Finishing up the last few kits from the first batch of anodized pieces!

I found a solution to the height issues I was having previously and found I accidentally left no stock on the top face that would be surfaced. On top of this, when I initially put the stock in the fixture plate, I didn't make sure it was completely flat, and so one side was lifted, which was unnoticeable until you run the 3rd and 4th operations. 

One of the final steps for this project, before I can run the remaining 80, is putting together an instruction manual on how to assemble the kit. I decided to do it all digital, so I would highlight specific areas with more ease and not have to worry about background noise in pictures. I'm taking advantage of the rendering capabilities in Fusion360 to isolate and get decent images of each component of the rocket, which works really well for the step-by-step process!

One of my goals with this instruction card is to be as simple as I can. Using as few words, diagrams, and added elements as possible. I'm still in the process, but nearly complete, and using Canva's wide range of free icons to create a simple and clean how-to! 

I'm not super pleased with the first diagram due to how much is in the image and may blur the background a bit more to highlight the pliers. Other than that, I'm delighted with the outcome so far and greatly enjoyed the process of making it! 

It's late right now, and I just got back from a Friendsgiving dinner and feel extremely content and happy.

Unfortunately, I think we fail to appreciate what we do have when seeking what we don't. We take for granted where we are now and the opportunities to enjoy moments together with loved ones.

Something I've found helpful in keeping these times on my mind and not forgetting them is practicing always sending a thank-you note to hosts. Sharing my appreciation and putting it into words helps me better realize how great a gift it was and turns me into a more loving and appreciative person.

Being specific in the thank-you note also helps you remember the exact things that happened and knowing the details will help you better recall the time down the line. 

Key takeaways:

1) We often take for granted where we are and what we have

2) Showing appreciation through a thank-you note helps you better understand how great a gift it truly is

3) Being specific helps you remember it with more clarity down the line

I talked with one of the guys in my mastermind group on my drive about the culture of comfort and contentment with the people in my generation. 

I find it somewhat surprising and odd that there are so many young people who seem content with mediocrity and don't desire to reach for greater heights. There's nothing wrong with this, but when you only work enough to live on, you don't get to have the opportunities to serve and give as much as if you were striving to build your talents and skills!

Building an empire isn't selfish; you are helping others, creating wealth for everyone, and everything grows. 

Unfortunately, most of my generation is growing up without working or putting in effort for almost anything. It seems to be a lul, and insulation from the real world. We don't need to build something, so we don't. We are satisfied with just living for immediate pleasure, and it's easier than ever to get. 

Key takeaways:

1) My generation is very content with mediocrity

2) When you only work enough to live on, you are living only for yourself

3) Building an empire is a very selfless thing to do

4) Immediate pleasure is easy and plentiful

One of the things that have given me a lot of energy and focus throughout the day is having a morning routine, and it's something I've been refining for many months now!

There are many physiological reasons why having a morning routine is good, but I want to focus on what's worked in my personal experience! 

I've found that doing something regularly every single morning is a great mindset for the day. It's a time where I can take a few moments to myself and think about what's to come for the day. There are many unknowns, and especially with my work scenario, I don't always know what I will be doing until the day of. So reviewing what I will be working on and preparing myself mentally helps me overcome any doubts I may have. I use Brendon Burchard's high-performance journal for this, and his morning mindset questions have been very helpful in letting me see what I need to stay focused on.

I've also found that exercising in the morning is much more enjoyable than in the evening. Having a regular schedule for what time I go to exercise helps me be consistent in doing it every day. Exercising your body also gets your blood flowing and pumped up for the day. 

I also read from my bible each morning, which allows me to wholly focus on God's word and lightly meditate on it.

I used to get up 30 minutes or so before I had to get started with whatever task I had for the day, which wasn't ideal, as I was going into it half asleep and overwhelmed by everything going on.

Key takeaways:

1) Having a routine helps you stay focused on the tasks for the day

2) Review what you will do for the day

3) Starting with exercise will energize your body and mind to get you out on the right foot

Often I fall into the trap of thinking I know it all, and the second that happens, something goes off in my brain telling me to stop trying to learn new things.

When trying to find people to guide you, you want to go in with a learner's attitude. You want to show them that you are eager to find out all the hard-earned wisdom they have to share. You can even put yourself in your mentor's shoes and ask yourself, "what kind of person would I want to share my experience with" and someone with a know-it-all attitude probably isn't on your list.

Honor your mentor, show you're listening, repeat back to them their advice in your own words. I've found that if you approach someone with an eager to learn attitude, coming in as the student, they will more than likely want to share their advice with you. 

Show up and be consistent; this is one area I am very aware of, mostly because it's one I fail at quite a bit. Show not only that you want to learn but also that you will work on it; showing up is half the battle. Show up for your mentor and prove that you are focused and consistent in their word and actions. 

Key takeaways:

1) Go to your mentor with a student attitude

2) Ask yourself what kind of person you would want to mentor

3) Show you're listening by repeating back

4) Be consistent

What is a mentor? 

I see a mentor as someone with more experience, guiding, or giving advice to someone with less experience. In my own life, my parents, older siblings, and my boss would be considered mentors, just for specific applications. One thing I had to overcome was the thought, "there is one mentor who will show me the way," when in reality, people are specialized, and so you can get amazing advice from people who have a lot of experience in that.

