FUNdaMENTALS 02: Nine Magic Bullets

It was in the fall of 1993, that I was introduced to the concept of a "magic bullet". Tom Waits had recorded his album, The Black Rider which was based on a play co-written by William S Burroughs. Like any good Gen-X boy, I was utterly enthralled by the Beats in general but Burroughs in particular. The juxtapositions of fatalism & magical thinking, heroin-chic & creative genius were compelling but ultimately, his willingness to make beauty from chaos was foundational to my budding worldview. Enter the magic bullet. In Burroughs hands, a magic bullet is profoundly purposeful but the underlying telos is not controlled by the one who fires the bullet. It is much more mysterious than that...& potentially miraculous or tragic. Everything comes down to your intention to transform. It is in this vein, that we bring forward nine magic bullets. These are simple, effective means to transform one's running. Whether you are in the doldrums, looking for a change, or grasping at what are now termed "hacks" to quickly help you refocus your training & racing, these magic bullets can be very effective. But keep in mind that any hack is like a magic bullet: it has its own purpose that you can attempt to harry to your target through aim & sighting or random gunslinging. But ultimately, you'll be required to accept that you must change your life & transform if you want the magic to work. & you'll have to accept the consequences. Perhaps it needn't be so dramatic, but in my experience, everything costs something & you better be ready to pay the Devil when he comes to collect. So as you consider the nine changes that we suggest in this episode, be certain to fully weigh the decision to implement any one of these & bring the proper respect & commitment to see it all the way through. Lest the magic bullet determine its own trajectory & leave you bereft. With that cautionary injunction, I present to you the second episode in our ongoing FUNdaMENTALS series we have titled, Nine Magic Bullets. Godspeed, my friends, godspeed. LINK HUBERMAN LAB PODCAST SLEEP EPISODE