My Takeaways from 2024 // #84
End of Year Recap
The Curious Cat is a journey where I aim to reconnect with my inner-child and explore my curiosity. I pinpoint topics that I’ve been interested in within the last 7 days, ask myself questions about them and then write about them. I hope you find value within this issue and have a fantastic day doing what you love.
I spend my life living in the future. Worrying about the uncertainty, planning to avoid that uncertainty materialising and flirting with alternative realities of how the world might evolve.
But today, we’ll not be looking into the future. Today our focus will be to revisit the past and reflect upon the bygone year.
Here are 53 takeaways I have from the year 2024:
Instead of asking ‘how do you do’ something, ask ‘why do you do’ something.
Ask yourself if you want to, before you do.
Everything has drawbacks. It's your job to prevent those drawbacks becoming significant drawbacks.
The cause of an anxious mind can usually be attributed to less than 10 recurring thoughts. The solution is to fact check them.
Spain has more world heritage cities than any country; and ranks 4th highest in number of UNESCO world heritage sites.
The value of the individual in the 21st century is their API. Their ability to connect data from different locations, to form something new.
“Read the news, things have never been worse. Read history, things have never been better”
Every experience is an endless gift. Being present is what transforms ordinary experiences into invaluable gifts.
Crypto is not the canvas; but the paint. What’s drawn with it is yet to be seen.
Stanford research has identified a 3-step method that breaks the procrastination loop 9/10 times: (1) Drink ice cold water (2) Take 10 deep breaths (3) Walk 100 steps
A study found that no phone in sight = 71% better deep work
We are often one question away from seeing patterns that hold us back from our greatest self.
Reading, and using chatGPT’s advanced voice mode alpha is a game changer. It gives you instant clarification on complex ideas, historical context, up-to-date insights, opposing views and chapter summaries.
Compounding habits are the pistons.
The internet is a portal to a world where anything is possible. From a young age we are shown that anything is possible.
It increasingly looks like the 21st century will be a war between 3 forces: failed centralisation (US, EU & similar liberal democracies), totalitarian centralisation (China, Iran etc) and recentralisation (neutralists - likely technologists - who are open to moving away from the centralised structure of liberal democracies, but hesitant to join a totalitarian system).
When trading markets, you have TA and your gut feeling. The best trades materialise when the two align. Be curious when they don’t align.
I once thought spending time in the mountains was an escape from the real world. I now think spending time in the mountains is an entrance to the real world.
One way to fulfillment is by having 4 distinct hobbies: (1) a physical one - ensuring health (2) a cerebral one - ensuring intellectual progress (3) a creative one - ensuring inspiration (4) a financial one - ensuring wealth
Be effective, not efficient. Effective is choosing what you do, while efficiency is how you do it.
Turning around is success.
Rules are for people who don’t have values.
Simulation theory is the same as god theory; but tech friendly.
Give a platform to your friends and their talents.
Sitting is the new smoking.
For all of human history, the meaning of life has been to survive. Biologically our bodies are designed to do one thing: survive. But we have now achieved and completed that. We survived. So now what? What do we do now? We try to find meaning.
Make sure that every time you say goodbye to someone, you make it loving and leave feeling happy with your interaction.
I want a digital world that lets me live freely in the analogue world.
“The enemy is a good teacher” — The Dalai Lama.
Resistance has no strength of its own. Every ounce of influence it has comes from you.
Health is the currency we use to pay the entrance fee to life’s adventures.
Stop asking people for directions to places they’ve never been.
Be a non-complainer.
Doing anything 15 degrees away from your focus, will lead to inspiration and progress in your field of focus.
Having two shticks is better than one.
There are no limits; only plateaus. You must not stay there, and must go beyond them; beating resistance.
The Japanese government own circa 11% of the Japanese stock market…paid with money they created out of thin air.
Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ syncs perfectly to ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ Apparently its sheer coincidence, but there are too many “coincidences” for them to be coincidences. Check out ‘The Wizard of Pink Floyd' here
A glass of lemon, water, honey (or propolis) and salt is a great remedy for natural hydration.
The best Asian cities are more safe, more clean, less expensive, boast more 24/7 convenience and offer better public transport than European counterparts.
Being in the mountains slows ageing; both internal and external ageing.
When you live an aligned life, your feelings transform from confusing noise into clear signals.
You are not your body. You are something inside your body. Your body is merely the physical instrument to interact with the world. You do not see with your eyes; but rather your eyes are gadgets to view the tangible world and transmit the data to your inner.
AWS might be the best invention of the 21st century.
Generosity is not generosity if wrapped in ego.
Greet conflict with harmony, not harm.
A business falls under one of these two categories (1) a newfound product or service (NeuralLink) (2) existing product or service, but now faster due to technology (Starlink).
When considering practicing mindfulness, don't think of it as a task to become a better version of yourself; but as an opportunity to better understand yourself.
A bad day in the mountains is WAY worse than a bad day anywhere else; but conversely, a good day in the mountains is WAY better than a good day anywhere else.
Travelling is the best education.
A place of inclusion is better than a place of exclusion.
I didn’t have many specific goals this year; but rather I had roles that I wanted to live. The idea was to focus on the person I want to become, hoping the cool shit will follow.
Every single thing you do today is something your 80yr old self wishes they could go back and do. Carpe diem.
Great takeaways ✨🙌