The urgent is almost never important, but if we put off the ‘important’ (because it is more difficult or divisive) it will eventually become both important and urgent. This is when chaos ensues.
The difficulty is prioritizing: there is an appeal in urgent (easy/short-term/immediate) problem-solving, while work on the important (difficult/long-term/meaningful) problems sets the values that prevent cascading collapses of all things becoming chaotically urgent.
Paraphrase of "the 7 habits of highly effective people" and the Eisenhower Matrix.
Category: Growth
- Theme: Growth
Urgent vs Important
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1–2 minutes - Theme: Growth
Earning the Right to your Opinion
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1–2 minutesHave you earned the right to your opinion? Not everyone with a viewpoint has done the work to add something meaningful to the conversation.
Without the work, you are merely righteous and walking into a trap. - Theme: Growth
Reckless You
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1–2 minutesThere is a part of you that is reckless. It works to destroy you under the pretense of fully living.
This paradox is temporary, because it is a feeling: it is the small you lashing out, not the greater you already connected to life. - Theme: Growth
what is the use of theory?
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1–2 minutesto harm stupidity. to destroy the presupposition of common sense. to open up new possibilities. to make change.
- Theme: Growth
“I – it” or “I – thou” or beyond “I”
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1–2 minutes“I” to “it” is our self-to-object relation, which is the vast majority of how we relate to the world.
“I” to “thou” requires reciprocating relations.
A third way to relate is to move behind the “I” into a universal lacking any exchange because it is all one. - Theme: Growth
Enemies become cheerleaders
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1–2 minutesAll you have to do is hang on. We all change, and familiarity may breed contempt, but it can also motivate grace.
One day, to your utter surprise, your enemies will become your cheerleaders. - Theme: Growth
“Act Natural”
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1–2 minutesOf course, “acting” is not being. To be “natural” is to behave as though unburdened: an artificial state for any human.
Further, we assume “natural” to be associated with authenticity or sincerity, but acting natural merely parodies your culture by alluding to a false “normal” ideal.
- Theme: Growth
Soft Spot for Nonsense
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1–2 minutesIt seems apparent that we should turn from detrimental chaos and return to accountability, responsibility, and transparent governance structures.
Yet, on a personal level, to become responsible is difficult because we enjoy our "freedom": freedom defined as a release from obligation.
On a societal level, to turn away from nonsense appears limited to capitalist or bureaucratic "logic": logic defined by economics and institutions.
These challenges are due to a carefully nurtured naivety, a soft spot for nonsense. - Theme: Growth
“Value add”
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1–2 minutesWhen people say "value add," I cringe. It is like hearing a salesman say, "trust me."
If you have to convince someone of "robust bolstering effects," then the value is secondary: it is either glomming on or optimizing.
I have been "up sold" by mechanics and plumbers, but that is not a "value add." It is a simple service that does not reshape the current service. - Theme: Growth
Fickleness of Recognition
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1–2 minutesIf you want attention from a certain audience, put energy into that space. If you want freedom from catering to other people’s acceptance maintain your independence.
The trade-off is for recognition, which is how we tend to measure success, but external validation is a fraught and fickle path.
Today they love you, tomorrow they don’t.