The Obvious Work vs the Real Work open.substack.com/pub/lifeun…

Fly Free, My Darling open.substack.com/pub/thelif… #Neurodivergence #ASD #PDA #homeschooling

2. "Luxury, to me, is feeling unrushed." Slow down. Otherwise you're easy to manipulate. If you're always busy you're basically broke & homeless.

"Whereas enthusiasm usually peaks early in life, experience gradually increases...equilibrium between the two factors is attained between ages 38 and 40...the late 30s thus represents the uniquely balanced juxtaposition of the rhapsodies of youth and the wisdom of maturity."

I hate being “that” guy who posts a video under a video lol But Kanye West actually talked about this exact same thing in a slightly different context 😂🔥

this is how i am approaching my work on benji. i am making something that i really really need for myself.

The most powerful thing I am aware of is to spend your time doing what you want to do. I've been on a multi-year mission to make as much of my calendar filled with things I actually want to do as possible. This has been SHOCKINGLY hard. I've learned there's actually only one thing that I really love, that I'll do until I die: spending long periods of time with extraordinarily talented people (usually founders, investors, and teachers--people with really high leverage). I like to learn from them (nothing energizes me like someone doing what they are supposed to be doing with their life), and I like to try and help them by unlocking something productive: a podcast that exposes them to the world's best audience, an introduction or two that accelerates some part of what they are doing, a distillation of their narrative or core message, maybe even an idea they hadn't considered before. There are many days now where I have 2-3 long conversations and that's it. Those are the best days. "conversationalist" isn't a job you imagine as a kid, and its not one that'd "make your parents proud." The bizarre part is that if you just do what you love, incredible but unpredictable things will happen. I run a private equity/venture capital business and a media company, and both were an unforeseen consequence of being a conversationalist. About every 100 or so conversations, an amazingly interesting investing opportunity spontaneously appears (I'm very rarely explicitly hunting for some specific investment, and I've found the best ones come from some strange source). Kevin Kelly has this great idea that you need your own distinct definition of success. For me, success would be cultivating a very specific reputation. I'd like my reputation to be "talk to that guy and you'll leave energized, thinking about something new. Good things will happen, and it'll generally cost you nothing." I sometimes feel guilty that my "work" doesn't feel like a grind. People think great accomplishment requires "grit" and "grinding," and I have nothing against those things, and surely tons of the great outcomes were just made possible by extreme grinders...but, I never feel like I'm grinding when I do the thing I like doing. Maybe I'd offer an alternative to "grit." Great long term outcomes require an unusual fuel source. Chips on shoulders is one, but I tried that and it almost killed me. The best long term fuel source is some repeated act that energizes you in a way that then lets you become a generative person, who uses the energy to make things for others. A great question is "what is your renewable fuel source?" While its not perfect, I think the best answer is "do what you want." Joseph Campbell wrote "the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." Being who you are, or doing what you want, sounds selfish, but its the opposite. My experience with countless people doing what they want is that they do THE MOST for others. What I've learned watching others try to do more of what they want is that the transition from a life of "I should" to "I want" requires extreme conviction, courage, and a leap of faith. It should be telling that while you sometimes see people make this transition, you never see someone transition back the other direction. I sincerely hope more people take this leap. "A bit of advice given to a young Native American at the time of his initiation: 'as you go the way of life, you will see a great chasm. Jump. It is not as wide as you think.'"

i want to live in a world where people ask “what do you create?” instead of “what do you do?”

4) x.com/petergyang/status/1707…

AI continues to make unbelievable advances in healthcare. Researchers have just created a brain implant that decodes thoughts into synthesized speech allowing paralyzed patients to communicate through a digital avatar. This is incredible: -The implant converts brain signals into text at nearly 80 words per minute, focusing on phonemes vs. whole words to enhance speed. -The AI generates realistic vocals (mirroring a patient’s pre-injury voice) and facial animations that aim to enable more natural communication. -The breakthrough brings the tech closer to real-world use, with the next step being a wireless model that doesn’t require a physical connection to the interface. Restoring communication for those with paralysis is an innovation that would change countless lives. While it sounds crazy, mind-reading implants seem to be inching closer to reality.

In Aug 2023, across 3 days with NZ as the stunning backdrop, 105 VCs from 89 funds came together for Venture Downunder, our hallmark VC event, to forge deeper connections & learn valuable insights from one another. 🤩 Here are the highlights! ▶️ bit.ly/IBvidVDU

💫 WE ARE HIRING We are seeking a passionate and self-driven Junior Community Manager to join our dynamic team to support the growth and development of our communities. Learn more and apply 👉 bit.ly/IBjobJCM

For the 6th year, our Venture Downunder event has remained a mainstay & hallmark moment on the @innovationbay calendar. Last week, 105 VCs from 89 ANZ funds came together in NZ to forge deeper connections & learn valuable insights from one another. 👀 bit.ly/IBblogVDU23

9. Apple Principle: Show the hidden use The best Apple ad I've ever seen. Shows the hidden use cases of Apple products by it's users.

The @innovationbay & @ARENA_aus Renewables Startup Showcase returns in 2023 on Wed 1 Nov in Melbourne ♻️ Founders in the renewables, clean/climatetech sectors are encouraged to apply to pitch (closes 1 Sep) bit.ly/ARENAatp EOI to attend bit.ly/ARENAEOI

Kicking off #NationalTechSummit with some great insights on the Australian tech sector: ✨ 900k tech jobs and 21 unicorns 🦄 ✨ Qld tech jobs growing at 5x other sectors and 140,000 jobs in Qld are tech ✨ tech increases productivity of our economy ✨ the early-stage funding gap is closing ✨ access to tech talent a huge challenge. Shortfall around 600k

DM me for info about how to get involved as an #investor or #founder.

Rajeev Gupta, Partner at @aliumcap & angel investor has been an Innovation Bay member for the past 6 years. With a wealth of knowledge, Rajeev describes here how he sees the future of our industry & why community is marvellous! Join ours: bit.ly/IBCon

4. @BjoernKarmann created Paragraphica 📸 A camera that takes photos using location data. It describes the place you are at and then converts it into an AI-generated "photo". 🔗 aivalley.ai/paragraphica