Gardening Kids, Showing Up and the 3 Stage Life
Your weekly newsletter from the mind of Miles Lasater
Happy Saturday! Here is your weekly dose of the world of Miles, learning, techno-optimism, business thoughts, and ways to be a better human.
Gardening Kids. A friend asked me about my philosophy as a parent. I like Alison Gopnik’s analogy of a gardener rather than a carpenter. A carpenter designs and builds to specifications. A gardener plants in good soil, weeds and ensures enough fertilizer, sunlight and water. A gardener welcomes variation and the plants that grow. A carpenter wants exactness and sands out any rough spots. “Parent“ is a noun (a relationship) not a verb (something you do to someone). Although there is still plenty of work involved!
Show Up. In our kitchen we have posted our family manifesto: We Show Up. We show up mentally, physically and emotionally. We show up for friends, family and causes. We show up conversationally and civically. Are we perfect at following this motto? Of course, no. But it does inspire us to be our better selves. What is your family’s manifesto?
Three Stage Life. The book 100 Year Life argues that increased lifespan changes our expectations about the three stage life. We should move beyond common assumptions about life stages: Learn, Earn and Retire. Skills need refreshing, so we will learn during multiple phases. Like the Four Hour Work Week suggests we benefit from multiple mini-retirements and renting experiences when possible. And perhaps like Die with Zero argues we should figure out how to have memorable experiences or live our dreams sooner. Don’t wait until retirement. It might be too far off and you might not be able to enjoy all types of activities.
Until next week,
Miles