This year, Hanukkah and Christmas overlap. While we only celebrate 8 days of Hanukkah, Christmas technically has 12 days - which starts on Christmas and represents the time it took for the three wise men to arrive in Bethlehem.
Most people know the song about the 12 Days of Christmas, but here's an interesting visualization of what presents were gifted by "their true love."
I first wrote about this video a few years ago, when artificial intelligence first captured the media's attention. Back then, we were impressed that algorithms could help you pick out your Christmas gifts on Amazon, suggest new music for you on Spotify, and do their best to capture your attention on websites.
AI is seemingly everywhere now. And what is surprising to me isn't its prevalence or impact ... it is the speed and breadth of its adoption. Last night, at an early holiday dinner, we talked extensively about how easy to adopt and how accessible tools like ChatGPT are (and almost none of us were Nerds).
With all that being said, I think it's wise to have a basic understanding of the things that most impact our lives. Even if you're not a big fan of AI, understanding its growing powers will benefit you.
The video below is a bit simple in its explanations, but it describes some fundamental concepts worth understanding.
The video is engaging and easy to understand. It focuses on genetic algorithms (which is one type of machine learning) and ignores some of the other more complicated techniques and approaches. For example
In my experience, it is more useful for an executive to understand what tools like this can do rather than how they work. Likewise, it is better to understand when to use tools like this rather than knowing precisely how to use them. But, a cursory understanding like this video still adds value.
As machine learning gets more complicated and evolves, it gets harder for humans to assess their output or process accurately. Here is something to consider:
How do you know that the answer it gives is the answer you seek?
Just because an algorithm responds quickly and confidently doesn't mean it's right.
While bots can deliver impressive results, their decision-making processes can be opaque. This presents both a risk and an opportunity. Artificial intelligence seems cool, but artificial stupidity is scary ... and making mistakes at light speed rarely results in good outcomes.
It's human nature to feel safer when we understand something. It's human nature to envision machines making human-like decisions, just faster. But we are quickly going beyond that ... way beyond that!
In the past, algorithms were static while data changed. But now we're in a different world - one where the algorithms themselves evolve and dramatically adapt to handle different types of data. While this might sound like a subtle distinction, it represents a fundamental shift in how AI systems learn and operate.
One of the challenges of understanding exponential technologies is that their progress isn't linear. This makes it difficult for humans to accurately gauge how rapidly these tools will advance in capability. As algorithms grow more complex, they will increasingly operate in ways that may not be fully understood by their developers (and even less so by their users). As a result, we'll likely find ourselves using AI to solve problems and accomplish tasks that aren't even on our radar today.
It might sound strange, but it doesn't matter why a bot makes a decision or what inputs it uses to make the decision. What matters is whether it accomplishes its goal and how its performance and level of decision-making rank in relation to its prior performance and other options (and, perhaps, whether the bot is biased).
Part of what makes artificial intelligence exciting is that it can do a lot of things well that humans are really bad at. And, even when you're using an AI in your domain expertise, it can be a great first step to save you time and effort.
It's a brave new world, and not only is Big Brother watching, but algorithms are, too.
Why is it often easier to be nice to a stranger (or a dog) than someone you deal with regularly? Emotional baggage is likely the answer. Things like anger, resentment, pain, fear, uncertainty, and doubt are inhibitors that can affect how we interact with others. Frustratingly, our challenges often stem directly from what we bring to each situation ourselves.
It reminded me of one of the earliest videos I shot almost 10 years ago. It highlights the importance of allowing energy to flow freely, enabling individuals to remain focused and resilient in the face of challenges. It doesn't matter what happens ... what matters is what you choose to focus on, make it mean, and choose to do.
Sometimes, things don't seem to go well. Despite the annoying evidence to the contrary, it's probably not them ... Which means it is probably you (or at least what you focus on).
The antidote to negative situations is simple – focus on your progress and the reasons behind your efforts.
The recipe for success (and happiness this holiday season) isn't eggnog ... it is to choose to let energy flow and to have an unrelenting focus on your bigger future.
It's interesting to consider how drastically this changes supply chain management. People now expect free and fast shipping and the ability to return items if they don't work out (instead of trying them in-store). Meanwhile, brands have high fixed costs due to their existing retail locations, yet they need to keep most of their stock in warehouses instead of their box stores to deal with the surplus of online orders.
Michael Masterson wrote a book called Ready Fire Aim: Zero to $100 Million In No Time Flat. It is a practical guide for entrepreneurs and business leaders, focusing on the different stages of business growth and the key challenges and priorities at each stage.
A core message of the book is to start taking action quickly (instead of getting bogged down in over-planning) and use rapid iteration and real-world feedback to refine strategies.
The concept is presented in the context of growing a business – yet the lessons apply broadly.
Swift action should be your focus ... not over-planning or perfect timing.
Too many companies get stuck in a cycle of brainstorming, getting internal feedback, making changes, and failing to release the product.
Even for released products, too many fail because they took too long to launch or ignored market feedback.
Masterson stresses that the value of live performance is that it helps you course-correct. He also cautions that there is no such thing as perfect timing. The best timing is almost always ‘Now!’
