Optimal Agency Jon Gilson and Patrick Cummings

What we’re talking about: Strategies for balancing personal health, family responsibilities, and work obligations, focusing on developing sustainable habits and routines.

Why it matters: Pursuing agency requires finding ways to effectively manage our time, energy, and priorities to ensure we are taking care of our physical and mental well-being while fulfilling our commitments to others.

What actions to take:

🍲 Plan and prepare healthy meals in advance, making the process fun and engaging for the whole family.

🏃 Incorporate physical activity and mobility exercises into quality time with loved ones, turning them into enjoyable bonding experiences.

🧘 Practice relaxation techniques like yin yoga and yoga nidra to unwind, manage stress, and improve sleep quality.

✦ Read the Rules: ⁠Health⁠ | ⁠Wealth⁠ | ⁠Time⁠

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ABOUT THE SHOW

Optimal Agency aims to help you own your life so you have the freedom to impact the world, pursue work you love, and spend your hours how you want. Be sure to subscribe or follow the show so you don’t miss any new episodes.

What we’re talking about: We discuss personal agency, self-improvement, and overall well-being with Dr. Sean Pastuch, founder of Active Life, a brand that combines education, exercise, and mentorship to empower a life of freedom without compromise.

Why it matters: Understanding and pursuing agency is crucial for living a life free from unnecessary compromises and limitations, enabling individuals to make choices aligned with their values, goals, and authentic selves.

What actions to take:

🧘‍♀️ Reflect on areas where you may be compromising your values, relationships, or well-being, and identify steps to align your actions with your desired identity and life.

💰 Explore ways to develop skills for generating additional income, such as sales, networking, or pursuing passions that can be monetized, to increase financial freedom and agency.

🧑‍🏫 Seek out mentors or role models who embody the qualities and mindset you aspire to, and learn from their experiences

✦ Read the Rules: ⁠Health⁠ | ⁠Wealth⁠ | ⁠Time⁠

✦ ⁠Get your HWT Score⁠

✦ ⁠Get our weekly email⁠

✦ ⁠Ask a question⁠

✦ ⁠Follow us on Instagram

ABOUT THE SHOW

Optimal Agency aims to help you own your life so you have the freedom to impact the world, pursue work you love, and spend your hours how you want. Be sure to subscribe or follow the show so you don’t miss any new episodes.

What we’re talking about: How to maintain healthy habits and a balanced lifestyle on the weekends, avoiding the tendency to overindulge after being strict during the week.



Why it matters: Maintaining consistent healthy habits and avoiding cycles of overindulgence is crucial for Agency, as it allows individuals to remain in control, build sustainable progress, and avoid self-sabotaging behaviors that undermine their values and goals.



What actions to take:

🏃‍♂️ Incorporate recreation and enjoyable physical activities into your weekly routine, rather than treating exercise solely as training or work.

🍎 Replace processed foods and alcohol with healthier, whole food alternatives that provide a sense of relaxation and enjoyment, such as fresh fruits, smoothies, or homemade treats.

🎨 Diversify your identity and reduce stress by exploring new hobbies and activities that engage different types of intelligence, such as mechanical, cognitive, social, or physical pursuits.



✦ Read the Rules: ⁠Health⁠ | ⁠Wealth⁠ | ⁠Time⁠

✦ ⁠Get your HWT Score⁠

✦ ⁠Get our weekly email⁠

✦ ⁠Ask a question⁠

✦ ⁠Follow us on Instagram



ABOUT THE SHOW

Optimal Agency aims to help you own your life so you have the freedom to impact the world, pursue work you love, and spend your hours how you want. Be sure to subscribe or follow the show so you don’t miss any new episodes.

What we’re talking about: The importance of choosing more time over more income as an organizing principle for achieving greater agency and life satisfaction.

Why it matters: Prioritizing time freedom over wealth accumulation allows individuals to diversify their identities, reduce stress, and align their actions with their values, enabling them to exercise greater control over their lives.

What actions to take:

🧘‍♂️ Accurately calculate your financial needs, including core income, discretionary spending, and savings for retirement, and find ways to earn only that amount, or slightly more, in less time than you currently work.

🌱 Use the resulting time freedom to diversify your identity through self-development and contribution to activities and pursuits that align with your values and aspirations.

💼 Explore opportunities for multiple income streams or employers that allow you to earn more per unit of time, reducing your overall time commitment while maintaining your desired income level.

✦ Read the Rules: ⁠Health⁠ | ⁠Wealth⁠ | ⁠Time⁠

✦ ⁠Get your HWT Score⁠

✦ ⁠Get our weekly email⁠

✦ ⁠Ask a question⁠

✦ ⁠Follow us on Instagram

ABOUT THE SHOW

Optimal Agency aims to help you own your life so you have the freedom to impact the world, pursue work you love, and spend your hours how you want. Be sure to subscribe or follow the show so you don’t miss any new episodes.

What we’re talking about: The financial challenges and opportunities faced by teachers, emphasizing the importance of leveraging free time and alternative sources of income to optimize wealth.

Why it matters: It highlights how understanding and leveraging the underlying benefits and sureties of your profession, like a pension or schedule flexibility, can enable you to take calculated risks and pursue financial growth and independence.

What actions to take:

🎓 Consider getting a cost-effective master's degree for a pay raise in the education field.

💼 Look into entrepreneurship in your free time, particularly during summer, to generate additional income.

📚 Read the book "Systems Thinking for Business" by Rich Jolly to apply systems thinking in your profession and potentially in a side hustle.

✦ Read the Rules: ⁠Health⁠ | ⁠Wealth⁠ | ⁠Time⁠

✦ ⁠Get your HWT Score⁠

✦ ⁠Get our weekly email⁠

✦ ⁠Ask a question⁠

✦ ⁠Follow us on Instagram

ABOUT THE SHOW

Optimal Agency aims to help you own your life so you have the freedom to impact the world, pursue work you love, and spend your hours how you want. Be sure to subscribe or follow the show so you don’t miss any new episodes.

What we’re talking about: The journey of Jonathan and Blakely, founders of Digital Barbell, in pursuing agency and helping others overcome the victim mindset to take control of their health and fitness.

Why it matters: Mindset and taking ownership of one's health and well-being are key aspects of personal autonomy and empowerment.

What actions to take:

📅 Set clear timelines and deadlines for tasks to increase productivity and avoid procrastination.

📝 Keep track of progress and results to stay motivated and see the impact of consistent effort.

💰 Seek professional help and guidance when needed, such as hiring a financial advisor, to make informed decisions and create a plan for financial stability and growth.

✦ Read the Rules: ⁠Health⁠ | ⁠Wealth⁠ | ⁠Time⁠

✦ ⁠Get your HWT Score⁠

✦ ⁠Get our weekly email⁠

✦ ⁠Ask a question⁠

✦ ⁠Follow us on Instagram

ABOUT THE SHOW

Optimal Agency aims to help you own your life so you have the freedom to impact the world, pursue work you love, and spend your hours how you want. Be sure to subscribe or follow the show so you don’t miss any new episodes.