MuadDib

How bad is your fraternity

Staring at Cho Greedy Ostentatious Awesome Troubled Hedonic Erratic Awesome Rotting To be continued

Peek a boo

Sleeping Beauty

Heart rate during 4 rounds of breathing, followed immediately by a 5-minute ice bath. I have since done 2 more. Even though the water is much colder than a cold shower, the experience is much more enjoyable in my opinion. Under a shower, the cold just hits you randomly and there is the constant possibility to make minor movements to limit your exposure. Jumping into a plunge just swallows you whole, clean and simple. It's awesome. I'm now implementing this into my strength and agility routines before exercising, with the simple goal of getting in every day after doing the breathwork with visualizations/affirmations. I am taking an ''atomic habits'' approach; setting the bar extremely low, with consistency being the only objective. I already feel acute improvements in mood, energy, outlook, and sleep quality. It will be interesting to see what the benefits, and drawbacks are long term. And I'll experiment with different times and temperatures as the research is a bit fuzzy around all that. The paper that Huberman cites about dopamine increase found that dopamine levels only start to rise after a period of 20min in 14C water, for example. Also, homie here has good info on setting a chest freezer plunge up right.

Hungry beavers

Don't buy this flamethrower. Don't buy this stock.

DOCKING Now combining Wim Hoff breathwork, Stutz's reversal of desire, and Ubuntu with immediate cold exposure to retrain my neurology to move into discomfort and become addicted to the process.

I impulse-bought a freezer and sealed it today. The bodies will stay fresher for longer. Just gotta wait for my home brew temperature controller to arrive before things get wild.

@Alex M Interesting. I know that psychedelics have been shown to increase a person's openness to experience (in the big 5 personality model) by one standard deviation a year after a 'mystical experience' and that openness is the trait most closely correlated with left-leaning political outlooks. I'm currently learning all of the political ideologies to get a general sense of what they're about and where they loosely sit on this axis at the moment. I find myself humming and haaing over the good points in many of them. I want to be all the ideologies somewhat, but I have to agree with where I land as a result of the test overall so far.

Sweet Meathead Tre Flips

Apparently, I'm marginally more right-wing than Ghandi and Mandella. My results on this test haven't shifted much over the last 5 years. I wonder if it's true that people become more conservative as they age. Algorithmically it makes sense that older people would want things to stay more of the same as they settle into the exploit portion of an explore/exploit trade-off. Perhaps a shifting Overton window also affects how people land relative to where they started as they age. Perhaps a bit of both.

I am become death

Spring A youthful monarch's coronary grace Bestows warm light upon a city's face Homes steadfast, enduring as a mule's embrace The people's hearts pulse in rhythmic pace To the cadence of drums, a bountiful feast Their spirits alight, their joys increased Savoring divine love's sweet ambrosia, so tenderly released Amongst the birds and bees, nature's harmonious masterpiece

Nursing Placement In age-worn halls, a novice strides, Life's fragile dance, its ebb and tides, Pain, mess, and morphine met with grit, In old eyes, he finds life's orbit. With steady hands, he tends the frail, Resilient, firm, his care unveiled, With colleagues, bonds of strength are fused, United, they face storms, unbruised. Wrinkled hands, sunken cheeks expose, The depth that suffering juxtapose, Through challenges, his spirit thrives, In twilight's home, life's truth revives. Transformed, he bears the lessons learned, Through life's vast maze, connections earned, In kinship, solace, strength combined, He grasps the threads of life, entwined.

You gotta door?

