Another Excuse Newsletter

Welcome back to the Another Excuse Newsletter. It isn’t just another excuse, but a reason to start that thing you’ve been putting off.

What to expect this week:
👓Perspective - The Bechdel Test
🔨 Tool - Cloudsangha.co
🍿Consume - 13 Habits So You Can Do Less
📖Concept - Socratic Method

Latest Podcast Episode

In today’s episode, I chat with Cameron Kernahan.

Cameron is a self-taught Cinematographer based in Cape Town. It’s amazing how he got into the business, and discussing his plans for the future was great. I look forward to the amazing work he will continue to produce.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The distinction between cinematography and videography  
• How his journey into the industry began
• Making sacrifices
• Reinventing yourself
• What it takes to be successful in the industry  
• Monk Mode 

You can check out the episode here.

Perspective

The Bechdel Test

Have you heard of the Bechdel Test?

Neither had I until a few days ago and it blew my mind.

The Bechdel test is a measure of the representation of women in films.

How does a film pass the test?

1. The movie must have at least two women in it.

2. The women must talk to each other.

3. Their discussion must be about something other than a man.

Seems pretty straightforward, right?

You’d be surprised at how many films don’t pass this test.

I found this fascinating and was completely oblivious to it. I’m definitely going to watch movies through this lens from now on.

A few movies that fail the test:

• “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” (1961)

• The entire “Lord of the Rings” trilogy (2001–2003)

• “Zero Dark Thirty” (2012)

• “Arrival” (2016)

Movies that pass the test:

• “Kill Bill” Volumes 1 and 2 (2003–2004)

• “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015)

• “Hidden Figures” (2016)

Tool

Cloudsangha.co

Today’s tool is slightly different.

It’s a tool that improves your life in a different way from all the tools I’ve shared before.

It’s a platform of focus groups.

In a post-covid world, we’ve become disconnected. The world is a lonelier place and we’re struggling to find connection.

Cloud Sangha is trying to alleviate that loneliness by giving people the opportunity to connect with people going through similar problems to them.

The groups:
• Aging
• Mindfulness in Business
• Releasing Unhealthy Habits
• Stress & Anxiety
• Relationships
• Grief & Sorrow

How it works:
• Meet once a week
• 5-minute welcome
• 10-minute meditation and prompt reflection
• 30-minute sharing within your dedicated pod (in breakout rooms)
• 15-minute whole-group sharing and Q&A

Pay what you feel is right from $29 to $69.

It’s an interesting concept and I think more community-focused group session products like this will start springing up.

More people need to talk about their problems and share them with people going through the same thing.

I love the idea. Let me know if it’s helpful!

Consume (Read / Watch / Listen)

13 Habits So You Can Do Less

I’ve spoken about Codie Sanchez before, but she doesn’t stop delivering value.

In her weekly newsletter Contrarian Thinking, she wrote about 13 habits so you can do less and still make money.

They’re great and so I thought I’d share them with you.

1. DO THE THING YOU WANT TO DO LEAST FIRST.

2. CHECK FINANCES DAILY.

3. STOP 60-MINUTE MEETINGS. 45 MINUTES OR LESS.

4. CHANGE ONE MEETING A WEEK TO A WALKING CALL.

5. NO MEETUPS ON SCHOOL NIGHTS.

6. ALWAYS THE STAIRS, NEVER THE ELEVATOR.

7. NEVER WRITE TO-DOS IN STONE.

8. NO SOCIAL MEDIA, EMAIL, OR TEXT WHEN YOU WAKE UP.

9. ADD A ‘HOW VS. WON’T’ CHECK-IN.

10. DECENTRALIZE MANAGEMENT.

11. DO NOT BE THE ARROW, BE THE ARCHER.

12. DON’T DROWN IN DATA.

13. BE THE DUMBEST ONE IN YOUR FRIEND GROUP, THEN MOVE ON WHEN YOU’RE NOT.

She explains each point in the newsletter and you can read them here.

Let me know what you think.

Concept

Socratic Method

Ancient philosophers have fascinated me for quite a while. I’ve studied Stoicism quite a bit and I actually can’t believe I haven’t spoken about it in my newsletter.

I’ll get around to it. There’s so much to unpack and great rules to live by.

Anyway, today we’re talking about the Socratic Method. Obviously named after the Greek philosopher Socrates.

The Socratic method is a form of teaching that focuses on questioning to try to get students to think critically and actively learn.

Socrates believed that we learn best through self-examination and constructive discussions with others.

How does it work?

The teacher asks open-ended questions to challenge students' preconceptions and guide them towards a deeper understanding of the topic.

The whole point is to get students to think critically and analyze information. Rather think for themselves than passively receive information.

It’s crazy to me that people were exploring these teaching methods thousands of years ago and yet in many instances, it hasn’t been adopted into everyday teaching.

My experience of school wasn’t one where I was taught independent thinking, but more one of memorizing things that I knew I’d be tested on.

What were your learning experiences like?

Have you used the Socratic Method?

Thanks for Reading

Now start something!

P.S. Feedback is welcome and needed! If you’d prefer to send me an email and not respond, you can do so here: [email protected]

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