Why would I want mentors?

The primary reason to have mentors is to move along faster. Not make the same mistakes others have made, and take the path of following what's worked for other successful people. However, something I've come to realize is, what worked for them, may not work for you. We all have our own unique personalities and ways we understand things, and often times I'll hear something that a great leader says helped them the most. But that may not be what will help me the most. I have my own challenges to overcome and strengths they may not have!

Key takeaways: 

1) A mentor is someone with more experience guiding one with less

2) You want mentors that are especially experienced in what you want to learn

3) You want a mentor because they can help you avoid many of the mistakes they made

4) Not all advice will be helpful

Why I wouldn't start with a mentor, I've realized that there is so much I can be doing now that having a mentor would be more of a burden than a help. I think we often overlook how much free knowledge there is already out there and want to skip past the stuff that's everywhere and get to the meat of things. But if we don't know enough about the new work, we don't know what questions to ask of the mentor. 

Say I wanted to get into buying and to sell real estate (something I know almost nothing about) if I go straight away to find someone who has experience in it and try to get them to mentor me, they wouldn't necessarily know where to begin. You are essentially asking them to tell you the ABCs. You can find that information so fast online that you're almost insulting them by asking such a broad question.

On top of researching the work, you want to do, start talking about it. Start an Instagram account, get on forums, ask questions, engage with other people about it. I think just sharing what you are learning on an Instagram page is one of the most needle-moving things we can do as the younger generation. Showing interest and a willingness to learn things on our own. 

Mentors come in time; they are when we've reached a point where we understand enough and are interested enough to dive deeper in.

Key Takeaways:

1) Don't start with a mentor

2) Do the research to know what to ask

3) Show interest and engage with other people

4) Mentors come in time

Working on the rocket project again today!

Picking up from yesterday, I ended up going with one of Fusion360's basic centerline fonts to engrave the text on the side of the rocket; it was just going to be too much of a headache to try and get the original font to work on a curved surface. One thing I did notice is that the text would fade off toward the end. Specifically, the last letter wouldn't show up very well. I thought this was just how I positioned the plate in the fixture, but after taking a closer look at the CAM toolpath, I noticed it did the same there too. 

The line that indicates where the center of the tool follows would cut into the material on the high side, but as it got toward the tip, it would fade out and wouldn't even touch the material at the end. I'm using a project toolpath for this engraving, and I looked around to see if there was a setting I missed. I tried to look online to see if other people had similar issues, but it looks like this may be the first instance. My quick solution for this problem was to duplicate the toolpath, isolate the last letter, and cut deeper than the rest. 

I also had some odd height issues with the rocket stand where it seems to be at an angle, and so when I cut the top face to remove the coloring, it would have a fade effect as it cut the high side and left the other untouched. Thankfully it looks like it's only going to be a problem with this first batch, and for the next, I can add more stock to the top of that face and cut the engraving a bit deeper. 

Also, putting some renderings of the kit into an instruction manual for how to assemble everything! I plan on using Canva for this and taking advantage of their icons to explain what to do! I'm actually quite excited for this :D

One of the things Tony Robbins said in an interview was that most people know what to do. They don't do it primarily out of fear. They are scared to lose something or don't think it's possible, may ruin their life.

The thing is, there are very few things we can really do that will actually ruin our life, or have major bad ramifications. The worst that will typically happen is that we don't like it, so go back to the old process. Thinking specifically of losing weight, it's a daunting thing, and back at the beginning of the year when I was nearly 300lbs, I had a mindset of "but if I get on a diet, I will never get to eat my favorite foods again for the rest of my life." The primary reason I fell off the other plans was getting fed up with not enjoying those foods or letting something small slide. 

One of the ways I overcame, this was changing my mindset on it, and instead of looking at what I would lose, look at what I would gain. I could play sports and not get tired, I could last longer in almost everything, and I could feel great about my body! I realized too that I could change what I wanted to eat and what I enjoyed eating.

Everything is a mindset game; that is the key to unlock anything in life. 

Key takeaways:

1) Most people know what to do; they are just scared

2) It's hard to actually to mess up your life, and if you don't like it, go back to the old ways

3) Mindset is everything; you can change how you perceive all things in your life

I'd say one of the largest changes I've made in my life that have helped me move forward so fast is starting small.

Often, I will have a new amazing idea, get overwhelmed with the details, and never start anything. However, after reading many books and hearing it repeatedly, starting small is the key to starting something. I've realized how true that is; another way to put it for the perfectionist is "you can't perfect something that doesn't exist." 

It sounds simple because it is. But hardly anyone does it, and I think that may be because of fear, fear of failing, or fear of losing something. In reality, you are just trying something new, and if it doesn't work, go back if you like. 

Just taking that first small step was all I needed to do to start losing weight, not worrying about the details of what would come later, but just taking the first step and getting through that day was my whole goal. After that, I went through the next day, I didn't know how to do it exactly or the science behind the method I was using, so I trusted it enough to follow the plan and not deviate.

That's how I started my weight journey of losing almost 100lbs in about 7 months.

Key takeaways:

1) The key to starting something big is to start. 

2) Don't look into the future; have faith, and do it for today

3) Nothing will change without you changing first