Ideas that shaped me

Here are 10 big ideas that shaped me to a better version.

1/ The magic of mindset + skillset + toolset.

Starting from cooking, cleaning to cockpit design the magic applies. Just "this" one question (do I have the necessary mindset, skillset and toolset to do this task now?) before doing a task keeps me in learning mode at all time.

The answer almost every time (is and) was NO. This made me recognise the gap. The gap made me learn something new and expand horizons inside me every single day.

"THIS" one question can change the trajectory of life.

2/ Ignorance >>> Knowledge.

I am 💯 sure this equation will hold good when I hit the grave as well. So why not make the most of it.

Anyways I am going to die ignorant. Can I pause and wonder this rabbit hole a little more? Can I learn something more deeper and see the beauty? This kept me grounded and made me immerse in the beauty of the now and not having a FOMO. Knowing that my ignorance is greater than knowledge I could engage in the present moment joyfully.

3/ Work with the human system and not against it.

As a system designer, there was no better principle that helped me as much as this one. Understanding human system deeply brings in empathy. Empathy for self and fellow humans + beings in this planet lie in that awareness. The more and more we work against the human system we create friction and we get things undone. When we work with the system, the system works for us.

Activities like hacking sleep, hacking human productivity, hacking information processing, hacking creativity and more should carefully consider the human system and the way it is made.  If not, we may crush it and undo a lot of good work done by evolution and ourselves.

4/ Be.Do.Have and not the other way around.

Taking an identity, doing all the activities of that identity and as a result having the outcomes of the identity worked better than otherwise. For example: If the aspiration is to become a runner, be a runner inside you and run as much as you can and as a result you would have run enough and to your surprise you would have run pretty well. The starting point is to live like one.

5/ Don't learn something unless until you have to

The more and more I understand how our brain works, I am convinced that it is more goal oriented than otherwise. Pick a project. Map the skills needed for that project and start learning what is needed for the project. The project could be even organising your home or making a meal. Without a project don't learn something random. It doesn't stick to your brain without application of the learnings. Example: Don't watch food porn unless until you need it for recipe.

6/ Time is life.

Time is not money. Money can be earned, saved, invested, borrowed, loaned but time cannot be. Time is life. It is ticking away every moment. The phenomenon of mortality brings in a sense of urgency and helplessness which forces me to do things matter in the present.

7/ Stop chasing things

It is fascinating that a chase is thrilling and endless. It is about what we don't have and what we are not (right now). A chase cements the fact that we are inadequate and we want something more to feel better or we need to something we are not. How about things we already have in hand? How about living life and not chasing life? We are always asked to become more. More beauty, more money, more titles, more and more.

How about taking we have naturally and what we are interested in naturally and nurture it further without worrying about what we don't have naturally?

8/ Enhance your max potential every moment.

Looking back, happiness or health or wealth did not make me feel full. Honestly there is enough happiness, enough health and enough wealth but still there is an emptiness. If we are not after happiness or health or wealth, what are we after? This question took me to the corners of life I have never been to. Looks like as a human species we regard max potential (meaning, impact, significance whatever it is called) as the highest virtue and trying to harness our max potential everyday keeps this being full and in flow.

Solve problems. Harness max potential.

9/ Mastering fundamentals take you very far.

There is so much to learn. There is so much to do. There is so much to experience. We have so little time. So how do we fathom the abundance around us? The answer is using first principles. Methods are always many. Principles are always a few. Go after the few.

10/ Freedom within boundary

We operate in scarcity. Scarcity of energy. Scarcity of time. Scarcity of consciousness and awareness. Scarcity of resources. Scarcity of focus & more scarcity. That is how economics of life works. To make the most of what we have, devise systems and routines for aspirations are similar for the human kind. The systems will reduce work. The routines will make it automatic in a good way. This boundary gives immense freedom to operate with.

The ideas shape your mental models. Later the mental models shape your world view. Change your ideas. Change your mental models and in turn change your world.

🥂 to mental models!