I smiled when I saw the pace layers picture show up. I feel like this concept has been simmering in the soup for a little bit - glad to see it come back up.
Also, completely agree about the importance of optimism (although my particular flavor is different from techno-optimism). Have you checked out Human Kind by Rutger Bregman? It’s a quick read that highlights how so many of the myths about humans being generally terrible are actually quite wrong and the need for new narratives.
"Tech is like a kid with good parents...". The problem with an article like this is that I start reading, with the desire to learn, and ask questions about it, but at the end, I have a new lesson without asking any questions and it's so frustrating
I only have one prediction, so obvious as to be meaningless:
This year will be crazier than last year.
Until I receive disconfirming evidence, consider this an evergreen prediction. I’ve been making it practically since I started writing Not Boring, and I haven’t been wrong yet.
All of the craziness can be discombobulating. I love the acceleration, but I get that change is scary, even when it’s good.
The only times I can really remember crying, aside from deaths, is when I’ve had to move from one thing to the next: at middle school graduation, at high school graduation, at college graduation, moving from my first NYC apartment to my second.
The funny thing, in retrospect, is that each thing I cried about moving on to became a thing I cried about moving on from. But it’s hard to grok that in the moment, because you know full well what you’re giving up but can only vaguely picture what you’ll gain. And because you forget that while the only constant is change, the important constants survive change.
Brilliant article - great way to start off a new year, to think about things in a longer term, a much longer term. This actually provides a relief from the jittery nature of news. 99% of what's happening is not important. The trick is to know the 1% that does matter.
Really liked this one, have heard of pace layers and seen some of those before but this was a great reminder and I liked how you specifically cited a number of the books and topics you're exploring right now!
Loved your newsletter! The lines about fast and slow are amazing. Saving it :)
Please do include your research about companies where you feel the fashion layers will have more impact on the foundations to make the company stronger. Your insights are really good.
Amazing work! Thank you for sharing your perspective.
'Optimism Matters' - It is unreal and incredible, yet fully attainable and a level below fashion what you have done for others over the past few years. I enjoyed this post a lot. Thanks P!
Really appreciated this one, pace layering makes so much sense and puts a concrete model around vague notions of change diffusion rates I've loosely pondered now and then. Thanks!
Great to know you will be diving into Jesus biography. Try reading the Book of John in the Bible. It will give you a wild and great experience in knowing Jesus character.
This is an incredible post. Thanks for sharing your perspective.
"Fast gets all our attention, slow has all the power." is probably my best takeaway.
That's a crazy nice concept that reminds me different other related theories. Few of those are:
Think fast and slow (Kahneman)
Antifragile (Taleb)
Jed McKenna, when talking about the layers of ego.
But also it applies to many other aspects of life like building knowledge, muscles, career, corporate structures, and many others that comes to mind.
Keep being not boring.
So..very..insightful - you explain Pacing, and you explain your own pivot - this is a masterpiece.
Optimism matters, ideas matter ..and understanding the layering matters. Thanks Packy.
I smiled when I saw the pace layers picture show up. I feel like this concept has been simmering in the soup for a little bit - glad to see it come back up.
Also, completely agree about the importance of optimism (although my particular flavor is different from techno-optimism). Have you checked out Human Kind by Rutger Bregman? It’s a quick read that highlights how so many of the myths about humans being generally terrible are actually quite wrong and the need for new narratives.
"Tech is like a kid with good parents...". The problem with an article like this is that I start reading, with the desire to learn, and ask questions about it, but at the end, I have a new lesson without asking any questions and it's so frustrating
That page 37 image of Pace Layering is great.
And I LOVE this section:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I only have one prediction, so obvious as to be meaningless:
This year will be crazier than last year.
Until I receive disconfirming evidence, consider this an evergreen prediction. I’ve been making it practically since I started writing Not Boring, and I haven’t been wrong yet.
All of the craziness can be discombobulating. I love the acceleration, but I get that change is scary, even when it’s good.
The only times I can really remember crying, aside from deaths, is when I’ve had to move from one thing to the next: at middle school graduation, at high school graduation, at college graduation, moving from my first NYC apartment to my second.
The funny thing, in retrospect, is that each thing I cried about moving on to became a thing I cried about moving on from. But it’s hard to grok that in the moment, because you know full well what you’re giving up but can only vaguely picture what you’ll gain. And because you forget that while the only constant is change, the important constants survive change.
Brilliant article - great way to start off a new year, to think about things in a longer term, a much longer term. This actually provides a relief from the jittery nature of news. 99% of what's happening is not important. The trick is to know the 1% that does matter.
Really liked this one, have heard of pace layers and seen some of those before but this was a great reminder and I liked how you specifically cited a number of the books and topics you're exploring right now!
Loved your newsletter! The lines about fast and slow are amazing. Saving it :)
Please do include your research about companies where you feel the fashion layers will have more impact on the foundations to make the company stronger. Your insights are really good.
Amazing work! Thank you for sharing your perspective.
'Optimism Matters' - It is unreal and incredible, yet fully attainable and a level below fashion what you have done for others over the past few years. I enjoyed this post a lot. Thanks P!
'I could go on, but I promised myself that I would try to write shorter essays this year, so I’m going to wrap this up.'
But but we want the long essays!
Really appreciated this one, pace layering makes so much sense and puts a concrete model around vague notions of change diffusion rates I've loosely pondered now and then. Thanks!
Happy 2024 brotha! Great post to kick off the year and a concept clearly applicable to both my life and career.
Excellent post! A great reminder to shift focus periodically and consider what is durable and what isn't.
Great to know you will be diving into Jesus biography. Try reading the Book of John in the Bible. It will give you a wild and great experience in knowing Jesus character.
A really interesting one