21st Century Thoughts

Good products use you not the other way around. Finding a way to create a product that uses people is the key to sustained success and is much easier said than done. Find a way to create a product that secretly uses the user but tricks them into thinking they are in control. Social media is a prime example. It can be used for learning purposes and entertainment but ends up creating dependency and time wasting.  99% of users are being used and do not realize it. Are you in the 1%?

Few Notes on this Monday... - Citizenship is coming along... 2 documents left then certify and send over. Very excited by my progress      and future dual-citizenship abilities. - Markets tanked, keep buying more if you can. - Game 5 tonight of Celtics vs Warriors which makes great TV. - Juneteenth means another day off which is nice and Father's Day as well. It'll be nice to spend time with    family and celebrate. Also going to reevaluate my goals at the end of June as I have made lots of progress and am super happy about it. Call it the midyear check in.

Easiest way to get people to pay you money for services? Provide results that work every time. The alternative is predictions and passive guidance. That never works because eventually you are wrong. Even the best economists and politicians get stuff wrong. Do not rely on being right all the time, it just isn't possible. Providing a good or service consistently builds credibility and trust, while allowing for you to increase prices over time given there is a relationship established. Focus on being consistent and the rest takes care of itself.

Season 4 was good, the closest to season 1 we have gotten... BUT go re-watch season 1. That is the gold standard for how to do a show and series on Netflix. Likeable characters, plot makes sense, and the one key thing that all good shows and movies have: timing of information.  I realized while watching that this is what matters the most after the plot and story. If the characters know nothing and you know everything, it is boring. Good television and movies should bring the watchers in with the cast members to find out information at the same time. Season 1 is fantastic and still gives the same feelings each time you watch. Very few shows and movies can do this, especially on Netflix. If every show focused on good content rather than quantity, Netflix would be in much better shape.

More travel = less blogs which sucks but also allows for me to relax a bit and collect my thoughts. How much of work can be cut out? Not just an estimate, I mean a real number. 10%? 25%? It seems like most meetings are a waste, and the rest is waiting on replies from others. There has to be a better and more productive way to work... Also, NBA Finals tonight and French Open semi's tomorrow. Good early start to the post-holiday weekend.