On Growing
|
My theme for 2026 is grow. I've chosen the verb form over the noun form, growth, as a reminder to myself that growing as a person is the result of actions and decisions, it's an active process. May I grow with everything I pursue next year. Some values that sit underneath this theme for me are service and reciprocity. The more I grow, the bigger I am, the greater capacity I have, the more I can give to others. The rhythm of giving and receiving is meaningful to me, and I can better participate in that rhythm by growing. Here are some ways I have previously interacted with the concept of growth: I drew this image (originally titled Self Love): I wrote these tweets: How to grow: 1. Find bottleneck 2. Fix bottleneck 3. Repeat may you appreciate growth even when it's painful ❤️ You keep the spark alive in a relationship by actively engaging with your life: always growing and expanding so that who you are naturally shifts over time. When you both do this, you're excited to learn more and more about the person you are and the person you're with. I got complimented this morning for asking for help 😊 it can be a stretch for me as someone with a bias towards independence and going it alone. I'm excited to continue to grow this muscle as I become more capable and powerful. 1. enjoy life 2. learn and grow 3. serve others Doing the courageous thing has no downside because you grow your capacity to live a more expansive life regardless of the outcome Accelerate your personal growth by doing whatever you're resisting as often as possible. I wrote these essays: the fear to love pipeline, you need to be agencymaxxing, do something different I made this video: move towards the goal ~*~*~*~ On my Substack I am going to write every day in January about seeing your life as fun games to play. To me this is a valuable and under-discussed framework and I look forward to sharing 31 posts worth of ideas about it. Happy New Year! May 2026 unfold in alignment with your highest desires. |
@strangestloop
Baba Is You is a puzzle game where word order matters. Rules can be changed - and usually must be changed - in order to win a level. Here's an example that shows the importance of word order: Baba Is You, Wall Is Stop The level's initial ruleset gives it standard puzzle game rules: You are the character (Baba), the win area is over there, obstacles are in the way. However, we can manipulate the Wall Is Stop rule by breaking the sequence of words, so that the walls no longer stop the...
Everything good in life is the result of collaboration. Art is created and experienced. Products are bought and sold. Ideas are given and received. Therefore it is wise to hold a conscious intention to maximize your chances to meet your collaborators. You meet your collaborators by introducing yourself. This can happen on a walk at the park, in line for the bathroom, by posting that interesting idea online. Once you give someone something to engage with, you both get to look for similarities...
During a Gamification Conversation, I helped a startup founder create a framework of rules, rewards, and accountability for the area of his work that gave him the most resistance. This framework made him visibly excited - he was glad to have a lighter perspective on the work that was so heavy to him that he frequently avoided it. Towards the end of our conversation he asked why I was doing this. What's important to me about this offering? I feel most fulfilled when I give something that...