The post reminded me of a clip from this podcast where Chris and Alex discuss the three most common traits of highly successful people, and prompted some interesting questions for me. The three traits were: superiority complex massive insecurity impulse control i.e. Narcissists/Cluster B-type people who can sit on their hands. It’s interesting to me that we have developed a framework for motivation based on the assumption that people need to run toward something they want while also running away from something they fear. How true is that? How much is that a generalization? Is it possible to find ‘motivation’ or discipline in other ways, or can we conceptualize it differently? How silly is the comparison between objective measures of ‘success’ when internally people value very different things, as they discuss what people optimize for? Their discussion of the tennis player who was categorized at 10 years old as ‘highly likely to be successful’ based on 2 metrics was interesting. Do ultra-wealthy/successful people become that way because they are already broken early? Or do those traits develop as they move into higher and higher echelons of society/social circles where those traits are more normalized? Is there a correlation between the two? When you’re lower down on the economic ladder do you become more empathic as a survival function? i.e. Does low SES cause higher empathy or does higher empathy cause lower SES, does lower empathy cause higher SES, or does higher SES cause lower empathy? Taking some of these questions into account and the answers we may develop, is it possible for someone who is ‘awake’, self-aware, and self-loving (In a genuine rather than pathological sense) to be motivated enough to push themselves up into these pathological spheres and work to remedy them? How likely are the chances of success in such an endeavor? How strong are the opportunities for self-deception? To me, it seems like a quantum leap in understanding human behavior would need to be made, with the development of psychological weapons equivalent to nuclear bombs to be deployed for there to even be a chance of ‘success’. OR very subtle, sneaky tools to push on high leverage points of systems, within systems within systems. Whether you’re working with a hippie starving artist who is too good for their own good or an eccentric billionaire who is too broken for everyone else's good.

I am going to begin by covering/reviewing each of the micro and macronutrients, what they are, what they do in the body, as well as some common sources for each. I'll go through them one by one, over time. After that, I might delve into stimulants (e.g. caffeine), antioxidants, heavy metals, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, artificial flavors, etc., and then describe various diets, food preparation techniques, bioavailability, glycaemic index (GI), glycaemic load (GL), cholesterols and other such concepts and areas of interest. First things first. MACRONUTRIENTS: Carbohydrates: Simple carbohydrates Monosaccharides (e.g. glucose, fructose) Disaccharides (e.g. sucrose, lactose) Complex carbohydrates Starches (e.g. corn, potatoes, grains) Fibers (e.g. cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin) Fiber Soluble fiber Insoluble fiber Proteins: Complete proteins Animal sources (e.g. meat, fish, poultry, dairy) Soy products Incomplete proteins Legumes (e.g. beans, lentils, peas) Grains (e.g. rice, wheat, oats) Nuts and seeds Complementary proteins Grains and legumes Nuts or seeds and legumes Fats: Saturated fats Animal fats (e.g. butter, lard) Tropical oils (e.g. coconut oil, palm oil) Unsaturated fats Monounsaturated fats (e.g. olive oil, avocados) Polyunsaturated fats (e.g. omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids found in fish, nuts, and seeds) Trans fats Naturally occurring trans fats (e.g. in dairy and meat products) Artificial trans fats (e.g. in many processed foods) MICRONUTRIENTS: Vitamins Fat-soluble vitamins: Vitamin A Vitamin D Vitamin E Vitamin K Water-soluble vitamins: Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Vitamin B3 (Niacin) Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) Vitamin B7 (Biotin) Vitamin B9 (Folate) Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) Vitamin C Minerals Major minerals: Calcium Chloride Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Sulfur Trace minerals: Chromium Copper Fluoride Iodine Iron Manganese Molybdenum Selenium Zinc Also, Water!

I did 10 pushups today.

Practicing Ubuntu, coupled with 'Jeopardy' from Phil Stutz's book the tools to connect with Willpower: Practicing 'The reversal of desire', from the same book, coupled with my own 30-minute version of tummo breathing to connect with the force of forward motion and positively associate taking action:

Spirit Angler

THAR SHE BLOWS!

