009 - Literal Literature
1. Convergence - creating an idea by combining multiple existing ideas.
2. Divergence - Ideas that are intentionally designed to oppose or break free from the mainstream.
3. Cyclicality - Predictability recurring trends, opportunities and ideas.
4. Redirection - Channeling the power of a trend, behavior, or need state instead of fighting it.
5. Reduction - Simplifying and focusing an idea and dramatically enhancing that element.
6. Acceleration - Identifying a critical feature of an idea and dramatically enhancing that element.
(From Better and Faster bt Jeremy Gutsche)
2. Divergence - Ideas that are intentionally designed to oppose or break free from the mainstream.
3. Cyclicality - Predictability recurring trends, opportunities and ideas.
4. Redirection - Channeling the power of a trend, behavior, or need state instead of fighting it.
5. Reduction - Simplifying and focusing an idea and dramatically enhancing that element.
6. Acceleration - Identifying a critical feature of an idea and dramatically enhancing that element.
(From Better and Faster bt Jeremy Gutsche)
010 - Black Swan
In Ancient Rome, black swans were thought to not exist, and was usually used as a term to refer to things that are impossible.
But in 1697, Dutch explorers became the first europeans to see black swans when they first discovered them in Australia.
Black Swan Theory teaches us to consider the things that we don’t know that we don’t know.
These are different from things we know— the known knowns, and things we know we don’t know— or the known unknowns.
Black swans are the unknown unknowns.
This theory challenges us, to challenge our preconceived notions.
To look beyond the expected probabilities, and to watch out for things that could happwn without us even knowing they could.
(Based on the BLACK SWAN THEORY by Nassim Taleb)
But in 1697, Dutch explorers became the first europeans to see black swans when they first discovered them in Australia.
Black Swan Theory teaches us to consider the things that we don’t know that we don’t know.
These are different from things we know— the known knowns, and things we know we don’t know— or the known unknowns.
Black swans are the unknown unknowns.
This theory challenges us, to challenge our preconceived notions.
To look beyond the expected probabilities, and to watch out for things that could happwn without us even knowing they could.
(Based on the BLACK SWAN THEORY by Nassim Taleb)
Rene Descartes believed that the only way to make sure that he wasn’t holding any false beliefs was to disbelieve everything —atleast temporarily.
Imagine you have a basket of apples, and you’re concerned that some of them might bw rotten.
Since the rot could spread and ruin the fresh apples, the only way to make sure is to remove all of the apples from the basket and inspect them one by one.
Just like rotten fruit, rottwn beliefs and ideas can spread.
Descartes urges us that the only way to be completely sure of what we know, is to carefully examine the beliefs we have by doubting them one by one and discarding those that don’t align with our internal virtues.
(Based on MEDITATIONS ON FIRST PHILOSOPHY by Rene Descartes)
Imagine you have a basket of apples, and you’re concerned that some of them might bw rotten.
Since the rot could spread and ruin the fresh apples, the only way to make sure is to remove all of the apples from the basket and inspect them one by one.
Just like rotten fruit, rottwn beliefs and ideas can spread.
Descartes urges us that the only way to be completely sure of what we know, is to carefully examine the beliefs we have by doubting them one by one and discarding those that don’t align with our internal virtues.
(Based on MEDITATIONS ON FIRST PHILOSOPHY by Rene Descartes)
012 - Speak Through Your Work
Your work is the single greatest means at your disposal for expressing your social intelligence.
Work that is solid protects you from the political conniving and malevolence of others.
By focusing on your work, you will both raise your skill level and stand out among all the others who make a lot of noise but produce nothing.
(Based on MASTERY by Robert Greene)
Work that is solid protects you from the political conniving and malevolence of others.
By focusing on your work, you will both raise your skill level and stand out among all the others who make a lot of noise but produce nothing.
(Based on MASTERY by Robert Greene)
People want to be understood and accepted, listening is the most effective way to get there.
