Capitalogix

On The Time Value of Life

As we near the end of the year, I start to think about what I want for my future, and how far I’ve already come. It’s also a reminder that while I can extend my life – eventually, the clock stops. 

 

via zefrank1

Death is often a trigger that sends my thoughts spinning: celebrating life; mourning death; imagining what lies in store for the family; empathizing with the survivors ... and even future-pacing to my death and memorial service.

In daily life, I often remind myself that ‘everything happens for a reason – and just because I can’t find the gift in a particular situation, doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

This is the anniversary of my Father’s death.  When he died, I came out with a newfound respect for how precious life is.  I decided it was time to stop thinking about what I do – and spend more time cultivating who I want to be.  It also caused me to consider how I would be remembered – versus how I’d choose to be remembered.

Death is often a reminder to make the most of the time given to us.

In 2014, I gave a TEDx talk about the subject: The Time Value of a Life Worth Living.

 

via TEDx

It was a reflection on my struggle with juggling work-life balance.  It was about a year that brought my Dad’s death, the forced sale of my company by venture capitalists, and a divorce (in that order).  Luckily, sometimes, life’s darkest days bring the greatest gifts … if you are willing to look for them.

One of my biggest takeaways from that struggle was about the time value of life.

In finance, the “time value of money” refers to the principle that the purchasing power of money varies over time (meaning, money today has more purchasing power than money later).  In part, this is because the value of money at a future point in time might be calculated by accounting for other variables (like interest earned, inflation accrued, etc.).

It occurred to me that a similar calculation applied to life ... or living.

The above video is 13 minutes.  Hopefully, you’ll watch ... but if not, I’ve added some of my favorite excerpts below.

Live Like You Only Have a Year Left.

“During the last part of my Dad’s life, I think he would have done almost anything for a little more time.

Things that used to be unimportant, or even mildly irritating, took on increased importance.  For example, a dinner together became almost a sacred event; a kiss goodnight was truly heartfelt, and saying goodbye meant something ... because it could be the last time.

Nevertheless, as a result of that focus, he took more life out of that time.

Shouldn’t we do the same thing?  Think about it: We will never be younger than we are right now.  We are never going to have more time to fix a big mistake. Isn’t it likely that the time value of your life is worth maximizing?”

People Who Are Good Take Advantage of Opportunities.  People Who Are Great Create Them.

“When I think back to that year, I spent so much time moving away from pain ... that I forgot to move towards opportunity.  I feel like I wasted so much time.

My Dad said the difference between good and great is infinitesimal.  People who are good take advantage of opportunities ... But people who are great create them.

I think what he meant was that when they see the opportunity, they move towards it.  They shoot through it.

It is easy to say, “I see that opportunity; but it’s not the right time.” Or, “I see that opportunity, and I really want to remember it for when this is over.” And as much as I want to believe that’s true ... deep down, I know that it’s always a good time to take the right action.

Instead, “life” (the noun) often gets in the way of “living” (the verb).

To Change Your Life, Change Your Perspective.

“When you are ‘stuck’... a shift in role, or a shift in perspective, is often all you need to see a new path forward or a new possibility.

Have you ever been stuck playing a role you knew didn’t serve you?  Where you knew what the best next step was, from your perspective, but you had a sense that it wasn’t the right action?  Sometimes it makes sense to step back and ask, ‘What role can I play that would get a better result?’”

That is often all it takes to change the game.  Other times, what it takes is the decision to play a new game.

Everyone has the same 24 hours each day. Some use it better than others. 

Sometimes we are conscious of how we use this precious resource.  Sometimes it gets away from us.

The average life expectancy for men in the U.S. is 76.

How many amazing vacations do you have left?  How many jaw-dropping moments?  How many fantastic meals?  How many Super Bowls?

What about time with your parents or older relatives? It’s easy to forget to call or to miss an important event because “life happens,” but if you realize you may have already used 95% of your in-person time with that person ... doesn’t it become more special?

In my TEDx talk, I mentioned “living like you only have a year left,” and how much more “life” we got out of the last part of my Dad’s life. 

How do you replicate that?

To start, think of some of the activities you do, places you go, and experiences you have that are special and make you feel like your best self. 

• Hitting flow-state and creating something new and exciting;
• Taking an amazing vacation and experiencing something completely new;
• Having a moment with someone you love that makes you stop and say - Wow!
• Making a difference in someone’s day or giving back to your community;
• Experiencing peace and relaxation;
• Feeling pure joy.

