If you're being forwarded this message, you can click HERE to subscribe yourself.

A New Beginning

When I started this newsletter, believe it or not, the purpose was not to amass a bunch of readers. I didn’t really care who was reading it truthfully. Every week, I sit down and write this newsletter for myself. An unintended side benefit has been the messages of support, of gratitude for sharing something that helped someone, of genuine interest in my writing. It’s been an incredibly rewarding experience.

As I reflected recently, I also realized that the entire purpose of this newsletter was to satisfy my curiosity. I love learning, going down rabbit holes, and trying to explore challenging topics that interest me. This reflection led me to an important realization: the things I was writing about were interesting to a former version of me, not the current version.

Don’t worry, I’m not giving up the newsletter (unless you were hoping I would, and in that case I apologize for disappointing you)! I just want to write about the things that interest me now. Human performance, training, mindfulness, and wellness occupied every corner of my mind for close to 15 years now. But my next steps are in a different direction. In fact, it’s more a return to a previous place than somewhere new entirely.

Growing up, I spent a lot of time around my grandfather. He was a wonderful man, and acted as my stand-in father. My actual dad left the family when I was a baby, so my grandpa stepped in to impart wisdom and teach me honor, honesty, and what it meant to be a gentleman. He also happened to be very interested in two things: investing and computers.

He taught me how to use a computer, and I watched closely as he tracked movements of the stock market in an early version of Excel. He diligently updated his spreadsheets every day, and he put a great deal of thought and care into this practice. His passion inspired me to learn how to code in middle school and high school. I went on to write and run an online, text-based game for awhile. For the longest time, I thought I was going to become a software engineer.

While that path ultimately came with some trade offs I didn’t enjoy, the fact is I’ve continued to have a passion for emerging technology. It led to me founding a blockchain company (unfortunately at the start of the bear market which was a lesson in bad timing). It has now led me to doing analysis work at an AI startup while I get my MBA.

And looking back to all those hours spent watching my grandfather with his spreadsheets has reminded me that I am fascinated by the intersection of finance and emerging technology. This newsletter will continue to be about velocity and momentum; it will highlight the rate of change of the future and how we can ensure that we are at the cutting edge of these changes.

It will continue to have some of the substance of its previous iteration, but expect many new (and hopefully interesting) thoughts and ideas. You will see some new branding, a new web domain and email, and a new newsletter hosting platform. The plan is to have these logistical changes take effect next week.

I suspect this will lose me some subscribers, but I’m also hopeful it will bring several new ones in. More importantly, it will be a more authentic reflection of my passions and my curiosities. This will undoubtedly create a better expression of me and will give you a more realistic view inside my mind.

Some other things will stay as well. I will continue to share stills from movies that inspire me. I think art and creative expression is a necessarily counterbalance to time spent engaged in analytical thought. And ultimately, maybe, by being more authentic in my writing it will inspire you to also follow your true north. If I were to summarize why I’ve spent so much time coaching, it would be that very sentiment. If I can help people lead more authentic and fulfilling lives then I’ve truly succeeded as a "coach" in every sense of the word.

Hit List

The best things I've encountered this week:

What I'm reading: "My 7 Rules for Happiness" by Scott H. Young

A concise and powerful list of ways we can achieve happiness in life now. I've talked at length about the downsides involved with tying happiness to achievement. Hopefully several of the rules on this list resonate with you.

What I'm listening to: Ted Seides on Masters in Business

Ted Seides is a legendary investor who took on Warren Buffet's infamous bet against hedge fund managers. He has had a storied career, coming up in the golden age of hedge funds and now pivoting into interviewing those responsible for allocating investment capital at an institutional level.

What I'm also listening to: Chris Dixon on Capital Allocators

Chris Dixon is in charge of crypto investing at A16Z, overseeing a portfolio worth billions of dollars. Dixon recently released a book called Read, Write, Own on blockchains and the future of the internet. This episode talks about his investment philosophy, how he believes blockchain tech can further democratize the internet, and what he finds interesting as AI begins to dominate the conversation.

Let's work together

When you're ready, here are a few ways I can help you:

1. Check out the latest episodes of my podcast 🎙
2. ​Apply for 1-on-1 coaching 🏆
3. Purchase my goal-setting course 🚦