The Peterkins Podcast: Recent Episodes
Stephen Peterkins
I share my thoughts on living a fulfilling life. Anything from technology, to business, to relationships, and personal growth.
Today I talk about status. In the past, prestige was one of the few ways to gain status, but now people are recognizing that low-status projects can quickly become high-status. Early adoption is the key to gaining status in this new paradigm.
Today I talk about societal inequality. With inequality on the rise, people are asking "how do we fix it"? China's focus on "common prosperity" shows that to address the problem, short-term economic harm must be tolerated to improve long-term economic stability
Today I talk about Stoicism and emotion. People assume stoicism is centered around emotional regulation, but this is not true. Stoicism asks us to live virtuous lives, and deeply examine our emotions to understand if we are succeeding in doing so.
Today I talk about the erosion of societal trust. Across the board, there's a decline in the trust in society's most important institutions. Without trust, greater methods of surveillance and enforcement are deployed to ensure compliance of the population.
Today I talk about work and purpose. We learn an important lesson when we're young: who we are is determined by where we focus our time and energy. It's an incredible tragedy that most people work bullshit jobs instead of doing work that is meaningful.
Today I talk about cringe. Nobody wants to be cringe, being cringe is weird and embarrassing. But to create something novel and interesting requires taking a risk, and that risk is falling flat on our face and being cringe in front of the whole world.
Today I talk about declining readership. We're consuming more digital media than ever, yet we simultaneously mock its popularity. We are aware that we're missing something important, but reading is an investment we're not willing to make anymore.
Today I talk about the real cause of the obesity epidemic. Obesity is a major health problem that is systemic, and if we truly care about solving the obesity crisis then we need to fix the system and stop bullying the victims of it
Today I talk about why more people should be fired. Firing someone makes everyone feel uncomfortable, but it's often a necessary process to uphold a great organizational culture. Often our compassion is used as an excuse to avoid doing what's necessary.
Today I talk about the baboon and the salt trap. Baboons famously can be trapped because of their stubbornness and their love for salt. Like the baboons, we humans frequently find ourselves trapped because we also fall victim to our desires.
Today I talk about power and incompetence. Afghanistan, Iraq, COVID, the 2008 Financial Crisis; all of these are gross failures from the incompetence of the powerful. Why are there no consequences or accountability for them despite these failures?
Today I talk about strong opinions loosely held. We are not the ideas that we hold, it's possible to have strong views with limited information if we allow ourselves the ability to iteratively change them in light of new information.
Today I talk about power and love. Those who worship love see no need for power, and those who worship power see no need for love. Power is only good when it is realizing what is beautiful, and what is beautiful can only be found in love
Today we're going to talk about solving other people's problems. It's good to want to help people, but sometimes we attempt to solve other people's problems to distract from our own. Fixing our own life makes us more capable of helping others
Today I talk about airports and adventure. Airport travel is the perfect level of adventure for most middle-class suburbanites. The stakes are high enough where there's skin in the game, yet low enough for safety-focused people to participate
Today I talk about speaking with confidence. Speaking with confidence is a super-power, you can influence people simply by speaking with a calm, steady demeanor. It's not enough to be competent, we also must be confident to put our skills into action.
Today I talk about why Only Fans is dropping porn. If you know OnlyFans, their recent decision to drop porn is like McDonald's deciding to stop selling hamburgers. The reason behind their decision isn't because they want to, it's because they have to.
Today I talk about the Alexander Technique. We discover how much stress we unknowingly carry by being aware of our habits. Once we gain this awareness, The Alexander Technique provides practical steps for removing this stress and establishing motor efficiency.
Today I talk about the Four Laws of Behaviour Change. We often feel strongly about wanting to change our behaviour, but when the time comes we fail to follow through. Following the four laws significantly increases our chances of implementing new habits.
Today I talk about concentration. Concentration is so valuable because it gives us the power to use our time as we desire. Distractions will steal our precious time, and if we consistently succumb to them they'll turn our goals into wishes and regrets.
Today I talk about societies of control. You are no longer an individual. You are a set of aggregated data, which is being used to predict, classify, and control all of your present and future actions. Welcome to the world of machines.
Today I talk about the cost of human efficiency. When we develop technology that transforms human beings and increases their productivity, we almost always leave human beings feeling poorer, more one-dimensional than ever before.
Today I talk about outgrowing our parents. Freud said, "No one can be a man unless his father has died". Becoming an individual requires us to remove ourselves from our parents' authority, and in doing so they undergo a symbolic death.
Today I talk about why Kim K. is smarter than you. Now that Kim is getting her law degree, people will finally and begrudgingly admit her intelligence. But her business savvy has always been proof of her intelligence, we just never wanted to admit it.
Today I talk about rites of passage. We still have many rites of passage around birth, death, and weddings, but many rites of passage for manhood have been lost. The rituals turning a boy into a man contribute a ton to securing men in their masculinity.
Today I talk about how progress happens. We'd like to believe that new ideas will spread based on whether they're true and factual, but that's not the case. As Max Planck, the German Physicist once said: "Progress happens one funeral at a time"
Today I talk about misunderstanding Nietzsche. There has never been someone so mischaracterized for his beliefs than Nietzsche. After spending his life trying to create new values after the decline of religion, all he's remembered for is "God is dead"
Today I talk about being happier. Being happier is a solved problem; we know exactly what activities to do to make ourselves a happier person. If that's the case, why isn't everyone happy then? What's stopping people from living their best lives?
Today I talk about the psychic powers of human beings. Studies on the existence of psychic powers have never been conclusive. Two scientists, an optimist, and a skeptic ran an experiment together to figure it out, only to be baffled by what they found.
Today I talk about the Chinese Demographic Crisis. China's latest sweeping policy decisions show that it is willing to do whatever it takes to tackle its social problems; its greatest problem being its upcoming demographic crisis
Today I talk about Amazon and modern anti-trust. The current paradigm of anti-trust has failed, as it's been too focused on short-term consumer welfare, and not focused enough on the broader set of ills and hazards that a lack of competition breeds.
Today I talk about misguided finances with Juwan Rohan, from The Misguided Podcast. I had a chance to talk with Juwan Rohan, an entrepreneur and fellow podcaster, about how we've been misguided about finances, taxes, and how to build real wealth.
Today I talk about Martin Luther. Posting is often only associated with the internet, but it has a long history. Martin Luther's posting brought about the Reformation and the creation of the Protestant movement, which makes him the greatest poster of all time.
Today I talk about the taste gap. There's always a gap between what beginners create and their own standards. Many people quit because of disappointment, but those who continue to create will eventually have their ambitions match their work.
Today I talk about the dangers of snoozing. Snoozing once and a while is fine, but making it a daily habit has both short-term and long-term health effects. It's tempting to indulge, but it's a battle we must fight and win every day.
Today I talk about the weight of knowledge. Knowledge of our world can help us to make sense of it. While knowledge of the world's evils can disillusion and discourage us, most ideally it can also help us to realize that a better world is possible.
Today I talk about the tolerance paradox. In the era where there is debate of online censorship and who has the authority to dictate what is true and what is false, it's important to remember what the goal is: cultivating and maintaining a free and open society.
Today I give a short history of hell. We've had many different ideas of what is in store for the wicked once they die. While these ideas are often interesting, in practice the idea of hell can cause more harm than it's worth.
Today I talk about marrying the right person. Choosing a life partner is an incredibly important decision, one that often gets decided based on the wrong set of criteria. Choose right and your life is amazing, but choose wrong and your life is a disaster.
Today I talk about having a servant's heart. No matter how independent we think we are, we're always serving someone. It's important then that we choose to serve people who will help enrich our lives, as serving the right people makes our own lives more fulfilling.
Today I talk about curating your internet diet. The struggle of our era is to stop ourselves from getting addicted to the "low-quality" information diet being pushed at us and instead find the things that will benefit and improve our lives.
Today I talk about how specialization is for insects. We are all capable of experiencing life very broadly, so why are our lives so narrow? Life is too short to do only one thing, we should do everything we want to do and let nothing stand in our way.
Today I talk about taking data management seriously. While we're told "data is the new oil", we're often flippant with our own data. It takes discipline, but being organized with our data and protecting it should be a huge priority in our digital world.
Today I talk about shaping our self-image. Our identities are constrained based on our innate traits, but that doesn't mean that we aren't capable of transforming ourselves. It's on us to find a role we wish to play and learn our lines to the best of our ability.
Today I talk about conquering my fear of birds. We're all afraid of something; fear is a part of being alive. I've found having the courage to expose ourselves to new experiences is the best way to vanquish our fears.
Today I talk about expanding my time horizon. Figuring out what activities are going to pay dividends 10, 20, even 30 years down the road is an excellent way to help prioritize how to spend our time.
Today I talk about our loss of leisure. Leisure was once considered necessary for education, discovery, and innovation. Now, its place in our workaholic culture is solely a tool for recovery. Leisure is a reminder that there is more to life than working.
Today I talk about what makes a good team. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” If we want to go as far as we can, we need to know how to be a part of a good team.
Today I talk about why alcohol is worse than you think. Alcohol has a fantastic marketing team. They make us forget the most important fact about it; alcohol is a drug and drugs are bad for you, mkay?
Today, I talk about the case for nuclear power. As a civilization, our energy needs will continue to scale as we technologically progress. We need to transition to an energy source that won't destroy the planet, and that energy source is nuclear.
Today I talk about extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation can help us do things that we don't want to, but building intrinsic motivation can make us unstoppable.
Today is Canada day, and in light of the mass graves of over a thousand indigenous children, there's controversy in whether we should even celebrate. Today is a day to not only reflect, but to think on what sort of country we wish to be going forward.
I'd encourage all Canadians to donate to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society andhelpparticipate in the reconciliation processhttps://www.irsss.ca/donate
Today I talk about what tech interviews actually filter for. Many developers know that tech interviews struggle to discern the skills of developers, but they still filter for an attribute that many companies love their employees to have.
