thebalance: aspiring egotistical utilitarian
November 2nd, 2020 (vol56)
From a blue moon October we go right into election week. Lots happening in the good ol’ US of A (go vote!!). Society likes keeping us on our toes these days so we may as well replicate it here 🙃
What follows is a switch up from the normal #thinkingthings format: a pod(cast) dive in… keeping it somewhat introspective, but mostly lighthearted as I know many of you are likely inundated with media overload at the moment :)
So what the hell… here’s a laugh to start things off. An ode to Sean Connery by way of one of my favorite SNL skits featuring Sean Connery (albeit not that Sean Connery) on Jeopardy, hosted by Will Ferrell.
Fading out on a musing brought to you by the Sean Connery….
“Love may not make the world go round, but I must admit that it makes the ride worthwhile.”
❤️ Likes, shares, and ‘my contacts’ adds are appreciated! It helps others discover what they have been missing out on while ensuring gmail doesn’t junk this thing either :)
⬇️ #thinkingthings, #followerthings, and #otherthings ⬇️
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🤔🤔 #thinkingthings
🟥 >>>> Alright Alright Alright
I am a big podcast guy as some of you might have gathered so I thought that, given the recent screen fatigue and attention overload we all have been experiencing, it was appropriate to share a recent pod I listened to (and thoroughly enjoyed) from none other than the Matthew McConaughey on the Tim Ferriss show.
(yes, I know that not everyone enjoys Tim as a host but he has great guest features, does his homework, and asks very thoughtful questions so… very much worth listening to IMO - just trust me!!).
As an aside: podcasting while enduring at 180F+ in a Norwegian sauna followed by an ice bath (in the waters of Lake Minnetonka) is the cure to any woe… especially while listening to Mr. McConaughey spill the secrets of life. All you need, folks. Truly.
You may have seen Mr. McConaughey in the news as of late with the press push on his book (I myself likely will buy it after this pod, so job well done Matthew 👏), but I encourage you to look past all of that media dog and pony show and jump into the episode below with no upfront judgments or expectations… I think what you will find is that the man is a brilliant storyteller and his approach to life is inspiring. To have the mindset that he is able to maintain, the self discipline on his principles/value system, and the courage to push the boundary of self doubt is something I aspire to do… and I am willing to bet that many of you out there share the same pov as me.
So, have a listen if you need a refresh from the Zoom day-to-day this week. I’ll include my takeaways below if you’d prefer to skim instead.
Bullets: Excerpts from the interview (make sure you read these aloud in your best McConaughey accent)
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Italics: >> My takeaways
LETS BEGIN 👇
…”Saying, ‘I can’t,’ was forbidden or highly advised against in our household.”
>> When I heard this, I thought about the importance of nurture - how much of your childhood is responsible for your inclinations in adulthood? We all have subconscious intuitions that drive our decision making... for me, I am constantly on an introspective path. Leaving no internal stone unturned, I love hearing about other’s experiences as it helps me expand my thinking while I think through my own drivers.“About seven deep in that stack of magazines to the left of the couch where I was sitting, I see this white paperback with this beautiful, red cursive writing on it, and it says The Greatest Salesman in the World…. And that book is the most instrumental piece of literature and motivation I’ve ever read for me in my life.”
>> If you have trouble spotting the signs of life, I encourage you to read one of the best selling books of all time, no wonder Lebron reads it during NBA playoffs
“‘… the egotistical utilitarian’, I’m always like, boy, that’s it. Where the decisions we make for the I, for ourselves, the selfish decisions, are actually what’s best for the most amount of people, utilitarian. Are the I where the I meets the we. Where the selfish is the selfless, where what I need is what I want. And what I want is the ego. What I need is the utilitarian. What I want is freedom. What I need is the responsibility and the interplay of those things. Where the I is the ego and utilitarian is the objective, utilitarian we. I was already starting to work, and a lot of these themes are through the book, because they’re inherently how I see life and have for a long time.
>> I hadn’t heard this phrase before, but I am thinking about renaming #thebalance to this now 😂😂 as it perfectly encapsulates my approach to life. New goal: get Matthew McConaughey as a member of #thebalance community - anybody know him?? Seriously.
“Less impressed, more involved.” And that leans into taking more risk, because after Dad moved on, I was like, oh, all of these mortal things in life that I have a reverence for, even just finishing acting and maybe having dreams of fame. And I didn’t give enough credence to things that I probably shouldn’t fear, or have too much reverence for because they were mortal.