Now, let’s extrapolate.
Let’s say you’re pondering a tricky work problem. You know you need to figure it out before the end of the week ... but your brain keeps going in circles.
You don’t believe you can take decisive action and course-correct because you feel you have to get it right.
So, what can you do? Write it out. Write out the potential paths, ramifications, and worst-case scenarios as holistically as possible.
You’ll find that simply by writing it out instead of just ‘thinking,’ you end up more creative with more insight.
Writing aids in organizing and clarifying your thoughts.
AI As Your ‘Action’ Partner
AI can make this process easier, faster, and more manageable. Tools like ChatGPT can help you explore complex topics, run scenarios for you, and provide external feedback.
It’s not the same as real-world feedback, but it can shorten the ‘Aim’ part of the process.
As you externalize your thoughts in writing them to whatever AI you choose, you also get the same benefit you did writing your thoughts out in our previous example.
The business environment is changing faster than ever. Technology is advancing faster, adoption is getting easier, and the average Joe is becoming bullish on AI. Because of that, Masterson’s book is even more relevant now than it was in 2007. Here are a few of the other key takeaways from Ready, Fire, Aim.
Adapt Your Role: As a company scales, leaders must shift from “doing” to guiding and from tactics to strategy.
Be Sales-Focused: Keep revenue generation as a core priority, especially in the early stages.
Build Scalable Systems: Invest in operations and leadership at the right time to support sustainable growth.
Innovate Continuously: Avoid complacency by fostering an organizational culture that balances efficiency with creativity.
AI and exponential technologies are going to compress cycle types. What used to be long-term planning will just be planning. You have to act fast, not only to capitalize on these trends but also to avoid being wiped out by them.
We’ve officially started our annual planning for the new year.
The process is relatively straightforward. We start by deciding what the company’s three highest priority goals are. With those goals as the base, each department (and manager) creates a big three representing what they can do to reach the company’s big three. From there, we dive into quarterly rocks, SMARTs (goals that are specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and timed), and the explicit tactical steps it will take to accomplish what we set out to achieve.
The meetings are going well. There is a lot of back-and-forth idea sharing, negotiating, and priority setting.
Nonetheless, I had a sneaking suspicion that sometimes what seemed like a dialogue was really multiple monologues.
The reason for the disconnect (or misconnect) was that the participants had fundamental beliefs, at a higher level than we were discussing, that were at odds with each other.
With that said, another important component of meaningful communication is a shared understanding of a common language. Words can mean different things to different people. Simply agreeing on a “word” is different than agreeing on a common meaning.
I shot two videos that I think help teams get to alignment.
Thinking About Your Thinking
The first video discusses several techniques to enhance your decision-making.
One of the ideas is something called “Think, Feel, Know.” Basically, it explains that you have to deal with superficial thoughts before getting to deeper feelings. Then, you must deal with those feelings before you get to “knowing”.
Another technique discussed in the video involves adding time to look for “insights” after working on something. Those insights are often the seeds for something greater.
Chunking Higher
The second video explains how to chunk high enough to start from a place of agreement. Exploring distinctions from there is relatively easy.
I’m a big fan of picking a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (sometimes called a “BHAG”) and taking actions that move you in that direction.
One of the keys to this is chunking high enough to name the roles, goals, and strategies you select with timeless language (meaning that the target words hold up even as you pivot and adjust your focus and actions).
While doing this, I realized that my ideal next chunk of years involves taking Capitalogix to the next level (and beyond) through collaboration, cooperation, and joint ventures.
Once you know your long-term goal, planning the steps you need to achieve it is relatively easy. Achieving smaller goals reinforces successes, builds momentum, and makes continued progress feel more likely.
Extra points if you make them SMARTs (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Bound).
Actions speak louder than words, and your words can distract you.
It’s OK to misstep, and it’s OK to get stuck - but recognize where you are and what you’ve done ... and move forward.
Delayed gratification happens when you want something badly but cannot get it right away. The result is often anger or frustration.
Meanwhile, the mainstream media broadcasts a seemingly non-stop stream of messages screaming for immediate attention and gratification. The result of that is not good either (for example, it can result in higher rates of obesity, drug abuse, and depression).
Don’t be fooled. Overnight successes are rarely actually overnight successes (for long).
To summarize these concepts:
Make sure you have a common language
Begin with the end in mind
Start with the highest level of agreement
Make distinctions from there
Hope that helps.
Over the next 25 years, there are many people I want to impact – and many goals I want to accomplish.
It hasn’t always been easy - but building Capitalogix has been an intensely rewarding passion. It has been easier because I want what I want. Make sure you know what you really want ... it makes getting it much easier.
I look forward to you all being a part of it as well. Here’s to a successful 2025 and an even more successful 2050.
Watching how thoughtfully and carefully they planned the wedding to keep it intimate and meaningful was heartwarming.
The wedding was for them, with parents and siblings as the only guests. They did it at the location of their first date, had their favorite desserts, and wore non-traditional outfits. I believe they will have a party in the spring.