Today I talk about the Barnum Effect. Ever wonder why we find meaning in general descriptions of us found in astrology, fortune telling, and personality tests? The answer lies in a psychological phenomenon known as the Barnum Effect.
Today I talk about how genius isn't enough. The break throughs of genius drive the innovations of tomorrow, but unfortunately genius by itself isn't enough. It also requires communication, leadership and courage to realize this potential.
Today I talk about why you should own a pet. Pet's not only deliver great health benefits to their owners, but they also remind us that there's more to life than just living for ourselves. Most importantly, pet's are a joy to have and be around.
Today I talk about perpetual adolescence. Generations of the past used to rush unto growing up as quick as they could. The latest generations are now in no rush, and the greatest barriers to adulthood are imposed economically and materially.
Today I talk about the four day work week. We're achieving the highest levels of worker productivity ever, and people are feeling exhausted. We need the gains in productivity to work for workers, and not just to the benefit of the companies.
Today I talk about the quack history of chiropractic. The origins of chiropractic are closer to spirit healing than they are to modern medicine. While many chiropractics defer to modern medicine, the pseudo-scientific roots of chiropractic can still be seen today.
Today I talk about losing the scale with my sister Meghan Peterkins. In the realm of fitness, people focus too heavily on weight loss. The focus should be on living an active lifestyle, having a healthy relationship with food, and most importantly having fun.
Today I talk about managing artistic expectations. The reality creators have to face is that their work will never match their vision. There will always be an incongruity, because our works have to exist in the real world where our visions do not.
Today I talk about bundling and unbundling. The story of the digital age has been ripping TV, music, and news apart and offering catered, unbundled services. However, the more unbundling there is, the more pressure is created to re-bundle once again.
Today I talk about the incentives of brinkmanship. People who operate right on the brink of legal and illegal receive tremendous advantages, but risk suffering devastating consequences. You can do whatever you want, as long as you're willing to pay the price.
Today I talk about flourishing belief systems. We orient our beliefs around what we believe is true, but this shouldn't be our only consideration. We should assess whether the beliefs we have uplift us, help us reach our potential, and enable us to live our best life.
Today I talk about ransomware gangs. Ransomeware attacks are escalating in part because operators are starting to offer "ransomeware-as-a-service" to criminals. The crisis continues to grow, and until a crackdown is implemented the money will continue rolling in.
Today I talk about ideological framing. When we discuss ideas, it's important to discuss how these ideas are framed to promote certain ideological viewpoints over others. It is the combination of frame and facts that shape our reality.
Today I talk about lies about bitcoin energy usage. Bitcoin's energy criticism stems from people's misunderstanding about how energy production works, but it also embodies the wrong idea about the future of humanity's energy consumption.
Today I talk about elite overproduction. To put it simply, we're producing too many educated people and not enough roles to employ them.
The promise of a career based solely off the credentials of your university education is a lie; it doesn't exist anymore.
Today I talk about children and screen addition. While we all suffer from some form of dopamine addiction through daily use of our screens, at least we're adults. I cannot imagine how children can function whatsoever under the new digital media landscape.
Today I talk about my greatest tool. I struggle to think who and what I would be without the words I use. It's very much wrapped in my identity, and I believe that the words that I choose will continue to be my greatest tool for years to come.
Today we're going to talk about where being where average is exceptional. It's much easier to perform better than average than it is to perform exceptionally for long durations. We should seek out activities where performing exceptionally isn't a requirement.
Today I talk about the tattoo industry. Tattooing is regulated very little, but to become a tattoo artist means following a strict code of apprenticeship. The success of the industry showcases that with enough principled people, self-regulation can be pretty effective.
Today I talk about the cost of content moderation. Social media companies throw moderators into a system that eats them alive. Content moderation is important, but their needs to be greater support to the front-line workers of the digital media world.
Today I talk about the Washington Generals. I personally can see the charm of being a Harlem Globe Trotter but I always had to wonder, what's the appeal of playing on their rival team the Washington Generals?
Today I talk about the irony of Monopoly. What was originally invented to be a critique of capitalism became one of the most successful board games of all time, creating massive profits for a company with a toy and game monopoly in the process.
Today I talk about why creation is important to me. Ever since I was a kid I've enjoyed making things, and that hasn't changed one bit now that I'm an adult. Make the time to make something, and I assure you that you won't regret it.
Today I talk about the tragedy of genius. We often fetishize intelligence because of its potential, but being burdened with genius makes us more likely to be stressed, lonely, unwell, and overall more miserable than just being "normal".
Today I talk about the divine symbolism of lightning. Lightning historically has been seen as a symbol for divine punishment, however it's better to take a broad look at lightning as a symbol of divine action that literally brings life to the earth.
Today I talk about the danger of swarms. Similarly to our weakness to physical swarms of insects, we also have poor defenses against getting swarmed be people online. The psychic damage from harassment and abuse is horrible, but online swarms can prove to be fatal as well.
Today we're going to talk about why I'm still optimistic about crypto. While the crypto market has been turbulent, the main thesis of crypto hasn't changed: unstoppable decentralized assets that are only just beginning to show their potential.
Today I reflect on two impulses that I have, domination and nourishment. Most men don't know what makes them valuable, and often get the wrong idea. Today I reminder myself about where my power really lies.
Today I talk about object cause of desire. What causes us to desire something isn't how close it comes to perfection, but how it slightly deviates from perfection in an interesting way.
Today I talk about the problem of "built different". Often "built different" is used as a joke, but by using "giftedness" to explain people's success, we take away the agency and hard work of someone who has strived to build their greatness.
Today I talk about the other side of complexity. As it's been put: "For the simplicity that lies this side of complexity, I would not give a fig, but for the simplicity that lies on the other side of complexity, I would give my life."
Today I talk about building in public. Exposing ourselves to the world can be scary, but the downsides are minimal. The upsides allow us to grow faster, develop deeper understanding, and help others who are going through similar experiences.
Today I talk about emotions as an operating system. Emotions help us discern real problems in ways that we can't fully grasp, but it then becomes our job to investigate and articulate these problems so that they can be fully addressed at their very core.
Today I talk about why having options is overrated. Having options helps us remain flexible, but to be successful we eventually need to commit, go deep, and develop expertise in a few key fields instead of remaining a generalist.
Today I talk about how recycling is broken. Growing up, the importance of recycling was reinforced to me with vigor. However, in the present we're seeing recycling programs all around the world failing. What went wrong, and what can we do to fix it?
Today I talk about shopping cart political theory. The shopping cart is a capable litmus test in determining people's ability to self-govern. It provides us a choice in making an objectively right decision under no threat of coercion.
Today I talk about being a man is a double edged sword. There are a lot of advantages to being a man, and generally society caters to men's standards. But it caters to successful men, and if you don't qualify for that, then you're on your own to fix your life.
Today I talk about appreciation. It's hard to appreciate things when we take so much for granted, which is unfortunately why it takes bad times for us to truly appreciate the good times.
Today I talk about usefulness. We all want to have a place where we belong and provide value to the people around us. Sometimes this can be exploited, but it's much worse to be used than to be completely useless.
Today I talk about how math education is broken. With the recent criticism of California's new math curriculum, it's important to point out how math education is broken, and often leaves potential STEM students incapable of pursuing further education.
Today I talk about perceiving aging as a disease. Biologists are starting to question how we view aging, not as a natural inevitable process but as a disease that can we can fight back against and extend our lifespan.
Today we're going to talk about people who want to waste their time. As much as a desire to help improve people's lives might have good intentions, it is ultimately fruitless if the person in question has no desire to change, or is in a place where change is threatening.
Today I talk about the different ways to eat a chicken leg. There's no one right way to do it, but personally I don't believe in wasting any food that's offered to me.
Today I talk about useless do-gooders. Being a useless do-gooder will not only spiritually bankrupt you, but it is disrespectful to all of those who put in real time and effort to deliver actual good to the world.
Today I talk about criticism and brand incongruity. If you're a public figure, it's inevitable that you will be criticized, and possibly harassed for any beliefs that you have. Why is it then that some people can get away with murder, while others are raked over the coals?
Today I talk about the lie of "passive" income. Everyone wants to make money without working all the time, but people significantly underestimate the time and energy it takes to create and maintain sources of passive income.
Today I talk about the benefits of "toxic" masculinity. It's obvious that men are not infallible, for thousands of years we've needed to create a framework to curtail the most destructive of their behaviours. But in our modern era, let's not throw the baby out with the bath water.
Today I talk about the problem with intuition and statistics. We're told to go with our gut, but the problem is when it comes to probability our intuition will often lead us astray.
Today I talk about why almost all spelling bees are in english. Even though the rules of english might be inconsistent and arbitrary, at least it allows us to put children through stressful, character building competitions like no other language.
Today I talk about the joy of making money. Getting paid what we are worth validates that our contributions have been recognized, our decisions to work hard and to sacrifice were not in vain, and that we invested our time and efforts correctly.
Today I talk about revenge procrastination. Revenge procrastination is our way at striking back at life when we don't have the freedom and autonomy to do what we want.
Today I share the parable of the fisherman and the businessman. The parable is a lesson of the importance of defining our own version of success. Doing it saves ourselves from living out someone's else's idea of a good life.
Today I talk about the pressures women face online. In this last decade, the internet has been the greatest contributor to changing how we behave with one another. However, many of these contributions have made online harassment significantly worse, especially for women.
Today I talk about how science is kinda boring and why that's ok. While the scientific method is rigorous, meticulous, and tedious, the results we get from this process are truly remarkable and should be celebrated.
Today I talk about the cobra effect. "The Cobra Effect" a nickname given for accidentally creating perverse incentives. If we're not thoughtful enough, the incentives that we create can quickly backfire on us.
