No #161 | January 5, 2024

by Matthew Boyd

Good morning, welcome to the weekly Lead It Cool newsletter.

Last week, I mentioned that we need a name for the awkward days that fall between Christmas and New Years. This Xeet showed up in my timeline and it is 🎯.

From this day forward, the days between Christmas and New Years will be formally known as Monday + Friday: "The Frondays"😆

In this week's Lead It Cool newsletter:

• 🐶Dog Wisdom
• 🐠This is Water
• 🎣Fisherman Wisdom
• 🤣What is Email
• 😎Cool Links

🐶Dog Wisdom

At a party over the holiday season, I got into a friendly debate with a friend about what is a better pet: cats or dogs.

My friend's main argument was that, no matter how rough their day has been, their dog always greets them at the front door with unconditional love and affection - a daily joy they wouldn’t trade for anything.

This reminded me of something I’d written before about one of the most important lessons dogs teach us: go first.

With the new year underway, it feels like the perfect time to revisit this idea.

For the record, though, my friend didn’t change my mind. Cats for life😹.

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I stumbled across an article on Farnam Street by Peter Kaufman this week that has completely changed my perception of dogs.

It turns out that dogs may have a better understanding of human interactions than most humans do.

Kaufman believes that there are two "Big Ideas" to achieve success in life:

1. Mirrored Reciprocation: you get what you give
2. Compounding Interest: consistent actions over the long term generates positive results

So what does this have to do with dogs?

Well dogs have mastered these two "Big Ideas".

For example, every time a dog owner returns to their home after a long day at work, the dog will greet the owner at the door with an unconditional show of love and attention. And what does the dog get in return? Unconditional love and attention from the owner.

Dogs understand how Mirrored Reciprocation works. They give the owner love, and then they get it return. Dogs also understand the power of compounding interest. They repeat the same expression of love over an extended period which generates results increased adoration from their owner.

But what truly separates dogs from most humans is that they always go first. They don't wait for the owner to take action, they make the first move.

Here's a great summary on this from Kaufman:

So if you're stuck in a rut, or you're frustrated because someone isn't giving you the attention you're seeking, channel your inner dog, and go first.

Next week, I'll be writing about cats and the lessons they can teach us in ignoring and ungratefulness.😼

🐠This is Water

Something I watched on Youtube this week is David Foster Wallace's 2005 commencement speech which has become widely known as the "This is Water" speech. It's a profound reflection on the nature of everyday life, awareness, and the choices we make in how we perceive and respond to the world.

The title refers to a parable Wallace shares at the beginning of the speech: two young fish are swimming, and an older fish asks, "How's the water?" The young fish reply, "What’s water?"

The metaphor illustrates that the most important realities of life are often the hardest to see because they are so pervasive and ingrained in our existence. We swim in "water" (the routines, habits, and perspectives of daily life) but rarely notice it.

One part of the speech that really nails it is human's default setting to see ourselves as the center of the universe, interpreting everything in relation to our personal experiences and desires.

Wallace then challenges everyone to step outside this egocentric perspective and and consider other viewpoints, practice mindfulness and become more aware of the small but significant details of life (and appreciate that everyone else around us is also experience their own struggles and challenges).

See the water.

🎣Fisherman Wisdom

"Even in stillness, there's progress."

🤣What is Email?

Good luck on Monday everyone...

😎Cool Links

😎How to be cool. Coolness stems from individuality. Think about anyone ‘cool’ you notice on the street or meet at a party. They’re not cool because they seem vaguely like someone else you’ve met before. They’re cool because they are themselves. They are cool because they are (1) somehow different from everyone else, and (2) they lean into their difference. We all crave being true to ourselves. And when we see someone out there doing it, we think: fuck, that’s cool.

💀How to break free from your "toxic productivity" cycle. Of course, Nasir isn’t arguing that productivity is itself toxic. Many people desire to do meaningful work, develop themselves, and nurture supportive relationships — all of which take work, and sometimes hard work, to accomplish. When certain conditions are met, however, productivity can tip toward the unwholesome. To coin a phrase: It’s the dose that makes the poison.

🧠The Knowledge Project Best of 2024 (Podcast). The Knowledge Project closes 2024 with a look back at some of the best conversations of the year. Featuring interviews from some of our most downloaded episodes ever, this collection of conversations offers a variety of insights into finances and investing, improving your communication, marketing and positioning, business frameworks, health and nutrition, and how to beat death.

🤖AI Predictions for 2025. A list of predictions from entrepreneur Greg Isenberg. This one is really interesting: "AI-free" becomes the new organic. Products start advertising themselves as "made by humans" or "AI-free" as a premium feature. Not because they're better, but because humans start craving the imperfection and authenticity of human-made things.

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Let’s connect! 💬 You can find me on LinkedIn and Twitter