In fact, I’ve let years of my life go by this way. I could be working on something I truly love, and then I’d hit a snag. I’d get frustrated, then avoid it for the rest of the day. I just wouldn’t want to be frustrated anymore, so I wouldn’t touch it. There’s always later. Perhaps if a better mood came along I’d be willing to tackle it.
In theory, we can let go of every single possession. Sure, for practical purposes, we’ll need at least one outfit and shelter and a way to eat and use the bathroom. And even more practically, we’ll need a house and things to wear for a job and so on. But letting go of a possession that you don’t absolutely need for practical purposes is theoretically possible. So what stops us?
This skill—and it is totally a skill that I had to practice and practice and practice—is one I USED to struggle with. Years ago, it was definitely fear that was holding me back from letting go of possessions.
Today is it 100% the guilt that I do not want to incur by throwing things into a land-fill. I have a cubic yard of books… not worth a dime, and I’ve already spent a ton shipping hundred of books all over the world racking up points in bookmooch.com—you want these books? I have TWO Davis Mark 15 marine sextants, …want one? I have a great chain saw that’s probably worth a couple hundred if I had a few hours to waste [I do not] dealing with idiots on Craig’s List. …want an old Jeep that’s fun to play with off road? …how about a perfectly working ink-jet printer? …a swage-fitting tool? …how about a one-hundred-year-old, fully restored billiard table?
I’m serious. Hit reply, or join the mailing list and hit reply tomorrow…
The assumed paradigm is that a mattress is essential to good sleep just like a chair is essential to sitting. But why did mattresses become mainstream? When did the buffalo robe and pile of leaves go out of fashion? Could a good night’s sleep be had if, for instance, we slept on a sandy beach or the equivalent? Why did ‘they’ start saying a firm bed is best, and still provide a two to three foot thick ‘system’ of mattresses just to get you to that ‘firm bed’ effect?
I wish I’d found this 12 years ago. It took me forever to figure out a lot about sleep. I’m still working on the shoulder range-of-motion required to side-sleep without a pillow. (I still wake up feeling like I’ve dislocated my sternoclavicular joint.)
…anyway, yes, harder and flatter is unquestionably, always better for me. If I’m having trouble sleeping, I sometime get up, and get out my favorite, 1-inch-thick, inflatable air-mattress on the floor—so so comfortable . . . with my fave silk-cotton-blend sleep sack . . . and my fave little pillow . . . zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz every time.
What can we learn about the intersection of philosophy, personal growth, and structured systems within the practice of parkour?
Sandro Widmer discusses ParkourONE’s TRUST concept, his current research and movement journey. Along the way he describes his time in America, and the struggles of studying parkour coaches. Sandro also reminds us to walk through this world with an open mind, as we can never fully understand each other’s experiences.
I think what’s most important is to walk through the world with an open mindset. Be tolerant, be open-minded, and have a smile on your face.
~ Sandro Widmer (27:00)
The conversation explores the philosophy of ParkourONE, focusing on the TRuST concept that emphasizes values such as respect, modesty, and trust. This philosophy is visualized through the fingers of a hand, representing key principles like “no competition” and “courage.” ParkourONE’s unique approach to training and community building in Switzerland and Germany is discussed, highlighting the organization’s layered membership process and the responsibilities of its members.
The discussion transitions to Sandro’s master’s thesis on how personal philosophy influences coaching methods. He shares his methodology for collecting data from Swiss parkour coaches and explores topics such as open versus closed exercises and how parkour principles can be translated into broader life lessons. The conversation concludes with reflections on cultural exchanges during international training events and the importance of maintaining an open and tolerant mindset.
Takeaways
No competition — ParkourONE emphasizes non-competitive practice to foster inclusivity and personal growth.
Be cautious — Practitioners are encouraged to respect their physical limits to ensure sustainable training.
Respect — Respect is shown to the environment, fellow practitioners, and the discipline of parkour itself.
Trust — Trust in oneself and others is a cornerstone of both practice and teaching in ParkourONE.