Today I talk about why it's easier to be mediocre than bad. Under distribution law, there's more average people than people who are either good or bad. However, mediocrity at scale starts to compound problems that lead to incompetence, even if the individuals aren't incompetent themselves.
Today I talk about discovering what you're great at. Doing what we're great at means that we're doing the things that we find most meaningful and fulfilling, and in my opinion that's worth a little bit of extra effort to find.
Today I talk about the great reopening, and why it scares people. This past year the pandemic has forced us to be stuck at home. While for some this has been a miserable experience, now that we're opening up again some people aren't ready to move on.
Today I talk about stablecoins and crypto adoption. Crypto projects are rapidly maturing, with more use cases being created every single day. Today Visa is leading the way integrating stablecoins, and who knows what other use cases will arise tomorrow.
Today I talk about how Google works. Google is the western gateway of our modern internet. While some of their practices are company secret, we know a little bit about how they sort and organize almost all content online.
Today I talk about the benefits of going outside. There's some really simple, easy methods to improving mood and quality of life. The easiest and most available method is to just walk out your front door on a sunny day.
Today I talk about the poem "This Be the Verse" by Philip Larkin. The poem comically reflects on the baggage we receive from our parents as we grow up, and I assess the validity of Larkin's message about raising children.
Today I talk about the global nickel shortage. A lot of emphasis has been put on transitioning to green energy, but unfortunately a lot of the materials needed are still quite dirty.
Today I talk about the most important company in the world. In our current world economy, almost all new electronics require semiconductors to function. The company that controls these can control the world.
Today I talk about master and slave morality. A culture's morality trickles down into every single facet of it. We shouldn't just coast on tradition, but instead actively question why we believe we're living a "good" and just life.
Today I talk about the culture war distraction. The culture war is only a platform to virtue signal and to market products. The only way to combat this is to not give it any attention, and maybe we can talk about something that matters.
Today I talk about the global chip shortage. Due to COVID, there is massive demand for semiconductors that isn't being met. This impacts almost every electronics company on the planet, and highlights the fragile logistics of our chip manufacturers.
Today I talk about the Suez Canal. At present moment, the Suez Canal is blocked by a container ship called the Evergreen. We can learn something about failure, and about the importance of avoiding catastrophic failure at all costs.
Today I talk about the protestant work ethic. Do you enjoy our society's sole focus on productivity and working over everything else? If so, you can thank the myth of the protestant work ethic for making that possible!
Today I talk about the ineffectiveness of anti-war art. Most anti-war art creates drama that accidentally glorifying war, losing the critiques and message amidst the spectacle.
Today I talk about performances and performance. Execution matters.The hard truth is that how effectively we perform in the real world ultimately determines the success we find in life, so we should be taking our performance seriously.
Today I talk about purpose and kids. Going into parenthood with wanting to make yourself happy is already starting off on the wrong foot. Having children isn't about your satisfaction, it's about setting aside your own desires and fulfilling the needs of another human being.
Today I ask the question "Why try at all?". We often like to remind ourselves of our insignificance as a coping mechanism when we're feeling down about our lives. This doesn't change the fact that not only is our life experience valuable to us, but to the people in our lives as well.
Today I talk about going back to the office. While remote work is convenient, it's a bit soul crushing and isolating. My question is, will people trade convenience for the dynamics of the office once the pandemic is over?
Today I talk about the mistake of glorifying mental illness. Mental illness is serious, but the way that it is depicted in media romanticizes it. We should encourage people to find their identity in strength, and not in what holds us down and limits our potential.
Today we're going to talk about why quitting feels good. To do difficult things requires putting ourselves through stress and pressure. Quitting brings relief, but if we're not careful it can also develop into a habit.
Today I talk about the race to the stars. Aesop's fable re-tells itself through the story of both Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, who with very different approaches are competing to win the space race.
Today I talk about the professional managerial class. PMCs are middle class professionals who find themselves caught between owners and workers. They critique the owners while denying their complicity, labeling themselves as workers while materially benefitting more than them.
Today I talk about the religion of big data. While data and analytics have allowed us to solve new problems, they are built on the false pre-tense that the world is too complex for human understanding, and it is the omnipotent machine that will parse reality for us.
Today I talk about choice paralysis. Before the internet, the choices that we had were localized. Now with the internet, we're provided a abundance of choice. Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, this greater freedom leaves us more discontent than ever before.
Today I talk about classical greek sculptures. Classical greek sculpture is an example of how beautiful the human form can be. Despite their sophistication, I couldn't help but ask the question: why do all the statues of men have such small penises?
Today I talk about NFTs. NFTs are a way to own unique, digital assets using blockchain networks. There are quite a few legitimate projects to get involved with, but just like with anything if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Today is the final part of my discussion of the poem "The Waste Land". After four sections of depressing, hopeless passages about the brokenness of the modern world, we finally get Eliot's thoughts on how we can regenerate a dying society.
Today is part 4 of my discussion of T.S Eliot's "The Waste Land". I talk about the fourth section of the poem "Death by Water", where Eliot once again reminds us that nothing is for certain in life except death and taxes.
Today is the third part of my discussion on Eliot's "The Waste Land". I talk about the third section of the poem called "The Fire Sermon". This section continues to enforce the futilities of man's struggle, and how ultimately meaningless they are in the grand scheme.
Today is part 2 of my discussion of T.S Eliot's "The Waste Land". Today we cover the section "A Game of Chess". In it, two female characters attempt and fail to use their sexuality to regenerate some meaning or purpose in their lives.
Today is the first part of my discussion of the poem "The Wasteland". Eliot sets the tone of his poem "The Waste Land" by laying out the full weight of the emptiness of Europe post WW1. It is a despair caused by remembering better times, with no hope in regaining them.
Today I talk about ego death. While our egos can drive us to accomplish great things, they can also be barriers to our awareness of the world. Having a healthy detachment of our egos allows us to have the best of both worlds, both drive and insight.
Today I talk about speaking truth to power. Speaking truth to power is dangerous. It puts us, our families and our livelihoods at risk. But the alternative is to let the world get worse and worse, letting those with ambition and power create a world for themselves and not one for the rest of us.
Today I talk about the automation process. As engineers, we like to think of building systems as the answer to all of our problems. A lot of the time, these systems for personal use are over-engineered. But that's forgetting the most important factor of them all, it's just plain fun to build things!
Today I talk about time and money. We can trade one to receive the other, but it's important to remember that while we can always replace money, wasted time is lost forever.
Today I talk about time perception. There's a lot of factors that influence our perception of time. If we want to slow our perception of time, the easiest solution is to stop and smell the roses.
Today we're going to talk about why the captain goes down with the ship. The captain holds ultimate responsibility for their ship and the crew aboard, and in an emergency will attempt to save everyone or die trying. Why don't we hold our leaders to this level of personal responsibility?
Today I talk about speaking ill of the dead. This debate is rehashed every time a controversial public figure dies, and on today's episode I'm here to settle it once and for all with my correct opinion.
Today I talk about manufacturing consent. The role of communication and media companies is to propagandize support for the systems that run our society, framing them in ways that makes them palatable enough for us to tacitly support. There are a wide range of forces that shape the narrative that these companies choose to share with us, the public.
Today I talk about hard vs soft power. Hard power involves force and intimidation to achieve one's goals, while soft power relies on appeal to persuade people. For the past decade, soft power has had its moment to shine, but with the rise of populism it is very quickly falling out of favour.
Today I talk about glorifying vice. As much as we want to use art to criticize aspects of culture or life that we see as harmful, how we go about doing that is very important. If not properly done, we can end up encouraging the sort of behaviour that we're attempting to criticize.
Today I talk about controlled opposition. Controlled opposition is when protest movements are lead by the prevailing government in secret. What we might consider dissent is often allowed performance. As long as we stay within the lines of acceptable rebellion, we get to fool ourselves into thinking that we're changing the system.
Today I talk about peer groups. The happiness and fulfillment we get from life often stems from the quality of our relationships, not the quality of our accomplishments. The people that you have around you impact the direction of your life, and in that sense having great peers is instrumental.
Today I talk about mentorship. When we're less experienced, mentors provide us invaluable insight and knowledge. We often feel like we suffer from unique problems, but talking with someone more seasoned than ourselves, we start to realize that there's often nothing new under the sun.
Today I talk about accepting discomfort. To do meaningful, difficult things we must learn to live uncomfortably. As time goes on, one thing I've learned is that doing hard things doesn't always get easier, instead we develop a greater capacity for pain and discomfort.
Today I talk about entrepreneurship. It is difficult, stressful, exhausting, and not right for 95% of people. But for that other 5% of people, the stress and uncertainty makes you feel alive. It's a feeling you can only get from doing hard things.
Today I talk about the uncanny valley. We have a disgust response to objects that are just a little bit too human. This phenomenon is known as the uncanny valley, and while scientists have hypotheses, we still don't know why we have this response...
Today I talk about the purpose of education. The purpose of education is to provide us with awareness; awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight all around us, all the time, that we have to keep reminding ourselves over and over to remain present, and not become servants to our subconscious urges.
Today I talk about the rider and the elephant. We are not the masters of ourselves, we have two sides. We have a rider, a rational actor guiding us, and we have an elephant, an emotional being powering us. To change our behaviour, we have to motivate our elephant and not just direct our rider.
Today I talk about dealing with radicalization. In the information age, people hold some pretty wild, sometimes dangerous world views. If we want to address radicalization, we need to address people's material conditions. Until then, radicalization and misinformation will only continue to get worse.
Today I talk about corn. Corn is a critically important crop to the world economy. It feeds us, our livestock, and provides fuel for our machines. Yet the success of corn comes with costs that we might not be fully aware of.
Today I talk about endurance. Endurance has always been an important strategy for humans and their survival. If we're able to persevere through the hard times by forcing ourselves to remain vigilant and focused, like our hunting ancestors before us, we will inevitably find success.
