One of the standout moments of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 sees Jim Carrey pulling double duty as two Doctors Robotnik Ivo and his grandfather Gerald merrily dancing their way through a classic Hollywood trope: the laser security grid. That sequence was not only technically challenging to pull off, Sonic 3 director Jeff Fowler tells Polygon, it was a scene proposed by Carrey himself which sure sounds like a thing Jim Carrey would do.In our early conversations, it was one of Jims requests, Fowler recalls. In the first [Sonic the Hedgehog movie], theres a moment where Robotnik is in his lab, and thinks hes by himself. He puts on some music [Where Evil Grows by the Poppy Family] and he just starts dancing. He has a little dance party, and then he gets interrupted by [his assistant] Stone. And so Jim wanted to dance again. Of course, we had to not just have him dance, we had to go big, and really go for it.Carrey even requested the song that was ultimately used in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, The Chemical Brothers Galvanize.We immediately brought in these amazing choreographers and this dance team, Fowler said. Of course, Jim wanted to do everything he could, but there was no way he could do everything, especially since hes dancing with himself. So theres always going to need to be another human in there dancing with him that would then become a face replacement down the line.Fowler said that making the double Robotnik dancing scene work was a challenge, based on the dozens of lasers bouncing off their laser-resistant-suited bodies. We very quickly learned that the more we threw in there, the harder it became to understand their movement, Fowler said. So it was very much trial and error, just whats the right amount of lasers to create these really fun silhouettes and geometric patterns with the way the lasers were reflecting off their bodies.Fowler called the short but memorable sequence which, surprisingly, does not goof on the infamously leering laser-trap scene featuring Catherine Zeta-Jones in Entrapment a lot of work from a lot of people.But its such a standout thing, the director said. I think weve all seen sequences with laser grids and lattices where people are having to navigate them. But the idea of just dancing right through it it was so Jim Carrey, so perfect, and just really fun to execute.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.When you have a reliable internet connection, you don't think about how you watch YouTube on your iPhone. It just works. But there are plenty of times when you either need to go offline, or give your data plan a break. For these situations, it's pretty easy to download YouTube videos on your iPhone to watch them offline or without using databut not all the methods are exactly equal. Is downloading YouTube videos legal?This ones a bit complicated. If you download videos to your iPhone using YouTubes service (more on that below), its 100% on the up-and-up. However, the platform does not approve of downloading videos from its servers outside of that capacity. Its actually against YouTubes terms of service for app developers to make YouTube downloaders and put them on app stores. That said, the company wont do a thing about it if you do download videos from third-party solutions. Where it will take action is if you upload those videos, especially copyrighted videos, back online. So, play it safe: Download these videos only for your own personal use. How to download videos using YouTube PremiumYouTubes preferred method for downloading videos on your iPhone is, of course, by paying for the service. With YouTube Premium, youll find a convenient Download button next to most videos on the platform, so you can quickly save your favorite videos for offline viewing anytime. Sometimes, the button is tucked away, but if you swipe on the row of options below the channel's name, you'll find it. The first time you tap "Download," YouTube will offer you quality options for your download: Low (144p), Medium (360p), High (720p), or Full HD (1080p). If you choose "Remember my settings," YouTube won't ask you next time, and will default to whichever quality setting you choose here. Unless storage isn't a concern, I'd suggest letting YouTube ask you each time, since you'll see the total download size of each quality choice with this menu. You'll find your videos under your profile tab on the bottom right, in the Downloads section. You can watch your videos from here, as well as delete any you no longer want saved to your iPhone. Your downloads will stay put so long as your iPhone connects to the internet at least once every 30 days. That's a bit annoying, but unless you're backpacking off the grid for over a month, you should be alright. Credit: Jake Peterson There are other perks to YouTube Premium, including avoiding ads before videos and the high-quality 1080p Premium bitrate, for $13.99 per month. Its an expensive way to download your YouTube videos, but it is the way YouTube approves of.Use a YouTube downloader site (but be cautious)Mobile browsing on iPhone has come a long way. In many respects, its just as capable as browsing on a Mac or PC. For example, you can actually use a YouTube downloader in Safari and download a YouTube video just as you would on desktop. This type of downloader is far from a perfect option, however. The YouTube downloaders online can be spammy, blasting you with sketchy ads and giving off an overall malicious vibe. Still, they do work, so its a notable option.About ShortcutsIn the past, my go-to has typically been Apple's Shortcuts, a treasure trove of powerful programssome of which happened to be YouTube downloaders.The problem is, these shortcuts tend to break fast. It's not clear exactly why, but it's possible YouTube frequently changes things on its end and stops these shortcuts from working. That wouldn't be so bad if developers stuck around and patched the issues are they pop up, but, unfortunately, these shortcuts are often abandoned. So, when something goes wrong, the shortcut is useless. Previous versions of this article recommended JAYD (Just Another YouTube Downloader), as well as Sur. Unfortunately, both seem to have met the same fate as other YouTube downloaders, so I can't recommend them anymore. Most other YouTube downloader shortcuts I can find are also old and abandoned. At this point in time, you really have two options for downloading YouTube videos on your iPhone: paying YouTube for the privilege, or using a free downloader site.

