Feeding Obsession Through Scarcity

Dear friends,

I am sorry that this newsletter is going out a little later than it normally does. I had a very fun weekend full of things that were unrelated to my podcast, and I think that is important.

For the past two months, I have had tunnel vision on my podcast and building whatever I am trying to build. I spend my free time researching guests and sending DMS or watching the great interviewers do their thing. Every waking second, I find myself obsessing over the next amazing thing I could say or how I could get more listeners.

In all of that, I have been trying hard to let myself live my life. It is my senior year of high school, and I am still trying to have fun.

It is so important to find a way to work hard while also living and having fun. Yes, ideally the work you’re doing should be fun; but, I’ve learned that if it is ALL you do, no matter how fun it is, the want to do it wears off.

With this podcast, I am trying really goddamn hard to keep it as something I love to do. In order to do that, I have to prioritize other things as well.

I don’t want to make it seem like I have balance figured out. I am a hardcore workaholic, and I know that. That is why I try to make myself understand that I need balance in order to succeed. My success seems to come from the fact that I love doing what I’m doing. My interviews are, in my opinion, great because I am genuinely curious. I want to learn. I love learning.


If you drink coffee every day because you love it so much, the effects of the caffeine start to diminish over time. With your smaller reactions, you think that you should drink more coffee so that you can start feeling the caffeine again. This just continues the same cycle. Instead, the smart thing to do would be to maintain scarcity and drink it 3 times a week so you can feel the effects of it.

I believe this to be an accurate metaphor for my work. If I work until midnight every night and let my obsession control me, I see the work I got done and want to do the same thing the next night; only, the next night I will be much more tired and will see diminishing returns. Keep the obsession controlled. Maintain scarcity with the things that have positive effects.

After this fun weekend, I am worn out from adventure and spontaneity; I can’t wait to get back to work and lock in on my podcast. By maintaining scarcity, I continue to feed my obsession.

The Grateful Podcast:

I have a podcast where I interview people much smarter and more qualified than me talking about how you can live a more purposeful life full of gratitude and ambition. 
I release episodes every Monday where I go over a lesson I’ve recently learned.

Every Wednesday and Saturday I release an episode with a very cool guest. 

You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or find the video version on YouTube.

This week’s episodes:

Monday: Feeding Obsession Through Scarcity: How To Love The Journey

I will dive into my thought process writing this newsletter and more personal examples of feeding obsession through scarcity.

Wednesday: The Hustle: Balancing Passion & Growth at 16 with Gavin Beauregard

Saturday: Gratitude As a Tool To Succeed and Love Life with David George Brooke

Coaching:

If you’re ready to take action and need guidance, I’d love to help.

I have limited space available so if you’re interested, book a free 15-minute call with me to discuss your dreams and how to start making them happen. 

You can shoot me an email at [email protected] where we can get scheduled.

Make this week rock. Thank you so much for reading this; I’ll see you next week.

With love,

Jack Wagoner