Podcast Summary
Ignore extreme feedback, focus on constructive sources: Ignoring extreme feedback from social media and focusing on constructive feedback from trusted sources can lead to more productive and focused living.
Ignoring extreme feedback, especially from social media, can lead to more productive and focused living. As discussed in the Deep Questions podcast episode 200, CNN's new leadership is encouraging producers to disregard backlash from the far right and left on Twitter. Cal Newport believes this is a good idea for everyone, not just those running networks. He explains that human beings are wired to seek feedback, but constant exposure to extreme feedback, especially from social media, can be distracting and counterproductive. Instead, focusing on constructive feedback from trusted sources can lead to personal and professional growth.
The Impact of Social Internet Feedback: Social internet feedback is biased, often given in bad faith, and not a true representative sample, making it unpredictable and potentially misleading for effective communication and decision-making.
While feedback from other human beings is a crucial part of the human experience, the feedback we receive on the social internet is fundamentally different. Neurologically, we pay serious attention to feedback from others, which helps maintain social cohesion and extends our cognitive abilities. However, feedback on the social internet is biased and often given in bad faith. It's not a true representative sample of the population, and the dynamics of the internet can make it unpredictable. Furthermore, the motivations behind the feedback can be driven by factors other than genuine opinion. This difference is important to understand as we navigate the digital world and strive for effective communication and decision-making.
Seeking diverse and trusted feedback: To make informed decisions, seek out high-quality, diverse feedback from trusted sources, rather than relying solely on online comments which can be skewed and misrepresentative.
The feedback we receive, especially from sources like social media, can be skewed and misrepresentative of the larger population's views. This can lead to overreactions and shifts in perspective that may not accurately reflect reality. To mitigate this, it's important to seek out high-quality, diverse feedback from trusted sources, rather than relying solely on the often-corrupted feedback we receive online. Creating a "feedback council" of trusted individuals with varied backgrounds and expertise can help provide balanced and informed perspective on important decisions and ideas. It's also crucial to ignore arbitrary sources of feedback, such as random comments on social media or angry messages, and instead focus on the thoughtful, considered feedback from our trusted advisors. By doing so, we can make more informed decisions and avoid the negative effects of the hijacking of our feedback apparatus by corrupted online sources.
Approaching feedback from social media with caution: Companies and politicians should establish diverse panels for serious feedback. Individuals should seek out diverse perspectives beyond social media.
Seeking diverse and authentic feedback is crucial for individuals and organizations, but the sources of feedback from social media need to be approached with caution. Companies and politicians should establish representative panels of diverse stakeholders for serious feedback, while ignoring biased feedback from angry individuals on social media. Individuals, especially those with limited diversity in their social circles, should actively seek out diverse perspectives through various channels such as professional backgrounds, geographic locations, gender, racial identity, and age. The absence of social media can lead to a tighter-knit and more diverse audience for feedback.
Guiding High-Intelligence Individuals and Securing Life Insurance: Encourage those with high intelligence to seek guidance and avoid conspiracy theories. Simplify life insurance shopping with Policy Genius to save money.
Without proper guidance and feedback, individuals with high intelligence can easily fall into conspiracy theories or become cantankerous. It's important to intervene if someone close to us starts exhibiting such behavior. On a different note, securing life insurance is a crucial aspect of financial planning, especially for families. Policy Genius simplifies the process by allowing users to compare personalized quotes from top insurance companies and save up to 50% or more on life insurance. Additionally, aging can lead to a decline in NAD Plus levels, which are essential for energy production and cell functions. Supplementing NAD Plus through Basis by Elysium Health can help increase levels and promote healthy aging. Lastly, a viewer asked about maintaining faith in a system that seems endless. The answer is to focus on the progress made and the impact it has, rather than the seemingly endless tasks ahead. Breaks and self-care are also important to prevent burnout.
Embrace the fundamental nature of human beings as beings in constant action: Focus on making action productive and fulfilling, constantly painting the bridge of life to prevent rust
Instead of viewing tasks and projects as obstacles to be gotten through as quickly as possible, we should embrace the fundamental nature of human beings as beings in constant action. We should strive to make that action as meaningful and directed as possible. The Golden Gate Bridge analogy, where the bridge must be constantly painted to prevent rust, serves as a reminder that action is a necessary part of life, and we should focus on making that action productive and fulfilling. Chad's question about the need for a second shutdown when working multiple shifts can be answered with the recommendation to prepare for evening work during the initial shutdown, rather than requiring a second extensive shutdown.
