RITUALS FOR EXCELLENCE
William James
We can know the right things to do. We can know how to do them. But until and unless these behaviors become automatic habits, we will never actually do them reliably over time. It just takes too much energy, focus, and willpower to consciously think of everything all the time.
As the great American psychologist William James said about a hundred years ago:
“The more of the details of our daily life we can hand over to the effortless custody of automatism, the more our higher powers of mind will be set free for their own proper work. There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision, and for whom the lighting of every cigar, the drinking of every cup, the time of rising and going to bed every day, and the beginning of every bit of work, are subjects of express volitional deliberation.”
This is one of the enduring truths of human nature. If we want to establish a behavior over time, we need to make it automatic.Unfortunately for James, it turns out that the “miserable human being” he was describing, was himself. As his biographer Robert D. Richardson wrote, James’s was “…a man who really had no habits – or who lacked the habits he most needed, having only the habit of having no habits – and whose life was itself a ‘buzzing blooming confusion’ that was never really under control.”
Sometimes we can teach best what we most need to learn. In that sense James was a fantastic teacher regarding habits.
So how do we establish strong, positive, and consistent habits?
TANTRIC BHUTAN
The most fabulously exotic country on earth is the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. The Bhutanese religion of Tantric Buddhism is here exemplified by a prayer hall wall painting of Yab-Yum – the physical union of Compassion and Wisdom. Male compassion is personified as the deity Samvara with a blue body, multiple faces and arms. He embraces his consort of female wisdom Vajra-varahi.
It is important to understand that Yab-Yum is considered a sacred act as a path to Enlightenment. It is just one example of how Bhutan may stretch our comfort zone to learn ancient ways and practices, giving us a broader perspective on our humanity. For an in-depth understanding of Bhutan’s extraordinary culture, consider joining our Wheeler-Windsor Expedition to the Land of the Thunder Dragon next year. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #16 photo ©Jack Wheeler)
CHINA WOULD LOSE A TRADE WAR WITH THE US – GRADUALLY THEN SUDDENLY
[Another extraordinary must-read by VDH!]
China's trade war bluff may backfire as the U.S. pushes allies to choose between a rogue economic actor and a flawed but fairer partner with unmatched global power. Here’s why.
No one wants a “trade war” with China, or for that matter with any nation. Nonetheless, China has been waging one for years and is now locked in a tariff recalibration with the Trump administration.
In this American effort to find trade parity and equity, China can do some short-term damage to the U.S., especially in terms of ceasing exports of some pharmaceuticals, phones, and computers. But ultimately, it cannot win—and will eventually lose catastrophically. It will likely accept that reality sooner rather than later.
For openers, try this on: China is running a nearly $1-trillion trade surplus with the world. Its mercantilism is the result of market manipulations, product dumping, asymmetrical tariffs, patent, copyright and technology theft, a corrupt Chinese judicial system, and Western laxity—or what might be mildly called “bullying.”
THIS IS OUR MOMENT TO STAND UP TO CHINA
Make no mistake—this is our moment. After decades of disastrous trade deals, supply chain sellouts, and bipartisan cowardice in the face of communist China’s aggression, the Trump administration is doing what should have been done long ago: confronting Beijing head-on.
This isn’t just talk—it’s action. And it’s long overdue. If we don’t follow through now, we may never have a chance to do so again.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller didn’t mince words during his appearance on “Sunday Morning Futures” (4/13) with Maria Bartiromo. He made it abundantly clear that the administration understands the stakes. China isn’t just a competitor—it’s a hostile regime engaged in full-spectrum economic warfare against the United States.
INSIDE GIBRALTAR
We’re all familiar with the famed Rock of Gibraltar, huge and imposing from the outside – but inside the Rock itself is the enormous St. Michael’s Cave with fantastical formations colorfully illuminated.
For millions of years, rainwater created fissures in the Rock’s limestone widening into huge caves with the steady drip of mineralized water creating massive stalactites hanging from cave ceilings and stalagmites rising up from cave floors. A phantasmagorical experience.
Gibraltar has been a British territory since 1713 when Spain ceded it in the Treaty of Utrecht. Thus also high up inside the Rock are the Great Siege Tunnels the British dug then lined with cannon emplacements to defeat Spain’s attempt to seize Gibraltar in the 1780s.
Walking through the tunnels, you peer below looking down where the Spaniards and their French allies were vainly dug in – and where there is now an airplane runway stretching across the isthmus.
That’s just a glimpse of what to discover visiting Gibraltar, as there’s so much more! (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #12, photo ©Jack Wheeler)
THE MOONLIGHT SYMPHONY
[This Monday’s Archive was first published on July 1, 2005. It has particular relevance today, as you’ll soon see. As you know, I just returned from our latest safari in the Serengeti. So I was taken aback on how what was written on safari in Africa 20 years ago applies to America right now. The big difference is that today we have a President who behaves more like a Masai than his last several predecessors]
TTP, July 1, 2005
MORU ROCKS, SERENGETI PLAINS, TANZANIA, AFRICA. It is at night that Africa becomes most alive – especially when there’s a full moon.
