Happy Friday! ☀️
Hello from Vienna where I spent the week mostly doing 1:1 coaching sessions. Work has been a little quieter this week with many clients off on vacation which allowed for some extended gym sessions.
What I’m reading 📖
When’s the last time you’ve heard someone speak about having a hobby? I have not in a long time and this article made me think about what happened to hobbies. The article speaks about how hobbies can turn into side hustles which then turn into second jobs (which are often necessary for many people) or even full-time jobs but then the initial purpose of this non-work fun activity can either fail as a business or stop being fun altogether. And with the rise of Instagram or Etsy, a hobby can very quickly turn into a job. Something I will keep thinking about…
What I’m listening to 🎧
The Life of a Record Podcast is back with a new episode and I couldn’t be more excited. The Postal Service’s album ‘Give Up’ was a revelation and the hit song ‘Such Great Heights’ became the song everyone played at their party. On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, Ben Gibbard spoke in depth about the making of the record. I haven’t listened to it yet and can’t wait to do so this weekend.
What I’m watching 📺
On 26 November 1983, six armed men broke into the Brink's-Mat security depot, stumbling across gold bullion worth £26m. The disposal of the bullion caused the birth of large-scale international money laundering, provided the dirty money that helped fuel the London Docklands property boom, united blue and white-collar criminals and left controversy and murder in its wake. What started as a ‘typical Old Kent Road armed robbery’ according to detectives at the time, became a seminal event in British criminal history. These events made it onto tv in the British series ‘The Gold’ and it’s excellent. Watch the trailer.
What I’m thinking about 🧠
“By turning a hobby into a hustle, Tang, the psychologist, said that you risk all the pleasure and wellness benefits the hobby once provided. And studies show that without hobbies, people are more likely to feel burned out and more stressed. Hobbies are crucial in shaping well-rounded and interesting human beings, but those once restorative activities are now falling victim to the vice grip of productivity.” – from the article mentioned above.
What else?! 💯
Last Saturday I visited Antwerp. I hadn’t been in a long time since leaving Belgium 23 years ago and my last trips to the city for my client Moonbird were quick in and outs. Antwerp is creative, beautiful, and laid back. We walked up from Zuid where they turned a huge parking lot into a beautiful park and walked up Klosterstraat with its many boutiques, cafés and restaurants to the impressive Grote Markt. The vibe was great, people are super friendly, funny, and welcoming. Antwerp is worth the visit.
Thanks for reading, have a great weekend!
David
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