Nothing says "Christmas" quite like non-stop ads for cars, all adorned with giant car-sized bows on top. While I've never personally been gifted a car with a giant car-sized bow (and feel free to change that for me), it's true that this time of year is one of the best time to go car shopping. Many automakers offer sales and financing deals on cars right now to help push them off the lot as the new model year cars roll in. If youre in the market for a new or used car, this time of year can be a great time to buy for added savings, but only with the right plan. Time your purchase right Aim to purchase near the very end of December, as salespeople scramble to meet monthly quotas and annual sales goals before the year concludes. Christmas Eve and New Years Eve are excellent times to get the best offers. Model year-end clearance sales will also net steep discountsjust be sure youre comfortable buying the prior years model if going this route.Research at homeBy the time you arrive at the dealership, you should already know the following:Your budgetWhether you're leasing or buying (Although you should probably buy, not lease.)Your top choice (plus two back-up models)Research market prices for vehicles using price-comparison sites like Edmunds or Kelley Blue Book. Gauge the fair-market value of the make and model you're interested in.In terms of payment, the gold standard is to pay for a car in cash and in full, but that's not a realistic possibility for all buyers. Instead, opt to get pre-approved for an auto loan from your bank or credit union and compare the offer to dealer financing. Your credit score plays a major role in determining your interest rate and whether youll get approved. Before applying for a loan, check your credit score so you know where you stand. If its low, here are ways to boost it.Another holiday-specific tip is to look at year-end inventory on last year's models. As the 2024 models come in, dealers will be looking to offload 2023 and even 2022 models still sitting on the lot, giving you negotiation power.Arrive informed about the deals Look out for holiday-exclusive pricing packages and cut preferential financing rates. Monitor sales highlights and fine print exclusions on manufacturer and dealer websites. Check to see if manufacturer financing or customer rebates are available for the cars you're considering. Keep in mind that some holiday-related manufacturer incentives might actually be in place before the holiday weekend and may extend past it. Be decisiveTime to put all your research to use. Cars are hot commodities, so be ready to pull the trigger at the dealership. You should mention any competing offers you've received to use as leverage, even if they aren't an exact apples-to-apples comparison. Then again, the old days of walking away as a negotiating tactic are over for the time beingby the time you come back, your car will most likely have been sold.One area to be flexible: car color and trim options. Opting for colors/options that aren't as popular can save you money as the dealer may be trying harder to move those vehicles.If you're trading in your existing vehicle, its age or mileage will determine its baseline value regardless of whether it's the holidays or not. But you gain leverage negotiating the purchase price for the new vehicle during peak sale promos. Highlight applicable retail rebates and reference year-end volume goals salespeople are striving towards when pressing for the lowest overall price. Review which dealership fees you can and cannot avoid.The festive chill in the December air doesnt have to dampen big-ticket purchaseswith the right mindset, you can unwrap a sweet new car deal this holiday season.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.It's not too late to shop for some Christmas gifts, and if you're looking to wow a loved one (or splurge for yourself), this OLED TV from LG is a great option. Best Buy has the 55-inch LG B4 OLED smart TV for $999.99 (originally $1,399.99) after a $400 discount. The deal is also one of the 52 TVs that comes with a $100 Best Buy gift card. This is the best discount this TV has had over the last few months, according to price-tracking tools. OLEDs are great, but they're not for everyone. Here's what this TV offers and how to determine if it's a good fit for you. 55-inch LG B4 OLED Smart TV Resolution: 4K (2160p), Size: 55 inches, Display Type: OLED, Voice Assistant Built-in: Amazon Alexa. $999.99 at Best Buy $1,399.99 Save $400.00 Get Deal Get Deal $999.99 at Best Buy $1,399.99 Save $400.00 One of the main things you need to know about OLEDs is that they are susceptible to burn-in. If you plan on leaving the TV running for a long period with the same image, like a channel that keeps the logo on the same corner, you run the risk of that image permanently getting burned onto the display. Another thing to keep in mind is that OLEDs don't get as bright as other TVs, so if you plan on using them in a bright room, your image quality will not be optimal.Despite those downsides, OLEDs offer some of the highest-quality images available on modern televisions. The B4 OLED just came out this year and has 4K capabilities with 2160p resolution, High Dynamic Range (HRD), 120 Hz refresh rate (which is great for gaming), and webOS smart platform with voice assistant and access to many streaming services. If you're looking for a 55-inch OLED TV under $1,000 that will arrive before Christmas, this is the best bang for your buck.

