34 / Seeking Longevity. Instagram. Bed time.
Why commit instead of exploring? Here's why.
Welcome back to Circle Three!
Writing Circle Three and hearing from readers how it has helped/inspired/encouraged them has been one of the most rewarding experiences of the past year. I've discovered a true love for writing and connecting. We may be small, but we are mighty (and growing!).
Cheers,
Dan
"When we look back in 20 years, the winners amongst millennials and gen z will all tell different stories. But the one part of the story that will be the same will be the part where they deleted ig and generally silenced notifs from social media apps." — Chamath Palihapitiya (Tweet)
I'm currently reading No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram, winner of McKinsey's Business Book of the Year Award in 2020. It's incredible to read how the app has revolutionized society. Coffee is beautiful because of Instagram. The app addicting, which is part of why I wanted to read the story. But I agree with Chamath that those young people who take the reins back will be the winners, personally and professionally. What can you do this week to get back control.
"For many people, the cruelest part of daily life is the transition between wakefulness and sleep." I've made a dramatic shift over the last couple years to become a morning person; it's when I'm most awake and productive. The Atlantic dives into the fascinating science behind why we actively resist sleep, even when we know it's good for us.
Did you know that China is banned from the International Space Station? The ISS is less "International" than I thought. NASA is not allowed to "collaborate in any way with China unless a law specifically authorizes it."
X? Y? Greatest? I always get confused about what generation was born when. This article has a timeline and description of the generations of the 20th and 21st centuries. Millennials have grown up in rapid change; GenX was the last to understand the world pre-technology.
If you miss visiting professors during office hours, then fear not. This website lets you connect with experts during their self-hosted office hours, or sign up as a unique expert if you have something to offer!
Watch excited train guy nine years after he posted his original video. The pure, unadulterated joy is contagious. There's a lot of junk on the internet, but videos like these make it all worth it.
Awe and Longevity
Commitment versus Exploration.
(Read this online here.)
What's something you've used for a decade?
I think about the keyboard I've had for 8 years. I know the width of the keys by heart. I know it’s digital sound.
Maybe it's an instrument, a book, or a company you've grown with for decades.
I've been thinking through this question myself as I've moved on from a job, certain career plans, and identity. It's easy to be carefree and spontaneous while I'm 'young.' Things come and go.
"Experiment!" is a common refrain of advice
But I think back to that piano I know so well: every scratch, every idiosyncratic ring of the keys. Similarly, you might have memories from each area of the office; you've grown accustomed to the routine.
There is beauty in longevity. We know things (and people) better.
"While investing deeply in one person, one place, one job might deny us the breadth of experience we’d like, pursuing a breadth of experience denies us the opportunity to experience the rewards of depth." Mark Manson eloquently verbalizes the benefits of longevity.
How do you get the rewards of depth and duration?
Choosing Depth
This begets the question: Is depth a choice? And if so, how? When should we keep our options open, and when should we commit?
One theory that seeks a mathematical solution to the problem of exploration versus commitment is the theory of Optimal Stopping: the mathematically-defined time to take a particular action that will consequently maximize the reward.
Dating, finding a parking spot, tweaking code, or apartment hunting can use the 37% Rule, otherwise known as the Secretary Problem. The 37% Rule describes the amount of effort required to make the best decision. Simply put, reject a certain number of options to start, then choose the best of the bunch after that. With these criteria, you'll choose the best option 37% of the time.
By spending years (or decades) dating, searching for the best partner, has likely seen (a) suitable partner(s) come and go.
I like being able to draw from a breadth of experience. I might even call it a point of pride. But according to the Optimal Stopping theory or the 37% Rule, at some point, I need to choose a path to pursue depth and experience the rewards it has to offer.
I'm reminded of my experience with a blacksmith I encountered in Asheville, NC, who took a different approach. He took a blacksmith class in high school just for fun, then decided that he wanted to explore it. He apprenticed under a master blacksmith and has now spent two decades in the trade. While he didn't exactly utilize the 37% Rule to explore his options, he is happy, healthy, and committed.
Thinking about how many times this blacksmith has swung a hammer, I can only respect how he steadily hones his craft. He talked about knowing the subtleties of how his hammer bounces off his anvil, and how he still continues to learn.
"There are some experiences," Manson continues, "that you can have only when you’ve lived in the same place for five years, when you’ve been with the same person over a decade, when you’ve been working on the same skill or craft half your lifetime." (181)
I see the benefits to longevity more and more as I approach my late twenties. And while it's great to think about it as an ethereal concept, I ask myself a few questions to ground myself and consider whether I'm pursuing breadth or depth:
Is it possible the actions I'm taking be remembered in one year? Five years? Ten years?
What small step will I have the energy and consistency to do repeatedly?
How does this affect others?
Small changes will compound to create longevity.
Compounding is not just a financial thing. Longevity and its compounding effects apply to our finances, careers, hobbies, and relationships. They produce some of the most important returns in life. All it requires is a commitment.
I think of my relationship with the outdoors. You can see the intricacies of known land and continue to explore new areas. "The whole point with nature is to explore: to be awed, re-awed, to find grandeur, to process it, to repeat it anew," Nick Disabato writes.
Committing to a person or place creates an unmatched experience, knowing every intimate detail of the past leading up to the present and aspiring towards the future.
It's not easy though. Just ask Alex Lieberman, founder of Morning Brew.
I'm committing to commitment and hope to continue to seek the benefits of longevity.
Dan is a People-Connector, Marketer, Crypto Enthusiast, and Project Manager. I love coming up with intuitive solutions that combine analytical and people skills. Reply to this email with what you’re working on.
🐦 Tweeting:
🔊 Listening: Ziggy Alberts, great new recommendation from a friend!
📖 Reading (←click for my list and takeaways): The Bitcoin Standard
➕ Win: Got selected as an Athletic Brewery Ambassador. I’m super excited.
This week was: Full of learning. I led nine students at leadership camp and learned as much if not more than they did!
If you like what you’re reading and feel inspired to share it, click below!