An Excellent Wknd [25.28]
3 thoughts on agency
Hello, hi, 👋
I hope you’ve had a chance to check out our chat with Cal Newport (links below) - it was a joy and a highlight for me. He’s been one of my favorite thinkers for years now, and it was a cool experience to be able to talk with him.
As we move into the second half of the year, we’re going to be trying to host most conversations with smart people like Cal. If there’s somebody we should try to get on the show, hit reply and let me know (#rhyme).
Let's get into it.
🤔 3 THOUGHTS
I think a lot about agency - I even co-produced a podcast about it a few years back - so my sensors are always on the lookout for interesting takes on it.
Here are three I came across this week:
You don't need more time. You need fewer commitments.
What’s possible and what’s required? It’s still surprising to me that some of these ideas aren’t widely held, because they seem so clear to me:
Skill is a choice. Talent is overrated, and if we choose to get better at something, we probably can.
Responsibility is a privilege. It’s not given to us, it’s taken. When we choose to be on the hook for something, it makes our work better.
The benefit of the doubt creates connection. When we exclude people based on surface judgments, we penalize each other.
Agency is our recognition of all three of these ideas, in one.
Often, agency is almost gentle — an attunement to the world and the self, a feeling out the details of reality, and a finding of the path of least resistance. There is sometimes considerable force involved, hard work, but it is like the force of a river being pulled toward the sea.
Herik Karlsson, On Agency
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🗓️ THIS WEEK
What we put out into the world over the last 7 days.
The Deep Life Blueprint: Cal Newport on Escaping Status Games & Finding True Fulfillment
Exploring how to escape status games and digital distractions to build a more intentional "deep life".
The Daily Chase
Brief, focused essays delivered each weekday to Chase Club members. (🔓 indicates the post is free for the weekend.)
On Tuesday, Ben and I are talking about the victim mentality, offering some ways to think about why it shows up and how to combat it.
Until then, keep chasing!
🤙🏼 Patrick
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Butcher’s quote hit me the hardest, however, I love Godin’s use of the word attunement in relation to agency. Attunement is a devolving skill in our distracted times that can significantly enhance all action. Like Butcher said, skill is a choice.
Good stuff