When people feel listened to, they tend to listen to themselves more carefully and to openly evaluate and clarify their own thoughts and feelings.
They tend go become less defensive and oppositional and more willing to listen to other points of view.
Tactical Empathy is understanding the feelings and mindset of another person in the moment.
It’s hearing what is behind those feelings— to increase your influence in the moments to follow.
This is listening as a martial art, as an active activity instead of a passive one.
(Excerpt from NEVER SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE by Chris Voss)
When people feel listened to, they tend to listen to themselves more carefully and to openly evaluate and clarify their own thoughts and feelings.
They tend go become less defensive and oppositional and more willing to listen to other points of view.
Tactical Empathy is understanding the feelings and mindset of another person in the moment.
It’s hearing what is behind those feelings— to increase your influence in the moments to follow.
This is listening as a martial art, as an active activity instead of a passive one.
(Excerpt from NEVER SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE by Chris Voss)
Feedback is the breakfast of champions.
We’ve often heard breakfast as the most important meal of the day. Whether that’s true or not, I believe a healthy serving of feedback should be a vital part of everyone’s diet— both young and old.
Being constantly aware of both our wins and our losses, allows us to appropriately change course towards the right direction as ww go along our path.
(Inspired by Ken Blanchard)
We’ve often heard breakfast as the most important meal of the day. Whether that’s true or not, I believe a healthy serving of feedback should be a vital part of everyone’s diet— both young and old.
Being constantly aware of both our wins and our losses, allows us to appropriately change course towards the right direction as ww go along our path.
(Inspired by Ken Blanchard)
The obstacle in the path becomes the path. Never forget, within every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition.
It begins with how we look at our specific problems, our attitude or approach; then the energy and creativity with which we actively break them down and turn them into opportunities, finally, the cultivation and maintenance of an inner will that allows us to handle defeat and difficulty.
(Excerpt from The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday)
It begins with how we look at our specific problems, our attitude or approach; then the energy and creativity with which we actively break them down and turn them into opportunities, finally, the cultivation and maintenance of an inner will that allows us to handle defeat and difficulty.
(Excerpt from The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday)
016 - Atomic Habits
Making a choice that is one percent better or one percent worse seems insignificant in the moment, but over the span of moments that make that make up a lifetime of these choices—determine the difference between who you are and who you could be.
Success is the product of daily habits—not once-in-a-lifetime transformations. Your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits. Your knowledge is a lagging measure of your learning habits. You get what you repeat.
(Excerpt from Atomic Habits by James Clear)
Success is the product of daily habits—not once-in-a-lifetime transformations. Your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits. Your knowledge is a lagging measure of your learning habits. You get what you repeat.
(Excerpt from Atomic Habits by James Clear)
Most of us are too hung up on the idea of perfection that we often won’t even try to articulate our bad ideas.
Sometimes just the mere act of verbalizing, writing down, or sketching an idea that seems bad scares us, that we won’t even allow ourselves to explore further. Even just to find out if it really is a bad idea.
But I’ve found that good ideas are buried in bad ones.
By letting go of our fear of making a mistake or having a bad idea, we can free ourselves of that internal pressure and be free to rapidly filter our way through our ideas, we can discard the bad ones and set aside the ones with potential.
As Thomas Edison puts it— “I didn’t find a way to make a lightbulb, I found a thousand ways not to make one”.
(A semi-original thought by Dre Agar)
Sometimes just the mere act of verbalizing, writing down, or sketching an idea that seems bad scares us, that we won’t even allow ourselves to explore further. Even just to find out if it really is a bad idea.
But I’ve found that good ideas are buried in bad ones.
By letting go of our fear of making a mistake or having a bad idea, we can free ourselves of that internal pressure and be free to rapidly filter our way through our ideas, we can discard the bad ones and set aside the ones with potential.
As Thomas Edison puts it— “I didn’t find a way to make a lightbulb, I found a thousand ways not to make one”.
(A semi-original thought by Dre Agar)
Find the rest of my series at my instagram : @dreagar_