We may be a bit technology-obsessed here, but the Engadget team does occasionally get around to low-tech activities, like reading. Well, some of us read on ereaders or our smartphones, but you get the point books are great, and we read some exceptional ones this year that each deserve a shoutout. These are some of the best books we read in 2024. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/our-favorite-books-we-read-in-2024-151514842.html?src=rss

A federal judge in California has agreed with WhatsApp that the NSO Group, the Israeli cybersurveillance firm behind the Pegasus spyware, had hacked into its systems by sending malware through its servers to thousands of its users' phones. WhatsApp and its parent company, Meta, sued the NSO Group back in 2019 and accused it of spreading malware to 1,400 mobile devices across 20 countries with surveillance as its purpose. They revealed back then some of the targeted phones were owned by journalists, human rights activists, prominent female leaders and political dissidents. The Washington Post reports that District Judge Phyllis Hamilton has granted WhatsApp's motion for summary judgement against NSO and has ruled that it had violated the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA).The NSO Group disputed the allegations in the "strongest possible terms" when the lawsuit was filed. It denied that it had a hand in the attacks and told Engadget back then that its sole purpose was to "provide technology to licensed government intelligence and law enforcement agencies to help them fight terrorism and serious crime." The company argued that it should not be held liable, because it merely sells its services to government agencies, which are the ones that determine their targets. In 2020, Meta escalated its lawsuit and accused the firm of using US-based servers to stage its Pegasus spyware attacks.Judge Hamilton has ruled that the NSO Group violated the CFAA, because the firm appears to fully acknowledge that the modified WhatsApp program its clients use to target users send messages through legitimate WhatsApp servers. Those messages then allow the Pegasus spyware to be installed on users' devices the targets don't even have to do anything, such as pick up the phone to take a call or click a link, to be infected. The court has also found that the plaintiff's motion for sanctions must be granted on account of the NSO Group "repeatedly [failing] to produce relevant discovery," most significant of which is the Pegasus source code.WhatsApp spokesperson Carl Woog told The Post that the company believes this is the first court decision agreeing that a major spyware vendor had broken US hacking laws. "Were grateful for todays decision," Woog told the publication. "NSO can no longer avoid accountability for their unlawful attacks on WhatsApp, journalists, human rights activists and civil society. With this ruling, spyware companies should be on notice that their illegal actions will not be tolerated." In her decision, Judge Hamilton wrote that her order resolves all issues regarding the NSO Group's liability and that a trial will only proceed to determine how much the company should pay in damages.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/judge-finds-spyware-maker-nso-group-liable-for-attacks-on-whatsapp-users-140054522.html?src=rss

One of the benefits of rewatching your favorite holiday films year after year is getting the opportunity to take a deeper look into the stories. Were all familiar with overt themes about how Christmas is a time for giving, togetherness, and Red Ryder carbine-action, 200-shot range model air riflesbut the hidden messages in these movies can also provide some surprisingly cogent financial advice. In particular, the Grinch and other Christmas movie villains teach some of the most useful lessons about money. Heres how the worst characters in your beloved Christmas movies can change how you look at money.The Grinch reminds us to ask ourselves whyHes a mean one, that Mr. Grinch. He steals Christmas just so the Whos down in Whoville cant have it. While the noise the Whos make during their holiday celebrations could be an understandable complaint, there is no real reason for him to take out his frustration by snatching the roast beast (and stockings, ornaments, and other non-noisemaking holiday accouterments).The Grinch should have questioned his own motives when little Cindy Lou Who finds him stealing her familys Christmas tree and asks him, Sandy Claus, why? But our small-hearted anti-hero comes up with a lie instead of actually engaging with Cindy Lous question. However, the innocent query gets to the heart of whats wrong with the Grinchs plan.The Grinch is looking to hoard Christmas because he doesnt like that other people enjoy it. His why is both inherently selfish and short-sighted, since