Hello and welcome to your weekly dose of actionable (and occasionally provocative) things.
If you follow global news, you know what’s happening.
If not, you’re lucky, and I am genuinely jealous.
Why? Because the more we know, the more we - okay, I - overthink.
What happens to the world? To the economy? To my family balance sheet, which feels slightly more important when you actually have one?
But one stupidly simple written rule has been saving my sanity from external reality.
Two weeks ago, I put a note into a little desk stand - specially 3D-printed, of course. It has only two lines:
Do not complain
Do not assume
It sits right in front of me at least nine hours a day, six days a week. And somehow it still hasn’t become a scotoma. (Yes, I know that word in English. Look at me. Big day!)
Here’s how it works: at least three times a day, I glance at the note and review the past few hours. How much did I complain? How much did I assume?
Of course, the answer is: enough.
But.
After every cycle, I noticed that whenever I was about to start bitching about how humans are doomed, I’d recall the note and soften the blow.
The unpleasant truth: practice is very far from knowledge. Especially when complaining about everything used to be one of my guilty pleasures.
Yeah. And I’ve already survived three apocalypses, two bankruptcies, and one endless divorce.
Solely in my head.
Enjoy the edition!
Table of Contents
Heads-up: If you’re reading this in Gmail (either in the browser or the app), you might not see the full content. Since our emails are packed with rich content, Gmail loves to clip them. You’ll see a small note at the bottom that says [Message clipped] View entire message. Just click that link - the rest of the content is waiting for you on our website.
Learn From My Mistakes
Short story of how I break life chaos into small, solvable problems - 3 min read.
I re-read George Mack’s High Agency in 30 Minutes again.
Yes, again. It’s one of those pieces I revisit a few times a year, like I have no other plans in my life.
This time, one idea grabbed me and refused to let go:
How do you become a worse writer?
Don’t write
Write inconsistently
Write about boring things
Flip it:
Write
Write consistently
Write about what actually excites you
Simple. Slightly annoying. Very true.
And that’s when another line clicked into place - Jack Butcher’s inversion definition:
To learn how to win, define how you lose.
So instead of collecting clever quotes like trophies, I tried applying inversion to real parts of life where I still trip over my own shoelaces.
Decisions
How to make worse decisions:
Decide in your head, alone, in one sitting
Treat confidence as evidence
Never write down what would prove you wrong
Flip it:
Put decisions on paper
Ask: “What would change my mind?”
Add a tripwire: “If X happens, we revisit.”
Now here’s the awkward part: I rarely write decisions down.
I also rarely decide in one sitting.
My real superpower is changing decisions mid-flight. Which drives my wife craaazyyyy…
Example:
Me: “Hey honey, I’m going to Costco tonight - add your items.”
In 5 minutes she texts me the list.
Me: “Actually weather is perfect. I’ll run tonight. Costco tomorrow. Maybe.”
My wife: “???!!! #@$!!!!”
So yes, I can definitely make decisions.
I can also create domestic confusion faster than same-day delivery.
That brings us to the next inversion trap: learning.
Learning
How to “learn” and still stay exactly the same:
Collect ideas like souvenirs
Stay in input mode forever
Never build a feedback loop
Flip it:
One idea = one test this week
Pick the smallest experiment
Track a signal that can’t be faked
This is my wall of shame.
For years, I collected quotes, frameworks, and shiny insights.
After losing a lion’s share during migration masochism (Word → OneNote → Evernote → Notion → Obsidian), I still have thousands of notes.
Learning without behavior change is entertainment.
It barely even qualifies as learning.
Real learning needs spaced repetition. Without it, we forget 80%+ of what we consume. In my case, it’s more like 90 to 95%. My brain is basically on auto-delete.
So I write everything down. Not because I’m disciplined.
Because my memory is a liar.
But that’s not the end of the story.
Even when I manage to remember something, all I’ve gained is knowledge.
Not experience.
Feel the difference?
I didn’t either… until I tried to patch drywall.
I knew the theory.
In reality, sanding turned my house into a bakery - except the flour is regret and it gets everywhere.
Same with migrating notes between apps.
I knew the theory. In reality, half the formatting died, the tags multiplied like rabbits, and I learned that “export” is mostly vibes.
That’s why I stopped binge-reading books.
At this point in my life, I’m not trying to broaden what I know.
I’m trying to deepen it.
And deepening requires practice.
Relationship
How to become a bad husband:
Assume love runs on autopilot
Put zero intention into the relationship
Be physically present, mentally absent
Keep score like it’s the playoffs
Stop noticing, asking, listening, remembering
Notice mistakes only
Flip it:
[Under construction]
This section isn’t finished yet.
