I hope you all enjoyed a restful 4th yesterday!

I’ve got some special stories for you today.

Let’s do this.

In today’s issue:

🧬 This kid rocks: A very real problem.

🥇 Something to inspire you: Lessons from a triathlon.

📖 Notable nibbles: TikTok meets plumbers, an ice cream recall, and more.

^{THIS KID ROCKS}

Big science is backing up this Prequel kid’s claims against big food

We knew AlphaX student, Grace Price, was spot-on when she released her documentary on the dangers of processed food earlier this year.

And the big science guns are backing her up. 👊 

Go follow Grace on X — this kid truly rocks.

^{SOMETHING TO INSPIRE YOU}

Here's what training in extreme sports taught me about business and life

As world-class athletes prepare to head off to the Paris Olympics, I decided to embark on a new physical challenge that includes:

🏊 Swimming

🚲 Cycling

🏃 Running

Yep — I became a Triathlete. 😬

And two weeks ago, I took home the gold medal in the 30-34 age category at the Welland Long Course Triathlon! 🥇

Here's what I learned:

1. Don't get discouraged by a lack of short-term results 

Good things take time.

In the last six months since I began training, my body fat went from 30.8% to 25.7%, and I have lost two dress sizes.

👉️ No difference is felt day to day.

2. Action informs theory

You will never become a better runner if all you did was read books about running. But if you were to start running, you’ll likely become a better runner over time simply through practice.

But we can't just mindlessly “do do do”, just like we can't self-indulge in only “thinking thinking thinking” without getting off the couch.

Take what you think you know, put it into practice, and use the results to adjust what you know.

👉️ Informational Knowledge + Experiential Knowledge = Your New Reality

3. Lose the victim mindset — everyone faces challenges

On race day, we ran in over 85-degree heat, with no shade. I was walking a little bit every mile. I was frustrated with myself and wanted to quit.

When we are enduring challenging situations, we often get into a victim mindset. 

My brain was so busy telling me, "I'm not going to win because of this heat!" that I completely forgot everyone else was enduring the exact same conditions.

👉️ Life is not being unfair to you.

—

Hit reply and tell me what you think of these lessons, and how they might benefit your kid.

^{NOTABLE NIBBLES}

I’ve got my finger on the pulse of stories that matter to you 👇️

🧰 Gen Z is making blue collar work trendy: What do you get when plumbers meet TikTok? A resurgence of “cool” blue collar jobs.

➗ New math: Some teachers are trying a new approach to make word problems easier for weaker readers.

🍦 Ice cream recall: Check your freezer — over 60 ice cream products have been recalled. You’ll have to find another way to cool down. 🥵

😳 Don’t show these to your kids: Did you know that Dr. Suess was also an edgy political cartoonist?

💰 Students are catching up: Not all of the $190 billion in school federal pandemic recovery has been squandered — but a lot of it has.

🛩️ Awww: This kindergartener received an impromptu graduation — on an airplane traveling at 35,000 feet.

🧠 ICYMI: The mental health hack that has more than just brain benefits.

Hope you enjoyed today’s issue!

Until next time,

Ivy

CEO Prequel, BETA Camp, Apollo

Follow my journey on LinkedIn