Hi friends,
I hope you’re all doing well.
This week I stumbled on Paul Theroux’s piece on working in Uganda during the 1966 Buganda Crisis. A time of political turmoil and upheaval. He kept a journal and compared that crisis to the one we’re currently in. He said:
In times of crisis we should all be diarists and documentarians.
This piece has inspired my next project. Perhaps a simple timeline of events, or maybe a pandemic diary similar to Samuel Pepys’ during the Great Plague of London. I still have to decide.
This pandemic is changing the world as we know it. It’s unlike anything we have ever seen. Everyone has been affected in some way. What will the world look like after? What will change? How will this affect future generations?
I’ve wondered what it was like being a young adult during tumultuous times such as WWII, the Vietnam War, or the Great Plague. I want to keep a testament of this pandemic from my own perspective.
How will history write this chapter?
Will we forget the disappointing response of many countries in the west?
Will we forget those victims that died in the hospital alone? Family and friends are not able to be with them in their final moments.
Will we forget the heroes on the front lines? The healthcare workers, nurses, doctors, grocery store workers, police and many more.
This is our chance to record history for ourselves.
Stuff I Enjoyed this Week
Letter to my Younger Self
Ray Allen (The Players Tribune) | Letter (12min)
Ray Allen’s a 2x NBA Champion, 10x NBA All-Star, and one of the best shooters in NBA history. Reading this letter allowed me to see the full picture and explains a lot of his personality on the court. Turns out we are more similar than I thought. I very much relate to his story of not fitting in, being alone, and being misunderstood especially growing up.
Here’s my favorite excerpt from the piece:
How do I sum up nearly two decades in the NBA? What do you really need to know? What’s truly important?
You’ll get to play against your heroes: Michael Jordan and Clyde Drexler.You’ll play alongside Hall of Famers: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade.
Sometimes you’ll be afraid.
Sometimes you’ll think you’re out of your league.
But you’ll keep showing up every day, putting in the work.
You’ll put up more than 26,000 shots in your career. Almost six out of 10 won’t even go in. I told you this game was a sonofabitch.
Don’t worry, though. A successful man is built of 1,000 failures. Or in your case, 14,000 misses.
What I Value
Emily Yau | Blog
Asking ourselves what I value? And what’s most important to me? Is the most crucial question to ask ourselves, it’s an exercise in self-awareness. This question guides our major decisions from career decisions, life partners, and who become part of your inner circle.
Emily’s a good friend of mine and reading this piece was an endearing way of getting to know her better. To any friends of mine, I’d love to hear what you value!
I penned a version of this on my about page. This reminds me, I’m long overdue for a rewrite.
A Sleep Experiment…
Alexey Guzey | Experiment
Starting on April 3rd, Alexey will sleep for 4 hours a day for 2 weeks and test the effects through cognition tests and writing the SAT. Likely a response to the piece he wrote last year that went viral about the scientific and factual errors in Matthew Walker’s book, Why We Sleep. I’ll be keeping an eye on this experiment.
How I got rich on the other hand
Derek Sivers | Blog (1min)
Derek Sivers is an author, musician, and entrepreneur who sold his first company, CD Baby. He made a lot of money from that sale, but that’s not what made him rich.
World 2.0
Tyler Cowen (Marginal Revolution) | Table
There are decades where nothing happens, and weeks where decades happen
This table from Tyler Cowen gives us a sense of the second-order effects of covid-19 and what changes we can expect in the new world.
Daily Blogs
My Definite Chief Aim
In 1969, Bruce Lee wrote this letter stating what he wants to achieve and by when. He died 4 years later, at the early age of 32. It turns out that within those four short years, he accomplished everything he set out for himself. Incredible.
At one point in my life, I did a lot of visualization and it served me well. Unfortunately, it’s something I’ve lost over the years. Reading Bruce’s letter is a reminder of the power of this practice.
Tonight I’m going to outline my own definite chief aim. And I’d love for you to join me.
What do you want to accomplish? Where do you want to be? And by when?
My Definite Chief Aim
I, Bruce Lee, will be the first highest paid Oriental super star in the United States. In return I will give the most exciting performances and render the best of quality in the capacity of an actor. Starting 1970 I will achieve world fame and from then onward till the end of 1980 I will have in my possession $10,000,000. I will live the way I please and achieve inner harmony and happiness.
Bruce Lee Jan. 1969
Thanks for reading! I’d appreciate if you can comment on what you liked, what you didn’t like, and what you would like to see.
Until next week,
James
Great newsletter, really like the thought of documenting. I'm going to do that as well!