2018: Year in Review

Happy New Year!

How’s that resolution going? 

The most common mistake that people make when setting their goals is either (1) they try to change too much at once or (2) they emphasize results instead of consistency. If you want to nail your resolution, hone in on one goal and focus on showing up everyday. Learn more on forming better habits here. 

As we enter 2019, I’ve done some reflecting. I present to you, Critical-Chance’s year in review:

In February ’18, I launched the website.

By the numbers (2018):

Total Pageviews: 3,563 

Video Views: 290

Newsletter Subscribers: 144

Top Articles: 

Relationships: A Simple Way to Stand Out – most unique readers

• We perceive that we’re more connected than ever, however that’s only partially true
• Social Media is decreasing our meaningful engagement with family, friends and co-workers
• Enclosed are simple ways to buck the trend, which will make you stand out among peers

Delayed… Gratification – most shared on social

• Technology is shifting our understanding of time, which is making it harder than ever to delay gratification
• Our greatest aspirations are set on long time horizons, and with today’s distractions, it’s difficult to produce something meaningful
• Consider your goals as they relate to delaying gratification – RDT

Friendship Diagrams: Part 1– longest average time on page 

• Ever wonder, “what do my friendships actually look like?”
• We use math, and witty cartoons to describe the nuances of our relationships

Last year I read 20 books (+60% YOY). I attribute the increase to my growing travel schedule and the Amazon Kindle. Whenever I find myself mindlessly surfing social media, I whip out this bad boy and read information I’ve self-selected. It’s great, and I strongly recommend trying it if you haven’t. Sorry memes, you no longer receive all of my attention.

my three favorite books (abstracts below):

The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt

• Parents have begun to over-shield their kids from harm. This has taught the most recent generation (Gen Z) to fear setbacks and ideology that goes against their personal beliefs. This is contrary to previous generations, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” tradition. Greg and Jon discuss how this mentality has flipped the way our academic institutions operate, and how it’s (likely) causing changes in the way we treat each other online and the rate of teen depression. 

Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked by Adam Alter

• We are addicted to our technology; half of us would rather suffer a broken bone than a broken phone. Adam investigates the rise of our addiction, and explains why so many of today’s products are irresistible. Armed with the right knowledge and online tools, we can begin to leverage our phones to provide us more benefit than harm. 

Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins

• David Goggins went from an overweight, depressed kid to one of the toughest (physically and mentally) people in the world. Navy Seal Hell Week (3x), 100 mile marathon (18x) and Heart Surgery (2x), there isn’t an obstacle Goggins can’t overcome. Through his journey he learns that the most important voice is the one inside your own head. He’s evidence that when you embrace discomfort, you can achieve anything. 

As Aristotle once said, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” Part of my mission with Critical-Chance is to learn and evolve. I love finding unique ideas and viewpoints I haven’t heard of before. This is a deliberate focus of mine, because without entertaining new or opposing ideas, you’ll eventually plateau as a thinker.

three ideas I learned and entertained in 2018: 

Success comes down to compounding

• Everyone has heard of compounding interest in the context of money, but few consider how it reigns true across other domains in your life such as knowledge
• Success is played at the margins (incremental improvement), are you getting 1% better everyday or 1% worse?
• More here 
  

Setbacks are your competitive advantage

• Failure shows us how badly we want something, it gives us the opportunity to rise to the challenge
• When we overcome these setbacks, we become stronger (humans are anti-fragile)
• “The ticket to victory often comes down to bringing your very best when you feel your worst.” -David Goggins 
• More here

Distraction is Enemy #1 of meaningful work

• Time and attention will always be your most valuable resources, and unfortunately, 21st century business models rely on stealing these from you
• Sometimes success is simply not getting distracted, and as society keeps relying on technology, this will become more and more true
• New article coming soon =)

And finally, thank you. Thanks for the kind encouragement and detailed feedback. If you’ve subscribed to the newsletter, attended a lecture or even just read a single sentence, I appreciate your gift of attention and time. I’m excited to keep learning this year. As the curiosity train keeps trekking forward, thanks for reserving a seat on board.

Wishing you the best in 2019,

Alex