It’s easy to get lost and take these moments for granted when they happen, but when you think about how much time you have left, they take a whole new meaning. 

What would it take for you to get the most out of your life today?  How can you maximize the time you have left?  Fill it with the best experiences, activities, and people you can.

To start, think about different time frames:

• What activities could you commit to doing at least once a year?
• What activities could you commit to doing at least once a month?
• What activities could you commit to doing at least once a week?
• What activities could you commit to doing at least once a day?

Make those lists ... it is a simple way to get a better return on the time value of your life.

Seriously, try it.  

Let me know how it worked for you – and what you chose.

Onwards! 

Here Are Some Links For Your Weekly Reading - October 16th, 2022

Here are some of the posts that caught my eye. Hope you find something interesting.

Lighter Links:

• Are Rats With Human Brain Cells Still Just Rats? (TechReview)
• What's Next If SpaceX Won't Fund Starlink in Ukraine? (NewScientist)
• 9 Astonishing Ways that Living Standards Have Improved Around the World. (BT)
• A Student Asked Her Cosmology Professor the Meaning of Life. Here Was His Response. (BigThink)
• 44% of the Top 100 Public Companies Use Blockchain Amid Growing Institutional Adoption. (FinBold)

 

 

 

Trading Links:

• China's Semiconductor Industry 'Decapitated Overnight' — What 'Annihilation Looks Like'. (Benzinga)
• SPAC Sponsors Were Winners Even on Losers. (Wall Street Journal)
• Rent Going Up? One Company's Algorithm Could Be Why. (ProPublica)
• The World's Largest Academic Endowment Fund Lost Money for the First Time in Six Years. (Quartz)
• Volume of Options Traded on the S&P 500 Hits a Record High; Indications of a Market Bottom? (FinBold)

 

 

Ending the Year Strong After a Day of Atonement

We’re sprinting toward the end of the year.  Just under 100 days left. 

Stress, high expectations, and a narrow focus often result in hurt feelings.

Of course, I understand that a little conflict is normal (or even beneficial).  

Yet, last Wednesday was Yom Kippur (which means “Day of Atonement,” and which is one of the highest holy days in the Jewish religion).  The holiday and its rituals are designed to help you be more sensitive to your actions, impact, and intent than usual.

As a technology entrepreneur focused on amplified intelligence (which means making better decisions, taking smarter actions, and continually improving performance), I recognize that we’re not using technology to replace humans.  Instead, we’re automating activities that humans used to do – so that humans can focus on things more important and more in line with their unique abilities and tendencies.

On the other hand, one of the main reasons for automation is to avoid certain tendencies that are baked into human nature.  I say that because as much as the world has changed in the last several thousand years, human nature has remained mostly the same.  That’s apparent from the list of sins in the Yom Kippur Confessional (text available here).  Even though these were written thousands of years ago, the list catalogs the behaviors and challenges that many of us deal with daily.  It’s hard enough to change yourself, it’s unreasonable to expect to radically change others.  Instead, if you want to increase the likelihood of certain actions, it makes sense to rely on technologies that are simple, reputable, consistent, and scalable to make your best intentions and best practices more common.  This is why I say that amplified intelligence has an automatic advantage ... because it eliminates the fear, greed, and discretionary mistakes that humans naturally bring to a process.

Back to the holiday, during Yom Kippur, one of the rituals is to read down the list of sins, apologize for the ones you committed, ask for forgiveness, and promise to do better next year.  Even if you have managed to stay on the right side of the Ten Commandments and haven’t killed or stolen … you have most likely been frivolous, stubborn, hurtful, dismissive, or judgmental (I know I have …).  

I recognize that, sometimes, some of those traits can be part of effective strategies.  And usually, people just brush off these smaller-scale sins with the excuse: “I was angry”; or “I’m only human”; or “There is no place for cry-babies in business.” Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that we should strive to be better and that even these smaller sins can harm the people around us.

To drive the point home further, here is the story of “The Nail in a Fence.” While you might have seen it before, it is worth reading again. 

 

Nail In The Fence:

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down.

He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it; and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there."

A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

One of the themes of Yom Kippur is that you’re only ever one good deed from tipping the scale towards good for yourself and others.  As you recognize and repent for your sins, it’s also important to appreciate the good you did (and do) as well.  I like to think of good deeds as filling in the holes. 

There’s plenty of time left in the year to do good, accomplish what you set out to do, make a change, and end the year on a high note. 

There is plenty of time to make this your best year yet.  What can you do?  What will you do?