The most restful night’s sleep one can have, it seems, is when you are lulled by the cackling whine of hyenas, the incessant barking of zebras, the coughing of lions, the grunting of hippos, the bellowing of Cape buffalo, the stomach rumblings of elephants, the flutter of Guinea fowl roosting in the trees, and the soft chirp of the tiny Scopes owl. The Moonlight Symphony of the Serengeti.
It is so soothing, perhaps, because these sounds accompanied our emergence upon this earth. The plains of East Africa are where such proto-hominids as Australopithicus and Homo habilis became us, human beings. It is where we came out of the trees, onto the plains, and became predators.
The dominant life form on these plains is mammals, and as you witness their vast numbers divided into a myriad of different species, you see there are two kinds: predators and prey. One way to distinguish between the two is the eyes.
FLASHBACK FRIDAY – SHACKLETON
You likely read the new story this week of the extraordinary discovery of Antarctic legendary explorer Ernest Shackleton’s ship The Endurance 10,000 feet deep at the bottom of the Weddell Sea: Ernest Shackleton’s Sunken Ship Endurance Found 107 Years Later (3/09/22).
Perhaps you read my account of his incredible exploits in Endurance (April 2013). I thought to commemorate the ship’s discovery with this photo of me at Shackleton’s gravesite at the abandoned whaling station of Grytviken on the Antarctic island of South Georgia.
Shackleton was the most heroic arctic explorer of them all. The famous eulogy at his funeral says it all:
For scientific discovery, give me Scott
For speed and efficiency of travel, give me Amundsen
But when disaster strikes and all hope is gone
Get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton
(Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #192 photo ©Jack Wheeler)WHA…?
HALF-FULL REPORT 04/11/25
Volatility And Alignment
We are discussing Europe’s response to U.S. tariff policies under Trump and the broader implications for global alignments. Europe’s initial reaction involves engaging China through a summit and discussions to eliminate tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, despite potential harm to its own automotive sector. This move underscores a rift between Europe’s economic elites, who favor closer ties with China, and its political leaders, who tread more cautiously.
For instance, Spain’s Prime Minister Sanchez prioritizes economic relations with China over fostering European unity, adopting an emotionally charged anti-Trump stance rather than pursuing pragmatic solutions.
European leaders are more concerned about domestic populism than the economic fallout from tariffs, revealing a strategic shortsightedness that could undermine the continent’s interests.
By deepening ties with China, Europe risks aligning with the emerging “Dragon Bear” bloc—China and Russia—potentially positioning itself against the U.S. in a new Cold War.
A likely outcome is a U.S.-Europe zero-tariff trade zone, which would favor America. On the global trade front, there is China’s manufacturing dominance, built on intellectual property theft and overcapacity, which Trump’s tariffs aim to counter.
A trade war could destabilize China’s economy, forcing it to dump goods in BRICS nations and Europe, potentially crippling their industries.
China’s Arctic ambitions are discussed, particularly a secretive deal to lease Adak Island, a former U.S. naval base, which Trump seeks to counter by reactivating the site to secure Arctic sea lanes.
Trump’s is making efforts to revive the U.S. coal industry and deregulate environmental policies. Coal is framed as a national security asset due to its stockpile capability and low cost compared to Russian gas, essential for re-industrialization where natural gas infrastructure falls short.
Previous EPA policies under Obama dismantled coal infrastructure, necessitating costly rebuilding. Trump’s executive orders target regulations across energy and environmental sectors, set to expire by 2026, aimed at lowering costs, boosting industries, and empowering states while maintaining environmental protections.
The world is at a crossroads, with Europe’s indecision, China’s overreach, and Trump’s assertive policies reshaping global economic and strategic dynamics.
Come on over to the HFR and let's talk about it.
SLOVENIA’S VINTGAR GORGE
In a hidden corner of Europe, the Radovna River pours off the Julian Alps to carve out the Vintgar Gorge with crystal clear water. A mile-long walkway with towering limestone cliffs on either side is your access.
Nearby is the gorgeous Lake Bled, with Bled Castle suspended atop a shoreline cliff. The medieval village of Piran, built on a spit of land projecting into the Adriatic Sea and encircled by a white sand beach is a short drive away. Ljubljana is one of Europe’s most utterly charming capital cities.
Most people have only heard of Slovenia as the birthplace of First Lady Melania Trump, but those who have been here understand it is one of the most entrancing countries on the European continent – pristine beauty, spotless environment, friendly and hospitable people, safe and very well-run. Whenever your next visit to Europe may be, try to include a few days or week or so here. You’ll never run out of fascinating things to do. A stroll through the Vintgar Gorge is an example out of so many. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #19 photo ©Jack Wheeler)