Hey Rollers,
I’ll admit it, I’ve turned into that grumpy old fart at the gym.
Because every session I somehow end up as the “bro in the background” of someone’s TikTok reel. Or I see the make-up-ready faces who must’ve set 3am alarms just to look camera-fresh for a 5am workout.
This pandemic isn’t unique to the gym.
I mean, what do people do with the shaky cappuccino art videos, or the 0.5-second clip of a celebrity walking past at the airport framed by 48 other phones in the air?
It seems many of us have stopped living and started performing or producing instead.
Think about the Masters golf tournament. One of the only events in the world where spectators aren’t allowed to bring their phones. The result is amazing, or what 20 years ago was just normal. Crowds actually watching, cheering, reacting. Living in the moment instead of filming it.
Where do we choose to live our lives?
🎭 Performing → curating for others, living life like it’s a highlight reel.
📸 Producing → documenting endlessly, more archivists than participants.
🙌 Participating → showing up, present, in the raw and unfiltered moments.
I wrestled with this myself during my 10 marathons earlier this year. A big part of me wanted to document every detail. But some of the most meaningful moments came when I stopped, took a conscious mental picture, and just let myself be in it.
So here’s my thought, maybe it’s not about ditching phones or going off-grid. Maybe it’s simply about knowing which mode we’re in, and choosing more often to participate. That’s it.
Because a life performed or produced isn’t the same as a life lived.
Until next week.
Keep rolling.
Justin 👊
Take Action in 3 Minutes:
This week, run a quick diagnostic:
👉 When you catch yourself in a moment, ask: Am I performing, producing, or participating?
Don’t judge. Just notice.
And if you catch yourself performing or producing, pause for one breath and ask: What would it look like to participate right now?