Three things I believe right now

Key phrase is “right now.”

I’m a big believer in pivoting my beliefs and philosophies in light of new and better information. I try not to be dogmatic about anything. In my head, the best ideas must win.

I’m also sharing this because these three things pretty much cover the topics I write about on this blog.

My three things right now are:

1. Technology - Software is eating the world (credit to Marc Andreessen for that line)
2. Self-mastery - The degree to which we get what we want in life or not boils down to the extent to which we can master our own psychology
3. Wisdom - I have a duty to educate myself and pursue wisdom

Technology

I sometimes hear people say, “I was born in the wrong time.” Usually because they have a romanticized vision of being a cowboy on the American frontier or nostalgia for some other bygone era.

I’ve never felt that.

Every day I get up and check what’s new in the world, I’m like a kid on Christmas morning. Whether it’s the latest device, piece of software, or some scientific breakthrough, I feel so grateful to be alive here and now. This is the greatest time in human history (so far!) and if I’m lucky, I’ll get to experience the next 50-65 years of technological progress.

Further, it is my belief that technology as a category is the thing with the biggest net benefit to mankind - more than politics, more than education, more than business.

Tech makes our economies more productive, our energy and food more abundant, and in short, it makes our lives longer and better in just about every way.

Therefore, it’s become increasingly obvious to me that I need to pivot my career and energy toward efforts in the tech space. Recently, I left the world of small business acquisitions to focus on my software education company.

If there is one pattern repeated throughout history, it’s that humans are really bad at seeing the future. Really bad.

Then, we look back at history and wonder how our predecessors could have possibly missed it when it’s practically slapping them in the face. Anyone who denies that AI and unforeseen new technologies are about to upend life as we know it are ignoring reality. Drastic change never happens in one day or even one year. And yet our life and livelihoods are about to change dramatically in the near future and it’s imperative that we position ourselves to ride that wave, not be taken under by it and not try to fight it.

Self-Mastery

While self-discipline has always been key to getting what you want in life, it’s especially important as a modern human.

While I’m incredibly optimistic about technology, I don’t deny that there is a downside to the abundance of calories, information, options, and free-time humanity now finds itself in possession of.

In the past, you had the highest chance of dying from one of three things: war, plague, or famine.

Now, as a human in 2024, you are most likely to die from obesity (heart disease and obesity-related problems), cancer, or respiratory disease. Even suicide and overdosing are quickly on the rise as causes of death.

And the careers of modern humans are increasingly things that schools can’t prepare us for. The school system is too large to adapt quick enough and, with some exceptions, has never been good at preparing people for the real world.

Lastly, the nature of infinite options and distractions makes it paramount that you figure out how to focus on what’s important to you to make progress on anything - skills, career, health, habits, relationships.

In the modern world, everything is weaponized against you. Highly palatable but unhealthy food. No need to be physically active. Infinite media to swallow up your time and focus.

So for all these reasons, you and I must figure out for ourselves how to master ourselves to be healthy, focused, happy, valuable members of society.

It’s really difficult but it’s the work of our lives.

Wisdom

We have a moral duty to seek wisdom.

My definition of wisdom is understanding what actions are beneficial in the long-term.

To expand further, what’s beneficial in the long-term is acting with integrity, with discipline, with delayed-gratification, with honesty, with effort, with generosity, with courage, with kindness, and with curiosity.

If we can live by these principles, we can live our best life which allows us to set the best possible example which allows us to be useful to society.

Summary

Technology, self-mastery, and wisdom. Those are my pillars right now.