Christmas joy arrives in Whoville anyway, even without presents, decorations, or food. He didnt actually want what he stole, and his theft didnt do anything to stop the singing. Had he asked himself why, he might have realized what really wanted was to not be quite so alone.While none of us wants to think were Grinch-like, its easy for us to treat money like he treats Christmas. Those of us who have enough may still want more without questioning why we want it. Getting more money can seem like an end in itself, but that may mean we dont think through what it costs us to keep acquiring more, and we dont figure out what it is we really want.Mr. Potter teaches us that the power of money has limitsA key figure in the long line of Chirstmas baddies that includes Scrooge and the Grinch, the villain of the 1946 classic Its a Wonderful Life is the heartless Mr. Potter, who owns the bank and most of the town of Bedford Falls. George Baileys Building & Loan is the only thing keeping Mr. Potter from completely dominating and destroying the small town.In one of his more subtle attempts to dissolve the Building & Loan, Potter offers George a job for $20,000 per year (over $320,000 in 2024 dollars). While George is momentarily dazzled by the huge dollar amount, he quickly recognizes that taking the job offer will mean the downfall of the Building & Loan.Later in the film, Georges Uncle Billy loses the Building & Loans $8,000 cash deposit (nearly $130,000 in 2024 dollars) by accidentally handing it over to Mr. Potter. When George approaches Mr. Potter to ask for a loan to replace the money, offering his small life insurance policy as collateral, Potter is delighted to point out that George is worth more money dead than alive.Mr. Potter believes throughout the film that he should be able to get what he wants because he has money. He tries to entice George Bailey with a huge salary early on, and later assumes that he has George and his Building & Loan over a barrel because of the missing deposit. But in both cases, the power he wields with his money is no match for Georges idealism and morals and the respect the rest of the town has for him. The money Potter wields cant deliver him the Building & Loan because there is a limit to the power of his wealth.(That said, Mr. Potter does successfully get away with stealing the $8,000. Unfortunately, justice does tend to work differently for those with money.)Hans Gruber shows us corporate greed is a type of terrorismAlan Rickmans portrayal of the faux-terrorist Hans Gruber in Die Hard is part of what makes this film as delightfully rewatchable as How the Grinch Stole Christmas or Its a Wonderful Life. Grubers team claims to take the party guests at Nakatomi Plaza hostage for ideological reasons, but they are actually after the $640 million in bearer bonds (over $17 billion in 2024 dollars) hidden in the buildings vault.Throughout the film, the Nakatomi Corporation executives hosting the office party are compared to Gruber. The sleazy Harry Ellis tries to befriend the terrorists by telling them, Hey, business is business. You use a gun, I use a fountain pen, whats the difference? Similarly, Gruber remarks on Joseph Takagis John Phillips suit, saying that he has two himself. The audience is invited to see the parallels between the terrorists and the businessmen.The characterization of protagonist John McClane as a regular Joe compared with Gruber and the businessmen helps reinforce the similarities between the terrorists and the corporate executives. McClane is a New York cop who is uncomfortable in a limousine and resentful of the gold Rolex watch his estranged wife Holly received as a gift. He spends the film fighting the terrorists while also trying to win Holly back from her new life and corporate career.When Gruber grabs onto Hollys Rolex in the finale, the connection between terrorism and corporate greed goes from metaphor to reality. The watch represents the Nakatomi Corporation, since it was a gift to Holly from her workplace, and the greedy Gruber grabs onto it in a last-ditch effort to kill Holly and McClane. Only by unclasping the watchreleasing his wife from the thrall of corporate greedcan McClane kill the terrorist.Learning from villainsCurling up with a classic Christmas movie is a delightful way to spend a snowy evening. But while you watch, remember that even the characters you most love to hate can teach you something unexpected.In addition to letting your heart grow three sizes, remind yourself to ask why you sometimes act Grinchly. While you feel the warm truth that no one is poor who has friends, take the time to be thankful that moneys power is limited. And as you enjoy the seasonal cries of Yippee-Ki-Yay, remember theres a thin line between greed that destroys via business practices and greed that destroys via terror plots.