How I Lost 65 Pounds in 5 Months https://youtu.be/pYVjxSopKzw Leo Gura's weight loss journey: Started as an overweight kid Struggled with self-image and limiting beliefs Tried diets and gym stints without success Confidence issues, especially around women Turning point: Interaction with a girl in college chemistry class Imagined a relationship with her if he got fit Realized he needed to feel good about himself before pursuing a relationship Triggered a powerful motivation to get fit Motivation: Visualization of being fit and having a relationship with the girl Felt 110% confident he could achieve his goal Motivation turned into action Resolutions and actions: Commit to going to the gym five days a week for the rest of his life Tackle weight loss through diet and exercise Cut out soda and transition to iced tea with sugar substitutes Reduce portion sizes and stop overeating Cut out sweets and desserts Remove all food from pantry and fridge to prevent snacking Study fitness, health, and nutrition to improve understanding Results: Lost 65 pounds in five months Kept the weight off for eight years Implications for personal development: Studying the factors that led to his success Replicating that motivation and drive Believing in oneself and being 100% committed to a goal Overcoming limiting beliefs Leo Gura discusses his weight loss journey: Realization of the need to change diet and exercise habits Initial focus on consuming fewer calories and cutting out sweets Key inspiration: article on food cravings from intense-workout.com Article emphasized inner game and mental strength Helped set Leo's mental attitudes and approach to weight loss Applying lessons from the article: Resisting cravings and making long-term mental shifts Example of resisting Klondike bar craving, a defining moment Starting at the gym: Workout schedule: 5 days a week, weightlifting on Monday, Wednesday, Friday Cardio: treadmill and bicycle Started with low intensity to ease into exercise Overcoming insecurities: Acknowledging that appearance and performance will improve over time Committing to long-term change, not a quick fix Approach to diet: Avoided calorie counting Focused on sustainable, healthy eating habits Concerns about counting calories: Too much work, not sustainable long-term Wanted a consistent approach to eating Using feelings of hunger and fullness instead: Start by leaving a bit of food on the plate Ramp up the amount of food left on the plate Aim for moderate fullness, not overstuffing Breaking the habit of overeating Overcoming limiting beliefs: Wasting food Fear of being hungry and unable to focus Getting comfortable with hunger: Purposefully keeping oneself hungry Learning to cope with and accept hunger Two-sided approach to weight loss: Fitness: working out at the gym Calorie deficit: skipping or substituting meals Results: Lost 65 pounds in 5 months Achieved by gym workouts and calorie deficit Surprising reactions from others: Friends, family, and college peers noticed the change Parents worried about being too thin or anorexic Environmental factors contributing to weight gain: Grew up in a household with large portions and no emphasis on healthy eating Challenges when making drastic changes: People around you may try to hold you back Theories on why this happens: loss of control, challenging expectations Impact on relationships: Jealousy or resentment from others who haven't made changes Changes in behavior and activities may make others uncomfortable Ostrich analogy: people often avoid change, like ostriches with their heads in the sand Making changes can be uncomfortable for those around you, causing them to resist and resent To make big changes, sometimes drastic actions are needed, such as changing friends and family dynamics Outgrowing friends and getting new ones may be necessary to avoid being dragged back into old habits Crabs in a bucket analogy: people may unintentionally hold each other back from progress Leo's story: lost 65 pounds in 5 months and maintained it for 8 years Importance of connecting with motivation and using willpower to power through challenges Willpower needed to lose weight is different from the willpower needed to maintain it Beliefs and mindsets have permanently shifted, making it easier to maintain healthy habits Going to the gym consistently and adjusting diet, cutting out carbs, sugars, and bread for better health and energy Initial motivation: looking good, which later evolved to include improving energy, performance, and long-term health Explored weight lifting techniques, paleo diet, and healthy eating for overall wellness and better performance in various aspects of life Taking care of your body to avoid developing diseases like cancer and diabetes Interlinked