Today we're going to talk about what's going on with GameStop stock and a community called WallStreetBets. GameStop's stock is having a historic rise thanks to the coordinated efforts of a community called WallStreetBets. This isn't just about making money anymore, it's about showing how in the age of inequality, David can still beat Goliath.
Today I talk about the life of the mind. Humanity has a thirst for knowledge, and in our pursuit we often ask ourselves the unanswerable. It is a never-ending pursuit that won't uncover all mysteries, has provided us a growing treasure of knowledge.
Today I talk about being your own person. Being your own person requires independence of thought, feeling, and action. You have to be an individual who is completely in control of their own life, and not forever being swayed by others and their opinions.
Today I talk about narcissism. Narcissists are self-absorbed, self-centered people who's superiority complexes make them believe that they are above the rules. They can be charming to be around for short periods, but anything longer becomes unbearable.
Today I talk about habits of effective people. Effective leaders can make or break a project, a company, or even a nation. As leaders can never be fully content with our abilities, because there are always ways that we can improve as leaders and as people.
Today I talk about learned helplessness. The danger of learned helplessness is that it stops us from living our best lives. We only have one life to live, so we should do everything in our power to live it the way that we want to.
Today I talk about being fun to play with. We are hard wired to play with each other, but we still need to learn how to play the game. We learn that winning at all costs isn't worth it, it's being invited to play that's winning the game.
Today I talk about The Great Reset. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the WEF believes now is the time to reform capitalism to be more responsible. To avert the full-extent of the climate crisis we are facing, we need to make significant changes with our relationship with the natural world we inhabit.
Today I talk about selflessness and the third position.
In basketball superstar trios, the third position often forces an incredibly talented player into a less glamorous support role for the good of the team. Sometimes for the good of our groups, we need to set our egos aside and focus on how best we can provide value.
Today I talk about how society is designed for sociopaths. Sociopaths dominate culture and society. From business, to entertainment, to medicine, to politics, sociopaths climb social hierarchies faster and more ruthlessly than anybody else.
Today I talk about common myths about university. University is a tremendous resource with numerous benefits that can improve you life, but that doesn't mean that you are entitled to success just because of your attendance.
Today I talk about delusion. Delusion is a powerful trait that we can utilize to do things that we never thought possible. It is ultimately dangerous, as the things that we can do when we are delusional can be either wonderful or terrifying.
Today I talk about how 2021 will be the same as 2020. While we have created a vaccine to fight COVID, the political and societal issues that have sustained this crisis are still unaddressed and will need to be solved for any real change to take place in 2021.
Today I talk about why we fail our new year's resolutions. The start of the new year is always a promising time. We excitedly make plans to change our lives for the better, only to see these plans fail in a matter of weeks. There's a few changes we can make to our resolutions that will allow us to stick to them and change our lives for the better.
Today I talk about the big rock strategy. Our time is valuable, and if we're not deliberate with how we use it, we'll waste it. Using the analogy of filling rocks in a jar, we are forced to be deliberate on how we make time for the things that are most important to us in our lives.
Today I talk about how posting is not activism. We face a lot of problems currently, and we often feel powerless to do anything about it. Posting online might make us feel better, but we shouldn't delude ourselves into thinking that we're doing anything impactful.
Today I talk about why you don't communicate well. There are a couple of assumptions that we make that stand in the way to us being effective communicators. Being a good communicator ultimately impacts the relationships that we have with others, and those relationships are the basis to a happy life.
Today I talk about faustian bargains. We often fall for Faustian bargains because they're short cuts that come with what we have deemed an acceptable price. It is because we don't respect the risks, the costs, and the long term impact that we become trapped by short term thinking.
Today I talk about technology. We have a history of overcoming the major problems humanity faces through technological innovation. However, we cannot rest on our laurels. We still face many problems today, and to solve them we will need to continue to innovate. The cost of stagnation could be deadly.
Today I talk about the end of the boomer economy. The world continues to change rapidly, especially how we work in it. Assuming the world runs how it used to will lead to not only disappointment, but missing out on new opportunities by not changing with it.
Today I talk about the importance of being likeable. To put it bluntly, if you are not likeable you are screwed. Being likeable creates success in both our careers and personal lives, and is foundational to creating strong relationships that help us live happy fulfilling lives.
Today I talk about why we shouldn't just be nice, but also useful. There are a lot of problems in the world currently, and there's a lot of well-intentioned people who want to fix things. But their intentions mean nothing if they don't have the skill or knowledge to provide effective change that will address the root problems. Execution requires ability, so while being "nice" might make you friends, it won't solve problems in your life or for other people.
Today I talk about how toxic cultures are built. Toxic cultures arise from a lack of trust and psychological safety and a lack of accountability within an organization. It is difficult to stave off toxicity as an organization increases, but fighting to maintain a good culture is worthwhile so that people enjoy being there.
Today I talk about ancient winter rituals to spice up your Christmas. With COVID interfering with a lot of our regular Christmas traditions, this year provides us an opportunity to create new traditions. I share some Christmas traditions from the past that might inspire you to find new exciting ways to celebrate the holiday season.
Today I talk about outsiders. Outsiders often have a unique perspective that has developed because of not fitting in with the status quo. Ultimately the reason why I love outsiders is that it many of them have developed the courage to be disliked in order to make a difference in the world.
Today I talk about why we should be earnest. Being earnest and sincere isn't as cool as being detached. But it has the benefit of allowing us to do things that actually matter, to possibly bring about real change that helps us and the people we care about.
Today I talk about why tea is better than coffee. While they share a lot of the same benefits, there are a couple of key health benefits that tea provides that makes it the slightly superior hot beverage.
Today I talk about past memories. Overtime many of us have developed a perverse sense of nostalgia. During hard times, we long to recreate the good times we've had. It's a futile endeavour, and the only way forward is instead to create new experiences that are valuable in the present.
Today I talk about achievement and personal problems. We have to directly tackle our problems head on by making time to do the work that will actually bring healing. Until then, we'll be endlessly chasing ways to cover up the cracks in our foundation by building a bigger house.
Today we're going I talk about overcoming boredom. While we try to avoid it at all costs, being bored is good for us. Removing our need to be constantly stimulated gives us the freedom to be bored, so we can do hard activities that require our focus.
Today I talk about being kind over being nice. Niceness is a set of rules we follow as a society to uphold the status quo and not to bother one another. Kindness instead focuses on making genuine connections with others, first by being honest about how we actually feel and then having the courage to share that with other people.
Today I talk about why we're obsessed with productivity. In the digital age, our focus on productivity can help us achieve amazing things, but it can also leave us more burnt out, stressed, and alienated than we've ever been before.
Today I talk about belonging to a tribe. Understanding this drive help put into perspective why people believe in such outlandish ideas, despite living in an age of unparalleled access to information. We will put the narrative and ideologies of our group, over what is considered "fact" any day of the week.
Today I talk about why we hurt those we love. While there are ways of minimizing the damage, hurting one another is an inevitability. To maintain a relationship, there needs to be a level of willingness to forgive when these transgressions take place.
Today I talk about cultivating taste. Some say that you're either born with good taste or you aren't. Some things come more natural to us, but with enough effort we're always capable of learning new things, including developing good taste in art.
Today I talk about pedestalizing people. It's important that the people that we are inspired by be recognized as human, and for us to understand that their accomplishments and works can come from a person who has flaws and are human just like the rest of us.
Today I talk about the myth of overpopulation. Overpopulation doesn't exist, it is always destructive policies that stop people from obtaining the resources they desperately need. Instead of addressing these issues, belief in overpopulation instead leads to the creation of policy around population control, which is always a form of eugenics.
Today I talk about taking the first steps. Learning to take initiative on things is a tremendous skill to have. By improving it, we waste less of our lives agonizing over getting started, and spend more time actually starting on new activities that will make our lives more interesting and fulfilling.
Today I talk about why you shouldn't play perfect games. A perfect game is one where a person only needs to make one mistake for the person to lose the game. By identifying which games are rigged against us, we have the confidence to play the only winning move, not playing at all.
Today I talk about why programmers aren't respected. Programmers can get their respect by building better relationships with other people, and lose their egos about being the great builders of the digital age.
Today I talk about Niki Lauda. Despite living through a horrific crash that left him scarred for life, he returned afterwards to win 2 more racing championships. Niki Lauda is a testament to human tenacity, that with the proper drive we can overcome any obstacle that life puts in our way.
Today I talk about never downplaying what you do. By sharing what we do with confidence and assurance, people get an honest and accurate look into what we're doing with our lives and are able to judge from themselves the importance.
Today I talk about stans and haters. Stans and haters are two sides of the same coin. They are both people who because of the unhappiness with their own lives, invest way too much time and energy into developing para-social relationships with public figures.
Today I talk about finishing what you start. If we want to improve our skills, we need to work on projects and finish them. Only through completion can we take a step back and accurately assess what we did well, and where we need improvement.
Today I talk about dangerous ambition. Ambition is an incredible source of productivity and action, however it comes with a price that is paid by us and those we love. Behind ambition is a drive for meaning, and a willingness to sacrifice to pursue a meaningful life.
Today I talk about wide learning vs deep learning. While wide learning is great for exploring topics we're interested in, deep learning is required to gain the knowledge and expertise to effectively provide value to any venture we choose to participate in.
Today we talk about bouncing back from failure. Failure is hard and demotivating, but it is a tremendous test of our will. It helps us discern if we really want something badly enough where we're willing to sacrifice and persevere through the bad times in order to reach the good ones.
Today I talk about success problems. When we make progress in life, the new success problems we face can make us feel worse than when we were living comfortably in our failures.
Today I talk about failing silently. The worst way that we can fail is by failing without even knowing it, and missing the opportunity to learn from our mistakes. Failure is inevitable, so we should do our best to learn as much as we can from it every time w're confronted by it.
Today I talk about wisdom. To quote Miles Kington: “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.”
