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Every two weeks, I share my writing on investing, career transitions, meaningful work, parenting, living intentionally, and other topics that engage me.

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Field Notes Edition #5

Welcome to another Field Notes edition of Beyond the Cove. I’m experimenting with a looser approach that's quicker to write and, hopefully, just as interesting for you to read.

In these emails, I’ll pass along a few things I noticed lately that made me think, smile, or look twice. Maybe they’ll do the same for you.

Please share any feedback or ideas. Just hit reply.

• YAMA: You’re Always Missing Out (And That’s Okay) A short essay by Anne Laure Le Cunff on time anxiety and a contrast with the more common Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) and the more recent Joy of Missing Out (JOMO). Too many choices can be overwhelming and stress-inducing. After all, decisions require energy and effort. The idea behind YAMA is rooted in acceptance, to be intentional about what you do. And maybe let's start with accepting that the acronym should more accurately be YAMO, not YAMA. Read the essay here.
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• How to be Successful and Miserable When you're really good at something, at first, you might enjoy doing that thing. And then, as you get lots of positive feedback (respect, compensation, admiration), you might become more committed to exercising your special skill. Until, eventually, you just might get stuck in what Rick Foerster calls the Trap of Competence. Eventually, as you become stuck doing what you should do, you don't have the space to do the thing you're called to do. Read his essay here.
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• Last Rad Reads In 2015, Khe Hy left a high-paying managing director role at BlackRock to write the RadReads newsletter and lead an inspiring tour of self-exploration deftly disguised as a productivity course. Seemed like a crazy career move at the time, but he never looked back. After 10 years, Khe decided to end his newsletter and said farewell to more than 50,000 subscribers. Why? Because he asked his North Star question, "Does this bring me aliveness?" and for the first time, his answer changed. Khe's final essay, a 5-minute read, follows nicely from the piece above. Read the essay here.

Small Sparks of Joy Sometimes it doesn't take much. Just over the past few days, I've felt a spark from each of the following:

• During a friend's visit, we had a blast outrunning a thunderstorm on the water and then enjoyed watching 5-year-old twin boys try lobster for the first time. They loved the shell-cracking. Zero interest in eating the meat.
• On the back porch, early one morning, I heard a hummingbird before seeing said hummingbird, and then I watched my new friend circle a hanging flower pot for a few minutes before we continued on our paths.
• Last weekend, I dragged the kids (16 and 18) to the Appalachian Mountain Club's Gorman Chairback Lodge in Maine's 100-mile wilderness for a night away with dad. Yes, it rained the entire time. And, there were fights over the shared Spotify playlist. But when prompted if they'd do it again, they both said yes! That's a win.
• In another recent outdoor adventure, a friend and I took five teenage boys to Sebago Lake State Park (yes, two were our sons!). The best parts: circling the campfire, swimming in the lake, and watching the crew inhale bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches from the portable camp grill. The worst part: a poor decision not to walk to the outhouse in what I thought was a relentless, pouring rain. In the morning, I discovered the deluge was actually a misleading combination of wind, falling pine needles, and lake waves lapping against the nearby shore. TMI?
• The carnival is rolling into town for Bath Heritage Days. When I see those rides as an adult, I can't believe anyone gets anywhere near them. Beware, flying metal bolts! But on another level, those crappy rides, the rigged games, and the greasy fried dough bring back childhood memories of the annual carnival in Holliston, Massachusetts, circa 1982. There's a decent chance those are the same rides, and maybe some of the same operators. But I can guarantee that the kids who will arrive on Thursday for Bath Heritage Days will be just as excited as I was 40-something years ago.

And a Farewell Photo...

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