeeded. Here are 5 Uncomfortable Questions I asked myself while lying on the hospital bed, They brought me clarity, and I hope they bring you too: 1. Are you living a life based on your choices or your fears? 2. If you die tomorrow, what would you most regret not saying to somebody? (When will you say it?) 3. Is there a conversation you would be proud of yourself for having, even if the outcome is not what you want? 4. I now only have 1 hour of energy to work a day (it's true). What's the most impactful one? Frame this for yourself to squeeze out what's most important. 5. If you only have 10 days left in this world, what will you stop worrying about? (If I stop dialysis, the average lifespan is 10 days to a couple of weeks). The answers became my anchors of life. Which one hit you the hardest? P.S. This photo was the first time I had the energy to take a picture. You can see below my right collar bone, the bruise from doctors recently inserting my dialysis catheter.

@validalexei That last quote is a banger🦅

Refuse to be average.

@Jayyanginspires Getting your body moving gets your mind moving.

Never underestimate what a 20-minute walk can do for your mental clarity.

Things that cause me to feel depressed: - People who believe life is out of their control. - People who hopelessly chase the next “high” - Raisins Don’t be/eat any of these things.