Today I talk about launching a product. When launching a product there is both personal satisfaction with a large side helping of anxiety and trace amounts of terror. But if you're building something that people love, the challenges are all worth it in the end.
Today I talk about Bitcoin. With the price on the rise, the interest in Bitcoin rises too. Bitcoin is a decentralized, digital currency, which primarily operates as a store of value. While I don't think Bitcoin will ever find mainstream adoption, the ideas in Bitcoin pioneered an entire industry of digital currencies.
Today I talk about self-coercion. Self-coercion is the act of forcing yourself into certain sorts of behaviours and patterns that you don't like doing but feel are necessary. It's similar to having your car's brakes on and pressing the gas pedal simultaneously. There's a lot of friction, a lot of smoke, and ultimately you're gonna damage the car.
Today I talk about apology languages. Tragically, we hurt the people we love the most. However, learning about each others apology languages gives us the greatest possibility of repairing the damage to our most cherished relationships.
Today, I talk about differences in shame, guilt, and embarrassment. While these emotions are painful, they force us to reflect inwards on ourselves providing an opportunity for us to grow as people.
Today I talk about the hedonic treadmill. No matter how happy or sad we get, we humans always return to a status quo of happiness. With great effort, our long term happiness can come from not only changes on the individual level, but also on an organizational, social, and societal level as well.
Today, I talk about my families's home haircut mishap. After moving out to the country, my families new found independence lead to some overconfidence when giving out home haircuts.
Today I talk about Alexithymia. Alexithymia is a condition where people struggle to identify and describe their emotional state. Studying the difficulties of alexithymics can help everyone get a better understanding of how to parse their own feelings and emotions.
Today we're going to talk about my near death experience. During the summer of 2010, my competitive side combined with water sports almost lead to my early demise.
Today we're going to talk about the 2020 US election. While who's president does have a significant impact on the country (and for other countries like Canada for that matter), making a choice every 4 years won't provide the local transformative change we're looking for.
Today I talk about debugging. The skills for debugging software are generally problem solving skills. We need to problem solve everyday, and finding the techniques to make this smoother make the challenges in our life much less daunting.
Today I talk about the Dunning-Kruger effect. It's hard to overcome the Dunning Kruger effect because the first rule of the Dunning Kruger club is that you don't know you're a member. It's important to recognize that we all have cognitive limitations, and being aware that they exist can help us find them more easily.
Today I talk about overthinking. Planning is important, but it's the endless spinning of the wheels in our heads that will cause long term harm. We should be building our mental habits to find solutions instead of dreaming up new problems.
Today I talk about the evolution of work/life balance. Changes in corporate culture and technology in the 80s lead to the invention of the phrase "work/life" balance. Nowadays, work/life balance is about having the flexibility in your job as to not miss out on the unpredictable journey that is our life.
Today I talk about ethics. Ethics is crucial because they decide how we classify acceptable and non-acceptable behaviour in society. We go over the two main schools of thought: utilitarianism and deontological. What matters more than subscribing to one or the other is taking the time to reflect on one's own behaviour, and make their own decision if they're living up to their own moral expectations.
Today I talk about building a talent stack. Instead of being the very best in one singular skill to be successful, we can instead be better than average with a unique combination of skills to create a sort of personal monopoly.
Today I talk about facing adversity. We can view our adversity as a burden, or as a challenge that will allow us to reach greatness. These challenges help us gain valuable experiences that we would typically not have been exposed to if we played things safe.
A viral video about software engineering and side projects has had a lot of new developers I know question whether or not they still need to do side projects. My answer is: if you want to get your foot in the door then yes, you still need to do them.
Today I give a defence of Luddites. Nowadays, luddites are a term for people who are wary of new technology, but historically it luddites were workers who were replaced and forgotten by automation. Studying the Luddite movement helps us understand what might occur in the ongoing information revolution, and how we can do a better job transitioning.
Today I talk about why no one likes tourists. They haven't put any skin in the game, there is little or no commitment on their part to contribute to the environment and culture that they are benefitting from.
Today I talk about ethics in information technology. Tech workers have a responsibility, like any other profession, to evaluate what they are creating and its ethical impact. Like all workers, they have the power to build a better world, or stay complicit in the one we have now.
Today I talk about my family's cottage. It's a place that has a lot of history and tremendous for myself and my family. There's really nothing quite like being out there, and I hope that it's a feeling that I can pass on in my own time.
Today I talk about the extended mind. "The Extended Mind" is a theory that argues that objects within our environment function as part of the mind. Using this theory, we can optimize our cognition by being critical and aware of what in our environment is enhancing our cognition, and what is disrupting it.
Today I talk about going all in. Commitment is scary, and it often comes with responsibility. However, commitment is the key to doing something that matter. We're all looking to be a part of something greater than ourselves, and commitment is the key to unlocking that.
Today I talk about the man in the arena. The term comes from the speech "Citizenship in the Republic" by Theodore Roosevelt, where he reminds us how impotent the words of the critic are in comparison to the actions of the man in the arena.
Today I talk about thankfulness. The challenges of this year make it more important than ever to reflect on what we're thankful for. Thankfulness helps us remember that our contentedness doesn't stem from any one thing; it's about taking account of what we do have and deciding that it's enough.
Today I talk about resisting self-indulgence. There's a time and a place to reward ourselves, but falling into this temptation too often can destroy the constructive habits that we've taken so long to build.
Today I talk about misophonia. Misophonia is a disorder in which certain sounds trigger emotional or physiological responses that some might perceive as unreasonable given the circumstance. As someone who has it, learning about it has made it easier for my to deal with it in my everyday life.
Today, I talk about the value of participation trophies. Boomers often complain that everything wrong with the latest generation stems from the participation trophy. Participation trophies reward hard work, dedication, and having a positive attitude in ways that giving trophies only to the winners fails to do.
Today I talk about what to do after being cancelled. Cancelling someone involves publicly shaming people's behaviour, mostly online. To remove some of its toxicity, there needs to be a road back after someone has reformed their behaviour. After all, what's the point of calling out someone's bad behaviour if not to see reformation?
Today I talk about how to handle failing our goals. It's great to achieve our goals, it's satisfying and motivates us to keep going. But we learn a lot more about ourselves when we fail, and as long as we're able to dust ourselves off afterwards, the only true failure is giving up and not trying again.
Today I talk about radical ownership. Radical ownership means owning your side of every interaction and collaboration. We cannot control other people, only ourselves in what we say and do. All we can focus on is how best we can take action to fix our current problems, and not waste time blaming others.
Today I talk about autodidactism. Autodidactism is just a fancy way of saying "self-learning". From writers, to philosophers, to architects, to programmers, there is many a person through personal experimentation and sheer dedication alone have mastered their field independent of outside institutions guiding them.
Today I talk about rainy days. While rain can make us gloomy or sad, rainy days gives us the opportunity to contemplate our lives and be thankful for the little things that bring us joy
Today, I talk about Coinbase and corporate responsibility. Coinbase has announced that it will not be discussing politics in an effort to remain "mission driven". While I feel negatively about this, for a company to succeed it's important that it is transparent and aligned with a common mission.
Today, I talk about luck and success. Luck is often a key differentiator in determining success, which often shows itself in the form of privilege. By eliminating systemic barriers, we can help create a more meritocratic society where success isn't just for the lucky.
Today I talk about why customers suck. Customers are demanding, insatiable, and necessary for a business to succeed. They have their ups and downs, but as a creator there is no better feeling than seeing someone genuinely enjoy something that you've created.
Today I share some tales about dogfooding. Dogfooding is the process of using what you create, and while primarily it helps with user testing, it has also helped form some interesting stories about people and their inventions.
Today I talk about eudaimonia and living the good life. While there are many things that we can't control in our lives, that should not ever stop our pursuit of realizing who we are, and how we can live our life as best as we can.
Today I talk about the failures of science-policy interface. Despite rising political tensions, it will be impossible for us to deal with future global issues without international scientific partnerships and global scientific enterprise working in tandem with our governments.
Today I talk about what we learn from solitude. Solitude and suffering bring with them opportunities to discover how we can nurture the call of transcendence, to act on and participate in something greater than just ourselves. Having the courage to embrace it means deviating from comfort to pursue the fulfilling, meaningful life.
Today I talk about techbros. A techbro is a young, entrepreneurial, mostly white, man who works in a tech field. They are known for perpetuating a hyper technocratic, libertarian, meritocratic boys club, and dealing with the culture they produce is a challenge the tech field must address.
Today I talk about learning curves and persistence. Persisting through the struggle of learning is how we actually develop as people. Without this struggle, there's no metamorphosis, no change. We remain static, set in our ways and stagnant in our development.
Today I talk about ineffective generosity. It doesn't matter what are intentions are when we're being generous or charitable. We still must evaluate the impact of our generosity outside of our intentions and feelings. Otherwise, our generosity could be ineffective at actually helping people at best, or detrimental at worst.
Today I talk about recovering from crunch. Crunch happens when management is unable to plan an organization's workload effectively. While there's personal things we can do to heal from a period of crunch, they best way to recover is to not suffer from it in the first place.
Today I talk about the Oracle winning the bid to buy TikTok, and how the US is changing its rules with regards to Chinese tech.
Today I talk about the perks of the 9-5. While the 9-5 gets shit on pretty consistently, there are benefits to it that the people who worship hustle culture like to ignore. It's up to you to determine what path suits you best, and not to buy into a life that doesn't feel meaningful to you.
Today I talk about why being a digital nomad sucks. I had the opportunity to live a life as a digital nomad in Asia for around 2 years, and in that time while I had some great experiences, the costs of being a digital nomad wore on me.
Today I talk about myths surrounding creativity. While we venerate "innovation" and "disruption", there are many myths and misunderstandings that we perpetuate about the nature of creativity.
