7.5, Be like water

“Don’t fear failure. Not failure, but low aim, is the crime. In great attempts, it is glorious even to fail.” Bruce Lee

Apr 23

Friends:

Where I live, the cherry blossoms have bloomed, and are now in their last glorious riot of color. The weather is getting warmer and the sun is still out after 5 p.m. I hope you all get the chance to go outside and be part of the world.

I published book notes on Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. To be honest, I came into the book with fairly low expectations (celebrity memoirs can be dubious territory), but it turned out to be surprisingly very good.

McConaughey has been keeping a diary for the past thirty years, and Greenlights is a reflection and review of his upbringing, his actions and motivations. He’s a great storyteller and (semi-accidental?) philosopher.

Anyways, on with the links!

The Rundown

Bruce Lee’s Profound Philosophy of Life

I haven’t finished reading “Tao Te Ching” by Lao Tzu, but Bruce Lee’s advice to “be like water” is incredibly similar to the advice in “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu.

such incredible charisma

The woman who builds the world’s most unique Airbnbs

Over the past decade, Wolfe has built some of the most popular and unique vacation rentals on the platform... Less than a decade ago, Wolfe was making $13/hr working odd jobs. Today, her properties gross hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. How did a potato factory worker from Idaho become one of the most influential Airbnb proprietors in the world?

Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order by Ray Dalio (43:42)

This is an animated video from billionaire investor and hedge fund manager, Ray Dalio (Bridgewater Associates). He argues that there are 8 key metrics (education, technology, competitiveness, economic output, world trade, military strength, financial center, and reserve currency) we can use to estimate a country’s total power, and that by studying history and cycles in tandem with these metrics, you can predict the rise and fall of empires.

One takeaway is that, on the basis of these metrics, the US is in worrying condition. (It’s also currently in the “printing money and credit” phase of the big cycle) Since we are currently in the American world order, this has global implications. There’s still time to course correct and buy some time.

The Time Hack Everyone Should Know

I don’t think you’ll be too surprised what we’re doing with those 5.5 hours.

According to [the Bureau of Labor Statistics] 2020 findings, the average American has enough leisure time to fit in lots of healthy and life-enriching activities: 5.5 hours per day to be exact.

Discover Whether You're a Flexible Thinker With the “Think in Color” Questionnaire

This questionnaire helps you understand how black and white you think by answering a set of 15 questions. FWIW, here were my scores:

Curiosity: 89.75%
Flexibility: 51.25%
Open-Mindedness: 63.67%
Empathy: 82.50%

Turns out I'm a pretty curious person. (it even says so right on this newsletter’s logo!)

Open for a Surprise 🔎

Below the Fold 👀

🥢 Japan invents ‘electric’ chopsticks that make food seem more salty

💦 How TikTok heartthrob William White’s thirsty fandom turned toxic

😨The Transgenerational Cost of Fear

🎤 Your Zoom mic is probably still recording on mute

🎵 Why We Remember Music and Forget Everything Else

Tweet of the Week 😎 ☀️

trash jones @jzux

me when i have a bad day: i think i deserve a little treat me when i have a good day: i think i deserve a little treat

Okay, folks! Be your best selves. Best of wishes for a great week ahead! Thanks for reading!

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