3 MINUTE MONDAYHi friend, Tickets for my headline solo show in London go live this Wednesday at 10am UK time. Sign up to get first access to tickets here. I’ve been reflecting on a lot of Morgan Housel’s work since recording with him earlier this year. “The best measure of wealth is what you have minus what you want, and by this measure some billionaires are broke.” So so good. I also came back across a list of difficult questions to ask yourself from Morgan. Using these as journal prompts is one hell of a way to humble yourself… Whose life do I admire that is secretly miserable? What do I believe is true only because believing it puts me in good standing with my tribe? Which of my current values would be different if I were raised by different parents? What do I believe the most with the least amount of evidence of it being true? Who has the right answer but I ignore because they’re a bad communicator? Who is full of it but I pay attention to because they’re a good communicator? What do I think is ambition (a good trait) but is actually envy (a terrible one)? What annoys me about other people that I sometimes do myself? How much of my nostalgia is a false or incomplete memory of the past? What in your profession is impossible to know no matter how smart you become? David Deutsch said, “Beware of the difference between prediction and prophecy. Prophecy purports to know things which cannot be known.” Is this thing I’m worried about actually a problem, or am I looking for problems to worry about because they make me feel in control? What in my field do I think is a law (works all the time) but is actually just a rule (works some of the time)? What do I think is a universal truth but is actually just a norm unique to my own culture? What was true a generation ago that no longer is, and who is clinging to that old truth? What is partially true but I believe in it so absolutely, and take it so seriously, that I’ve turned it into a dangerous belief? Are there things going well in my life today that I will look back on and wish I had quit while I was ahead? Is there something in my life I think I’m “passionate” about or “focused” on but I’m actually just addicted to it? Do I spend more time defending what I already know instead of trying to learn something new? Are there people in my life who I consider kind and compassionate but they’re actually just too shy to tell me hard truths? What would Instagram look like if it were an honest reflection of people’s life, instead of a curated highlight reel? Am I being as nice as I could be, rather than just as nice as I need to be? MODERN WISDOMI do a podcast where I pretend to have a British accent. You should subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This week’s upcoming episodes: Monday. Thursday. Saturday. THINGS I'VE LEARNED1. A large, representative survey of US citizens by the Skeptic Research Center has turned up some very interesting findings about conspiracy beliefs. Among other things, the survey found that: 1. More people believe that the 2016 U.S. election was fraudulent than that the 2020 election was. 2. Zoomers and Millennials are more prone to conspiracy beliefs than Xers and Boomers. 3. Around one-in-five Zoomers and Millennials report believing that the Air Force is hiding evidence about the Dakota Crash… an event the survey makers entirely made up. — h/t Steve Stewart-Williams 2. "And once the storm is over, you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about." — Haruki Murakami, h/t James Clear 3. Jakub Fořt and colleagues examine the fraternal birth order effect (whereby men with more older brothers are more likely to be gay). Analysing data from Croatia and Slovakia, they find that the fraternal birth order effect exists for lesbians too. Women with more older brothers are more likely to be lesbian. LIFE HACKYou might not need more caffeine or sleep, you might just be dehydrated. The more I learn about the role of salt and electrolytes in alertness, energy and function, the more certain I am that this is going to be one of the next big health revolutions. Proper hydration is not just about drinking fluids, it’s about having sufficient electrolytes in your body to actually use those fluids properly. Drinking LMNT Salt first thing in the morning is the way I’ve started my day for over 3 years now. It tastes delicious and contains zero sugar or any other junk. I keep harping on about it because it really works. Try it and feel the difference immediately. If you don’t like it, they offer an unlimited duration money-back guarantee, so you can buy it 100% risk-free. Try LMNT Risk-Free with a free sample pack. (US only) Big love, Try my productivity drink Neutonic. PS |
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3 MINUTE MONDAY Hi friend, The Modern Wisdom Reading List Vol. 2. It’s happening. I finally finished it. This one took me so much time to put together, I really hope you like it. Goes live to the public this Wednesday 2nd July. You guys will get access before anyone else though, just check your email inbox this Tuesday 💜 Anyway, here’s 6 rules about productivity: 1. Your life does not need to be easier. It needs to be simpler. Your system is designed to handle stress and challenge but not...
3 MINUTE MONDAY Hi friend, Brand new Neutonic Focus Blend flavour just dropped. Limited Edition Watermelon Mint stick packs. Get them before they're sold out. Anyway, onto what I’ve been thinking about this week… “It is a supremely cruel thing to have your mind conjure a desire which it is functionally unable to realise.” — Max Barry This describes a special category of problem that I think about quite often. Person A has the talent to become successful but doesn’t have the resilience to...
3 MINUTE MONDAY Hi friend, Come see me live in NYC, Boston, Denver, Austin, Salt Lake City & Chicago. I see a problem with taking advice from super successful people. There’s a trend of people who’ve “made it” explaining what their routine looks like now, when they’re asked how they became successful. They’ll talk about work-life balance, the importance of leverage, walking lots, early bedtimes, playing with ease and grace, not obsessing, transcending their resentment and overcoming a sense...