Be Magnetic (Monday Mix, July 2020)

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be

Lao Tzu

Welcome to another monthly edition of the Monday Mix. I hope you all had a nice 4th of July weekend. Hopefully, this means the end of late-night residential fireworks throughout all big US cities. I’m excited to share some thoughts and beats with you. Let’s get into it!

 


 

🧲 MAGNETIC

I recently watched a jaw-dropping documentary on Netflix called Magnetic, which follows a collection of extreme athletes as they surf, ski, bike, and sail across some of the world’s most intense and beautiful landscapes.

Not only was the film a visual masterpiece, but it was also inspiring on many levels. Here are 3 takeaways I was left with that can be applied to all walks of life, not just extreme sports:

1. High-Risk High Reward

We may fear failure, rejection, change, or even uncertainty. When we think about taking a risk, innately our fight or flight response kicks in and we justify inaction. We believe that fear is bad and that we should steer away from it.

But fear isn’t bad, and neither is risk. In fact, risk is the very thing that can make us feel alive. For these athletes, they understand that there are significant risks that come with their sport, however, the feeling they get from their accomplishment surpasses all doubt and angst. Taking a risk helps you to feel more empowered and in control, as the leader of your life and the master of your own destiny.

2. Timing

Throughout the film, it was fascinating to see how nature played such a big role in the success or failure of these athletes. By understanding the ebbs and flows of their environment they were able to align with nature to find the perfect moment for their big feat.

This is so applicable because as humans we have a tendency to try and force things instead of letting things come naturally. However, having a true understanding of our surroundings gives us an edge that allows us to make informed decisions to get the results we want when opportunity comes knocking.

3. Law of Polarity

There is no joy without pain. By understanding that everything in life has it’s opposite we can learn to appreciate difficult times. The happiest times of our lives are just that because we have experienced the other end of the spectrum. When we understand that things aren’t always perfect we can learn to make the most out of the situations that life presents.

Have any of you watched Magnetic? Curious to know your thoughts and if it left you as inspired as it left me.


 

🎨 DESIGN SHOWCASE

Recently a lot of the projects I’ve been working on are in the real estate space. I appreciate this because it’s an industry that generally doesn’t pay a lot of attention to branding so I have a unique opportunity to make a building stand out. For Patton Towers, an apartment complex in Echo Park, we opted for a wordmark which is a type of logo design that includes only the name of the company (or building in this case) with no symbol or emblem. This puts all the focus on the typography, font treatment, and color scheme.

 


 

🎷 SOUNDS

I’m spending the next 10 days in the Bahamas and have curated the ultimate chill-out mix for when I’m lounging by the beach. This short 11-songs playlist is sure to take you on a musical journey that will get you feeling creative, inspired, and free-flowing.

Monday mix sounds – July 2020

 


 

❤️ THAT’S A WRAP

If you’ve enjoyed reading the Monday Mix, it would mean a lot if you shared it with a friend or two. You can do so by sending them to this link to sign up. I try to make it one of the best emails you get each month, so growing this list can help me reach more people. If you are new to the Mix and want to see some past editions you can view all posts archives here.