>> Seize the day. Carpe, people. Our time on this earth is short. Fears are mostly made up in the mind. Once you conquer internal fear, imposter syndrome as some refer to it, that’s when you can become who you want to be. Nothing is more free than that feeling right there. Real ones know (I’m working on it).“So the art of running downhill is about, “Hey, enjoy it. When you’re going downwind downhill, don’t trip yourself, because that uphill is coming, all right. It’s going to come whether you want it to or not. So don’t trip yourself and face plant right now, because you’re going to have to work your ass off here very shortly, anyway.”
“ […] And we’re not going to have this time forever, so let’s lean into the assets of being forced here with your son, you’re building a home with the woman you love, and you’ve got this family crisis that you’re dealing with, which is bringing you even closer to your blood family. So I was finding purpose in all of that. And as it usually happens, as it was getting to the point where, “Well, I don’t care, if anything comes in, I’m not even thinking about it. If any work comes in, I don’t really care.” Of course, that’s about the time that the work comes in.”
>> Celebrate the small wins and find out what’s working. The simple things. Something a COVID world has taught me to appreciate more. I know that I have big dreams and, thus, have a tendency to focus on the objective… catching myself thinking about the next challenge as opposed to enjoying the pleasantness of the present. Life is a journey. Not a milestone. Don’t forget to enjoy it once in a while.
Still with me? I wasn’t kidding about the podcasts > saunas > ice baths.
“Bullshit! Do talk to yourself. What I think we need to remember to do is when we’re asking ourselves these questions, just make sure we answer. If all we’re doing is asking ourselves questions, but never coming up with an answer, well, that can lead to some very imbalanced insanity at times. But to stick in there with it and go through the withdrawal of the not knowing, to go through withdrawal of the questions. And I don’t mean withdrawal from a substance. Go through withdrawal of not getting along with yourself is, I mean, a great thing to do, and it’s hard for a reason.”
>> I find myself talking to my alter ego, Block, more and more these days. Virtual hangs are starting to get pretty boring 🤷♂️ … but in all seriousness, this is a profound point. Don’t leave too many questions unanswered before moving forward in life.
“It seems to me that the common denominator, or the bipartisan non-denominational solid stepping stones for us to evolve as a species, as a nation, and as individuals, is based on values. The fundamental principles that we can all agree on. What do we value? We all want to be relevant. Well, let’s ask “Relevant for what?” before we say, “I want to be relevant.” And what are those values that we can go, “Oh, that’s—yeah, if I act that way, if I’m kind in that way, if I’m accountable in that way, if I have a sense of humor in that way, how does that very selfish act—because it’s good for me, good for my ego, builds me up, pays me back, gives me mailbox money, give me green lights in my future, but it also gives you mailbox money, it gives other people, it gives others residuals, and our future’s a compounding asset.” And I think we just need to work on and have fun understanding that.”
“That the things we do today, the choices we make, are compounding assets to what where we go in the future. And if we have made more valuable choices, and give more respect to the competence of values, our own personal values, we’re buying more ROI, we’re creating more green lights in the future for ourselves and others.”
>> The value of compounding cannot be understated. Money, but more importantly, oneself. This is a practice I have ingrained in my daily habits. Sprinkle seeds everywhere and water them with diligence, patience, and trust. The self-exponential growth will come for those that persistent…. and, well, because egotistical utilitarianism is the way (duh).
“We can laugh to have some humor through the tears, and humor through the pain and not laugh at someone else’s expense. Laugh at our expense, the human existence expense. Man, we’re doing the best we can. And for now, let’s help somebody try to.”
>> Truth. Remember this come tomorrow and beyond…
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📚⏯️🎤 #otherthings
I am starting an online community built on the curiosity pillars of this newsletter.
Why? Well because, in the spirit of bursting echo chambers, we have hundreds of readers from all over the world and I think its time we get to know one another a little more intimately and foster some connectivity sparks.
I am looking to continue to progress the experience that comes with reading #thebalance. My hope is that this is another way to add additional value into your life.
SO….
🚨🚨 I will be launching a community group chat on WhatsApp in the coming month whereby connections will be facilitated, knowledge will be shared, and digital meetups will be had.
…. hit reply and respond with a ‘✋’ if you are interested!
(for those that have already responded, I will be in touch soon!!)
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Stay safe out there. Peace and love to all y’all.
Curiously,
-Block
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About me:
My friends call me Block. I am the CSO & Cofounder at Alkemi.Network, a company building capital markets plumbing for the internet economy. This newsletter is my passion project.
I am endlessly curious and blissfully dissatisfied. I love new ideas, obsessed with all things technology, and am always seeking to broaden my perspective while striving for balance, of course.
I am a futurist, investor, entrepreneur, builder, advisor, life long learner, hockey player, traveler, podcast addict, hip-hop head, e-newsletter junkie, event planner, and comedic-short producer. Follow me on Twitter here and Instagram here.
“Find a question that makes the world interesting.” - Paul Graham