12 Favourite Problems
Hey friends, the filter is coming a day late this week as I came down with Covid last week and have been resting up.
I recently found an exercise from Richard Feynman about defining your 12 favourite problems. He explains:
“You have to keep a dozen of your favorite problems constantly present in your mind, although by and large they will lay in a dormant state. Every time you hear a new trick or a new result, test it against each of your twelve problems to see whether it helps. Every once in a while there will be a hit, and people will say, ‘How did he do it? He must be a genius!”
The exercise is as simple as writing down 12 problems you're actively trying to solve in life and then running experiences and learnings through those 12 questions to try and solve those problems in your life.
Here are a few of mine:
- How can I earn enough money in as little time to free myself up to build a long-term asset [products -> media + code]?
- How can I improve my communication through writing, speaking, and video to tell better stories and connect with people?
- How can I manage my time more effectively to do high impact work and not feel rushed, leaving time to invest in relationships?
- How can I save or buy back time for tasks I do not like or do not want to do?
Having these questions in my head has already had a positive influence on my actions. Personally I find little frameworks like this to be much more valuable than goal setting when trying to be intentional about designing your life.
What are your 12 favourite problems?
This Weeks Finds
I.
David Perell on people making fun
(Tweet)
David Perell shared a vulnerable and important lesson last week. He received an email from someone who went to the same college recalling how when David was first getting started people used to mock him.
A few years later and David is running a highly successful writing school, spending his time doing work he loves.
The reason I believe this is so powerful is because this fear is exactly what stops 95% of people from taking the first step. When you step out of the conventional path people will likely make fun and dismiss what you’re doing - until it works.
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
II.
On becoming creatively legitimate
(Article)
As someone going from passive consumer to active creator it can be difficult to keep going, especially when things get busy and life gets in the way.
This post summed up a lot of the struggles associated with getting started as a creator and highlights why it's so important to share your ideas.
"When you switch from a passive consumer to an active creator, you’re going against the gravity of the internet"
III.
The Goldilocks Principle of Stress and Anxiety
(Article)
Earlier in the week I saw this post from Corey Haines that got me thinking about managing the pressure we put on ourselves as makers, creators and entrepreneurs. This feeling comes to me in one form or another at least once a week.
This post from Ness Labs does a great job of explaining how this type of stress and anxiety are needed to succeed but also need to be kept in check.
IV.
Why McDonals ice cream machines are always broken
(Video)
This is the 30 minute video about McDonalds ice cream machines you didn't know you needed. Johnny Harris explores the reasoning behind why the ice cream machines are always broken.
The most interesting part is that, like most problems, in business, the problem stems from people passing responsibility on to others until someone [the franchise owners in this case] has to take the hit.
This Weeks Idea
The average person spends over 3 hours per day on their phone, apps are designed to keep us glued to our devices and go in hunt of another hit of dopamine. I find this take from Nassim Taleb to be interesting:
“The difference between technology and slavery is that slaves are fully aware that they are not free” - Nassim Taleb
End Note
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Have a great week!
- Stephen