I hope you all experience growth in your mental state, your relationships, and your businesses.

Insight Into The Past ...

Many people focus on the gap between their ideal goal and their current state.  The result is often painful.  In contrast, focusing on the progress made from where you started often results in a sense of accomplishment, hope, and momentum.

With that in mind …. Have you ever wondered what it was like to be a housewife in the 1950s? No? 

Nonetheless,  sometime around the 1950s, Good Housekeeping put out this "helpful" timeline for managing a small servantless house. 

When do they shower?  

And how did they accomplish that without modern gadgets and appliances (like coffee makers, microwaves, dishwashers, Roombas, Amazon, Door Dash, home automation, etc.)

Sometimes it is good to suck less!

The Power of Three Word Strategies

A few years ago, I shared a presentation called Mindset Matters that I had given to a small mastermind group.

Recently, I  have revisited that content in more detail and with finer distinction.

One of my core beliefs is that energy is one of the most important things we can measure. I believe it so strongly I paid Gaping Void to put it on my wall.

via GapingVoid

It means exactly what it sounds like - but also a lot more.

Energy affects how you feel, what you do, and what you make it mean.  That means it is a great way to measure your values too. Consequently, even if you don't recognize it, energy has a lot to do with who you hire and fire. It affects where you spend our time. Ultimately, it even affects the long-term vision of our company. If something brings profit and energy, it is probably worth pursuing. 

In contrast, one of the quickest ways to burn out is by fighting your energy.  Figuring out who and what to say "no" to is an important way to make sure you stay on path and reach your goals.

 

Three Word Strategies.

I believe that words have power. Specifically, the words you use to describe your identity and your priorities change your reality. 

First some background.  Your Roles and Goals are nouns.  That means “a person, place, or thing.”  Lets examine some sample roles (like: father, entrepreneur, visionary, etc.) and goals (like: amplified intelligence, autonomous platform, and sustainable edge).  As expected, they are all nouns. 

Next, we’ll examine your default strategies.   The strategies you use are verbs.  That means they define an action you take.  Action words include: connect, communicate, contribute, collaborate, protect, serve, evaluate, curate, share … and love.  On the other end of the spectrum, you could complain, retreat, blame, or block.

People have habitual strategies.  I often say happy people find ways to be happy – while frustrated people find ways to be frustrated.  This is true for many things.

Seen a different way people expect and trust that you will act according to how they perceive you act.

Meanwhile, you are the most important perceiver.

Another distinction worth making to that the nouns and verbs we use range from timely to timeless.  Timely words relate to what you are doing now.  Timeless words are chunked higher and relate to what you have done, what you are doing, and what you will do.

The trick is to chunk high enough that you are focused on words that link your timeless Roles, Goals, and Strategies.  When done right, you know that this is part of what makes you … “You”.  

My favorite way to do this is through three-word strategies. 

These work for your business, your priorities, your identity, and more. 

I'll introduce the idea to you by sharing my own to start. 

Understand. Challenge. Transform. 

The actual words are less important than what they mean to me. 

What's also important is that not only do these words mean something to me, but I've put them in a specific order, and I've made these words "commands" in my life. They're specific, measurable, and actionable. They remind me what to do. They give me direction.  And, they are a strategy (or process) that creates a reliable result.

First, I understand, because I want to make sure I know all sides before I take action.  For me, it is about seeing the bigger picture.  It creates a golden thread from where I am to the bigger future possibility that I want.. Then, I challenge situations, people, norms, and more.  I don’t challenge to tear down.  I challenge to find strength … to figure out what to trust and rely upon. Finally, I transform things to make them better. Insanity is doing what you always do and expecting a different result.  This is about finding where small changes create massive transformations.  It is about committing to the result rather than how we have done things till now.

If I challenged before I knew the situation, or I tried to transform something without properly doing my research, I'd be shooting from the hip, and I'd cause more damage than good. 

Likewise, imagine the life of someone who protects, serves, and loves.  Compare that to the life of someone who loves, serves, and protects.  The order matters!

I've set daily alarms on my phone with these words, I use them when I'm in meetings, and they're used to evaluate whether I'm showing up as my best self. 

You can also create three words that are different for the different hats you wear, the products in your business, or how your team collaborates. 

Finding Your Three Words 

Just like recipes, your words should have ingredients, orders, and intensities. As you use your words more, the intensities might change. For example, when my son was just getting out of college, one of his words was contented because he was focused on all the things he missed from college - instead of being appreciative of the things he did have. Later, his words switched to grateful and then loving. Evolutions that paired with his personal journeys. 