Effective time management: plan, execute, and tie up loose ends: Plan tasks, execute during dedicated time blocks, and tie up loose ends for a smooth transition to rest. Minimize open loops, especially in the evening, and manage email overload with prioritization and subscription control.
Effective time management involves planning and preparing for your next task, executing it during dedicated blocks of time, and tying up loose ends to be prepared for the next session. It's important to avoid opening too many loops, especially during your evening block, to ensure a smooth transition to rest. A shutdown routine, such as checking emails and calendars, can help ensure nothing is missed and provide a sense of closure for the day. Additionally, prioritizing important messages and minimizing subscriptions can help manage email overload and save time.
The Inspiring Power of Real-World Examples in Personal Decision Making: Real-world examples of people living authentic, meaningful lives can inspire and motivate personal decision making, but asynchronous communication through email can lead to productivity loss. Creating a podcast featuring interviews with individuals living their 'deep lives' can provide accessible resources for those seeking inspiration.
Asynchronous communication through email leads to productivity loss due to the need for extended back-and-forth conversations. The speaker, John, believes that seeing real-world examples of people living their "deep lives" can be inspiring and motivating for making personal life decisions. He suggests creating a podcast called "The Deep Life," featuring interviews with individuals living meaningful, authentic lives, to provide a wider range of relatable examples for listeners. While the concept of the deep life is intuitive, it can be challenging to define and pinpoint. However, with the increasing interest in this idea, particularly during the pandemic, there is a growing need for accessible resources showcasing real-life examples of people living their deep lives.
Seeking radical alignment with deeply valued things: Identify core values and make intentional changes to align with them for a more fulfilling life
Living a deep life involves radical alignment of your existence to things you deeply value, which requires both making significant changes and ensuring those changes align with your core values. The concept of a deep life is not about specific activities, but rather the attributes that make a life resonate deeply. By identifying these properties and striving for radical alignment, we can systematically acquire them and lead more fulfilling lives. The pitfall to avoid is making changes for the sake of change without considering their alignment with our values. This could lead to dissatisfaction and a lack of resonance. The deep life is a systematic quest for more, and by defining its properties and acquiring them intentionally, we can create a life that truly resonates with us.
Exploring the deep and remarkable life: Some people seek a radical shift or realignment for a deep and remarkable life, which can involve moving, starting a project, or embarking on an adventure.
Living a meaningful and impactful life often requires a radical shift or realignment. This radicalness can be seen in individuals who are already living deep and fulfilling lives, but seek something notable or remarkable. The deep life is a subset of the good life, and while everyone may not strive for it, some people have a strong desire for their lives to be remarkable in the literal sense. This could involve making radical changes, such as moving to a new location, starting a new project, or embarking on a new adventure. The author, for instance, plans to write a book about the deep life, incorporating personal experiences and discoveries into the narrative. This style of journalism, where the author immerses themselves in the subject matter, allows for a more engaging and relatable exploration of the concept. The author's upcoming book, "The Deep Life," will follow this format, with a prologue and epilogue built around a deep change.
Exploring leisure activities when mentally exhausted: Find joy and relaxation through hobbies like reading, painting, listening to music, or taking a bath to effectively recharge for the next day.
Even when mentally exhausted, it's important to find satisfying leisure activities. A professional stay-at-home mom, Joanna, shared her challenge of engaging in cognitively demanding activities after her children's bedtime due to her limited energy. Instead, she suggested gentle alternatives. During our conversation, we also explored an intriguing topic - the intense training regimen of actor Alexander Skarsgard to transform into a Viking berserker. This discussion highlighted the dedication and commitment required to achieve a specific physical goal. For Joanna, the key takeaway is that she can still make the most of her limited leisure time by exploring activities that don't strain her brain. This could include hobbies like reading, painting, listening to music, or even taking a relaxing bath. By focusing on activities that bring joy and relaxation, she can effectively recharge for the next day. In essence, finding satisfying leisure activities, even when mentally drained, is essential for overall well-being and productivity.
Prioritize rest and leisure during child-rearing: Integrate restful activities, delegate tasks, and make use of screen time for relaxation during child-rearing.
During the challenging and exhausting period of raising young children at home, it's essential to prioritize rest and leisure. Don't put extra pressure on yourself to learn new skills or maintain rigorous exercise routines. Instead, integrate restful activities into the day, involve children in gardening or outdoor activities, and make use of screen time. Additionally, delegate tasks to your partner if possible, and structure your evenings for relaxation and recharging. Remember, this phase is temporary, and soon, you'll have more flexibility to pursue personal interests as your children grow older and spend more time away from home.
Preparing for a Writing Career During Retirement: Focus on building writing skills during retirement with flexibility and prioritize effectively for a successful transition into retirement and writing career.