Today I talk about learning to love yourself. Loving ourselves means having the courage to share our truth and accept ourselves. It's a commitment that requires daily practice and patience to fully realize the benefits.
Today I talk about discipline through elimination. Being disciplined isn't about using willpower to make the right decision every time, it's about creating habits that allow you to make less decisions and eliminate opportunities to be tempted.
Today I talk about urgent vs important tasks. Former U.S President Dwight D. Eisenhower once said: "I have two kinds of problems: the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent." Choosing what to spend our time on is critical, and we need to avoid wasting it on meaningless tasks at all costs.
Today I talk about how you can't fix other people's problems. The best thing that we can do for people is to accept them for where they are in life, and not make any attempts to try and change them. We can offer our support when someone asks for help, but not a moment sooner.
Today I talk about why I love the forest. Besides the physical benefits trees bring to the planet, there are a ton of emotional and spiritual ones as well. Above all, being among the trees delivers a greater sense of meaning, and gives us a chance to ponder where our place is amongst it all.
Today I talk about why we should be comfortable with uncomfortable. Becoming comfortable in uncomfortable situations doesn't just help us live more interesting lives, they help us develop resilience. Intentionally practicing adversity today will help prepare us for the challenges of tomorrow.
Today I talk about the power of secrecy. Secrets are not inherently bad, it is the context which a secret is created and shared that discerns it whether or not it will bring help or harm to the world.
Today I have a question to ask you. If you were capable, would you eliminate any of your bad memories? Some of our bad memories develop us as people, others only detract from our quality of life. I've love to hear what decision you would make.
Today I talk about the balance of being present. Being present means remaining in the moment. We can balance planning for our future and reflecting on our past without losing ourselves to toxic thinking, all through being present.
Today I talk about being cautious of grand visions. Grand visions are tempting because they give us a sense of transcendence. We need to be careful of them as they can give us the wrong idea on how to make a real difference.
Today I talk about getting what you want. As Oscar Wilde once said: "There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it".
Today I talk about leaning into the future. It can be scary and difficult to embrace change, but it has its upsides. Accepting these changes means that we will get to benefit from the improvements and new opportunities that the future holds.
Today I talk about analysis paralysis. Analysis paralysis is the phenomenon of getting stuck when trying to make a decision. We can avoid analysis paralysis by prioritizing decisions by importance, break them into smaller steps, and letting go of our need for perfection.
Today I talk about divine discontent. Divine discontent is our ability to normalize progression and integrate it into the status quo.
We will never be content in stasis, so it's important to focus on the journey of our progression and not on the constantly moving end destination.
Today I talk about putting it all on the line and going for it. My advice is simple, as long as it won't destroy you, you should always pursue your greater ambitions. The regret of not doing it will be worse than trying and failing.
Today I talk about staying focused. In the age of distraction, focus is one of the major differentiators of success. Those who are able to concentrate and filter out the distractions are in a better position to see their venture succeed.
Today I talk about realizing our limits. We all have physical and mental limitations that we must plan and work around. Realizing our limits helps us avoid being over-ambitious, and not over promise on things we can't deliver on.
Today I talk about expanding our creativity. We all fall into ruts in our lives, and it can feel like a struggle to make change. Through the story of Herbie Hancock's creative journey, we learn that the key to recapturing our creativity can be boiled down to one statement: "Don't play the butter notes"
Today I talk about doing what we love and what we have to. There is no job in the world that contains work that is 100% what you love to do, but some jobs have a better like to dislike ratio. A job will never be perfect, but that doesn't mean that we won't love doing it all the same.
Today I talk about learning out loud and its benefits. Learning out loud means putting ourselves out there, which is scary because it makes us vulnerable and we take the risk of publicly making a fool of ourselves. It is a tradeoff that we should be prepared to make if our goal is to learn and grow as much as we potentially can.
Today I talk about the value of forgetting. Forgetfulness is a powerful tool just like memory, one that helps us unburden ourselves from the trivial, unwanted, or harmful experiences in our lives. It gives us the ability to craft the narrative of our lives by omitting some minor details.
Today I talk about how you don't sleep enough. For many people, sleep deprivation is a common trade-off to gain more time. The research overwhelming regards this as a terrible idea; we need 8 hours of sleep a day to function optimally. To perform at our best, we need to prioritize quality rest.
Today I talk about our illusion of control. Generally, we vastly overestimate our abilities as individuals. We're not as smart as we think we are, we're not as talented, and we certainly have far less control over our lives as we think we do. Acknowledging that can help release us from the anxiety that comes from living in uncertainty.
Today I talk about why criticism is useless. Nobody likes criticism, and it's also an ineffective way to improve people's behaviour. Instead, we should provide constructive feedback which provides people with explicit knowledge of how to improve.
Today I talk about the courage to confront our problems head on. Beyond the fact that dealing with our problems alleviates us of the anxieties and stresses, ignoring our problems denies us the ability to fully self-actualize. Confronting our problems requires us to take active control of our lives, and to stop passively accepting living in fear of what ails us.
Today I talk about how selfish isn't a dirty word. Helping others is great, but focusing entirely on others can also exhaust us. It's important to remember that we do NOT need to set ourselves on fire to keep others warm.
Today I talk about the lead-crime hypothesis. The lead-crime hypothesis states that infants who are exposed to high levels of lead are more likely to commit violent crimes later in life. The theory is an important reminder that systemic changes in our environment often have the largest impacts in society.
Today I talk about when to change, and when to grow. "Change" and "growth" are used quite often synonymously as a way of describing the process of living a better life. While they have their differences, both are better than the default; complacency and living out a disappointing status quo.
Today I talk about the duality of anger. Anger is both a moral sensibility towards righteousness, and a corrupting force that pushes us towards vindictiveness and revenge. Both forgiveness and revenge contain moral compromises, making anger both a just and corrupting force.
Today I talk about the difference between ego and confidence. Confidence can be built by doing something that makes us just a little bit uncomfortable, while ego can be torn down just a little bit by acknowledging that we're not perfect and that's ok.
Today I talk about our words and their intention. We've become more realistic with our assessment people's words. By disregarding intention, we've come to solely look at effect of our words as the source of moral truth. It is both a blessing and a curse that the power of our words surpasses our intentions.
Today I talk about the illusion of winning. Life is so complex that we'll never know what will be the consequence of the misfortune; or, we'll never know what will be the consequences of good fortune.
Today I talk about the trap of mental masturbation. Mental masturbation is so sinister because it masquerades as if we're doing something constructive with our time, but instead it is almost always a distraction from actually making necessary changes to our lives.
Today I talk about our modern online freakshow. The rise of social media has brought with it a toxic online culture of mockery of the neuroatypical similar to the travelling circus of old. This culture should be combated, and instead replaced with communities focused on human connection.
Today I talk about how to start living authentically. Figuring out what you truly care about is the most important part of learning to live authentically. And even if we don't arrive at our end goal, we at least spent our time doing something that we truly cared about.
Today I talk about the toxicity of individualism. Individualism is tremendous when we use it to build resilience in ourselves. When it becomes an expectation for everyone else to succeed or die, it becomes a toxic ideal that only seeks to punish those without power or ability.
Today I talk about acting in bad faith. Acting in bad faith means acting inauthentically due to external forces. Though we might feel pressure, we are condemned to a freedom that leaves us always accountable for our own actions and autonomy.
Today I talk about how you don't need to be passionate about work. Because there's such tremendous pressure to always be working in this day and age, we're often told to "love" what we do. Let's renormalize a separation of work and leisure, and not force people to find passion in one or the other.
Today I talk about Sisyphus and the Absurdity of Life. The Myth of Sisyphus is a story that can give us great insight into what to do in the face of the absurdity of life and the struggle that comes with it.
Today I talk about the scary implications of terror management theory. TMT is the study of how the fear of death influences humans' thinking and behaviour. We have a compulsion to insulate ourselves from the fear of living an insignificant life destined to be completely erased by death, and we will go to great lengths to protect ourselves from this thought.
Today I talk about the problem with over-ambition. Individually we don't always pursue the most realistic goals for ourselves. Sometimes we target things that are outside of our current skill or experience level, and the results can range from somewhat embarrassing to downright catastrophic.
Today I talk about how how to speak your mind and not be an asshole. Sharing our ideas with other people leads to a greater understanding of an idea's truth and validity. However, it's our responsibility to create a conversational environment that other people are willing to participate in.
Today I talk about how delayed gratification is for suckers. If delayed gratification means doing something miserable to win some sort of cosmic lottery, I don't want anything to do with it. Instead, I want to do something I love that is difficult as part of a process of living a fulfilling life.
Today I talk about rejecting anxiety in modern times. Anxiety causes us to suffer more in our imaginations than in our own misfortunes. Being more aware of when our fears are irrational allows us to dismiss them more readily and embrace risk to live more fulfilling lives.
Today I talk about the consequences of vulnerability. Vulnerability is showing who we are to the world, leaving ourselves exposed for attack not knowing if we'll be safe or not. When we become comfortable with being vulnerable, all of a sudden it goes from being a weakness, to one of our greatest strengths.
Today I talk about the courage to be yourself. "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Today I talk about embracing a growth mindset. A growth mindset is the belief that our talents and personality can be developed through hard work and persistent learning. By embracing this mindset, we set out on the adventure of discovering what is our true potential.
Today I talk about why I love being Canadian. Canada's willingness to uphold and protect human rights and the compassion of its universal healthcare system makes me proud to call myself Canadian. It's important on Canada day to reflect on where our nation has been, what it has accomplished, and where it's heading in the future as to consider how we can best contribute in its success.
Today I talk about the tragedy of the commons. The tragedy of the commons is a term that's often used in economics to describe how we as individuals put our needs above those of the common good. As the climate crisis worsens, it becomes imperative that we solve problems around governance of the commons.