Figuring out whos creditworthy is getting more complicated, and millions of Americans are stuck with thin files or are considered credit invisible. That means theyre struggling to borrow or access credit, while lenders miss out on potential customers.To tackle this, credit-scoring companies are stepping up and evolving.Recently, for example, last year, FICO launched a new program to help expand the use of alternative data for credit scoring. But years before that, Experian fired an opening salvo when it introduced Experian Boost, which helps consumers improve their credit scores by tapping into their payment histories for rent, insurance, and even streaming platforms.And now, the man behind Experian Boost, Jeff Softley, is helping transform Experians consumer business further, turning the company once known almost exclusively for credit reporting into what he describes as every consumers financial copilot.Part of that strategy is the recent launch of Experian Smart Money, which, like Experian Boost, is a service devised to help consumers build their credit. But Smart Money allows them to do so without taking on debt. Instead, it works by having users pay their bills with a debit card that works in tandem with Boost, using eligible transactions to potentially increase a customers credit score.Thats really just the beginning, says Softley, who is on a mission to broaden Experians role in consumers financial lives. For some who have rightly grown skeptical of credit reporting bureaus, that may sound questionable, as those bureaus (Experian and its key cohorts, Equifax and TransUnion) have had their share of issues in the past. Experian, however, believes it has worked out a model for creating new services that have put it on another level relative to its competitors.Its a data businessWe were a very narrow business, delivering credit reports and scores to consumers, Softley says of Experians former iteration. We were the front end of a credit bureau. And today, its a totally different business. Its a data business.Reams of data are allowing Experian to step into its new skin. Softley notes that a decade-and-a-half ago, when fintech companies were popping up left and right, making it obvious that one-dimensional financial firms were going to need to innovate or get left behind, Experian found itself in no-mans-land. The company had experienced 16 straight quarters of decline, and leadership was antsy to find new ways to expand or evolve.So Softley says they took a small team, put them in a different office, and had them build a different platform. Thats the platform we use today. That new platform involved moving away from a focus on supplying credit reports through FreeCreditReport.comyou may remember the catchy FreeCreditReport.com commercials, which were countered by the FTCs own commercialsand double-down on Experian as a brand.Softley says that meant building new products and services that were unique and relevant, and above all, actually served a purpose. Thats how Experian Boost came about. It was in its conceptual stage in the early 2000s, he says, on a sticky note.Spirit of 08The financial crisis and Great Recession gave Experian an opportunity to put its plans for evolution into action. During that time, new needs emerged, and new opportunities emerge if youre listening to the consumer, says Softley.And Experian was listening. In focus groups and interviews, consumers were saying that they didnt want to be punished for their past financial behavior via a bad credit score, but instead wanted to be rewarded for what they were doing now and in the future.It was an ideal time to get the ball rolling on Boost, which gave consumers a sense of agency and control over their credit scores and rewarded them for sharing their information related to their finances and expenses. Still, the backend tech and infrastructure also needed to be in place to be able to aggregate the data, crunch it, and spit out an updated credit score. Experian had the ability and manpower to do it, so it was off to the races.It was a watershed moment, Softley recalls. It was one of the first products that all of Experian built because it drew from so many capabilities across the organization. Experian tested it out, and it actually became a business case, and the business case became the platform rebuild.From there, the company started to zero in on developing and launching products that allow you to leverage your data to open up financial opportunitiesBoost helped create the blueprint to intertwine data and technology.Industry experts agree that Boost did push the envelope for consumer-facing credit products. Experian was the first to come out with plain-English credit reports back in the day, says Gerri Detweiler, a credit expert and the former director of Bankcard Holders of America, a nonprofit consumer credit and advocacy organization. So while Boost is an innovation, theyve been at the forefront of the consumer market for some time.Detweiler says that Boost is also notable because it raised the visibility of alternative data for consumers, or their ability to leverage it to their advantage. Its helped open up the ecosystem, she says. There are some criticisms and limitations, she adds. Thats truea WalletHub ranking of credit-builder