I couldn't agree more on that second point. I wish more people were conscious of their time. Spending time is spending life, understanding it to be the resource that it is. Understanding what you are spending your resources on and getting something out of them are the keys to lasting personal happiness -- and to making the most of what time you have with loved ones.
Thanks for your truly immanent JVLness. And I am definitely going to look into the email hacks in particular. Harder in my case since they are almost all work-related and only rarely optional, but I need to triage better there.
Most likely Ukraine end-point is neither of the polar opposites, much as we'd all like to see a fully successful Ukrainian repulsion of the Russians. Much depends on just how much Putin is willing to gamble. He has a crippled, inept army but a seemingly endless stockpile of missiles, many of which seem to have good accuracy. The ability to conquer seems limited, but that to wantonly destroy seems unlimited.
I have been picking up extremely good article reference from the Bulwark people. Today I clicked on links from "I Beg To Differ" and found them quite rewarding.
Wait, you have a process that saves 2 hours a day, has changed your life, and all it gets is a footnote? Please write about it! Maybe you can change some others' lives.
If I was still working, I'd subscribe to 'Every' straight away. The major 'No' for me now is not subscribing to Every newsletter that looks (and frequently is) interesting; that leaves me time for the ones I enjoy most and for the people that I too often didn't have or make time for prior to retirement. Thanks JVL and have a great weekend.
I always get a chuckle when people treat history (shit happening) as History (this seemingly quasi-divine thing that underpins the course of the universe).
I think it is kind of what happens when you kill God, but didn't quite finish God off.
Do not confuse the stuff that happened, is happening, and will happen with the narrative you want to tell yourself and others about it.
One is the result of a complex of interactions so far reaching and often invisible and obscure it is almost meaningless to talk about causation or it having a course or overarching structure and the other is...
a story.
Stories ARE important (to humans--it is what makes us human). We can't disregard them. But we also need to be aware of their nature and limitations WRT reality.
1. People who are willing to give up their personal lives in pursuit of some kind of big win are usually thinking that they'll only have to do it for a while. Once successful, they'll have much more control over their lives and their time than when they started. Obviously, this usually doesn't happen. Perhaps this is obvious but anyone suggesting that they shouldn't do that, should understand the mindset.
Great column per the usual. Especially liked the time management piece. I have very few meetings unless they are critical to completing a task (e.g. information gathering or decision making). I’m forwarding to my spouse who is in meetings all day every day to see if it will help her. All the best, Jack
Thanks JVL. The outcome in Ukraine and the survival of the liberal order is far from certain. My expectations on the West’s resolve are awfully low, but hope I am wrong.
Stand back and take a look at this "End of the end of history" sub specie aeternitatis and one will see that Ukraine is just one more in a succession of human conflicts between elites warring over control of resources. Here specifically Russian elites trying to wrest control from Ukrainian elites at the cost of everyone who happens to be in the way whether Russian or Ukrainian. Not the harbinger of a new birth of freedom just another repetition of the same old same old. Which elites will control resources. Which elites will profit from the conflict. Which elites get to dictate the terms of peace when the elites, on one side or both, are exhausted from prosecuting the war.
Nevertheless wars must be fought and Ukraine is a better cause than most taking place on the planet today.
What a great column. Not so much for me, I'm happily past all that, but I pain for my daughter who Is a Financial Planner. At this tax-time of year she is overwhelmed by unthinking clients. "Hi Cheryl, would you please call my accountant and tell him ------." I know she is a subscriber so I think she probably already read your column, I'm going to meet her soon, so we will have a great conversation. Thanks
Andrew Wilkinson is a baller. Seems like one of the most normal captains of industry I've ever heard (he and his partner oversee a collection of many company's that's worth more than $1B). He's done tons of digital businesses, but also owns a bakery and started a replacement for the local newspaper because he felt passionate about people knowing what was happening in their city. He's done a number of podcast interviews that I've found really interesting--check him out!
I couldn't agree more on that second point. I wish more people were conscious of their time. Spending time is spending life, understanding it to be the resource that it is. Understanding what you are spending your resources on and getting something out of them are the keys to lasting personal happiness -- and to making the most of what time you have with loved ones.
