Hi Friends,
Happy Easter Monday!
Today, a tryptic on the path(s) to a successful life.
First an exceptional essay by Venkatesh Rao (via Ribbonfarm) - as everything he produces. Quite theoretical - also as most of what he produces - but it does make you think about your priorities and self-imposed limits in life:
Kinds of Potential (11min)
I think there are 4 kinds of potential, as shown in the 2×2:
Auras (abstract surpluses) are the most familiar kind and what the term generally denotes. Money, fame, the felt sense of generalized competence that comes with tacit knowledge, the feel of being well-oriented. This is what people think of when they use the word potential, and it is the kind most associated with the word itself. There is latent optionality, but not actual options. Money can buy many things, but until you go shopping and identify things you might actually buy (options), there isn’t any actual optionality.
Powers (concrete surpluses) are the kind of potential I’m most interested in now. Concrete enough to represent at least partial options. So on that workbench as it stands, I could solder leads onto that motor and power it up. I can print something with that printer. Powers are closely related to capabilities: they are capabilities + enabling conditions.
Goals (abstract debts) are the most familiar kind of negative potential. While you have an active goal, you are sort of trapped at the bottom of a potential well. You’re not free. You’re not confined in any specific way by specific walls or constraints, but by the not-yet-trueness (which is not quite the same as falseness) of a future state.
Maintenance (concrete debts) is the concrete equivalent. It is negative potential in the sense that it’s a set of defined and necessary things you have to do to get to zero potential, before you can start developing positive potential. Like right now, I have taxes due, and until I get the documents/details off to my accountant, part of me will not feel free.
Then, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s way to reach his definition of success. Selection bias is probably very relevant here - how many wannabe Arnolds has there been in the past century? - but base rates remain very relevant - you won’t become Mr Universe sitting on your couch:
Arnold’s 6 principles for success (8min)
Have a Vision
Break the rules
Don’t be afraid to fail
Don’t listen to the naysayers
Work your ass off
Give back to the community
Last, a reminder to keep failing… as long as failing well. We all fail. Hopefully a lot - otherwise it means your risk appetite is poorly calibrated. What matters is what we make out of it:
Why You Should Practice Failure (3min)
We learn valuable lessons when we experience failure and setbacks. Most of us wait for those failures to happen to us, however, instead of seeking them out. But deliberately making [[Mistakes]] can give us the [[Knowledge]] we need to more easily overcome obstacles in the future. #Learning
If we want to avoid costly [[Mistakes]] in the future when the stakes are high, then making some now might be excellent preparation.
Please don’t forget to share if you think this type of insights can help others:
Thanks for reading, and have a week full of growth-inducing experiences,
V