While it's important for George to start preparing for his writing career during his corporate retirement, it may not be necessary to prioritize intensive writing practice before retirement. Instead, he could focus on building his skills during retirement when he'll have more time and flexibility. The proposed schedule of early morning writing sessions followed by afternoons dedicated to hobbies and family aligns with a productive and fulfilling lifestyle. However, considering physical health and well-being, the suggestion of incorporating Northman Viking training was made. Ultimately, the key is to make the most of the time available and prioritize effectively to ensure a successful transition into retirement and writing career.
Exploring personal interests in retirement through writing: Retirement offers freedom to pursue hobbies like writing, starting a newsletter or podcast, and building an audience through consistency and reliable tools.
Retirement can be an opportunity to explore personal interests and passions, such as writing and developing ideas, without the pressure of making a living. Starting a newsletter and podcast, or occasional writing projects, can help in finding one's voice and niche. Consistency is key, but it's important to start small and gradually build an audience. Additionally, taking care of one's mental and creative muscles through writing is a valuable use of time during retirement. Finally, using reliable tools like Magic Spoon's sugar-free cereal and ExpressVPN can enhance the overall experience of retirement and provide peace of mind.
Protect your online data with a VPN: Using a VPN secures your online information and maintains privacy even on public Wi-Fi or untrusted networks, like ExpressVPN for reliable and easy use.
VPNs provide an encrypted tunnel to protect your online data and communications from being sniffed or accessed by unintended parties. By using a VPN, you can secure your online information and maintain privacy even when using public Wi-Fi or untrusted networks. ExpressVPN is a reliable and easy-to-use VPN service with good speeds, ample bandwidth, and servers worldwide. In my reading this month, I revisited Steve Martin's memoir, "Born Standing Up," and was reminded of the importance of focus and perseverance in building a successful career. Martin's dedication to refining his act, even during setbacks, ultimately led to his world-class success. Additionally, I read "Blood and Treasure" by Rod Jury, which provided insight into the life of Daniel Boone and the challenges faced by early American pioneers. Overall, these books emphasized the importance of resilience, focus, and determination in achieving personal and professional growth.
Exploring complex historical and philosophical topics: Both 'Blood and Treasure' and 'Why Faith Matters' provide unique insights into their respective subjects, requiring significant research and offering valuable perspectives.
Both "Blood and Treasure" by Roger Lea MacBride and "Why Faith Matters" by Rabbi David Wolpe offer unique insights into complex historical and philosophical topics, respectively. "Blood and Treasure" delves into the intricate political relationships between American colonists, the British, and various Indian tribes during Daniel Boone's time. The book's narrative explores the challenging period of colonial history and the determination of long hunters. On the other hand, "Why Faith Matters" is a response to the New Atheist movement and provides an accessible perspective on faith from a Jewish point of view. Both books require significant research and offer valuable insights into their respective subjects. Additionally, "Lost Moon" by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger is a captivating nonfiction account of the Apollo 13 mission, and "The Lost City of Z" by David Grann is a New Yorker writer's exploration of the mysterious explorer Percy Fawcett. Overall, these books offer a diverse range of perspectives and insights into various historical, philosophical, and scientific topics.
Exploring the World with David Graham: A Journalist's Adventures: David Graham's long-form, adventurous, and well-researched articles in The New Yorker inspire aspiring writers with his dedication, curiosity, and commitment to uncovering the truth.
David Graham is a renowned journalist known for his long-form, adventurous, and well-researched articles in The New Yorker. His work often involves immersing himself in unique situations and exploring intriguing stories, such as the world of Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts or the search for lost civilizations in the Amazon. Graham's writing is a blend of classic adventure narrative nonfiction and journalistic investigation. His dedication to his craft and willingness to go to great lengths for his stories serve as an inspiration for aspiring writers. Graham's work, including his book "The Lost City of Z," showcases the importance of persistence, curiosity, and a deep commitment to uncovering the truth.
Writers Living Unconventional Lives: Full-time writers lead exciting lives filled with adventures and unique experiences, which they share through their work.
Some writers live unconventional lives filled with adventures and travels, which they document and share with the world. David Grant, for instance, is an example of such a writer who leads a deep life, not through a monotonous routine, but by constantly seeking new experiences and sharing them through his journalism. His latest work, "Something Something Moon," is being made into a movie by Martin Scorsese, highlighting the intrigue and depth of his stories. While some writers, like Sebastian Junger, have more routine lives, they too lead interesting lives in their own ways. Overall, the lives of full-time writers are far from mundane, and their work often reflects their unique experiences and perspectives.
