December Learnings

I love reading books, watching YouTube videos, listening to podcasts, you name it. Anything learning related is my jam. But I recently realized that if I don’t take notes on what I’m learning, I will probably forget everything. Now when I hear something interesting, I write it down in an Apple note for that month. Below are some of the learnings I jotted down in December, summarized by ChatGPT. I hope you find them as interesting as I did.

1. Business & Entrepreneurship

Passive Income & Productized Services

• Best passive income model: Offer a service that helps companies make more money.
  • Ideally, “productize” your service so it’s standardized, repeatable, and less reliant on your day-to-day involvement.

Starting a Company From Scratch

• Validate demand first: Ask people if they want what you’re selling; presell if possible.
  
• Find a repeatable way to get customers (test channels early).
  
• Build only after talking to potential customers; keep it simple until proven.
  
• Know if you’re building to sell or building to run:
  • LLC if you want to pay yourself along the way.
    
  • C Corp if you want to sell eventually (consider QSBS after five years).

Monetization & Branding

• Even in a commodity space, branding can create a unique edge (e.g., Liquid Death water).
  
• “Startups fail, founders don’t”: Persistence leads to eventual success if you keep learning.

Key Mindsets

• “The fundamental algorithm of life is to repeat what works.”
  
• Pair your primary metric with a “check” metric (e.g., revenue + profit margin) to avoid over-optimizing in one direction.

2. Management & Leadership

Types of Delegation

1. Tell them what to do.
   
2. Allow them to make decisions.
   • Aim for #2, but you might start with #1 until trust and competence are established.

Avoid “Monkeys on Your Back”

• When employees bring a problem, coach them to leave with their own solution.
  
• Ask guiding questions (“Are you sure we need to do anything right now?”) instead of providing answers.

One Metric Management (Peter Thiel’s Approach)

• Assign each employee exactly one main metric or goal.
  
• That’s all you focus on in 1:1s.
  
• They own the outputs and figure out the inputs themselves.

Firing & Role Clarification

• The moment you think “this might be a firing situation,” have a clarifying conversation about expectations.
  
• Firing ultimately benefits both parties if the role isn’t a fit.

Hiring Strategy for New Business

• First hire: Virtual assistant to free up time (low-risk, low-cost).
  
• Second hire: Sales/marketing to boost cash flow, then operations.
  
• Hiring internationally can be a “no-brainer” for cost savings (e.g., via Shepherd).

Who, Not How

• When a problem arises, ask “Who can solve this for me?” instead of “How will I solve it?”
  
• This mindset shift helps you move from owning a ‘job’ to owning a ‘business.’

3. Productivity & Personal Growth

Daily “Vitamins” for Health

• Walks/Nature
  
• 45 minutes of exercise
  
• Reading, YouTube (educational), Writing, Building
  
• 1:1 time with family/friends
  
• 150 grams of protein

Preventing Burnout

• Ask: “Is this important? Will it make a difference?” Only focus on the important.
  
• Our state determines our story—manage your energy and emotions.

Habits & Dopamine

• Dopamine gained without effort (e.g., instant gratification) can be dangerous.
  
• Good results today come from consistent, small choices made previously.

Time Freedom Over Money

• Many people chase money for freedom but ironically lose freedom by obsessing over it.
  
• Consider designing a life you enjoy now, rather than waiting for a financial milestone.

4. Health & Longevity

Key Factors

• Excess fat (adipose tissue) has the largest negative impact.
  
• Maintain a healthy weight and an 80–90% healthy diet for most of the benefits.

Other Longevity Insights

• Developing countries often have lower life spans due to poor indoor air quality.
  
• As you age, vacations should be longer because your body needs more time to relax.
  
• Creativity correlates with longevity.

Environmental & Lifestyle Factors

• Blue light and flickering LEDs can contribute to stress or weight gain.
  
• Posture affects how much you believe your own thoughts—mind your physical stance.

5. Mindset & Philosophy

3Q Filters Test (Jon Acuff)

1. Is it true?
   
2. Is it helpful?
   
3. Is it kind?

If your thoughts are not one of these, discard it immediately.

Socratic Method & Curiosity

• Instead of disagreeing, ask questions to uncover someone’s reasoning.
  
• Serve as a “midwife” to help them birth new ideas rather than forcing your own.

Quotes & Wisdom

• “Content is about emotion, not information.” —Shaan Puri
  
• “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.”
  
• “No one is wrong on purpose.” —Socrates
  
• “Make a sense of humor your default emotion.” —Matthew McConaughey
  
• “If you want to win, only run races where winning is up to you.” —Epictetus

Identity Diversification

• Don’t let your job (or parenthood) be your sole identity.
  
• Spread your sense of self across multiple areas for resilience.

Live Verb-Focused, Not Noun-Focused

• Focus on what you do, not the title you hold.
  
• Prioritize experiences and meaningful actions over static labels.

6. Relationships & Social Insights

Delegation & Autonomy

• Not every employee wants total autonomy; many prefer structure and a clear path to win.

Friendships & Connections

• “What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.” —Aristotle
  
• ~200 hours of shared experience can turn an acquaintance into a close friend.
  
• 25% of adults are estranged from a parent; relationships can be complex, so invest in those that matter.

Family & Societal Trends

• People have fewer kids because expectations (and costs) for each child have gone up dramatically.

Handling Lows in Relationships

• “It’s the lows, not the highs, that make or break a relationship.”
  
• Approach conflicts with empathy, short bursts of feedback, and open communication.

7. Planning & Year-End Reflection

Close Out the Year

• Clear old emails, clothes, subscriptions; do a full evaluation.
  
• Implement a consistent “planning system” to incorporate mini-adventures regularly.

Adding One New Winning Habit per Quarter

• Incremental habit-building: small, sustainable changes that compound over time.

Misogi (Year-Defining Challenge)

• Each year, take on one big challenge or adventure.
  
• Meanwhile, schedule smaller weekly “mini-adventures” to stay engaged and curious.

Common Threads

1. Empowerment Through Delegation & Systems
   • From “One Metric Management” to “Who Not How,” there’s a recurring emphasis on freeing yourself from minutiae so you can focus on strategic, high-impact work.
2. Validation & Focus in Business
   • Your notes repeatedly stress testing ideas early (e.g., presales), focusing on the one crucial metric or channel, and doubling down on what works.
3. Healthy Mind & Body for Sustainable Success
   • Longevity strategies, stress management, and daily rituals (walks, exercise, reading) show a consistent theme of taking care of yourself to thrive over the long term.
4. Mindset Shifts & Philosophical Anchors
   • Using the 3Q filter, the Socratic method, and quotes that highlight freedom, creativity, and identity diversification. Emphasizing how perspective, curiosity, and humor make life richer.
5. Importance of Connection & Relationships
   • Whether it’s rotating leadership roles, maintaining close friendships, or supporting employees appropriately, relationships and the way you interact with people matter.
6. Continuous Reinvention & Reflection
   • The idea of year-end reviews, building new habits quarterly, and tackling “misogi”-level goals underscores the desire for ongoing personal evolution and adaptability.