PPPPausitivity: Vacation Edition (Four Ps #218)
Disconnection, Celebrating "Delulu," A New MetaHope, Legacies & a 5th P
Greetings from the shores of Disconnectville (a.k.a Montauk a.k.a “The End”), where I'm (technically) on a brief pause with my family and our annual, end-of-summer trip to the beach... and where the Wi-Fi signal is weaker than my resolve to check work emails.
But fear not, fellow seekers of serenity, for I'm still (partially) here to unburden my struggles onto you... while also spreading the enlightening four nuggets of Four Ps-themed wisdom to which you've become accustomed receiving fortnightly every other Wednesday. Let's wade in past the breakers...
SOMETHING PERSONAL: Pausitivity
Yes, it's “Vacation Week” for many families - the time right before the start of the school year. And yes, I'm finding it increasingly challenging to take that much-needed pause from the constant buzz of modern life. Even if I put my phone down, the "FOMO" notification chimes in the corner of my mind. Plan a pause, they say, and you'll waltz out on the other side like a well-rested gazelle in a field of lilies (do lilies grow in fields?). So, here I am, gazing at the daisies (or the waves) and realizing that my first instinct was to take a selfie with them.
But alas, no, I remind myself, this pause is meant for much more than Instagram likes and LinkedIn comments – it's about pausing the scrolling, unplugging from the grid, and engaging in a heart-to-heart conversation with my intuition first, and my family second. One has been feeling rather neglected, buried under an avalanche of Slack messages and Zoom meetings much more so than the other.
Burnout, that sneaky villain, often creeps in under the guise of hating your job and consistently delivering the subtlety named "poor performance." And the leading cause of burnout is actually multitasking. Guilty as charged. This reminds me of the time I tried to multitask while making my son a quesadilla on our stove while presenting a new business pitch to a prospect. Both resulted in a sad, soggy disaster. Lesson learned: Multitasking, whether in the kitchen or the office, usually ends in disappointment.
Ever since (kind of) quitting Twitter, my screen time on my smartphone has reduced significantly. No, not even Threads replaced time spent scrolling and sharing... My time spent listening to podcasts (like this great one with Zelle’s Josh Fajardo) has gone up significantly. Maybe it’s time we all have a similar heart-to-heart with our phones, a digital relationship counseling of sorts, and embrace pausitivity (yes, that's a made-up word).
A recent LinkedIn survey of U.S. professionals conducted this summer revealed that 35% of Gen Z workers feel guilty about not working while on vacation, a higher percentage compared to boomers at 22%. Millennials and Gen Xers also experience similar guilt levels (around 30% and 32% respectively) about not working during vacations, reflecting a broader trend in the US of not fully utilizing paid time off. Look, I’m not judging… not coming back to a mountain of unread emails can also minimize the stress while away…
As your unlicensed, unwanted therapist, it's important to realize the power of understanding your yearnings – your deepest desires that have been buried beneath the daily grind. As I lounge on this beach chair, I ponder my yearnings and dials, realizing they extend beyond "500 ChatGPT Prompts to That Will Save 15 Minutes in Your Day." Wait, did I say “dials?” Yes, dials.
The material assets dial – measuring money and time – tickles my financial sensibilities. The activity dial, though, seems to question whether I can juggle paddleboarding and reading a book while on vacation. I'm tempted, but my yearning for self-preservation prevails.
And yearnings… "taking a break" isn't just about flipping through a novel on the beach. It's about crafting a master plan for your future self – an inventory of strengths, a journey of self-discovery. Separating the "every day" from the "someday." Becoming self-aware might involve some awkward conversations with your past self, but hey, growth comes with a side of cringe, right?
So as the sun dips below the horizon and I give myself just an hour or two a day on the phone for the rest of the week, I'm reminded that pausing isn't just about shutting down. It's about rebooting, recalibrating, and realigning with the truest version of yourself. Here's to planning your pause, beating burnout, and, well, rediscovering your inner gazelle amidst a field of existential lillied. Yay, pausitivity!
SOMETHING PRACTICAL:
Everyone is a Little “Delulu” (and that's a good thing)
"Delulu" is slang for "delusional," used on the socials to describe someone with unrealistic or overly idealistic beliefs.
Now imagine you're on the verge of making a decision that could reshape your future. Logic whispers one thing, but your gut says another. It's a juggling duet of reason and whimsy. But the dance between reality and fantasy isn't a glitch. Useful delusions are an ingenious feature we've evolved to navigate life. Our brains are a bustling flea market of ideas, from wacko to practical, where reason and irrationality barter for supremacy, and it's this very tango that keeps us sane in a world that demands rationality.
Optimism isn't just a whimsical habit; it's a toolkit. Overconfidence, wrapped in an appealing cloak, powers our endeavors, emboldens our battles, and occasionally, tilts the scales in our favor. It's our secret weapon against adversity and a formidable persuasion weapon in our arsenal. Religion (or the organized belief in a higher power that no one has ever seen, heard, touched) gives us hope, faith, and the power to get through difficult times. All of these are delusions.
Rituals tied to these delusions have become the heartbeat of our sanity symphony. Whether it's wearing a lucky shirt to an interview, sitting in the same spot on the couch during your favorite team's playoff run, or even avoiding sidewalk cracks like they'll break our mothers’ backs, rituals aren't futile quirks. They're symphonies of comfort, orchestrations of control, and dances of connection. They tame chaos, whispering solace to our anxieties and curbing our audacity.
