Continual Learning
“In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” - Eric Hoffer
The above quote provides a great example of why perpetual learning is important for maintaining success. The world is changing at a more rapid pace than ever with new technologies emerging every day including AI, cryptocurrencies, renewable energy, semiconductors, self-driving cars and more. Many jobs that are currently useful will be replaced but many new job roles will also be opening up in these fields. The person that is learning everyday will keep up with these new trends and equip themselves with a framework to utilize these tools to enhance their lives. Understanding how a computer works and building a coding background is an example of a skill that is becoming more essential every day. The more you understand about how the world works, the better Mental Models you can apply to the decisions you make on a daily basis. While it is true that somethings never change, it is equally true that what works today won’t necessarily work tomorrow. Stay current.
Improving Defaults
If you want to get a glimpse of what a person’s life will look like ten years from now, look at what they do on a daily basis. I’ve talked extensively on the importance of establishing good principles and building effective habits in your life. When done correctly, these behaviors become our new default behavior. Doing this requires thoughtful attention. In his new book Clear Thinking, Shane Parrish explains that humans have four biological defaults. These are:
The Emotion Default: We tend to let our emotions cloud our judgment.
The Ego Default: We are hypersensitive to anything that attacks our self-worth.
The Social Default: We are naturally conformists.
The Inertia Default: We resist change and prefer familiar experiences.
Parrish likes to call these defaults our “factory settings” but we can work to change them. Taking a deep breath before making an angry retort can fight the emotion default. Maintaining an open mind and embracing constructive criticism as an opportunity to get better can combat the ego default. Making an effort to think for yourself can counteract the social default and prevent groupthink. Building solid habits breaks the inertia default and can even utilize it for you by making the unfamiliar familiar. Look for ways to upgrade your defaults and you will become more effective in all areas of your life.
Niceness vs. Kindness
A nice person tells you what you want to hear, a kind person tells you what you need to hear. This is an interesting distinction that I was recently introduced too. Essentially, if for example you have a piece of spinach in your teeth, a nice person wouldn’t tell you because they are afraid to hurt your feelings, but a kind person would let you know so you could resolve the issue. I’m a believer that kindness is a better trait than niceness under these definitions. Telling people what they need to hear, even at the expense of their short-term feelings, will be the best decision for them in the long run. Constructive criticism allows people to see opportunities for growth and brings them out of a sheltered environment. This is a two-way street. The person on the receiving end should also be open minded enough to accept the feedback they get and not take offence to it. Honesty and kindness are two ends of the same sword. Some people may resent you in the moment for what you say, but after they have time to reflect, they will often see you were trying to help. There is no growth in the comfort zone. This isn’t an excuse to berate and attack people though. Do it in a respectable way that conveys that you respect the person and are only trying to help. By being honest about the situation, you are doing them a favor even if it’s at the expense of their feelings in the current moment. Try to be a little more kind today.
Cheap Dopamine
Cheap Dopamine is abundant in today’s world, it is also incredibly dangerous. Anything that provides instant gratification can be considered as cheap dopamine. This includes eating junk food, watching tv, playing video games, and doom scrolling on social media. Constant exposure to this amount of dopamine can restructure the neural pathways of our brain and wreak havoc on our willpower and ability to focus. Dopamine is linked to the anticipation of a reward, not the reward itself. This is what causes us to get a craving feeling before taking the action and is what causes many of these things to be addictive. These cheap dopamine hits lead to short term satisfaction but often a feeling of emptiness and malaise afterwards. In contrast, engaging in difficult activities can lead to indirect dopamine deposits and leads to longer lasting satisfaction afterwards. This is why we often feel good after activities like going to the gym or taking a cold shower. Making a conscious effort to monitor the amount of cheap dopamine you expose yourself to and maximize your indirect dopamine will spike your energy and focus levels. Remember to bring the after into the before. Easy now, hard later. Hard now, easy later.
Thanks as always for reading! Like, share, and subscribe for more!
Thomas