products released in August 2024 ranked Boost 15 out of 20, and noted that it didnt report negative information to creditors, which may be problematic.Detweiler says that consumers (and creditors) should take that into account, and realize that Boost or similar services are not going to be a cure-all for people with thin or bad credit. But it will open the door to other products that can further help people rebuild their credit.A new trajectoryThat process has landed Experian with its current development model: Finding a consumer need, determining the best way to help them, and then creating a product or service that acts as a solution. Some trouble spots that the company could be looking at wading into include finding ways to help people buy homes or cars, or even developing tools for small business owners.But there are also areas that the company likely wont explore, or at least not right now. That could be because the technology simply hasnt caught up to the moment yet, which was the case with Boost, which ultimately incubated for a decade or so before the technology existed to create a fast, effective product.In the meantime, Experian is working on new AI features, such as a new virtual assistant. That will play a bigger role in 2025, with the aim of becoming a full-blown financial copilot for customers. Softley says that everything the company is doing now, though, can be traced back to the shift of thinking of itself as a data company first and foremost.Viewing ourselves as a data company put us on a different trajectory, he says. And this next chapter is all about providing financial power to all consumers.

Kendra Adachi is the host ofThe Lazy Genius Podcastand theNew York Timesbestselling author of two books,The Lazy Genius WayandThe Lazy Genius Kitchen.The goal of excellent time management shouldnt be to achieve maximum productivity and perfection. That approach is a recipe for fleeting satisfaction amid anxiety and shame. To manage time without being at its mercy, learn to plan in a way that fills you with contentedness and confidence every single day. Learn to plan not for a good life someday but for good living today.Below, Adachi shares five key insights from her new book,The PLAN: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius.Listen to the audio versionread by Adachi herselfin the Next Big Idea App.1. A good life doesnt have to be great to matter.In America, greatness, hustle, opportunity, and potential are in the fabric of our national identity. The American dream tells us to chase after and fight for what we want as we constantly seek to grow in greatness and prosperity. We should all be masters of our craft and our lives. Theres nothing wrong with that. In fact, some personalities are suited for the pursuit of greatness, some jobs require it, and some people genuinely love it. Trying to master something is a beautiful thing, and we all benefit from the mastery of others. But there is an expectation that if youre not always trying to be great, youre wasting your life. I disagree.The reality is that most of us live fairly average lives, but rather than celebrating and cultivating contentment and valuing beauty in the ordinary, were told to keep hustling. Make every minute of every day count toward an invisible future that you have reverse-engineered and are constantly striving to bring to fruition. If you cant do it, youre considered not disciplined or motivated enough.Thats a dangerous paradigm to live under. The future is beautiful. Mastery is, too, but I dont think that is where we can begin.2. Youre allowed to start with who and where you are today.I have read many time management books over the years. I have bought many planners. I have gone into so many Januarys fiercely optimistic about what I would make better and accomplish because the future felt bright. But just like we can have an unbalanced obsession with mastery, we can have an unbalanced obsession with the future.It is good and honorable to care about your future, plan for it, and take steps now to ensure it looks a certain way later. But youre allowed to start with who and where you are today. Youre allowed to focus only on today without any consideration of the future. You can make decisions today that only serve today, and not later. Not every choice, task, or habit has to be in service to future dreams. They can, but they dont have to.I remember feeling the difficulty of this in my early 30s when I had two tiny kids. I was in my peak time management era, trying to get every bit of information I could on how to be the architect of my future. That message communicates a false sense of security that I am in full control of my life. I dont know if youve ever spent an entire day with tiny children and then another day after that and then many, many more. You have very little control over what is going to happen. If the purpose of each day is to build on itself to serve an ideal, invisible future, those ordinary days that many people (especially women) have for months or years at a time feel like they are not enough. If thats you, you might experience a deep sense of loss, resentment, and insufficiency when you look at your life.In this pursuit of greatness and an invisible future, we often leave behind our humanity. We