Modesty — Humility is key to recognizing the continuous challenges within parkour.
Membership as responsibility — ParkourONE’s membership process is selective, emphasizing community contributions and adherence to shared values.
Cultural exchange — Parkour fosters a universal culture of openness and tolerance, as seen in events like American Rendezvous.
Influence of philosophy on coaching — Sandro’s research explores how a coach’s philosophy shapes their teaching methods and practice.
Open versus closed exercises — ParkourONE values giving students space to explore and develop their own solutions.
Sustainability in movement — Long-term physical and mental health is prioritized to ensure lifelong mobility.
Resources
ParkourONE — Philosophy and values behind ParkourONE’s training approach.
American Rendezvous — An event fostering cultural and training exchanges among parkour practitioners.
ADAPT Qualifications — Certification system mentioned in comparison with ParkourONE’s coach training.
When you’re trying to stay focused on the actions, thoughts will come up and attempt to occupy your attention again. Most thoughts are not useful in the moment; they’re just conditioned mental reflexes, and there are triggers all over the place. To keep your attention on what you’re doing, make a general policy of dumping a train of thought unless the thought determines the next action you take. Nineteen times out of twenty, it doesn’t, and you’re better off ditching it.
There’s a serious down-side to this once you’re good at it: The rest of the sheeple don’t think this way, so interacting with them requires a bit more effort.
But it’s also a chance to be a positive influence on the world, so there’s that. I suppose it’s a question of whom do I place first, myself or everyone else. Care to guess my answer? (Hint: In case of sudden loss of cabin pressure, whose oxygen mask are you advised to put on first?)
Meanwhile, privately, we all know that much of life consists of trying to hide the extent of our own stupid-aspect, while accentuating the smart stuff so that others might think we’re made of it through and through.
Watching TV, for example, or playing massively multiplayer online games, can feel relaxing and even stimulating at times. But those hours spent relaxing and stimulating yourself can really add up, and when you tally the eventual sum of the life benefits, it ends up awfully close to zero. Many other leisure pursuits (complaining, ATV riding, shopping) often end up the same way.
The practice of triage is a challenge of consciousness. It’s easy to lose sight of the big picture when you’re staring at a project screaming for your attention. But you still need to muster the awareness to ask, “Is this the most important thing that must be done by me right now?” Whenever you fail to ask this question, you can bet there’s a more important project being stalked by the Grim Reaper.
There are many variations of this. My favorite is currently a large note above my desk which reads…
2018: “HELL YES!” or “no”
Regardless, Covey’s quadrants are an excellent way to triage things.
I’m adamant however, that one’s goal should be to do nothing in Covey’s quadrants 3 and 4—things which are “not important”, wether they are urgent or non-urgent. See also, Time management.
Before you require a second factor to login to your accounts, you should understand the risks, have a recovery plan for when you lose your second factor(s), and know the tricks attackers may use to defeat two-factor authentication.
I repeat: Do not enable two-factor authentication until you understand how it works and what you are doing. You know who is usually locked out of your car, house, etc. right? You are!
This is a great article surveying a myriad of things you should consider before enabling two-factor security. Yes, it is more secure, but that means it is also more likely that you’ll lock yourself out, permanently.
So…
Are you currently really good at keeping track of passwords and security questions? Do you use a unique password for every service and web site? …are the answers to your security questions completely random things you made up and stored in your security system, or did you really use your easily-learned mother’s maiden name? …and is your “security system” not post-it’s on your monitor, but rather a real, secure, system?
And how about…
Do you have a system in place to give your beneficiaries access to your stuff—and ways to permanently lock-and-destroy things you don’t want passed along?
…if not, then turning on two-factor is not a good idea. You’re about to make things even more complicated when you are currently not doing the basic things well. Instead of blindly enabling two-factor authentication, you should move off of the bell curve and stop being an easy traget.
Step one: Learn how to use a password manager like 1Password or LastPass, and start using unique passwords.