This is great. The founders commentary is so true. If you ruin everything personal, what’s the point !?
Thanks for your truly immanent JVLness. And I am definitely going to look into the email hacks in particular. Harder in my case since they are almost all work-related and only rarely optional, but I need to triage better there.
Most likely Ukraine end-point is neither of the polar opposites, much as we'd all like to see a fully successful Ukrainian repulsion of the Russians. Much depends on just how much Putin is willing to gamble. He has a crippled, inept army but a seemingly endless stockpile of missiles, many of which seem to have good accuracy. The ability to conquer seems limited, but that to wantonly destroy seems unlimited.
JVL, you're batting 1000 today. Three for three in awesomeness.
I have been picking up extremely good article reference from the Bulwark people. Today I clicked on links from "I Beg To Differ" and found them quite rewarding.
Very valuable curation from among the mass of information sources. Thank you Jonathan.
Wait, you have a process that saves 2 hours a day, has changed your life, and all it gets is a footnote? Please write about it! Maybe you can change some others' lives.
If I was still working, I'd subscribe to 'Every' straight away. The major 'No' for me now is not subscribing to Every newsletter that looks (and frequently is) interesting; that leaves me time for the ones I enjoy most and for the people that I too often didn't have or make time for prior to retirement. Thanks JVL and have a great weekend.
I always get a chuckle when people treat history (shit happening) as History (this seemingly quasi-divine thing that underpins the course of the universe).
I think it is kind of what happens when you kill God, but didn't quite finish God off.
Do not confuse the stuff that happened, is happening, and will happen with the narrative you want to tell yourself and others about it.
One is the result of a complex of interactions so far reaching and often invisible and obscure it is almost meaningless to talk about causation or it having a course or overarching structure and the other is...
a story.
Stories ARE important (to humans--it is what makes us human). We can't disregard them. But we also need to be aware of their nature and limitations WRT reality.
Do not mistake the story for the thing.
Two things:
1. People who are willing to give up their personal lives in pursuit of some kind of big win are usually thinking that they'll only have to do it for a while. Once successful, they'll have much more control over their lives and their time than when they started. Obviously, this usually doesn't happen. Perhaps this is obvious but anyone suggesting that they shouldn't do that, should understand the mindset.
2. I've forgotten what I wanted to say. Oops!
Great column per the usual. Especially liked the time management piece. I have very few meetings unless they are critical to completing a task (e.g. information gathering or decision making). I’m forwarding to my spouse who is in meetings all day every day to see if it will help her. All the best, Jack
Thanks JVL. The outcome in Ukraine and the survival of the liberal order is far from certain. My expectations on the West’s resolve are awfully low, but hope I am wrong.
Happy Easter to you and all the Bulwark+ members.
Stand back and take a look at this "End of the end of history" sub specie aeternitatis and one will see that Ukraine is just one more in a succession of human conflicts between elites warring over control of resources. Here specifically Russian elites trying to wrest control from Ukrainian elites at the cost of everyone who happens to be in the way whether Russian or Ukrainian. Not the harbinger of a new birth of freedom just another repetition of the same old same old. Which elites will control resources. Which elites will profit from the conflict. Which elites get to dictate the terms of peace when the elites, on one side or both, are exhausted from prosecuting the war.
Nevertheless wars must be fought and Ukraine is a better cause than most taking place on the planet today.
What a great column. Not so much for me, I'm happily past all that, but I pain for my daughter who Is a Financial Planner. At this tax-time of year she is overwhelmed by unthinking clients. "Hi Cheryl, would you please call my accountant and tell him ------." I know she is a subscriber so I think she probably already read your column, I'm going to meet her soon, so we will have a great conversation. Thanks
Andrew Wilkinson is a baller. Seems like one of the most normal captains of industry I've ever heard (he and his partner oversee a collection of many company's that's worth more than $1B). He's done tons of digital businesses, but also owns a bakery and started a replacement for the local newspaper because he felt passionate about people knowing what was happening in their city. He's done a number of podcast interviews that I've found really interesting--check him out!