ignore the needs of our bodies, families, mental health, and peace. We dont prioritize rest and play. We call ourselves lazy when we arent optimizing every moment. There is this undercurrent that the best version of us is in the future, and we should focus on that person rather than who we are right now.In the current productivity paradigm, a contented life full of kindness, patience, and reasonable choices that honor who and where you are today is looked upon as an exceptionas settling, as giving up. Its a stopgap until you have enough energy, resources, discipline, and motivation to pursue greatness once again.I believe you are allowed to start with who and where you are today, not as a second measure, excuse, or necessity before real work begins, but as the foundation for everything. When you start with who and where you are today, it invites a new goal.3. The goal is not greatness. Its integration.Instead of greatness being the ultimate goal, what if its integration? What if its personal wholeness, groundedness, a steady stance in the face of any circumstance? Instead of reflecting on what happened during the day, what if you reflected on how you experienced it?One of the most pivotal moments for me in this paradigm shift was about ten years ago when I was home with two small children. I was reading a time management book geared towards mothers, and the author described two separate days. The first was a day of chaos. Her girls didnt nap; they threw their food; the errands were a bust; and the mom didnt get a chance to sit down, let alone shower. It was the quintessential image of being a hot mess mom. Then she described the next day when her children napped simultaneously. She completed all the errands, looked put together while doing it, and made dinner ahead of time. When her husband came home, surprisingly, with some clients from out of town to join their family for dinner, she was ready. I remember reading the account of these two days and anticipating that her next line would be something like, And both of those days matter. But thats not what she said. She said, And that day [the second one] was the proudest I ever felt as a mother and wife. I remember reading that like it happened yesterday. My heart sank. My confidence plummeted. I wanted permission to be myself, content with and proud of just getting through a hard day. That is when I realized I had a different goal. That authors goal was greatness. Mine is integration.When your entire life is oriented around being the truest version of yourself, no matter what happens, you are a lighthouse in the storm. You are an oak in the wind. You are the stubborn will of a toddler refusing to eat their peas. The strength that comes from the goal of personal integration is markedly different than the strength that comes from the goal of greatness. One is lifelong. The other is fickle. As my friend and poet David Gate wrote, Hustle makes for a terrible compass.4. Your season of life matters.We often see life as one long line from A to B. Ideally, there should be no speedbumps, detours, or changed minds during the journey. There always will be, but our intent is to avoid them at all costs. Stay the course.My life is not at all like that.Your season of life matters. If you are caring for an aging parent, adding a new baby to your family, changing jobs or homes, dealing with a chronic health condition, or struggling through a particularly tough season of mental illness, the way you manage your time and live your life must change. Its not laziness or plugging a leak. Honoring your seasons of life matters. Its critical to living a life of kindness and contentment.You no longer have to put your head down and fight through a difficult time to maintain the priorities other people have placed on you, particularly the priority of greatness. When integration is the goal, you see your season of life not with resentment but with compassion. You can be who and where you are today because you recognize that it is a seasonit is not forever, and you will honor it now.5. Its more valuable to learn how to pivot than how to plan.The name of my book isThe PLAN, so yes, Im aware of the irony of this last insight. I love planning, and plans are valuable. However, we are far more likely to require skills of pivoting than those of planning.Daily life is full of obstacles. We create a plan to get through the day, but when circumstances thwart those plans, we stand our ground, force rigidity (sometimes calling it discipline), and dont respond kindly to whatever is happening. That posture is harmful and unnecessary.Pivoting is a required skill, and we need to learn how to do it better. Rather than seeking out new and better ways to plan, prepare for the day, and create systems that succeed and routines that never break down, try putting some of that energy into learning to pivot. Be resilient and flexible when plans fall apart. Be nimble and compassionate. When you no longer pursue greatness first but instead honor integration and who you are today, your access to a skillset of pivoting is a beautifully wide door.This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission.

Digital tools are not always superior. Here are some WIRED-tested agendas and notebooks to keep you on track.