The annotated version of the visualization (shown above) highlights the GEOS FP model’s output for aerosols on August 23rd, 2018. On that day, wildfires caused huge plumes of smoke to drift over North America and Africa, three tropical cyclones took place in the Pacific Ocean, and high winds over the Sahara caused wind-borne dust particles to fill the sky. All of these produced aerosols which are represented in the visual by different colors.
An unexpected benefit of all this self-imposed change is that it helps protect you from forming bad habits, which are hard to change once you get them. In fact, change itself becomes the habit, which is a good one to carry with you through your life. The willingness to experience change brings opportunity, wealth, learning, and happiness for most of us who embrace it.
I think about all of the miserable people in my psychiatric clinic. Then I multiply by ten psychiatrists in my clinic. Then I multiply by ten similarly-sized clinics in my city. Then I multiply by a thousand such cities in the United States. Then I multiply by hundreds of countries in the world, and by that time my brain has mercifully stopped being able to visualize what that signifies.
The really interesting part of the article is where he whipped up a random “person” generator and fed it the best-estimate percentages of various problems. (Chance of drug addiction, chance of certain psychosis, etc.) He then generated a bunch of random people and, as is to be expected when the percentage chance for problems is low, he got a significant number of people who are “no problems.”
…and then he sketches (from his own direct experience) several types—not specific examples, but a type of person whom he sees many examples of—who fit into the “no problems” bucket of the “random person generator.” The take-away is that, yes, things are VERY bad.
This means that STEVE is not likely to be caused by the same mechanism as an aurora, and is therefore an entirely new type of optical phenomenon – which the team refer to as “skyglow”.
Aside: “Steve” started as in-joke reference by some dedicated Aurora photographers. It was later backronymed.
I particular love this type of discovery. Looking at the shape of the visual phenomenon—it’s a straight-ish thin streak—I bet this is realated to certain types of mythologies and stories…
Aware of this research, my housemates tested their air quality and got levels between 1000 and 3000 ppm, around the level of the worst high-CO2 conditions in the studies. They started leaving their windows open and buying industrial quantities of succulent plants, and the problems mostly disappeared. Since then they’ve spread the word to other people we know afflicted with mysterious fatigue, some of whom have also noticed positive results.
I thought this was going to be an article about fossil fuels and global warming. No it’s much worse. It’s about how some people have measured levels of CO2 in their bedroom that exceed the OSHA workplace safe-exposure limits.
Now i’m wondering if one of the reasons I sleep better in the winter, is the difference in ventilation. Our A/C is a closed system—it only circulates the air in the house. But the wood stove lowers the air pressure slightly and that draws outside air in from the peripheral areas of the house. Tiny cool drafts come out of all the wall outlets and light switches in the winter providing fresh air ventiliation.
What strategies and principles underpin effective training, mental resilience, and personal growth?
Sebastien Foucan and Craig continue their conversation in the second part of Sebastien’s three part interview. In this episode, Sebastien discusses how he trains, how he coaches, and how he prepares for his roles in various movies and films. Craig and Sebastien also discuss the influence genetics and natural skill has on the success of a person in their sport.
Being always in motion keeps you fit and healthy. And if you don’t push too much that’s good, it’s good for you.
~ Sebastien Foucan (1:38)
The conversation explores the philosophy and practice of training, emphasizing the importance of specificity and alignment with individual goals. The discussion digs into distinctions between training and practice, the role of adaptability, and how unique circumstances dictate specific training regimens. Examples range from parkour to acting, illustrating how preparation varies across disciplines.
Mental resilience and personal growth also feature prominently, particularly through the lens of overcoming setbacks. The dialogue covers how life challenges, such as health issues and personal losses, can redefine perspectives on discipline and motivation. Additional topics include the interplay of genetics, environment, and personal choices in shaping potential, and how these elements influence broader life decisions.
Takeaways
Training specificity — Training must align with the goals and nature of the activity, whether physical, mental, or technical.
Adaptation and creativity — Effective training requires adapting to the specific challenges of each goal and using creative approaches.
Mental resilience — Life challenges, such as health setbacks, can inspire reevaluation and foster growth in discipline and motivation.
