On: lab-grown meat, when not to apologize and more
This issue was first published in my biweekly newsletter: The Sovereign Stoic.
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5 paragraphs on a mix of practical frameworks, principles, lessons, captivating stories and more.
Today’s Snapshot
- Do you really reap what you sow?
- Are lab-grown meat the future of nutrition?
- A few habits to help you overcome procrastination
- How do you measure success on a daily basis (if you do at all)?
- When you should not apologize, and what should not apologize for
1-On return on investment
An interesting concept that I came across recently is that of ‘superlinear returns’
In an essay written by Paul Graham, he argues that the ‘you rip what you saw’ or ‘you get out what you put in’ saying is a flawed view of how life works.
In reality, when something has the potential to grow exponentially (eg: bacterial cultures, startups, etc.…) the difference between being able to initiate growth and the opposite are significantly different.
As humans, we lack an understanding how exponentiality works.
Let’s use 2 simple examples to explain how exponentiality works in real life:
1-Fame and performance for artists:
-The more you perform, the more famous you become
-Once you are famous, your fans will bring you more fans, and you will be even more famous
2-Wealth and possessions:
-When you are rich, your wealth is invested to beget more wealth and you become wealthier
-The more cows/farm animals you have, you will have even more of the same
You can read more about Paul Graham’s essay here.
2-On lab-grown meat
I don’t know if you have heard of lab made diamonds.
But they are actually a thing.
Whole enterprises have been built around them, and people buy them.
This makes me think about another interesting development today: lab-grown meat.
Could lab-grown meat, just like lab-made diamonds be a thing?
Lab-made diamonds are sold at lower prices compared to diamonds mined out of the earth.
There is a premium on the mined diamonds.
Could this be the same for meat from whole animals raised in coops and sheds?
Would the model be the same as diamonds, i.e. whole animal meat being sold at a premium?
This is more of an open-ended question than something I have an answer for.
I don’t know yet if lab-grown meat will eventually be a thing on a significant scale.
It’s just one of those thing that are interesting to read and learn about.
You can read more about some already approved for sale lab-grown meat here.
3-On overcoming procrastination
I wrote about procrastination before: here.
To recap, the main point was that there is good and bad procrastination.
Good procrastination is about taking time to think and strategize, while bad procrastination is more about lacking drive to take care of what needs to be done.
This paragraph digs a bit deeper on what causes the bad type of procrastination, and a few things you can do to overcome it.
Most people think that procrastination is due to laziness no motivation
Procrastination is a results of many factors, not only lack of self-discipline, lack of motivation and laziness.
A more complete view of procrastination is that it’s a result of a constant battle between our prefrontal cortex and our limbic system.
The prefrontal cortex is the part of our brain that governs our ability to regulate behavior, such as resisting temptations of immediate gratification.
It helps us think in long-term benefits vs consequences.
On the other hand, the limbic system is responsible for our emotional and impulsive actions.
It reacts to immediate sensory information, such as pleasure and pain, without thinking about future consequences.
It’s the one that tells you to ‘just do it’.
To overcome procrastination, you have to train your prefrontal cortex and make it stronger than the limbic system.
Here are a few ways to train your prefrontal cortex:
1-Practice breaking down tasks into small chunks
A big task or project that spans days or weeks can feel overwhelming.
You have to learn to divide it into small bite-sized tasks so that it becomes easier to tackle.
2-Do hard tasks early in the day
Completing the most important or challenging tasks first thing when you start working will most likely reduce your anxiety throughout the day.
This allows you approach the day in more measured and calm demeanor.
3-Optimize your energy
Sleep 7–8 hours.
Exercise 3–4 times/week.
Stay hydrated and eat as healthy as you can.
4-Minimize distractions
Remove high-dopamine distractions from your environment (applies to work).
Delete social media apps during working hours.
Choose a work place that won’t allow you to be distracted
5-Practice meditation
Studies show that frequent meditation decreases activity in the amygdala, which is part of the limbic system.
It therefore makes you less prone to exaggerated emotional responses.
4-The 1–2–3 framework
Most recommendations on how to plan and measure productivity on a daily basis are pretty overwhelming for me.
For instance the 3–3–3 framework (spend 3 hours on your most important task, complete 3 shorter tasks you’ve been avoiding, work on 3 maintenance activities) is pretty good, but it leaves no room for things outside of work.
Finishing/completing a bunch of tasks by the end of the day doesn’t always leave me satisfied.
What matters most for me is that I spend time with the most important people to me and do a few things that move the needle towards some work I have committed to.
And the most important thing to me is my family.
I measure daily success based first on what I did for my family, and how present I was with them.
Any framework for productivity has to take this in account.
I recently came across such a framework: the 1–2–3 framework.
1-A person or people
Spend time or effort towards on person that’s the most important that day. It could be my wife that needs me to run some errands, or I simply want to get her flowers for a special occasion, or planning a date for us, etc.…
It could be a dad & daughter day at my little girl’s school, or some activity that I need to help her with, etc.…
At times, it can even be that I need to make a call to my mom or siblings to hear more about some recent developments in their lives.
The common theme is that the day starts with someone/a person that needs my attention the most.
The question is: what do I need to do for someone today?
2-Things that are essential and/or urgent
I have work that has to be done in a certain timeframe.
It could be reports or visiting customers or something at home.
I try to pick 2 things that have a deadline or where I could benefit from getting them done ASAP.
The goal here is to prioritize tasks that can’t wait to be done, and when not completed could have some consequences.
3-Maintenance items
These are things that are not very important, but if not done will be a bit of an annoyance.
For instance, I have to do monthly expense reports for the money I spend traveling for work or performing other work related activities.
There are no big consequences if I don’t get them done in a timely manner.
But my manager doesn’t like getting daily emails that my expense report is not in yet (I don’t like getting them either).
I also try to learn something every day. If I don’t learn, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.
But not learning has some long-term implications although not that bad in reality, depending on what you want or who you want to be.
There it is: 1 thing for the most important person that day, 2 tasks that are urgent and 3 items that can wait but would be nice to get them done.
5-On when not to apologize
Most agreeable people want to be understood, or at least not be misunderstood.
If you are agreeable, you most likely avoid offending others, and go as far as avoid confrontations.
But this can turn you into a people pleasers, if you are not careful.
You have to watch out how you approach people and things, and the things you believe in subconsciously.
A simple example: you shouldn’t apologize for liking foods or clothes others don’t like because their taste differs from yours.
A few other things you shouldn’t apologize for:
1-You shouldn’t apologize for being who you are
For how you look, the way you dress, what you like, etc.…
As long as the clothes you wear are comfortable to you, and more or less appropriate for the occasion, there should be no need to apologize for your style or lack thereof.
2-You shouldn’t apologize for being angry when the situation does indeed make you angry
This doesn’t mean that you should take out your anger on someone else. It simply means that you shouldn’t just repress your emotions for the sake of being likable.
4-You shouldn’t apologize for what you believe in
We all believe in something.
Some are vocal about their beliefs, while others are not.
When you vocalize your beliefs, you shouldn't apologize just because someone believes something different.
If you learn that the way you voice your belief offended someone, ask to have a conversation (if possible) and see if there is need for adjustment.
But don’t make apologizing your first instinct.
