I just emptied my editor@thestrategicreview.net email address for the first time in a while; I got so much mail after the final issues of Upstream Effects series (#7/8/9), I wasn't able to get to all of it processed until now.
What's interesting is, about 30 minutes into to a "I'm finally going to get this empty" session, I wanted to get up and do something else. It's like, some little tiny pressure in the back of my head is telling me to go do something more novel.
It felt like the email would never end.
This is a good problem to have, I admit. Getting to read feedback from people who send notes saying that an issue made them re-think their week, helped them set huge plans, helped them get a project successful, or that they shared the writing with their kids -- this is amazing.
And I want to write back and not let all those emails go stale. And yet, there it is, when I finally have some time, my mind tells me to go do something else.
The crazy part is, I said "eh, I'm going to turn on some music and finish this" -- and once I did, it only took 7 more minutes.
That inbox was behind schedule for 3 weeks, and I almost gave up the sense of "ah, done" with 7 minutes of work left.
How silly, eh?
There's no grand moral of the story here, just another acknowledgement that novelty-seeking is a disaster and concentration/focus is good. In particular, getting things absolutely complete is so, so worth it.
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Selected feedback for TSR --
Thanks so much for this series, Sebastian. Very insightful and helpful. I read each post slowly, thoughtfully, and repetitively. Very rich content. Looking forward to the next series. Thanks again -
Gregg
Hey Sebastian,
loved the series. I’m going to go over it sometime next week and write down all the lesson I’ve learned.
Looking forward to the next series.
Keep up the great work!
Regards from Austria,
Christian
Sebastian,
Thanks for the series. Lots of good stuff, and it ended strong. For whatever reason, the reference to statistics hit me hard. No, I am not 4 standard deviations from the mean. I am in a different cohort, and probably within the first standard deviation of that cohort.
I have teenaged kids. They all subscribed (at my urging) to your newsletter. Sigh. They don't read it. Watching you from afar over the years, as you have continued to work and write -- there is much for them to learn from you.
Ah well. I read your work, enjoy it, and am inspired to keep digging.
Phil
Hi Sebastian,
I loved the series. I was hooked from the first word and I read every word. I might read it again sometime, too. Content-wise, you nailed that perfect mix of motivational and actionable. Tone-wise, you nailed it, too. Casual, but you don't shy away from jargon as needed.
Can't wait to see what you cook up next!
Cheers,
Daniel
Brilliant! Thanks for this series.
-Matt
This has been an amazing series. Every time I finish one of these, I feel like I've been sparring with someone better than me -out of breath and not quite knowing what just happened.
Then I reread it.
Thank you for putting this together. It really pulls everything that I have started noticing together into a grand unified theory. Invaluable.
Ben
Sebastian, let me just say that you are amazing. Thank you SO much for this value add to the world! Your writing is so clear, and precise, and inspiring (in a long-term way) and I'm so very appreciative of it. Keep doing what you're doing, and keep rocking this life..YOLO!
Brittany
Hi Seb,
The quality of your writings is through the roof.
I don't know how many people will read your works but FWIW i want you to know there is a guy sitting in a cubicle in Hyderabad, India who reads them every single day.
In upstream macro effects, I loved how to contrasted hot fiery emotion and cold determination. [...]
Anyway please continue doing great work it makes a huge difference to people like me.
Cheers,
Ram
This was great.
Thanks!
Mike
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Of course, you should go get your free subscription to TSR if you don't have one yet.
More imperatively, though, what do you have that's almost done that you could push through and get off your plate? It's truly liberating to do so.