GoodFriday: On billionaire envy, character routine, & morning protein

Happy GoodFriday!  

Here’s something I heard, thought, and did this week.

Something I Heard: Billionaire Envy

During a 1963 interview, billionaire J Paul Getty was asked who he envied. His response to the question was, “I envy people — younger and stronger, and more cheerful than I am, people who have better characters than I have.”

Despite having more wealth than anyone could spend Getty still looked outward and wished for something else: youth, vitality, joy, character. It’s a reminder that happiness and fulfillment aren’t automatically granted by money or status.

The things we often overlook—character, energy, relationships, gratitude, and health—are what make life truly meaningful. They are also the things that money, no matter how much of it someone has, can’t buy.

Something I Thought: Character

It’s interesting that no one ever really discusses character development with the same level of intensity as making tons of money. Yet the qualities of having good character are what shape our experience of the world.

Something I’m Doing: Starting My Mornings With Protein

Protein intake has always been my main priority when it comes to nutrition. But lately, I’ve noticed I haven’t quite been hitting the mark. Most mornings I start my day with oats, blueberries, and peanut butter. It’s a solid meal, but it’s not really setting me up to build as much muscle as possible in my 30s.

To fix this, I’ve started taking a protein shake every morning on my way to work. One of the main reasons is that eating a high-quality protein source in the morning helps kickstart muscle protein synthesis. After an 8 hour fast, giving your body protein early flips the switch toward growth and recovery.

Since muscle plays such a key role in health and longevity, I want to make sure I’m optimizing for as much growth as possible. This shake, small as it may seem, is one daily action that helps me fulfill that goal.

Until next week!

-Cameron Harn