Happy Saturday! Here are your 5 things from the mind of Miles for this week.
Genetic Lottery. What’s the point of studying behavioral genetics? If you find that genetics have a strong impact on life outcomes, does that mean you’re justifying current injustices? One reason is that if you want to make effective social change and you ignore the real effects of genetics, you are going to be less successful. Questions like these and arguments for studying genetics fill the book Genetic Lottery. I recommend it.
Is Ego Depletion Real? Ego depletion is the idea that your executive function gets tired during the day. If you make more decisions or use your willpower to keep from temptation you will have less ability to make good decisions, focus or resist temptation later in the day. Is it real? Or just a convenient excuse for me to misbehave? I’m hearing that there is a question in the scientific literature. What’s your take? If it isn’t real, then we should all go back to reading our Jocko.
Self-Talk. I’m paying more attention to my self-talk. What things do I say in my head to myself that I wouldn’t say to someone else? Should I believe everything I think? Listen to yourself. Would you talk to your kid or friend that way?
Ending the Ender. If my response times are slower this coming week, don’t be worried. I’ll probably be reading the Last Shadow. It is the final book in the Ender’s Game series. Ender’s Game is the only book read I remember reading 3 times besides Getting Things Done. (Ok maybe some children's books, too.)
Three Words. Which three words would you use to describe this newsletter? Please hit reply and let me know.
Until next week,
Miles