Squat to Potty | Strategy of Preeminence | Wisdom of Donald Glover
Post #29 from November 6, 2023
1/ Healthy: Squat to Potty
For most of human history, squatting has been our natural way of emptying our bowels. This instinctual posture allows our bodies to align for efficient defecation. The problem arises with modern toilets, which are often too tall (up to 17in), causing our bodies to be in an obtuse position that tightens the puborectalis muscle, hindering the natural flow.
Today, around 1.5 billion people squat because they don't have access to toilets, and many in Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Europe use specially designed squat toilets. When you squat, your torso and legs form an acute angle, relaxing the pelvic floor and allowing for straightening of the intestine, facilitating complete evacuation. In contrast, sitting on a toilet creates a kink in the pelvic floor muscle, making it difficult to empty the bowels effectively.
Elevating your feet slightly (20-30cm or 8-11in) with a footstool aligns the anorectal region optimally, easing evacuation and reducing strain. This subtle change acts as an ergonomic nudge for your digestive system. Squatting can prevent various discomforts like constipation and hemorrhoids since there's less pressure on the intestines.
“Our western toilets are simply too high up for this physiological position. With a toilet stool, the feet are higher and the rectoanal angle is larger and therefore more optimal for emptying." Daniel Sterzing, MD, Proctology Centre Berlin.
While the idea of squatting might seem daunting on a modern toilet, it's easier than it appears. Many cultures have embraced this natural posture but if you’re accustomed to the toilet, perhaps a physical aid can help. There are specially designed footrests for purchase online, or a simple stack of books can enable you to squat comfortably.
2/ Wealthy: The Strategy of Preeminence
The Strategy of Preeminence, as explained and applied by author and strategist Jay Abraham, is a business and relationship mindset focusing on service and empathy. At its core, preeminence centers around being better than others. Yet, this strategy reverses the literal approach and instead focuses on prioritizing the needs and best interests of others, such as team members, partners, prospects, or customers. Some essential principles from the strategy:
Empathy First: Preeminence advocates prioritizing the needs of others, subduing personal needs, and wholeheartedly concentrating on the other party—primarily, the client or customer. By understanding the needs of those your client serves—be it their employees or family members—you can represent these needs back to your client effectively.
Customer Advocacy Selling: Shift the focus from selling to serving, emphasizing removing 'I' and 'we' from your vocabulary and concentrating on the 'you,' the client.
Broad Impact: This mindset extends across various groups crucial to your success: your fellow team members, suppliers, family, and clients. While only the last group directly pays you, recognizing the significance of all these groups is vital.
Understanding this strategy can revolutionize not only your approach to business but also your perspective on serving others effectively.
Go deeper: White Paper on the Strategy of Preeminence
3/ Wise: The Wisdom of Donald Glover
The prolific creator, Donald Glover, a.k.a. Childish Gambino, is keeping busy these days with a lot of new projects. A recent interview with Complex gives insight to the wisdom he is applying to his work and life. Snapshots from the interview below:
On Ambitious Projects:
“I'm actually lucky because I'm living in a time that's technologically allowing me to do all this stuff at a much faster pace. But a lot of it is scary because you just have to go with your gut as opposed to doing a ton of research, even though that research is available. It's frustrating. You know, too much information is almost like having no information. Oblivion and eternity are the same thing, you know?”
On Mindset:
“I got bored with people saying, like, "This world is shit." It's kind of like when people say, "Oh, this traffic is so bad." I'm like, "You are traffic." You can't sit there and be like, "Oh man, the traffic was horrible. I'm sorry, I was late." You are traffic. You're in it. Without you, there would be no traffic. So if you're sitting here being like, "The world is shit," it's like, you are the world. You have to take that responsibility.”
On Artificial Intelligence:
“I think there's a good reason to be cautious. But at the same time, the scary stuff sells and people aren't focusing on how AI can actually help us solve these problems that we have. I get it. It is scary on some level. But I'm like, you could band together and do something really cool with it. Like, something really new. And you can do all that stuff faster. You know, AI's not gonna take your job, the person who's really good at AI is gonna take your job. All these things come with cautionary stuff and I think there should be legislation, although I doubt that will happen. Usually it's in reaction and I think what's scary to people is that we're heading toward the precipice of an existential crisis, where we only get one chance to do it the right way. I think that's what people are afraid of.”
Stay healthy, wealthy, and wise.
With warmth,
Fernando R.F.
(Note: This blog is not written by a medical or financial professional. It's important to consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle, especially if you have any underlying health conditions. They can provide personalized guidance tailored to your individual needs. It is important to do your own research and determine the best course of action together with an expert.)
Go Deeper:
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sanitation#:~:text=Over%201.5%20billion%20people%20still,as%20private%20toilets%20or%20latrines.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hemorrhoids/symptoms-causes/syc-20360268
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2012/09/20/161501413/for-best-toilet-health-squat-or-sit#:~:text=%22Squatting%20on%20a%20stool%20can,proving%20that%2C%22%20she%20says.
https://slate.com/technology/2010/08/how-bathroom-posture-affects-your-health.html
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1757-5672.2009.00057.x
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hemorrhoids/symptoms-causes/syc-20360268
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30346317/
https://www.abraham.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/The_Strategy_of_Preeminence-Adapted-for-a-Client1.pdf
https://www.complex.com/music/a/eric-skelton/donald-glover-interview-quiet-comfort