As well, your words should be actions. They should be things that you do, not just words that describe you. You want to be an active participant in your life - not a passive bystander. You can also see that in my son's words. As he grew, the word became an action that he wanted to approach life with, instead of just a feeling. 

Once you learn how to create and use these simple three-word strategies, you can use them everywhere. 

What are your words?

 

Living Longer And Healthier

I am on my way back from Dave Asprey’s BioHacking Conference.

I enjoy going and being exposed to people and products committed to life extension and regenerative medicine.  

Here are some of the things I found interesting and useful.

• SleepMe
• Eng’s NanoVi
• BrainTap
• Hapbee
• Viome
• Carol AI Bike
• PowerPlate
• RapidRelease
• Zona
• BEAM Minerals

I own and use every product on the list above. One of my biggest insights from this year’s conference was that I already have great stuff. I have to remember to use it. Some of the stuff is terrific. I know it is. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t sit unused in a room upstairs (or in a box under my stairs). The scary thing is that I know better.  Now I have to do better!

Each year I get a little bit more focused on what I can be doing to get more out of my time and to increase the quantity of time left.

Even with a renewed focus on health, it isn’t always easier. As my friend Ben Hardy says, Willpower Doesn’t Work – you have to identify goals that are bigger than yourself, create consequences and rewards for achieving or failing to achieve those goals, and change your environment to make success easy.  

I don’t just want to be healthier to increase my time on earth, but to better support my family, my business, and to create a positive impact on those around me. 

When you have a vision of who you want to be, and what you want to accomplish, achieving your goals becomes a lot easier. 

When the goal is health, there are definitely some decisions that are proven to help. You can click to see the image in full-size. 

via informationisbeautiful

On top of the science, here are some of my anecdotal opinions on living longer, healthier, and better:

• Losing weight is as simple as calories in, calories out. It doesn’t matter if you’re on keto or eating only twinkies if you can keep your calories ingested below your calories burned. An equally simple alternative is to consider whether what you are about to eat, drink, or do is “cleansing” or “clogging”.  We already know better!
• Getting enough water and sleep are tips echoed so much that they get annoying. Nonetheless, they are true and help significantly. 
• In life, and in diets, shortcuts end up hurting you long-term more than they help you short-term.  If something is worth doing, it is usually worth doing right.
• Living “right” doesn’t mean you can’t let loose … it means that it’s the exception instead of the rule. If your lifestyle doesn’t let you have fun with your friends or family, it’s probably not the healthiest lifestyle. Mental health is just as important as physical health.  From my perspective, deprivation or repression are far less effective or sustainable than delayed gratification.

I’d love to hear your favorite “trick” to living better. Feel free to send me an e-mail. 

Thanks! Live Long and Prosper!

Snake-Oil or Cure? Do Your Supplements Actually Help?

Are you trying to lead a healthier lifestyle?  This data visualization can help you filter out the marketing hype to help you find the vitamins, minerals, and herbs that deliver tangible benefits ... versus those that serve only as a "Guaranteed Genuine Placebo".

Here is an interactive model of the most current research data.  It is interesting because of the health research itself ... and because models (like this) have far-reaching applications.  Click the image to play with the interactive version on InformationIsBeautiful.

 

via InformationIsBeautiful

 

I was surprised to see how many of the supplements I take weren't high on the list.  I was also surprised to find a few effective supplements on the list that I don't take. 

Some of you have seen how many supplements I take a day.  I take so many pills that I split them up into morning, lunch, dinner, and bedtime.  Despite that, I always like finding what else might help. 

As a reminder, supplements are meant to support your health goals, and the secret to longevity is not going to be found without you also putting in the work yourself. 

Regardless, I appreciated this look at the performance data behind various supplements. 

Let me know if you find something you think is worth sharing.

Finding Ikigai In Increasingly Stressful Times

I just read that they sell more adult diapers than baby diapers in Japan.

Getting old is tough ... and it gets tougher the older you get.   As a result, finding your 'reasons for being' and joy in life become increasingly important. 

The past couple of years have been a period of massive upheaval for many.  Reasons for this include stress, change, pandemics, quarantine, new jobs, new goals ... or, at the other end of the spectrum, lack of change, lack of a job, or lack of purpose.

Most people know that life is much better than the alternative (and that life becomes even better when you learn to enjoy living and let go of what isn't serving you).  Consequently, it makes sense to understand and search for the things that bring you pleasure or fulfillment.

