It's the dog-and-pony show in my head

I have a subscription to The Sun, edited by Sy Safransky. Each issue he has a page of his thoughts. February's issue came today and here's one that really resonates:

It's not hard work that makes me tired. It's the dog-and-pony show in my head, the ego's nonstop performance art, all that homeland insecurity.

And here's another:

Sometimes when my life seems too busy by half, I remember that the Dalai Lama wakes up between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. so he can squeeze in six hours of meditation before beginning his regular workday.