Today I talk about focusing on our strengths. We often tend to choose to improve our weaknesses rather than our strengths, and I don't think this is the right choice. As long as we don't have any weaknesses to us that are completely hindering, generally focusing on our strengths will help us grow and accomplish more.
Today we're going to talk about how our subjective flaws don't exist. We should be very cautious about examining our perceived flaws, and understand that most of what we dislike about ourselves isn't objective, but just a matter of personal taste.
Today I talk about seeking validation. Validation needs to come from ourselves first before we can start seeking it from others. We must be careful who we seek it from, as it can strongly influence our moral and intellectual framework.
Today I talk about why you want accountability. Accountability stops us from lying to ourselves and lying to others when we're not willing to put the work in. Keeping our word valuable not only empowers us to make changes in our lives, but also to uphold the respect and integrity found in our relationships.
Today I talk about normalcy and Beastars. Beastars is a manga series that takes place in a world of modern, civilized, anthropomorphic animals. Beastars' focus is to help us consider how we create the idea of "normalcy" in society, and by assessing it, what we can do to challenge that notion and create a more inclusive environment.
Today I talk about Nietzsche's two paths of suffering. Suffering is an inevitability in life. We can be hunt down by suffering, or we can make our own suffering, channeling it into becoming a self that makes suffering worthwhile.
Today I talk about dealing with delusion. Delusions are irrational beliefs that have the ability to remove our negative thoughts. We should aim to recognize our delusions so that we can judge rationally if they are helping us live our best lives, or if they're stopping us from dealing with our outlying issues.
Today I talk about consumption. We all enjoy our guilty pleasures, but it's important to practice them in moderation. Consumption is not a substitute for doing more meaningful activities, and we should be cautious as to not let our consumption habits dominate our daily lives.
Today I talk about how speed is king in product development. The key to developing one's speed to market is focus. We can retain our focus by improving our products in places that move the needle, and shunning whims and "nice-to-haves".
Today I talk about the benefits and limitations of paranoia. Paranoia often doesn't arise because certain individuals are troubled, it's because the situations we find ourselves are disturbing. To navigate this environment effectively requires having a wise amount of paranoia in our intuitions.
Today I talk about how to break up and stay friends. What is most sad about breaking up with someone is that we often still love them despite the breakup. The great thing is that if properly managed, this love doesn't have to go away. Handling breakups maturely means that our love can live on through friendship and doesn't need to die.
Today I talk about how criticism is a gift. Criticism can be hard to receive. We can interpret criticism as highlighting out our shortcomings and flaws, or as an opportunity to grow. The gift of criticism is a a unique perspective that by incorporating it into our world view will better inform our decision making in life.
Today I talk about the value of being emotional. We often can confuse being emotional with being immature, and as a result we can shun our emotional side. To cut out emotion from our lives by suppression only leads to us missing out on the experience of life.
Today I talk about why the honeymoon phase is a lie. We often try to act like our best selves at the start of new relationships to avoid conflict. Instead we should be upfront about who we are and what we like, so that we can build relationships that endure beyond the honeymoon.
Today I talk about finding your tribe online. By expressing our beliefs and interests online, we can find our place amongst communities online instead of being forced to integrate into groups in close proximity.
Today I talk about empathizing with your future self. To motivate ourselves to exercise delayed-gratification, we should have empathy for the future person even though we won't be the one's receiving the benefits of our actions.
Today I talk about building personal systems ⚙️. Systems help us do more with less, and when applied to our personal lives they provide us with the structure necessary to function how we want to regardless of our state of being.
Today I talk about regulatory capture 🚩. Regulatory agencies exist to serve to protect the public, however over time they instead start to promote the interests of the companies they regulate. Holding our regulators accountable and stopping conflicts of interest are of high importance to guarantee that regulators do their job of protecting the public effectively.
Today I talk about what makes systems good or bad. While we can design efficient systems, we also have an obligation to simultaneously design morally good systems by making sure that the incentives in the system are moral too.
Today I talk about why systems are better than goals 🚀Goals are great motivation for short-term change, but if you want something to be reformed in the long term, you're going to need to follow a great system.
Today I talk about systems thinking 🕸. Understanding that our actions are the product of our systems means that we can analyze and reform these systems to bring change. This is especially the case with our police systems, which must be reformed to remove the brutality and violence that have become entrenched and enabled.
Today I talk about why we put profits over people. The goal of a company is very simple: be profitable. Because of the greater focus on shareholders in recent years, companies are less accountable than ever when it comes to to making money.
Today I talk about pseudo innovation. Pseudo innovation is a tremendous marketing tactic to convince people that you're doing something more profound than you actually are. Regardless of one's personal feelings, its usefulness highlights sales and marketing continue to trump engineering in determining success in business.
Today I talk about how how big companies can innovate too 🔨. People treat large companies as prey waiting to be "disrupted", as if it's inevitable that they'll be replaced with new, more innovative companies. This isn't the case at all, but it's up to the large companies to have the courage to take risks and pursue innovation.
Today I ask is software innovative enough ✨? Recently there's criticism that software is given too much focus in tech, and that the innovations in software are overhyped. There should be diversity in technological investment, but it's important to remember software innovations benefit other fields too.
Today, I talk about why pursuing "success" will always fail. We tend to think of success as the end results of what we achieve. We should instead focus on our everyday process and by being successful by doing the things we love.
Today I talk about the cost of being the best 🏆. Being the best at something requires tremendous sacrifice, and only by being capable of accepting the consequences of this choice can we rise to the challenge of pursuing greatness.
Today I talk about competing with larger companies as the underdog ⚔️. Large companies have tremendous resources, talent, experience, and coordination problems that makes innovation difficult. A classic David vs Goliath story, startups always have a chance to win by creating refined, focused products that deliver more value to the end user.
Today I talk about responsible proactivity 🙋. Taking the initiative is a desirable trait that can help organizations tackle challenges with little micro-management. However we need to be cautious that our proactivity benefits our peers and organization and not just our own ambitions.
Today I talk about starting a product as a developer 💻. As a developer, the hardest part of building a product isn't always the technical side but the human side. However, nothing beats the feeling of building a successful product that people use and love.
Today I talk about why you need a designer 🖌. Any product that wants to have users needs a designer, no questions asked. Having a designer not only helps create a more professional product, but also a more human one as well.
Today I talk about the consumption trap 📺. For many people in North America, our great struggle is controlling our consumption. For us to achieve anything with our lives, a rejection of consumption is a necessity to do difficult and meaningful things.
Today I talk about skepticism and conspiracies 🤔. While the flood of information we receive on a daily basis might make it difficult to uncover the truth, the pursuit of truth and remaining skeptical can be more important.
Today I talk about Dennis Rodman and Self-Expression 🏀. Dennis Rodman is an ex-NBA player who played on the Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan in the 90s. His eccentric personality made him a spectacle, yet I think his self-expression is what freed him from the expectations of others.
Today I talk about being a leader without ego 👏. We delude ourselves into thinking our egos are what make us powerful, but this is only because we are insecure. We can overcome our egos by focusing inwardly and ignoring our desires to compare ourselves with others externally.
Today I talk about my love affair with rental bikes 🚲. When living in Beijing, I loved using a rental bikes to get around. They were incredibly flexible and available almost everywhere, and they provided me with a sense of freedom to explore and see the city.
Today I talk about what to do when we're off our game 🏀. For many, we base our self-worth and identity off our performance and productivity. There's a fine balance between having pride in our work vs. having our egos completely engulfed by our productivity.
Today I talk about building resilience ✊. We build resilience in ourselves so that we're capable of remaining calm and rational under pressure, and to help us keep level-headed enough to make the right decisions for ourselves and for others.
Today I talk about how I am working on becoming a completionist 🏁. I've always found starting things to be simple, but following through and finishing what I start is an ongoing challenge. However, I've learned some techniques that make it much more likely that I'll complete what I set my mind on.
Today I talk about when to be courageous 😤. We tend to act like facing our fears is always what's in our best interest, but sometimes there's rational reasons to be afraid. In my experience, there's a couple of attributes to look for that can help inform us when to stand up to the danger, and when to back down.
Today I talk about why personal projects fail. As someone who has plenty of his own half-finished projects, I've learned that inevitably our personal projects will almost always end in failure, and why that isn't always such a bad thing.
Today I talk about recovering from our mistakes ❌. It's impossible to be perfect, we all make mistakes. The real question is how do we deal with our mistakes, and how do we make sure that we don't repeat our behaviour?
Today I talk about running. Running had a shaky start in my early life, but overtime it has proven to be a valuable, flexible form of excercise that helps build great resilience in one's self.
Today I talk about what I missed about Canada 🇨🇦. Having spent two years living in Beijing, I learned that there are somethings that you just can't find a replacement for.
Today I talk about being a little bit insecure 😓. While having too much insecurity remove us from self-confidence and self-esteem, having a just little bit of insecurity can benefit us in small yet important ways.
Today we talk about the making of The Peterkins Podcast. I explain my current process, what I've changed since the beginning, and what I'll need to improve on to continue to evolve the podcast.
Today we talk about reading fiction 📖. Not only is reading fiction a joy, there are some ideas that can only be expressed through fiction.
Today we talk about discovering our passion 🔥. Everyone is looking for passion, but it takes time and effort to find what ours is. Once found, the things we're truly passionate about are things that we'll never stop doing.
Today we talk about Rama and Krishna 𑁍. Rama and Krishna are the two most famous incarnations of the Hindu creator god Vishnu. We can learn a lot about how we want to live our lives by observing the differences in the stories between these two people.
Today we talk about reaching group consensus 🗣. While it can be frustrating and stressful to orchestrate, taking the time to reach group consensus ensures a more well-thought out plan to the issues that our organizations face.
Today we talk about zoomers and their relationships 🤝. Zoomer is an informal way to reference a member of Generation Z. People of this generation are not only the most connected online, but paradoxically also the loneliest generation yet.
