I Gave Up My Cell Phone for One Year (Here's What Changed) | Tommy Short

What would happen if you put your cell phone away for an entire year?In this episode of Books4Guys, Chris sits down with former Division I basketball referee, Olympic official, executive coach, keynote speaker, and author Tommy Short to discuss his remarkable experiment of living 365 days without a cell phone and the life-changing lessons that followed.After spending nearly two decades officiating Division I college basketball and working on the international stage with FIBA and Team USA Basketball, Tommy realized the pursuit of excellence had come with a cost. Constant travel, endless connectivity, and always feeling "on call" were pulling him away from the people and moments that mattered most. That realization inspired an experiment that challenged nearly every modern habit—and ultimately became his book, The Call I Almost Missed: 365 Days Without a Cell Phone and What It Taught Me About Love, Presence, and the Lies We Live.Chris and Tommy discuss presence, technology, ambition, family, purpose, success, and why so many of us spend our lives chasing someone else's definition of achievement. Tommy also shares the unexpected lessons he learned during his year offline, the importance of embracing boredom, how removing constant distraction unlocked greater creativity, and why identifying what truly matters is one of the most important exercises anyone can do.Whether you're constantly attached to your phone, trying to create healthier boundaries, or simply looking to become more intentional with your time, this conversation will challenge the way you think about technology, relationships, and living a meaningful life. In this episode, you'll learn: Why Tommy chose to live an entire year without a cell phone  How technology quietly steals our attention and presence  Why defining success for yourself is essential to living a fulfilled life  The surprising benefits of boredom and uninterrupted thinking  How removing distractions improved creativity and relationships  The importance of identifying what truly matters before it's too late  Why being fully present is one of the greatest gifts you can give someone  The books that have had the biggest impact on Tommy's life https://tommyshort.com/