The urgency paradox

The more often we succumb to the urgency of the moment, the more urgency we create. The next minute is probably not the last, but when we treat it this way, it will be soon followed by another last minute.

Everyone has their own feelings,

When in doubt, don’t argue about the facts. Look for the feelings. Everyone has their own feelings, whether you agree with them or not. When we validate feelings, we create a connection that gives us a chance to examine the facts together.

A very restricted circle

Most people live within a very restricted circle of their potential. They make use of a very small portion of their possible consciousness and of their soul’s resources in general, much like a man who, out of his whole organism, should get into a habit of using and moving only his little finger.

People want the outcome

People want the outcome, not the effort that produces it. When the outcome arrives, what's left is the effort, and that's what they complain about. People tell you to address your weaknesses while paying you for your strengths. Your inner monologue determines your outer actions. The most powerful story in the world is the one you tell yourself.

The difference between poison and medicine

The difference between poison and medicine often comes down to the dosage. Belief at scale, fueled by omnipresent media designed to seduce, is unlikely to help us get to where we seek to go. A coherent culture is often built on a shared belief system. When the entire group believes something that collides with reality, though, reality wins. In the long run, the Earth doesn’t care what you believe.

Can you believe it?

The standards have changed a lot in the last few millennia: The big man said it. The book said it. The newspaper said it. I saw a photo. I saw it on TV. I read it on the internet. That’s what the AI said. There has always been room for doubt. But the last century has been about doubt at scale, driven by misaligned incentives and the impact of media and tech.

The gap between true and known

We have more agency and choice than we know. And sometimes, when the awareness of our freedom arrives, it’s too late to reclaim the opportunities we missed. Some of the walls around us are really built by people who have no right to build them, who profit from our staying put. And some of the walls aren’t walls at all. A door we never tried, because no one told us it was unlocked. Perhaps, instead of waiting for certainty, we act as if, just for now, to explore what’s possible. Too often, we’re held back unfairly by others who have no right to do so. But sometimes, we hold ourselves back simply because we didn’t know we had a choice.