Today I'm going to talk about what I wish I knew in university 🎓. While I can't go back and change what I did in university, perhaps there's a student out there right now who can avoid some of the mistakes that I made.
Today we're gonna talk about irony poisoning. Irony poisoning is a recent phenomenon that has shaped the humour and worldview of many Extremely Online people. I talk about the pitfalls of irony, and the need for an alternative outlook.
Today we talk about being a little bit paranoid 🤨. A little bit of paranoia helps with creating a mental model of possible failures, and gives us the awareness to realize where we're vulnerable.
Today we're going to talk about the dollar milkshake theory 💸🥛. As the world is providing more and more liquidity, the theory predicts that the US dollar will get stronger as the US economy sucks up this liquidity.
Today I talk about my favourite colour 🎨. It has a wonderful history, and how it was made is very unique. It also serves as a metaphor with respect to creating something valuable and long-lasting.
Today we're going to talk about simps and toxic masculinity. "Simp" is a term that's gained popularity online over the last year. In most cases, the term is used as light-hearted joke with no greater meaning beyond the surface. However, in other cases it's a term used un-ironically by men to police other men's behaviour.
Today I talk about why we should all be extroverts. Extroversion aligns better with the strengths we have as human beings. As an introvert, I can see that there are a tremendous amount of advantages that extroverts have that don't exist with introversion. Even though we're not all extroverts, we can acknowledge the strengths of extroverts and adopt some of their behaviours to help make our lives the best they can be.
Today I talk about how to start coding. Coding is a powerful skill to have in our digital times, but it often is characterized as being difficult to learn. The barriers to entry are actually quite minimal, and there's a bunch of people out there who can help you get started learning today.
Today I talk about how to ask for help. Most people feel good about themselves when they help other people. When requesting help, it's up to us not to ruin that experience by misspeaking or letting our own insecurities get in the way.
Today I'm gonna talk about growing up heating my house with wood in the 21st century. It was a bit unusual, seeing as most heating solutions have been around for more than a hundred years. It taught me that there are unique solutions to problems if you're willing to put the work in.
Today I talk about companionship. The trust, security, and fulfillment of a strong companionship allows us to build a solid foundation for a healthy life full of potential.
Today I'm talk about how to break the rules and still be liked. There are certain traits that we look for in our rule-breakers that determine whether they are appreciated or not.
Today I'm going to talk about what not to do when you quit your job. People often talk about making a good first impression, but it's less common to hear anyone talk about making a strong last impression. Finishing strong creates a lasting impression in people, and might create further opportunities for you in the future. In essence, don't burn any bridges that you don't have to.
Today I talk about being grateful. Gratefulness is what allows us to be content with our lives because it requires awareness. It's the necessary bit of perspective that we need to remind us that we should treasure what we have rather than think about what we don't.
Hey folks, today I talk about living in the Golden Age of Introversion. While society is dealing with the worst outbreak of disease in the last 100 years, it's also been the best time to be an introvert too. While I'm hoping that quarantine doesn't continue any longer than it has to, it's good to try and be grateful for what we we can in this situation.
Today I'm going to talk about the best $10 I've ever spent. After being in Asia for 2 years, I've learned how to find cheap and quick solutions to my problems. We justify buying the latest most complex thing in order to solve our problems, but what's more important is purchasing something that gets the job done.
Today I talk about Today I'm going to talk about how I approach learning. Learning is probably the most valuable skill in the 21st century, and it is expected that we continue to learn throughout our entire life. Finding ways to learn better allows for a greater understanding of our environments and our lives.
Today I'm going to talk about successful partner communication. Whether it's a romantic partner or a business partner, what makes or breaks the partnership is communication. Without strong communication, the relationship becomes dysfunctional and won't be able to last.
Today I talk about reverting to bad habits. Bad habits tend to be coping mechanisms that are attempting to solve a larger underlying problem. Fixing these larger problems that are triggering our behaviours is the key to consistently overcoming our poor habits.
Today I'm going to talk about why not having a boss is great. Good managers work to help reveal things in us that were previously hidden beforehand, Bad managers take away our autonomy to deal with situations as we see fit. Making ourselves more accountable and more responsible brings with it tremendous opportunities to grow as an individual.
Despite all of the health organizations warnings, there is still a tremendous amount of misinformation being spread about COVID-19 and the events surrounding the ongoing pandemic.
We need to do our part to fight COVID-19 misinformation so that society can effectively fight and overcome this virus together.
Today I'm going to talk about being positive. Like all virtues, positivity is an active choice that requires work to maintain. We can practice optimism by being mindful and taking the time to guard our thoughts. By actively observing our thoughts, we can regulate which thoughts are helpful and which are harmful.
Today I talk about solitude. Solitude simply means, "being alone", but its meaning is the "glass-half full" view of being alone. Solitude puts us in a unique state of mind that has a ton of benefits. Taking the time to appreciate our solitude, rather than lament on our loneliness, will allow us to make better use of our time and help better deal with the situation we are facing.
Today I talk about some activities to do in quarantine to evade boredom. I'm hoping that many of you are practicing social distancing, and because of that you're probably bored staying at home all the time. I share a couple of activities we can do to break up the monotony and get our minds off the current situation we're in.
Today we're going to talk about recognizing and controlling our emotions. We can only practice control by first practicing awareness. To build awareness of our emotions, we first need to get out of the habit of suppressing them. Only then can we start to regulate our emotions in a healthy manner.
Today I talk about fear. There is much to be afraid of, especially right now. These fears are there to protect us from harm, however they cause harm themselves when they start making the decisions in our lives. Once we acknowledge ours fears and let them pass, there are rational responses to our fears that we can employ to remain safe and secure.
Today I talk about my intro track and why I like it. I put some thought into my intro track, as I consider audio branding to be very important. The ability of audio to stick with people and have a lasting impression makes it a great medium to deliver meaningful ideas.
Today I talk about dealing with Burnout. Burnout is a staple in modern work culture, and can almost feel unavoidable. In almost all cases, addressing burn out means finding healthy ways to detach from our work and make time just for ourselves. Our lives are a marathon, and we should be building techniques that will help sustain our wellbeing over a long period of time.
Today I talk about having faith. Faith for many is a religious term, but for me it's allow me to put my trust in things that aren't 100% in my control. Having faith is a requirement to acting boldly and doing meaningful things.
Today I talk about being silent. There are times where silence gives us great value, and other times where it haunts us. Silence is a great tool, and we can gain plenty learning when best to be silent.
Today I talk about focusing on moving the needle. At work, we can often trick ourselves into doing work that "feels" productive, but doesn't always have the highest impact. I share a couple of ways of how to prioritize and focus on work that actually matters.
Today I talk about oversharing. Oversharing makes people uncomfortable. In order to avoid doing it, we need to be mindful of our anxieties that cause us to do it. Only by having empathy for the listener can we strive to have meaningful communication.
Today I talk about the problem with remote work, and what we can do to fix it. Remote work is an inevitability, as the flexibility and control it offers is unparalleled. However, the distance from other coworkers and not physically being in office can be lonely. We need to search for ways to deliver community and a sense of belonging outside of the office environment.
Today I talk about the right time to start a business. Short answer, the only right time is when you have the resources and when you're willing to make the sacrifice. Everything else is an excuse that is only stopping you from getting started.
Today I talk about when to give up. There's a large emphasis on persisting through challenges in our society, but there's times where it's best to just give up and move on. There's a couple of key things to consider when making this decision, and I share a few of them in today's episode.
Today I talk about how kindness in the long term is stronger than cruelty online. While the 'performative cruelty' of online discourse provides entertaining content, it's ultimately hollow and its toxicity will corrode the community utilizing it. The foundation of online communities must be rooted in kindness to be sustainable and to form constructive change.
Today I talk about how to stop thinking and start doing. There is a chasm in our minds between thinking about what we want to do, and actually doing it. That chasm is our egos protecting the image we've created of ourselves. Only by overcoming our egos will we be able to act freely, and accept the imperfections in our work and in ourselves.
Today I talk about silver bullet thinking, and how to overcome it. Silver bullet thinking is the idea that by overcoming one single issue, it will solve every other problem in our life. In reality, we should be attempting to incrementally fix hundreds of small issues to see real change in our everyday lives.
Today I talk about giving great constructive criticism. While many of use are seeking self-improvement, a reality we must face is that we are not able to recognize our own flaws. This means that we are reliant on others to assess where we fall short. The critiques we give others is imperative in the improvement of their lives, and we have a responsibility to deliver the greatest value we can possible.
Today I talk about forming good habits. There are plenty of things that we know are good for us that we should be doing, but we don't. Willpower alone is not good enough, we need to form habits around good behaviour to guarantee that they get accomplished. There are easy, straightforward strategies that we can utilize to increase the likelihood of forming these habits.
Today I talk about running an illegal Airbnb. There are many lessons that I learned in management, entrepreneurship, and living life just a little bit on the edge.
I talk about having difficult conversations. Difficult conversations are a necessity in everyday life. We can do them poorly, or we can do them well. Today, I share some tips about doing them well.
I talk about my experience being a digital nomad in Asia. The freedom and flexibility of being a digital nomad is tremendous, the cultural experience and perspective is great, and you get to meet some amazing people along the way. However, this is offset by the loneliness and rootlessness that comes from constantly traveling. It's an experience I would recommend everyone to try if they have the chance to do so.
I talk about when you should leave your job. I go through what sort of questions you should be asking yourself if you're not entirely satisfied with your current position. I also share my personal criteria I have when making career decisions about my current employment.
I share my ideas about people's separation of the internet and the events that take place there from "reality" and the physical world. These distinctions are arbitrary and don't deliver anything valuable, in fact they actively harm your ability to understand what's taking place in the world and the way that the internet is shaping it.
In the first episode of The Peterkins Podcast, I talk about my motivations for creating this podcast, why people should create online content, and how I've managed to overcome some of my fears and anxieties around posting more often.