Professionally, I focus on creating social benefit startups. In my Saturday morning emails I share what I’m learning and thinking. Topics range from better living and parenting to business and philosophy.
Trapeze. I am afraid of heights. When I was 12, at summer camp, they asked me to belay down a 35 ft cliff, I refused and ended up crying and clutching to the rocks at the top. I’ve made a lot of progress since then but I still don’t like standing too close to the edge of a cliff or balcony. And I avoid tall ladders when I can. As a team building exercise, I signed up for a 2 hour circus training. I thought we’d do some juggling and perhaps clowning. Instead the instructor told us that the first activity was flying trapeze. I intellectually evaluated the risks given the safety harness and big mat beneath and decided why not? Be afraid and do it anyway. I could not believe how fast my heart raced merely by standing on the edge. The fear coursed through my body but I jumped off the platform anyway. I’m so glad I did it. I’m in NO hurry to do it again! The experience did make me reflect on when it does matter how you feel? When does it matter more how you act? In learning something new, sometimes doing the actions comes before understanding. The coach didn’t lecture us on aerodynamics of a backflip dismount, rather just told to swing our legs, lean back and tuck.
Solved. If you feel like finding your next job is like being asked to do flying trapeze, get some support. At Purpose Built, we’re working with a founder on Solved. You can get free feedback as a job seeker on your resume, LinkedIn profile or portfolio. (I’m also on the platform reviewing founder fundraising materials.)
EROEI. In response to one of my posts about renewable energy, a loyal reader and friend shared the concept of Energy Return on Energy Invested. Rather than look at the financial return on energy production projects, evaluate the physical system from a physics perspective of energy in and out. The physics underlies the economics and perhaps should drive or constrain them over the long term. While the calculations vary, wind looks pretty bad by this metric, solar OK, oil good and nuclear best. Another reason to re-evaluate our nuclear power regulation?
Until next time,
Miles