Capitalogix

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.

Bruce Willis Deepfake: The Smart Decision?

Bruce Willis is a legend of cinema, and he made many of my favorite movies of the 80s and 90s. He stayed relevant and exciting up until very recently. 

Then, last year, he started releasing a slew of disappointing "straight-to-DVD" style movies that had him receiving his own award show category in the Razzies (an award show for the worst performances of the year). In 2021, they created the category "worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie." 

Vulture did an interesting interview with the founders of the Razzies where Bruce Willis comes up. 

Then, it came out that Bruce Willis was diagnosed with Aphasia and was losing his ability to speak. 

Suddenly, these pieces take on new meaning. They're Bruce getting as much work in as he can before he loses his voice permanently. He's trying to do what he knows how to do to make sure his wife and children are taken care of after he can no longer act. 

It doesn't make the movies suddenly "great" but it was enough to get the Razzies to rescind their award. 

I don't believe these last films of his dampen his well-earned legacy. 

Last year, his digital twin showed up in a Russian telecom ad. 

 

 
Recently, he's been in the news again for having sold his likeness to a deepfake company. It was reported on the company's website and by The Telegraph, but there are now claims to the contrary as well. 

While the jury is still out on if his rights have been sold, I think it's likely you'll see more Bruce Willis deepfake content. 

The question becomes, is it the right decision?

If his estate still has final approval - and there is quality control - then what's the harm?

Does the potential ubiquity, or the idea that we can always have another Bruce Willis movie, reduce the value of his movies?

Does allowing deepfakes in cinema (on TV or in film) take away roles from actors who might become stars?

We've already seen actors use deepfakes to reprise a role they did when they were younger - like Luke Skywalker or Leia from Star Wars. It's a different idea to build a new series around an actor who isn't actually acting in it. 

These questions pair well with the discussion around AI-generated art and whether it should be considered art. 

What do you think? 

The Most Common Cyber Attacks Against Businesses

I recently shared a post on data breaches - and steps you can take to prevent them. It focused on the most famous cyberattacks in history. 

Visualcapitalist and Global X ETFs just put out a visualization that shows the most common attacks your business may face. 

 

Global X via visualcapitalist

Cyberattacks are at an all-time high – and the more people you have in your business, the more likely you are to have exploitable weaknesses. For example, the World Economic Forum's Global Risk Report for 2022 stated that ransomware attacks have increased by 435% since 2020. 

It's also worth noting that these numbers are likely understated, as companies are likely to downplay and hide security incidents.  

Likewise, there is exponential growth in computer use, data production, apps and services (connected through your handphone, devices, or computers), and connected nodes in the internet-of-things (including garage doors, security systems, and a host of connected devices).

As some things become easier, other things get harder.  Said another way, sometimes peril comes with progress.

Stay safe. 

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.

The Average NFL Player (By Position)

Football season is officially underway!  In honor of that, here's a look at each position's composite "player" (as of 2019).

As you might expect, different sports have different ratios of ethnicities.  For example, you might expect more Pacific Islanders in Rugby or Asians in Badminton.

The same is true for various positions on a football team.  Offensive linemen are more likely to be white – while running backs are more likely to be black. 

Here is a visualization that shows what happens when you average the top players' faces in various positions.

osmutiar via Reddit

Composites are interesting.

While you may be thinking "this player must be unstoppable" ... statistically, he's average.

The "composite" NFL player would be the 848th best player in the league.  He's not a starter, and he plays on an average team.  You probably don't know his name if you don't root for his team. 

We found the same thing with our trading bots.  The ones that made it through most filters weren't star performers.  They were the average bots that did enough not to fail (but failed to make the list as top performers in any of the categories).  Meaning, the survivors were generalists – not specialists.

In an ideal world, with no roster limits, you'd want the perfect lineup for each granular situation.  You'd want to evaluate players on how they perform under pressure, on different downs, against other players, and with different schemes. 

That's what technology lets you do with algorithms.  You can have a library of systems that communicate with each other ... and you don't even have to pay their salary (but you will need data scientists, researchers, machines, data, alternative data, electricity, disaster recovery, and a testing platform).

You won't find exceptional specialists if your focus is on generalized safety.  Generalists are great, but you also have to be able to respond to specific conditions.

Onwards.

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!

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!

Some Cool "Futuristic" Tech You Might Not Have Seen

I joke that I have a "tense" problem. I spend a lot of my time thinking about what will be possible in the future. And once I know something is possible, in my head, it has already happened.

It isn’t a reality distortion engine … it is a reality creation engine.

For me, this is centered around the way technology is transforming the world and how it affects my business. 

Sometimes it's nice to take a step back and look at all the "quality of life" improvements. The gadgets that make you say "Wow!" … even though they may not benefit you directly. 

So, here are a few that caught my eye over the last few weeks. 

Augmented Reality Running 

In 2020, Ghost Pacer put together a pair of AR glasses that would give you a virtual running partner. The app would analyze the running route and the wearer's desired goals and set them up against a virtual runner who would push them to their limits. 

Last year, SNAP and Nike teamed up to create a new AR running experience as well. 

 

Spectacles via YouTube

This is a great way to get moving for those (like my wife) who benefit from a structure around their exercise. 

Magnetic Slime Robot for Healthcare

 

New Scientist via YouTube

Watching the video of this slime is somewhat uncanny. Its movements feel almost lifelike. That being said, the potential for this custard-like slime worm is massive. It can navigate narrow passageways, grasp objects, and more. There are already plans to use this to remove foreign objects from people.  

Functioning Hoverboards 

 

RIDE via YouTube

Multiple generations of kids have dreamed of hoverboards after watching Back To The Future. While it's not in homes yet, it is now a reality as seen in this video with Tony Hawk riding one. Unfortunately, since breaking into the scene in 2015 with a successful Kickstarter, I have not seen much from Hendo Hoverboard. 

Thankfully, they're not the only company in the space anymore. If you're willing to drop almost 15K, you can own a working hoverboard from Arcaboard. 

I remember when we used to go outside to play or exercise.

We live in interesting times!