A wedding is a significant life event. So, I’m sharing a few of the thoughts it triggered.
Since they were born, I have been struck by how similar and different my two sons have been. My older son, Ben, is very analytical and yet surprisingly heart-centered, while Zach is very emotionally-centered and yet very intelligent. That slight difference in their center of gravity has been impactful. Ben has always been a “less is more” kind of guy, while Zach has always been a “more is more” kind of guy.
Nature is funny ... and I believe that how you do something is how you tend to do almost everything. For example, Ben always had a plan — yet, Zach was different ... until he fell in love with rugby, and everything changed. I saw him approach fitness, health, schedules, time, and almost everything differently. That exposes an interesting truth - You don’t tend to win races you don’t want to win. Something deeper has to inspire the effort. When you find something deeper, the rest becomes easier. Even in his 30s, rugby is still his passion.
As a parent, a small part of me wished that Zach’s focus on rugby had gone to school or business or something ... But that’s not how I really felt. As a father, I knew that once I saw that he knew how to focus on what he wanted, he could focus on anything he wanted. Because once he knew how to do it for one thing, he could do it for anything.
It was like that for me when I met Jennifer – everything changed. I knew so fast. So, when I saw how everything changed for Zach when he met Sloane, I knew the same thing happened.
Here's how I knew he really loved her. Zach’s favorite food groups are cheese fries, bacon, and extra grease. So, his falling in love with a gluten-free vegan (and not only tolerating it – but defending it) showed me something massively important. For the record, he’s been protective and focused on Sloane ever since. And because of that, I know how this turns out.
I want to say how proud I am of Zachary and how happy I am for both of them as we welcome Sloane to the family.
Her love has brought out the best in Zach, and we can’t wait to see the life they’ll build together.
That reminds me of something I thought about several times during the wedding ... it is that love is both a noun and a verb. It’s a thing (a state, a feeling, or even a target) … but it’s also something that you can choose, commit to, and do. The noun without the verb is frustrating - because you couldn’t move towards it and would have to get lucky to experience it. But the verb without the noun would be exhausting because you’d always be searching without finding or driving toward something that you don’t arrive at. This perspective on love as both a state and an action resonates as a natural truth for me. It is like inhaling and exhaling ... one without the other is futile.
How AIs (Like ChatGPT) Learn
I first wrote about this video a few years ago, when artificial intelligence first captured the media's attention. Back then, we were impressed that algorithms could help you pick out your Christmas gifts on Amazon, suggest new music for you on Spotify, and do their best to capture your attention on websites.
AI is seemingly everywhere now. And what is surprising to me isn't its prevalence or impact ... it is the speed and breadth of its adoption. Last night, at an early holiday dinner, we talked extensively about how easy to adopt and how accessible tools like ChatGPT are (and almost none of us were Nerds).
With all that being said, I think it's wise to have a basic understanding of the things that most impact our lives. Even if you're not a big fan of AI, understanding its growing powers will benefit you.
The video below is a bit simple in its explanations, but it describes some fundamental concepts worth understanding.
CGP Grey via Youtube
The video is engaging and easy to understand. It focuses on genetic algorithms (which is one type of machine learning) and ignores some of the other more complicated techniques and approaches. For example
In my experience, it is more useful for an executive to understand what tools like this can do rather than how they work. Likewise, it is better to understand when to use tools like this rather than knowing precisely how to use them. But, a cursory understanding like this video still adds value.
As machine learning gets more complicated and evolves, it gets harder for humans to assess their output or process accurately. Here is something to consider:
How do you know that the answer it gives is the answer you seek?
Just because an algorithm responds quickly and confidently doesn't mean it's right.
While bots can deliver impressive results, their decision-making processes can be opaque. This presents both a risk and an opportunity. Artificial intelligence seems cool, but artificial stupidity is scary ... and making mistakes at light speed rarely results in good outcomes.
It's human nature to feel safer when we understand something. It's human nature to envision machines making human-like decisions, just faster. But we are quickly going beyond that ... way beyond that!
In the past, algorithms were static while data changed. But now we're in a different world - one where the algorithms themselves evolve and dramatically adapt to handle different types of data. While this might sound like a subtle distinction, it represents a fundamental shift in how AI systems learn and operate.
One of the challenges of understanding exponential technologies is that their progress isn't linear. This makes it difficult for humans to accurately gauge how rapidly these tools will advance in capability. As algorithms grow more complex, they will increasingly operate in ways that may not be fully understood by their developers (and even less so by their users). As a result, we'll likely find ourselves using AI to solve problems and accomplish tasks that aren't even on our radar today.
It might sound strange, but it doesn't matter why a bot makes a decision or what inputs it uses to make the decision. What matters is whether it accomplishes its goal and how its performance and level of decision-making rank in relation to its prior performance and other options (and, perhaps, whether the bot is biased).
Part of what makes artificial intelligence exciting is that it can do a lot of things well that humans are really bad at. And, even when you're using an AI in your domain expertise, it can be a great first step to save you time and effort.
It's a brave new world, and not only is Big Brother watching, but algorithms are, too.
Live long and prosper!
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