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Pet Perks, Vol. 3: Seven Little Things That Make Everything Better

The latest Pet Perks episode leaves investing behind for seven small practices that improve ordinary days, spending decisions and relationships.

By Animalso Team 5 min read

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The seven “Pet Perks” are small, repeatable ways to add delight, spend more intentionally and prevent avoidable stress: make a baby smile, buy comfort for things you use constantly, follow curiosity, notice the four seasons, name ten gratitudes, get upstream of problems and say what loved ones mean to you now. David Gardner presents them in the life-focused episode of Rule Breaker Investing recorded October 7, 2026 and published with a full transcript October 23.

The recurring Pet Perks series usually looks for advantages in investing and business. In Vol. 3, Gardner and Ben Adams turn the idea toward ordinary life. The common thread is attention: as Gardner puts it, “A Pet Perk doesn’t need to be profound. Noticing it is often what makes it profound.” These are not claimed as clinical interventions or guaranteed productivity techniques; they are practical prompts drawn from Gardner’s experiences.

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What are the seven little things that make everything better?

Each perk addresses a different kind of value: an immediate moment of joy, a deliberate purchase, discovery, seasonal renewal, gratitude, prevention or timely appreciation.

Pet perk Immediate reward Money required Effort Timing
Obtain a baby’s smile Immediate Usually none A few seconds of attention Present-focused
Choose a surprisingly good armchair Builds with repeated use Potentially higher upfront cost Compare comfort and durability Ongoing benefit
Discover something new Immediate curiosity and enjoyment Ranges from free to paid Follow leads and try things Recurring
Notice the four seasons Regular reset None Pay attention to changes Four times a year
Name ten gratitudes Immediate reflection None Several focused minutes Daily practice
Get upstream Prevents a later scramble Often small or none Identify a cause and act early Future-focused
Say it now Connection and clarity None Have the conversation Time-sensitive

How can I make a baby smile?

Gardner treats a baby’s smile as a nearly costless achievement. A funny face, gentle sound or playful pause can take only seconds, yet the response makes the effort feel significant. The point is not a particular trick; it is noticing that a tiny interaction can carry disproportionate emotional value. Give the baby your full attention, try a simple playful cue and accept that the response may be unpredictable.

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What can a surprisingly good armchair teach me about spending?

Gardner’s five-week Washington, D.C., grand-jury service involved more than 60 cases and 23 jurors. The memorable luxury was a genuinely comfortable chair, which became a rule for purchases: spend more deliberately on objects you use for many hours, and scrutinize features or subscriptions you use rarely.

Apply the high-use rule

  • List items you touch or sit on every day, such as a desk chair, mattress or work shoes.
  • Estimate hours of use over a month rather than judging only the sticker price.
  • Put comfort, reliability and repairability ahead of rarely used extras.
  • Use the opposite standard for occasional gadgets, luggage or subscriptions: pay only for a benefit you will actually use.

This is not a command to buy the most expensive option. It is a way to match spending with frequency and duration of use.

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How do I discover something new without making it a chore?

Follow natural curiosity and stay connected to people who notice useful or delightful things before you do. Gardner credits “cool hunters” and recalls his daughter recommending CAVA early in its growth as an example of social discovery. The same approach can lead to a new restaurant, app, technology, band, comedian or local experience.

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A low-pressure discovery loop

  1. Keep a short list of recommendations from people whose taste you trust.
  2. Choose one item that fits your time and budget this week.
  3. Try it without requiring it to become a lasting favorite.
  4. Pass along the discoveries that genuinely improved your day.

Why do the four seasons count as a Pet Perk?

Seasonal change supplies four recurring opportunities to notice novelty and begin again. Gardner reads from an essay he wrote on September 22, 1999, about the first crisp autumn air in Alexandria, Virginia. You can mark each transition with one sensory observation—a temperature shift, a smell, changing light or a returning activity—without turning it into a formal resolution system.

How do I practice gratitude without making it complicated?

Gardner’s “ten gratitudes in the shower” combines a practice Warren Bennis described from actor Athol Fugard with James Clear’s idea of habit stacking. During a routine shower, name ten specific things that brought pleasure or gratitude that day. Specificity matters more than grandness: a pet greeting you, a useful conversation, a good meal or a moment of quiet all qualify.

The episode presents this as Gardner’s personal ritual, not as proof of a universal psychological effect. If ten feels difficult, start with fewer and build only if the routine remains easy to repeat.

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How can I get upstream of future problems?

Ask “why?” repeatedly until you reach a cause you can change, then take a small preventive action. This five-whys style of thinking moves the response earlier, before a downstream problem demands expense, apology or a scramble.

Examples of upstream actions

  • Put your passport in the shoes you plan to wear for a trip so you cannot leave without seeing it.
  • Reorder dog food before the container is empty, using a calendar reminder or an automatic order if that suits your household.
  • Automate savings before lifestyle spending expands. Gardner gives 10% of a first real paycheck as an example, while noting that even 1% can be a starting point.

The best preventive step is usually mundane, visible and scheduled at the point where the cause first appears.

What should I say now to someone I love?

Gardner’s final perk is direct: tell parents, teachers, friends, mentors and other loved ones what they mean to you while they are alive and able to hear it. He connects the idea to Walter Green’s Say It Now movement and book Just Say It Now. Green’s account includes visiting 44 people who had influenced him during one year.

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Choose one person, name one specific act or quality, and say it in person, by phone or in a message. Appreciation saved for a memorial cannot serve the relationship in the present. Gardner’s closing line is simple: “Say it now. Fool on.”

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Pet Perks, Vol. 3 recorded and published?

David Gardner recorded the episode on October 7, 2026. The Motley Fool published the full transcript on October 23, 2026.

Is the ten-gratitudes practice supported by a scientific study in the episode?

No. The episode attributes the routine to Gardner, drawing on Warren Bennis’s account of Athol Fugard and James Clear’s habit-stacking concept. It does not provide a controlled study or efficacy statistic.

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What does “getting upstream” mean for household routines?

It means finding the preventable cause of a recurring problem and acting before the consequence arrives—for example, replacing supplies while they remain in stock rather than during an emergency.

How did the armchair example arise?

Gardner noticed the value of a comfortable chair during five weeks of grand-jury service in Washington, D.C., where he encountered more than 60 cases alongside 23 jurors. The experience prompted his high-use spending rule.

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