But my favorite of all of the delusions falls under the romantic category. Our belief in soulmates, our defiance of odds, and our ever-optimistic perception of love's tapestry aren't just whims; they're the manifestation of our selfish genes. While reality blinks skeptically, our hearts stand resolute, driving us to craft relationships that transcend the mundane.
Yet, amid these enchantments, a question: Are we mere puppets in our life's grand theater? The answer: a beguiling paradox. Our conscious will, that beacon of autonomy, may just be a veiled magician's trick. We interpret our actions as deliberate when they're often conjured by subconscious strings. This paradox, unsettling as it sounds, is the artful design of our brains, forging a sense of control and morality.
So here's to the delulus... the delightful delusions that pepper our lives, turning reality's drab canvas into a masterpiece of the human experience. These enigmatic sparks of irrationality are our navigational stars, emotional glue, and ultimate survival gear. In a world where reason reigns supreme, it's the controlled chaos of delusion that keeps our ship sailing in the vast sea of existence.
SOMETHING PROFESSIONAL:
Don't Write Off the Metaverse Just Yet
If you think that the following section is intended to provide future documentation for later saying "I told you so," well congratulations... You know me too well.
But anyone who believes that buzz and "hype" around metaverse experiences are fading will be proven wrong. Just wait about 6-8 years. The latest research from Bain unveils its true potential. By 2030, metaverse ecosystems could blossom into a staggering $900 billion. In the journey toward metaverse domination, early adopters are set to reap the greatest rewards. Embracing this metaverse "seed stage" over the next 5-10 years will position businesses to become market leaders. And as technology evolves to facilitate more immersive experiences, those who engage during this crucial developmental phase are poised for success.
And it's going to be fun not just to watch, but to participate as well. The metaversal evolution will not be a monolithic transformation. Rather, it will manifest through diverse platforms catering to different audiences. Larger platforms are gearing up to offer enhanced immersive experiences, while smaller, more specialized environments seek to attract a broader user base. This diversity ensures that a variety of virtual worlds thrive, each with its unique value proposition.
From entertainment and manufacturing to healthcare, education, and employee training, the metaverse is revolutionizing the way these sectors operate, collaborate, and engage with consumers. For those aiming to get an early(ish) start, here are five places to start and set yourself up for success:
Virtual Experiences (65% of 2030 Market): Gaming has spearheaded the consumer metaverse journey, but immersive fitness and entertainment hold immense potential. Enterprises are also joining the fray with innovative applications in collaboration, productivity, digital marketing, employee training, education, and healthcare.
Content-Creation Tools (5% of 2030 Market): The rise of software tools for crafting metaverse worlds and experiences simplifies content generation. This democratization empowers users to contribute to the metaverse's growth.
App Stores and Operating Systems (10% of 2030 Market): During the seed stage, app stores play a pivotal role in curating high-quality experiences. These stores keep users engaged with the metaverse platform and headsets they use.
Devices (10% of 2030 Market): Despite technological barriers, the mass adoption of stand-alone immersive devices is on the horizon. To reach a broader audience, metaverse content must cater to various devices, including computers, gaming consoles, and smartphones.
Computing and Infrastructure (10% of 2030 Market): Hardware companies are under pressure to develop cutting-edge chips, servers, and networking tech. These advancements ensure high-quality graphics and minimal latency, enhancing the metaverse experience.
User-Generated Experiences: If the rumors are true, UGC is growing. This is a fertile meta-ground for it to continue.
SOMETHING POLITICAL: Leaving Behind The Legacy
The Supreme Court might have shut the door on using race as a factor in college admissions earlier this summer, but the storied saga of elitism and privilege in education continues. Legacy admissions, the VIP ticket for wealthy white students, are under scrutiny. These are the golden tickets handed out to the kids of alumni or big donors, ensuring a modern-day dynasty of privilege.
Born in the 1920s, legacy admissions were like an exclusive club for the privileged few, with a "no entry" sign for Jewish and immigrant students. Fast forward to today, and having a parent's name on a fancy plaque ups your admission chances by 45%. Legacy students waltz into elite colleges like they own the place, leaving equally qualified non-legacy candidates staring at the velvet ropes.
But in the court of popular opinion, the tide has turned. Turns out, 65% of likely voters agreed that the legacy kids have an unfair advantage. And a resounding 70% think that colleges should eliminate it. On this issue, not even partisan lines hold. Democrats, Independents, and even the elusive Republicans all sang in harmony: Legacy admissions had become a tune they were no longer willing to hum. Cue the lawmakers, stage left. From New York to California, these policymakers proposed legacy bans
So while the affirmative action debate might be over in one corner, the fight against inherited privilege in education is still raging in the other. With state and federal legislators trying to kick legacy admissions to the curb, it's clear that people from all sides of the aisle have had enough of this ivory tower inheritance game. It's time for lawmakers to listen up and level the playing field.
And with that, I'm going to go get some rest before the fall application season and the alumni interivew process for my alma mater begin anew. Enjoy the rest of your week, and your summer, and see you back here in the fall!
SOMETHING PROMOTIONAL: New Partnerships To Share
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