A Japanese concept called "Ikigai" may help better define your motivating force and the things that give you a sense of purpose or a reason for living.

Ikigai centers around finding purpose as you grow older.  Paradoxically, it makes sense to start the process as early as possible. 

Here is an infographic that lays out some "Reasons for Being."

via InformationIsBeautiful

Finding your "reason to be" and living with purpose are keys to making the most of your time.

The beauty of 2022 being a fresh start is that you can also change your approach and your vision.

The graphic highlights something interesting (yet almost counter-intuitive) ... When two areas intersect, it creates something positive (e.g., a passion or a mission).   However, where three areas intersect, it creates a pain point (for example, it could be what you're good at, you love doing it, the world needs it ... but it doesn't make you any money – so now you're struggling).

Worth examining and thinking about for a bit.

On a related note, this TEDx talks about the nine common diet and lifestyle habits that help people live past 100.

 

TED-ED via YouTube

And here is a link to Dan Sullivan's free e-book on his plan to live to 156. 

Live long and prosper!

Honoring Serena Williams

Serena Williams officially retired on Friday after a loss in the third round of the US Open to 29-year-old Ajla Tomljanovic. Serena won her first Grand Slam Title 23 years ago in the same stadium. 

Serena started playing professional tennis in 1995 as a 14-year-old.  Twenty-seven years later, she walks away from the game with 858 tour victories, an 85% win rate, 73 singles titles, an Olympic gold medal, and 319 weeks at No. 1. With her sister, Venus, they won 14 major doubles titles and three Olympic gold medals.

Recently, I shared this graph that helps put the Williams sisters' dominance into perspective. 

via Yahoo!Sports

Serena is undoubtedly one of the most dominant athletes - man or woman - in any sport. 

To be great requires an extraordinary level of grit, determination, and pain tolerance over an extended period of time.  It isn't just what you choose to do from moment to moment – it's about a persistent commitment to who you choose to be!  

During Serena's final match, an ESPN commentator said something interesting about what makes her (and many famous athletes) great.  For context, Serena was down 5-1 in the final set of the final match, with her opponent having won two sets already.  It's 'game point'.   To get here, Ajla will win a point, then Serena - it goes back and forth like that more than seven times.  Yet, Serena keeps finding a way to keep herself in the match despite everything going against her. 

While this is going on, the commentator exclaims, "How can she care so much?  How can she keep dancing on the lip of the volcano?" 

Imagine being in Serena's position.  She's 40, she's announced her retirement, the match has been going on for almost 3 hours, and her chances of coming back are almost nil ... she has nothing left to prove ... but she keeps finding more in the tank.  She keeps putting herself in a position to turn it around.  After the match, her opponent makes clear that she never once thought that Serena was out of it - that she couldn't turn it around and clinch victory. 

It was beautiful - and it was a testament to the passion and discipline it takes to be that elite for that long. 

There's a difference between good and great - but there's also a difference between great and the greatest. 

The New Era of Energy

A couple of weeks ago, I talked about oil production.  This week, I want to look at the current energy landscape. 

 

View the full infographic at visualcapitalist

Over the past several decades, there has been a massive shift in how we produce and consume energy.  This has been driven by the tech boom - as well as by climate awareness.

The practical realities of widespread tech adoption directly impact energy consumption.  For example, there are now over 7 billion people with smartphones.  As the population (and the number of gadgets and tech we use) grows, logically, so does our energy consumption.

Luckily, we're also getting better at powering them. 

On a different front, oil is still a meaningful and vital part of the energy ecosystem … but, now, it's being supplemented by multiple renewables. 

View the full infographic at visualcapitalist 

Over the last decade, investment in green technologies has helped the cost of renewable energies drop precipitously. 

That spurred a different set of products and use cases.  For example, we've seen the number of electric cars grow exponentially.  In 2011, there were approximately 70,000 EV units in the world.  Now there are around 16.5 million. 

This isn't a commentary on the environmental benefit of renewables; it is an observation about the direction energy is heading. 

And, just like with AI, despite being a space that's existed for a long time, it is still in the "early adoption" phase. 

Based on estimations, the IEA projects an 8x growth in EV by 2050.  This also means that we will use an increasing amount of batteries and rare metals.  Currently, China controls the supply chains and critical resource constraints. 

If our goal is to be energy independent, we have a long way to go ... Nonetheless, recognize that this creates massive business and investment opportunities. 

Onwards!