#100: Building on what you already have
Explore productivity in the modern workplace, learn to value what you have, understand emotional dynamics in dating, and redefine personal success.
👋 Welcome to Pursuit, where we explore the art of living well. My name is Amir, and each week, I go over 10 hours of content about personal growth and mental well-being, bringing you four insights and thought-provoking perspectives from leading thinkers. I hope to have a tiny impact on your life and inspire you with the tools to lead a more fulfilling life. Join us on this journey of continuous improvement and discovery.
As I typed #100 for this week's post title, it felt surreal. I can't believe it's been 💯 weeks since I started Pursuit with the hope of sharing my learnings and inspirations with like-minded people. I couldn't be more grateful to everyone who has been with me on this journey, whether you joined from the beginning or just last week.
This week’s discovery:
🦥 Good work can look lazy
🔨 Building on what you already have
👫 Emotional differences in modern dating
🔑 The only metric that matters
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🦥 Good work can look lazy
The modern workplace is undergoing a paradigm shift. In the past, productivity was measured by visible, tangible work. Now, with 38% of jobs being decision-making roles and 41% being service jobs, productivity has a new face. These roles require thought and problem-solving, not just physical labor.
The old-world expectation of constant visible labor is counterproductive in this new reality. Traditional workplaces often fail to provide their knowledge workers with the necessary time for thought, similar to a ditch digger working without a shovel.
Productivity now might look like quiet contemplation rather than active labor. The best ideas often come during downtime, not in meetings or at your desk. Famous thinkers like Einstein, Churchill, and Mozart often did their best thinking during seemingly unproductive times.
As the economy shifts more towards knowledge work, we must understand and respect that what produces good work can often look lazy.
✨ From The Morgan Housel Podcast | Lazy Work, Good Work
🔨 Building on what you already have
Acceptance is about accurately computing ("seeing") the value of what we have. If we don't accept what we have, then we're ignoring its value. This results in wasteful behavior: we'll spend a lot of energy throwing away what we have and seeking out value in other places (grass is greener syndrome) that's not actually higher than what we have, but that we perceive as being higher because we undervalue what we have.
Acceptance allows us to properly value what we have. This means we can then see how to spend our energy building on top of what's currently valuable. This means value gained per energy spent is much higher, because we're building on existing value rather than trying to find value in a totally new place.
✨ From Nix - Spikiness
👫 Emotional differences in modern dating
Men and women often approach casual relationships differently, which can lead to emotional misunderstandings. Women typically invest more emotionally during sexual encounters, imagining potential deeper connections. Men, in contrast, can often separate physical intimacy from emotional attachment more easily. This difference isn't about right or wrong, but about understanding natural emotional patterns.
Modern dating culture encourages sexual freedom, but emotional intelligence matters more. Being honest about your intentions isn't just kind - it's essential. If your goals and emotional expectations don't align, it's better to be direct early on.
Think of dating like a collaborative project. Both partners need clear communication about what they want. Are you seeking a casual connection or something more? Being upfront prevents unnecessary heartache and respects both people's emotional boundaries.
The goal isn't to "win" at dating, but to create genuine, respectful interactions. Understanding these emotional differences helps everyone navigate relationships more compassionately and clearly.
✨ From Modern Wisdom | Dr Robert Glover - Why Most Men Fail To Attract A Quality Woman
🔑 The only metric that matters
It’s so tempting to think that success is the ultimate goal. And failure must be avoided like the plague. But success and failure are so subjective. Nobody can agree on what they mean. Success to me might be failure to you. And vice versa. I’ve stumbled upon a strange realization — failure can be fun if you’re failing while staying true to the only person that matters — yourself. As I see it, it really comes down to finding that activity you do solely for the joy of doing it. Oblivious to success or failure.
✨ From Arman Khodadoost - Fail Doing What You Want to Do
I finished watching the final episode of Arcane season 2 last night. It was highly entertaining with spectacular visuals and soundtracks. For this week's quote, I'm sharing a line from the villain of the story:
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🎵 Discovery for your ears
You’ll find mostly Ethnotronica, Organic House, World, Disco, and Organic Electronic here:
🎧 If you appreciate the music I carefully select and haven't followed my Spotify playlists yet, now is the perfect time to hit that follow button and join me on this musical journey! 🎶
🌒 Pano: Danceable and electronic obscure songs
🌓 Sisy: Ethnotronica and organic house
🌑 Berghain: Dark, minimal techno and tech house
🌕 Heide: Groovy soul and disco house
🌞 Sonntag: Afterhours shit
🌎 World: From Latin jazz to Turkish psych
🌚 Super Slow: For your intimate moments
Previously on Pursuit:
Congrats on the 100 editions, such a benchmark!