Hey friend,
Hereâs the best content I found this week đ
đ Book Passages
From âThe Daily Stoicâ, by Ryan HolidayâThe chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own . . .â
- Epictetus
Picking Nuggets Note:
âGod, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.â - The Serenity Prayer
(I'm not religious, but there is a lot of wisdom in those words)
If we can know the difference between *what is not under our control* and *what is under our control*, it will also give us a big advantage over people who doesn't know -- because we can allocate our (limited) energy into what we can actually change and improve, instead of wasting it on things we can't change. For instance, it is a waste of time to think about the past and things we wish were different, but we have power in the present moment and we can change our future as result.
đȘș Top Tweets (no need to open Twitter)
â» @dickiebush â 7 Realizations About The Smartest People I Look Up To (After 500+ Hours Studying Them):
Picking Nuggets Note:
Nowadays, I think that point 2 (on being content with appearing clueless) is way easier than ever thanks to Chat-GPT (specially with GPT-4). Iâm currently building a website from scratch, and had to revisit many concepts about HTML / CSS / JS. I also had so many doubts that might sound stupid and were also very âlong-tail queriesâ specific to the requirements of my website project. So thanks to GPT-4, I could just ask it all these questions without any personal feeling of appearing foolish! What a time to learn new intellectual things.â» @FoundersPodcast â David Senraâs biggest lesson from Sam Zell:
âGo for freedom.
Freedom allows you to control what you work on.
If you control what you work on then you can work on what you love.
If you love it you will do it for a long time.
If you do it for a long time you will get really good at it.
Money will come as a result.â
â» image twitted by @bkaellner // The work is the win:
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Wishing you a lovely weekend from Newcastle, England (came to visit a good friend for a few days. Going to eat some tortillas now đ„ )
Julio âŁïž
Smarter lessons from the smartest people I know, thanks to ChatGPT
â Upgraded Rules: What the Wisest People I Know Do
1. They think in lifetimes, not timelines.
They donât just stretch their horizonâthey connect decisions to who they want to be, not just what they want to achieve.
They ask: âWill I still be proud of this in 10 years? Will it preserve my freedom and identity?â
Smart acts for the future. Wise acts for the self they want to become.
2. Theyâre willing to look like beginners, but not betray their essence.
Theyâll ask âdumbâ questions with confidenceâbut never put themselves in situations where looking uninformed leads to labels they canât erase. For example: an 18-year old woman appearing nude for money in an international magazine or film.
Curiosity without vanity. Vulnerability without loss of control.
3. They balance self-belief with self-respect, not insecurity.
Ego + insecurity fuels ambition, but wisdom replaces insecurity with openness.
They believe they can excel, but they donât let fear of inadequacy push them into decisions that violate their values.
Ambition grounded in identity, not anxiety.
4. They document to deepen clarity and influenceânot just to win others.
Like Buffett or Munger, they write to refine thoughts first, persuade others second.
Their words arenât strategicâtheyâre aligned. Their communication protects their principles.
Write not to be convincing. Write to be unmistakably yourself.
5. They love the basicsâbut only the right ones.
They donât execute blindly. They choose fundamentals based on who they are and where they thrive, not what the world calls âbest practices.â
Consistency matters most when applied to what truly matters.
6. They prioritize by consequence, not just efficiency.
They donât just eliminate bottlenecksâthey remove what threatens long-term freedom, dignity, and authenticity before chasing new opportunities.
âWhat will cost me the most in regret if I ignore it?â precedes âWhat is most urgent?â
7. They move quickly when the outcome is reversible. Slowly when it is not.
The original rule becomes incomplete without this amendment.
Speed + reversibility = smart.
Speed + permanence = dangerous.
âGo fast on choices you can redo. Go slow on anything that can define you.â
(And if the stakes are identity? Move only when aligned.)
The Complete Revised Principle
âThe brightest minds evolve through fearless curiosity, deep reflection, careful self-preservation, and consistent actionâmoving quickly only when risk is reversible, and slowly when identity or long-term dignity is at stake.â
âž»
Making This Yours (Quick Reflection Framework)
Before executing on an idea, ask:
1. Is this reversible?
2. Does this expand or limit my personal freedom?
3. Will this preserveânot diluteâmy identity?
4. Will I still respect this move when Iâm 80?
5. Is this driven by alignment or urgency?
If yes, move quickly.
If not, move thoughtfullyâor walk away.