Stanford Professor Mark Granovetter conducted a survey to find out how people in our lives help us to become more mobile.

His conclusion was fascinating:  about three-quarters of new jobs came from leads from people who were only seen occasionally or rarely and not from family or friends.

This reminds us that social mobility comes not just from those we hold closest but from other “weak ties” in our lives – teachers, former employers.

This morning this reminds us to put a new value on all people with whom we come in contact and not just the trusted closest ones.

In other words, you’re more likely to accomplish your goals by not asking your closest friends.

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The evidence is there, and governments are taking action where parents are not or cannot – there’s a lot of social pressure for kids to have phones when they are too young.

The two biggest school systems in the U.S. – LA and New York City are set to ban phone usage from bell to bell.

For what it’s worth, I’ve been doing this in my NYU classes and the students like it so much they often mention the positive aspects for going analog for a period in their assessment of the courses.

The U.S. Surgeon General wants warning labels on social media apps – kind of like warnings on cigarette packages.

Help is on the way and oh, by the way, young people are often critical of their parents for setting a bad example of phone distraction, but as the digital revolution advances, it appears there is some ray of hope for how to interact with it and maintain healthy habits.

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“Because the only thing in life that’s really worth having is good skill … Good skill is the greatest possession. The things that money buys are fine. They’re good. I like them. But having a skill [is the most important thing].”

That’s what Jerry Seinfeld told Esquire when they asked him why he still works – he’s making his debut as a director in “Unfrosted”.

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“If we only wanted to be happy, it would be easy; but we want to be happier than other people, which is almost always difficult, since we think them happier than they are.”  Charles de Montesquieu, writer/philosopher

This is why Instagram and social media detracts from our happiness because judging our happiness based on the perceived happiness of others always leaves us wanting more.

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1 in 4 Gen Zers take their parents to interviews (26% actually sat in on the interview).

1 in 6 parents directly submitted job applications for their kids.

1 in 8 had their parents write their resume from scratch.

1 in 10 wrote the cover letter.

Walter Sterling, talkshow host on WPHT, Philadelphia called to set up an interview with me after seeing my DayStarters post and after experiencing his first applicant with parent in tow.

I thought you might enjoy hearing the short interview here.

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Author Meg Jay says when we do something nice for someone, we tend to like them more afterward which may lead to another future favor.

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We always hear people immediately jump into what they would do IF they won the lottery.

Perhaps a better question is what would you do if you DIDN’T win the lottery – could you answer that question as quickly as the first one?

Dreaming about riches as remote as that may actually be for a lottery holder is nowhere near as productive as asking what your life could look like without.

I get it, less money for sure, but even winning has its disadvantages – The Tragic Stories of Lotteries Unluckiest Winners.

Dreaming about the possibilities can be a sure bet.

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Only a handful out of 100 bad things happen.

We’re human, we all have ups and downs and there are some catastrophic things that cannot be wished away, but on the whole we have the opportunity for more good days than bad.

During the down times get the focus off ourselves and distract our mind by trying to help other people even if it is as simple as being a better listener when we hurt the most.

No one ever felt better by ruminating on all that is bad.

Being happy is a choice not a feeling – it’s not just when things are looking up but when you’re challenged the most. 

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1. You think everyone else is better than you
2. Going negative before you begin
3. You expect to lose, surprised to win
4. It’s been a long time between pats on the back
5. You’re asking for help from those less qualified than you

Others watch how you treat yourself and often treat you the same way.

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Since COVID, we all seem lonelier.

40% of British adults have gone 3 days without a face-to-face conversation with another person.

28% said they were lonely around people at a social event or at work.

It’s worse for 18-24’s – 60%.

A first step:  focus on how many other people feel the same loneliness and redirect your efforts at them – someone has to go first, it might as well be you and it can make all of the difference.

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