From Chad
Chad Smith
Your thinking is bad. I can help. These quick daily messages aim to upgrade your mental game by helping you tell a better story. The most powerful story in the world is the story you tell yourself. You can download my book at fromchad.gumroad.com. Email me at fromchadsmith@gmail.com or visit www.fromchad.com for episode transcripts.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 19, 2025 • 3min
Emerge #735
Melia, a Pakistani girl, faced adversity under Taliban rule, but channeled it into advocacy for girls’ education. Her story serves as a reminder that challenges present opportunities for growth and positive change.
Jun 18, 2025 • 2min
Circles #734
The most important story you hear is the one you tell yourself. Simon scenic Golden Circle model emphasizes the importance of purpose, but I believe the place to start with is “who“ – identity – as an ontological anchor in a rapidly changing world.
Jun 17, 2025 • 2min
Ghosts #733
Denzel Washington used a metaphor of ghosts representing unfulfilled potential to illustrate that humans, unlike nature, can choose to underperform. The better story to tell yourself is that you can become more.
Jun 16, 2025 • 3min
Magic #732
We live in the most amazing time in human history, with conveniences and opportunities that our ancestors could only dream of. Despite this, many people are unhappy. The key to finding peace and contentment is to focus on internal factors and choose to be happy, regardless of external circumstances.
Jun 15, 2025 • 3min
Garbage #731
Jerry Seinfeld believes that every day is special and that there is no such thing as “quality time.“ He prefers “garbage time,” the ordinary moments like driving in the car or watching TV, as these are the moments that make up life. Seinfeld emphasizes the importance of cherishing these moments and finding joy in the mundane.
Jun 14, 2025 • 3min
Opportunities #730
Steve Jobs’ return to Apple in 1997 and subsequent streamlining of the product line from 40 to 4 exemplifies the power of saying no. Every commitment carries an opportunity cost, and saying no allows for greater focus on the best opportunities.
Jun 13, 2025 • 3min
Ripples #729
Les Schwab, founder of Les Schwab, tires, instilled, an owner’s mindset and his employees by sharing 50% of the profits. This incentivized employees to work hard and report theft, as it impacted their own earnings. The story highlights, the ripple effect of individual actions. Consider how your habits contribute to larger systems.
Jun 13, 2025 • 3min
Imperceptibly #728
Change, positive or negative, often occurs gradually before reaching a sudden tipping point. Daily habits, whether positive or negative, compound overtime and lead to inevitable results. Focus on building positive habits and avoiding -ones to achieve your desired outcomes.
Jun 11, 2025 • 2min
Solitude #727
Joe McCormack, founder of The Brief Lab, emphasizes the importance of silence and quiet for clear thinking and effective communication. He highlights the need for self-confidence and poise, which can be developed through self reflection in silence.
Jun 10, 2025 • 2min
Momentum #726
Charlie Munger‘s “granny‘s rule” in Brian Tracy‘s “eat that frog” our productivity concepts that emphasize tackling the most challenging or important tasks first. Doing the worst first is a short way to build momentum.
