Glossary Launch, What If Thinking, & A Helpful Mindset Shift
What if… we thought differently? Inside: my new glossary, controversial thinking challenges, a helpful mindset shift and book club reflections on Hard Land (3.75/5).
Hey friends 👋
The August issue is fashionably late—coming to you on September 1—because I just took a slow, much-needed break in Italy to realign, relax and read.
I'm back recharged and rolling into September with fresh videos and blog posts coming up soon.
I do have one new thing to share already: my brand-new living glossary of self-management, productivity and personal growth. A growing collection of clear definitions and plain-English explainers. It's up now and I'm adding more entries soon.
Explore it here: https://robinweser.com/glossary.
Reflections & Insights
What if ...?
Some of the best ideas start as heresy.
I remember watching an interview with musician Aurora, when she asked "What if all Greek statues are actually victims of Medusa?"
Absurd, right? And yet powerful, because it snaps us out of default thinking.
A good "what if" suspends the rules for a minute and lets imagination roam without the usual guardrails of probability or permission. It isn't about truth; it's a tool.
When you entertain a provocative premise, you widen the search space. For a short while you ignore feasibility and explore edges, then you come back to reality and keep only what sparks something real.
That oscillation—diverge, then converge—is where novel ideas hide.
Try a 5-minute "what if" sprint the next time you're stuck. What if the opposite were true; what if you had to do it with one tenth the budget; what if you couldn't use your go-to tool; what if you had to deliver in 24 hours; what if your audience were entirely different.
Let the rabbit hole run, then mine it for one actionable next step.
If a good one pops out, hit reply and share it—I'd love to hear it.
Have something to learn, not something to prove
Switching from proving to learning rewires how you show up—on calls, in debates, when picking up a new hobby.
Proving narrows your field of view: you defend, cherry-pick and protect your status.
Learning widens it: you ask better questions, test assumptions, and update faster.
The result is less ego friction and more progress.
In practice, this mindset changes outcomes. Discussions become joint problem-solving instead of point-scoring. New topics feel lighter because you're measuring curiosity and reps, not reputation. Hobbies stop being pass/fail and start being "iterate and enjoy", which is exactly how skills compound.
Try this: Swap "I know" for "Here's my current take—what am I missing?".
Set learning goals (skills, reps, experiments) before performance goals (outcomes, metrics).
After any debate or session, write one thing you changed your mind about—even slightly.
Monthly Favourites
🎶 Song: Daryl Hall & John Oates - Out of Touch
Replaying GTA: Vice City for the first time in nearly 20 years put FlashFM's '80s catalog back in my head—this track was my August earworm.
📚 Book: Ewald Arenz - One Grand Summer
After 'Tasting Sunlight' I wanted more Arenz, and this one matched our summer trip perfectly with a lovely coming-of-age story. The German edition is 'Der große Sommer'.
📽️ Video: WILD CONNECTION - Award Winning Short Documentary
A breathtaking short film about cheetah conservation and re-connecting with nature.
Also a moving reminder of where we come from and what we owe the wild.
Book Club
Benedict Wells - Hard Land (no english version unfortunately)
Last month was our first time reading a novel in the club, and it felt different—in a good way. Instead of frameworks and tactics, the conversation drifted to scenes that hit close to home, the sting and sweetness of growing up and what we each recognized from our own teenage and early-adult years. It was more personal, more reflective, and honestly refreshing.
We landed on an average rating of 3.75/5.
Not a unanimous favorite, but it sparked a richer kind of discussion—less "how to", more "what stayed with you".
Interested in joining our book club?
Then hop into my Discord and check out the #book-club channel.
The next book will be announced shortly!
Monthly Journaling Prompt
What can I do to be a better __?
Pick the role that matters most right now—partner, friend, colleague, manager, leader, musician, runner—and name one concrete behavior you'll try this week.
You can re-use this question over and over again and even use the same role multiple times—each with a different behavior to experiment with.
Also, if you're up for it, hit 'reply' and share! I read every message.
Thanks for checking in—see you next month!
Best,
Robin