March 6, 2024
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Hickam's Dictum, Attentive Presence & More
At a glance
Good Morning. Welcome to all the new readers of Faster Than Normal who have joined us since last week!
Here’s what we’ll cover today:
Mental Model: Hickam's Dictum.
Insight: Attentive Presence.
Quote: Stellar DNA.
Question: Optimal Conditions.
Poem: The Cliff.
Cheers,
Alex
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| Mental Model
Hickam's Dictum
The opposite of Occam’s Razor: the simplest explanation is most likely.
In complex systems, problems usually have more than one cause.
E.g., In medicine, "patients can have as many diseases as they damn well please".
—John Hickam
Remember the context.
| Insight
True listening involves more than just hearing.
Challenge: Reflect on a recent conversation and write about how you could have been a more attentive listener. Consider how that could have changed the outcome of the conversation.
Example: Avoiding interruptions, asking follow-up questions, or being more empathetic.
| Quote
Carl Sagan, an astrophysicist and cosmologist, on the vastness of the universe and our place in it:
"The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff."
| Question
Think about a time when you felt exceptionally productive. What elements were present in your environment and mindset? How can you recreate these conditions regularly?
A Poem I Enjoyed
"The Cliff" by Rumi
Leap from the cliff into the unknown,
Trust in the wings you have grown,
With faith, resilience, and grace,
You'll soar to heights yet unknown.
Wednesday Picks
Discover the best sites and apps to simplify your life with Wonder Tools. More than 37,000 subscribers rely on the free weekly email by a former Time Magazine reporter. In 5 weekly minutes, you'll catch-up on what's most useful. A well-known reader recently tweeted, "One of the most useful weekly newsletters I get." Get it now free.
Andrew Huberman’s Morning Routine, Backed by Neuroscience by Dan Shipper, Julie Mosow, And Eric Thompson. Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neurobiologist and ophthalmologist at Stanford University, spills the beans on the secrets behind his morning rituals.
How to Become an Effective CEO: Chief Emotions Officer by Tim Ferriss. A trove of emotional equations aimed at transforming the way you think and live.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, all.
Until next time,
Alex
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