No #164 | January 26, 2025

by Matthew Boyd

Good morning, welcome to the weekly Lead It Cool.

Twenty years ago today (January 26), I had my "meet cute" moment with my wife, Valentina. I'm forever grateful that the universe brought us together on that day💗.

In this week's Lead It Cool newsletter:

• 🤑Beast Games
• 👷‍♀️How Big Things Get Done
• 🧠Brain Discomfort
• 🧘‍♀️Yoga Directions😆
• 😎Cool Links

🤑Beast Games

This week, my daughter came up to me with that serious tone kids use when they’re about to hit you with a big question.

"Dad, can I ask you something?"

"What is it, honey?" I asked, bracing myself for a deep, philosophical question about the complexities of life.

"Can we watch Beast Games?" she said. "All my friends are watching it."

And since I’m not the kind of dad to stop my kids from enjoying the “cool” thing their friends are into, I said, "Sure, why not?"

So we spent the week catching up on Beast Games.

For those of you who don’t know, Beast Games is YouTube megastar Mr. Beast’s reality TV show. It’s a 1,000-contestant competition with a $5 million prize at stake, a hybrid of Survivor, Squid Game, and Fall Guys. I went in expecting slapstick Gen Z chaos, but what I got instead was (checks notes) a surprisingly complex commentary on human nature and the philosophies of life.

Yes, you read that correctly.

I won’t spoil too much of the show because it’s a lot of fun and definitely worth watching, especially if you have kids. But here’s the basic premise: the contestants face challenges that test their physical and mental abilities, and at the heart of it all is a simple but profound dilemma: what’s best for me versus what’s best for the group?

This tension is magnified by the high stakes ($5 million) and the fact that these people have only known each other for a few days. In one moment, you see alliances forming and trust building. In the next, those same alliances crumble under the weight of self-interest. For example, a contestant faces the choice of taking $50,000 in cash, knowing it will result in the rest of their group being eliminated and leaving with nothing.

Watching this dynamic play out, I couldn’t help but think about how deeply this "me versus the group" conflict is woven into the fabric of human existence.

It’s not just a game show problem; it’s a life problem.

Think about history: civilizations that thrived didn’t succeed because individuals prioritized themselves, they thrived because people worked together, pooling resources, knowledge, and effort. Early hunter-gatherer societies were built on cooperation: everyone had a role, and survival depended on the group.

But as societies evolved, so did the idea of self-interest. From the rugged individualism of capitalism to the collective spirit of socialism, the tension between "me" and "we" has shaped entire political systems and ideologies.

The truth is, we need the group to thrive. No one builds success, happiness, or fulfillment alone. As the saying goes, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

And yet, we can’t ignore the fact that individual ambition drives innovation and progress. The tension between "me" and "we" is part of what makes us human. It’s also what makes Beast Games such a fascinating, and yes, philosophical, show to watch.

After one intense scene where a contestant turned down an insane amount of money to ensure that his team stayed in the game, my daughter turned to me and said, “What would you do, Dad?”

Good question...😊

👷‍♀️How Big Things Get Done

A colleague of mine recently recommended the book How Big Things Get Done by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner.

I’ll confess, I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but I did spend some time exploring the key themes online.

One concept that consistently came up was the importance of front-end planning. Or, as the old adage goes: measure twice, cut once.

Front-end planning is the practice of thoroughly preparing and strategizing before diving into execution. It’s about taking the time to understand what success looks like, align stakeholders, identify risks, and anticipate challenges, all before the first hammer hits the nail. It might not be glamorous, but it’s the foundation for any successful project. Without it, even the best ideas can falter under the weight of unforeseen obstacles or unclear goals.

This principle reminds me of one of my favorite quotes, often attributed to Abraham Lincoln:

"Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." 🪓🌳

🧠Brain Discomfort

I'm working on this side-project longer-form piece of writing and every time I review my work my instant reaction is: this is absolute garbage and I should just quit.

But then I read something like this below and that tiny bit of inspiration keeps the grind going.

Hopefully this also inspires others to keep grinding on their own challenges💪.

🧘‍♀️Yoga Directions 😆

🎯 (source)

😎Cool Links

🤔The Telepathy Tapes (podcast). In a world that often dismisses the extraordinary as mere fantasy, The Telepathy Tapes dares to explore the profound abilities of non-speakers with autism—individuals who have long been misunderstood and underestimated.

🌞You Made It Through the 10 Darkest Weeks of the Year.

🏈Josh Allen's teammates, past and present, reflect on the Quarterback's leadership. Allen's camaraderie with teammates was such that former roommate Adam Pilapil, now the linebackers coach at Colorado State, uses it as an example when recruiting. "He made an effort that mattered, and I always try to emulate that," Pilapil said. "Treat everybody like they're a rock star, and I think you kind of get that back in spades."

💡The Feynman Learning Technique. There are four steps to the Feynman Learning Technique, based on the method Richard Feynman originally used.

1. Pretend to teach a concept you want to learn about to a student in the sixth grade.
2. Identify gaps in your explanation. Go back to the source material to better understand it.
3. Organize and simplify.
4. Transmit (optional).

Finally, your weekly does of cute cats: Kittens. 😻

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