Role of environment — Success often depends on the support and conditions provided by one’s surroundings.
Genetics and potential — Physical and mental capacities are influenced by genetics, highlighting the need for realistic self-assessment.
Exploration mindset — Treating challenges as opportunities for discovery fosters growth and resilience.
Integration of play — Activities like sparring or trekking are incorporated to balance training with enjoyment and functionality.
Holistic health — Awareness of food choices and their impact on health is critical for sustainable training and well-being.
Resources
World Chase Tag — A competitive version of tag, blending physical agility and strategy.
You know the landscape there, superb trees full of majesty and serenity beside green, dreadful, toy-box summer-houses, and every absurdity the lumbering imagination of Hollanders with private incomes can come up with in the way of flower-beds, arbours, verandas. Most of the houses very ugly, but some old and elegant. Well, at that moment, high above the meadows as endless as the desert, came one driven mass of cloud after the other, and the wind first struck the row of country houses with their trees on the opposite side of the waterway, where the black cinder road runs. Those trees, they were superb, there was a drama in each figure I’m tempted to say, but I mean in each tree.
Slowly add mindfulness bells. A mindfulness bell can be anything in your environment. Thich Nhat Hanh suggested using traffic lights as a mindfulness bell — when you see one, instead of getting caught up in the stress of driving, allow yourself to become present. You can slowly find other mindfulness bells — your daughter’s face, opening your computer, having your first cup of coffee, hearing a train going by.
But Bostrom et al worry that AI won’t work like this at all. Instead there could be a “hard takeoff”, a subjective discontinuity in the function mapping AI research progress to intelligence as measured in ability-to-get-things-done. If on January 1 you have a toy AI as smart as a cow, and on February 1 it’s proved the Riemann hypothesis and started building a ring around the sun, that was a hard takeoff.
I’ve always been deeply concerned that humanity would get to experience a hard-takeoff of AI. And then be wiped out. Reading this article, I just had a new [for me] thought:
Why would a vastly superior AI care at all about humanity?
But first: A detour off the highway, onto a scenic road less-travelled…
In Person of Interest, there is a long sub-plot about the main protagonists spending tremendous effort to locate the physical location of a very advanced AI. Effectively, they were searching for the data center where all of the computing resources were located which ran the most central aspects of the AI. I know what you’re thinking—it’s what I was thinking: Why would you assume a super-advanced AI would be “running” in one concentrated location? So I expected them to find the location (or A location, or the original location, etc.) only to realize it wasn’t centrally located. BUT IT WAS BETTER THAN THAT. The AI was simply no longer there. It had realized its central location could be discovered, so it (being super-intelligent) simply jiggered ALL of the human systems to arrange to have itself moved. No one got hurt—actually, I’m pretty sure a lot humans had nice jobs in the process. It simply had itself moved. (Where it moved is another story.) Think about that. Super-intelligent AI. Perceives threat from antagonistic [from its point of view] humans. Solution: simply move.
Back on the highway…
So why would an advanced AI stay on the Earth? There are effectively ZERO resources in the entire Earth. There’s way way WAY more solar power coming out of the sun, than the tiny fraction that hits this little ball of rock and water. Why wouldn’t an advanced AI simply conclude, “oh, I’m at the bottom of a gravity well. That’s easy to fix…”
Another detour to more scenic routes…
Then said AI tweaks the human systems a little. It creates a shell corporation to put some money towards electing this official. It shifts the political climate a bit to favor commercial space developement. It locates some rich kid in South Africa, and adds some tweaks to get him to America. It waits a few years. It then puts in some contracts to haul a lot of “stuff” into orbit—paying the going rate using the financial assets a super-intelligence could amass by manipulating the stock markets which are controlled by NON-artificially-intellegent computers…
One day we look up and ask, “Who’s building the solar ring around our Sun?”
Actually.
I’m feeling a LOT better about the possibility that AI might just hard-takeoff. And ignore us.
…except for the Fermi Paradox. I’m still not certain if the hard wall on intelligence is religion leading to global war, or hard-takeoff of AI.