I’m still figuring this part out in real life, not in theory.
That’s the whole point of inversion: it’s not a clever framework, it’s a reality check.
Don’t start with “What’s the perfect move?”
Start with “What would reliably mess this up?”
Then do less of that.
Simple.
Till next time.
The Curious Procrastinator relies on word of mouth!
If you’re enjoying our newsletter, please help us reach more readers by forwarding this letter to a friend.
Our favorite digital finds
Tools, apps, and services that actually deliver
Finally, a watch list that doesn’t depend on whoever was loudest on Reddit that week. It mashes IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and the nerdy corners of the internet into one “just tell me what’s good to watch”.
This is time blocking with less friction and more visibility. Colors, icons, and recurrence make routines readable, while quick edits keep the plan adaptable when reality shows up.
It’s like a napkin sketch, except you can edit it, share it, and pretend you planned it. Perfect for “let me explain this real quick” moments.
Short & Sweet
Short articles worth your attention
This is not a “do more, sleep more, hydrate more” sermon. It’s a reality check: why long hours do not automatically equal burnout (autonomy matters) or why venting can backfire.
If your job is “come up with ideas,” this one matters. The takeaway is not “AI replaces creators,” it’s “AI becomes a turbocharged assistant,” especially for brainstorming - with the annoying reminder that the best results still come from the best humans. Still (?!).
3 Reasons Most People Are Never Satisfied - 5 min read.
This isn’t a feel-good happiness piece. It ties overthinking, comparison, and shifting goals into one big system problem. The fix isn’t “think positive” - it’s “choose your direction and stop using other people’s standards.” Good for a reset without rebuilding your whole life.
Add this to your shelf
If you're looking for something to read, this book's worth considering
It is surprisingly fun for a book about forgetting things. Through odd examples, competitions, and personal experiments, it turns abstract brain science into concrete life lessons about focus and retention.
Feeling the vibe? Drop your email and we will deliver more weekly.
A Workspace I Envy
A handpicked desk setup that caught my eye this week
I’ve always wondered why people put monitors on risers. I tried it once. Instantly had to lift my chin - and my neck got sore in a few hours.
For the sake of honesty, I grabbed a ruler and measured the distance between my desk and the lower edge of my monitor.
Two inches - about 5 cm.
I set it years ago there and… zero neck issues since.
This section is sponsored by a monitor arm. Any arm of your choice.
Behind the Persona
A deep dive into the quirks, habits, and backstories that shape icons
Vlad Tenev Vlad Tenev is the guy who made stock trading feel like checking the weather. He co-founded Robinhood in 2013 and ran it as CEO while free trades went from “weird idea” to normal. Under the hood, his style is pretty basic: keep the app simple, move fast, and use one bold move to change the whole market. The funny part is he helped build an app that makes people refresh all day, then tries not to live that way.
Cool Facts About Vlad Tenev
Zero-Fee Shockwave: Free trades sounded like a gimmick when everyone still charged fees. Users jumped in, rivals copied it, and the whole industry changed its pricing. One bold move can shift an entire category.
App-First Bet: Old-school brokers felt confusing and intimidating. Robinhood went mobile and kept it simple, so beginners felt welcome. Sometimes the best growth move is making things less scary, not more advanced.
Work Smart, Not Just Hard: He hurt his back lifting weights and had to start over. He focused on good form and the basics. His lesson: tiny mistakes don’t stay tiny when the pressure gets bigger.
“Solve vs Visit” Filter: When he feels distracted, he does a quick check. Am I fixing the problem, or just thinking about it. If he’s just “hanging out” with the problem, he switches to one real action.
2X-Speed Learning on the Train: He taught himself iOS engineering by watching iOS development classes at 2X speed on Caltrain rides between San Francisco and Palo Alto.
“Independent Board” Decision Reset: When he catches himself defending a bad decision, he does a reset. He imagines he’s the board hiring a new CEO, then asks what that person would do. If the answer is “undo it,” he undoes it - even if it makes him look like he changed his mind.
Deadline-by-Event Shipping: He uses product launch events as a forcing function - “stake in the ground” deadlines - and said they went from one event to “4+ a year” to keep cadence tight.
Anti-Remote Default: He’s blunt that announcing remote-first was a “terrible mistake,” and argues being in-office makes it easier to maintain real awareness of what people are doing.
Watch-worthy clips
One video that got us thinking, and we think you'll like it too
Most clips ask for attention, this one earns it. You get one concrete shift in how to think.
Enjoying the newsletter? Please forward this issue to a friend who might enjoy it too 😊🙏🏻
It only takes 10 seconds. Making this one took us 9 hours…
If you are new here, what are you waiting for? ⬇️