The Most Interesting Problem in Philosophy and Science https://youtu.be/JL3tHS7v334 Introduction Leo Gura discusses phenomenology and its importance in personal development Focuses on first-person experiences Phenomenology Branch of philosophy dealing with first-person experiences Studies experiences from the first person, contrasting with science, psychology, and philosophy Rich history, ties in with the philosophy of mind Qualia Subjective properties experienced in day-to-day life (e.g., colors, sounds) Personal and subjective, difficult to discuss using standard scientific models Challenges science to reconcile and explain qualia Neuroscience and consciousness Current science discounts the importance of qualia, attributes mental phenomena to neurological activity However, the question remains: how can we find qualia like the experience of the color red within the brain? Observing oneself for self-growth Emphasizes the importance of observing oneself from the first person to aid in self-discovery and personal development The Molyneux Problem Thought experiment about a blind person gaining vision Questions whether the person would be able to distinguish between a sphere and a cube visually Confirmed in a 2003 study: the sense of touch and vision are decoupled in distinguishing shapes Shows the constructed nature of our understanding and perception of reality The Reverse Spectrum Problem Questions whether two observers experience qualia in the same way, specifically in regards to color Example: Is the perception of red the same for both observers? Difficulty in comparing qualia due to their subjective nature Conclusion Phenomenology and the study of first-person experiences provide valuable insights into personal development and the understanding of reality Raises important questions about the nature of our perceptions and experiences Blues in different realities Agreement on labels despite potentially different experiences Qualia: slippery, tricky, private experiences First-person experiences and importance in understanding Unknowable shared experiences Assumptions about shared reality, but no real proof Challenge of comparing inner consciousness Consciousness not reducible to physical things Self-development Importance of self-observation and understanding Deceiving ourselves about self-knowledge and consciousness Recognizing and addressing inner forces driving us First-person experiences often discounted in society Personal growth and self-mastery Peter Ouspensky and G.I. Gurdjieff The Psychology of Man's Possible Evolution Importance of long-term commitment to self-development Acquiring faculties we mistakenly think we possess Self-deception in self-development Lack of self-awareness and understanding of our limitations Analogy to complicated machines Importance of observing and understanding ourselves Everyday application Realization that we often act unconsciously Becoming aware of habits and routines Acknowledging the complexity of our minds Connection to behavior change Challenges in behavior change Lack of understanding and experience in addressing inner forces Grasping in the dark, leading to failure Appreciating challenges in self-development Example of dieting and breaking habits Stuffing face with chips on autopilot Acting without conscious thought Driven by unseen forces Catching yourself in the act If conscious, notice the action Reflect on why it's happening Observe the automatic behavior Willpower and consciousness limitations Not always in a high conscious state Often in low consciousness or autopilot mode Effective behavior change and personal growth Observe and learn about your patterns Outsmart your own biology and thinking patterns Think in a roundabout way to achieve results Willpower and losing focus Original intentions may be forgotten Focus shifts to other aspects of life Importance of observing own patterns Feelings, beliefs, and thoughts Exercise: Monitor thoughts throughout the day Pause and reflect on current thoughts Identify worries, anxieties, or negative thoughts Unresourceful states and thoughts Large part of the day spent in these states Work on eliminating and improving these thoughts Utilize techniques to address and change patterns Interlinked

Inner Game of Career Development https://youtu.be/mltXbRgFlOo Importance of inner game in career development For individuals who care about their careers, especially long-term, skill-based careers Inner game is critical for success Leo's career development experience First career: video game designer Required diverse skill set (writing, history, culture, gaming, art, programming, marketing, business acumen) Challenges faced due to inner game issues Inner game challenges Lack of patience and unrealistic expectations Wanted career advancement and impact quickly Lack of focus Jumping from one project or opportunity to another, without building career capital Feeling of inadequacy Surrounded by top-notch professionals, felt like he knew only a small percentage of what he needed to know Led to doubts, office politics, and other issues Importance of self-awareness and self-development Had Leo known what he knows now, his experience would have been different Best practices for developing careers Addressing inner game challenges Realistic expectations and patience Understanding the long-term nature of career development Focus and dedication Committing to one's chosen path and not getting sidetracked Confidence and perspective Recognizing one's progress and not feeling inadequate in the face of more experienced professionals Consequences of not addressing inner game issues Burnout Conflicting side projects Shift in focus away from core career goals Loss of valuable career capital Importance of guidance and learning from others' experiences Coaches, mentors, or books can help with inner game issues and prevent trial and error Key takeaways Inner game is crucial for successful career development Addressing inner game issues can lead to better career outcomes and personal satisfaction Seeking guidance and learning from others can help with addressing inner game challenges Starting own business leads to diversified focus No longer spending 90% of time on design Time allocation: 10% design 20% programming 20% art 20% marketing 10% finance Best investment of time for long-term career goals Spreading energy across various areas could be beneficial for designers Importance of being a highly specialized designer Specialization vs. generalization Companies often hire specialists for specific roles Being the best in a specific area can lead to premium pay Society values specialization as niches become more focused Importance of inner game and self-development Reflecting on past experiences and decisions Imagining the potential of being a highly valued, well-paid designer with current knowledge Importance of inner game for career development Addressing inner blocks that prevent full engagement and long-term investment Issues to address: Consistent problems with coworkers Confidence issues Focus and staying on track Reconnecting with career and ensuring sustainability Long-term benefits of investing in inner game Earning potential Greater career impact Gaining respect due to valuable skills and knowledge Interlinked