Personal Development

some of the biggest challenges faced by computers and human minds alike: how to manage finite space, finite time, limited attention, unknown unknowns, incomplete information, and an unforeseeable future; how to do so with grace and confidence; and how to do so in a community with others who are all simultaneously trying to do the same

These are old languages relearned, not to override but to balance the rational mind. There are plenty of clueless, credulous, and genuinely deluded folks using esoteric ways of living to exacerbate anxieties, avoid confronting personal problems, or shift blame for their personal failings to the cosmos or the spiritually “inferior”. But these tools ... See more

We are not going in circles, we are going upwards. The path is a spiral; we have already climbed many steps.

— Herman Hesse, Siddhartha

One antidote is to allow yourself to imagine what it might feel like to know you'd never fully get on top of your work, never become a really disciplined exerciser or healthy eater, never resolve the personal issue you feel defines your life's troubles. What if I'll always feel behind with my email? What if listening attentively to other people wil

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Avoiding obvious catastrophic failure modes is often more important than improving procedure in minor ways. Slightly upgrading your wardrobe is less important than getting a decent haircut, if your haircut sucks. Improving your knowledge of options trading is less important than not doing leveraged crypto day trading when you’re emotional. If you s... See more

the nervous system is not only a biological entity but also a complex network highly responsive to personal interests. This concept suggests that when individuals engage in activities they are genuinely interested in, their nervous system is more likely to respond positively, leading to increased focus, creativity, and overall well-being.

Question: How can I judge myself less harshly and appreciate myself more?

Ram Dass on self-judgment:

I think that part of it is observing oneself more impersonally. I often use this image, which I think I have used already, but let me say it again. That when you go out into the woods and you look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some ... See more

The Futures Triangle can also be used for inner

work. The pull of the future is where one

wishes to be, the desired personal life one

imagines for oneself. The weight of the past can

be blocks - inner or outer - preventing one from

achieving the vision. The pushes of the present

can be enablers or externals pushes one needs

to navigate.

One of the first steps we can take towards generating internal accountability is to develop an assessment of why the world is as it is. This requires us to leap from the uninformed faith we have in the societal myths we were given as children, to the informed faith that we need in order to co-create the real world as adults.