Non-Fiction Notes

Non-Fiction Notes

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  • Are We There Yet — Chapter 1

    In most situations, we can either dream about a beautiful and deeply fulfilling future, or we can focus on the present and intentionally design the situation we are in right now. More often than not, it is a dysfunctional belief to aim exclusively for some distant ideal. Instead, it tends to be far more effective to cultivate a constant bias for action—to take meaningful steps, again and again.

    Along the way, we should also take the time to savor our experiences and successes, while reflecting on the new insights generated by our actions, our experiences, and our successes—or even our failures. I particularly like the idea that savoring “is the essence of getting more out of (rather than cramming more into) your life” by “reengaging your experiences through a savoring reflection.”

    In a nutshell, the suggested approach is simple: start with a bias for action—just do something. Then adopt the perspective of “good enough for now.” Over time, both a bias for action and the good enough for now mindset should become second nature.

    By embracing these mindsets, you become “much more available … to other people and to the opportunities that will start showing up all around you.” That is because you are no longer sitting in the backseat of your own life, asking, “Are we there yet?”

  • Designing Your Work Life – Chapter 1 – Are We There Yet?

    “The most important insight from the first chapter “Are We There Yet?” is, in my opinion, the reframing technique: Instead of the dysfunctional belief “Good enough isn’t good enough; I want more,” you should switch to “Good enough is GREAT—for now.”

    Why This Is So Central

    The chapter addresses a widespread problem: Many people are stuck in a constant “Are we there yet?” mode. They wait for the perfect job, the next promotion, or the ideal situation — and in doing so, they miss the opportunity to find satisfaction in the here and now. This leads to chronic dissatisfaction, reinforced by the hedonic treadmill: People quickly adapt to positive changes and always want more, without ever truly arriving.

    The authors Burnett and Evans (who also wrote Designing Your Life) use design thinking principles to show that you can’t always radically change your current work situation right away, but you can change your perspective on it. This isn’t superficial renaming (“rename”), but a real reframing that fundamentally shifts your attitude and actions.

    Practical Examples and Implementation

    • The book illustrates this with Garth: He had an unsatisfying job, but through small adjustments (e.g., conscious breaks and learning from colleagues), he made it more bearable while simultaneously preparing for better opportunities.
    • Good-Enough-for-Now Mindset: Accept your current situation as a starting point for growth, rather than viewing it as a permanent state. This reduces stress and creates space for real improvements.
    • Practical tools from the chapter: Keep a “Good Work Journal” (note daily what you learned, initiated, or helped others with), set small goals, and do weekly reflections (e.g., on the 7th day).

    My Personal Assessment

    This is not just a nice motivational phrase, but an extremely liberating and pragmatic introduction to the book. In a world where we are constantly bombarded with “more, better, faster,” it reminds us that satisfaction is an active choice — and the first step toward a more consciously designed work life. It lays the foundation for the later chapters (e.g., on Money vs. Meaning or concrete redesign strategies), because without this acceptance, everything else ends in frustration.

    In short: Stop waiting to get “there” — start designing “here.” The chapter makes it clear that this is not resignation, but the smart starting point for change.“

  • Lightly:

    “It’s dark because you’re trying too hard. Lightly, child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly. Yes, feel lightly even though you’re feeling deeply. Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them.”

    — Aldous Huxley

  • Deep Reading:

    By spending just three to five hours deeply reading a single book each week, you can read roughly fifty books per year.

  • Next Book Review: Designing Your Work Life

    The next book review will be about Designing Your Work Life by Burnett and Evans.

  • Willpower, Intelligence, and Coalitional Value:

    “willpower and intelligence are two of the strongest predictors of coalitional value according to Coalitional Value Theory (CVT), but they are not the only ones.

    According to the theory:

    Coalitional value = how much a person marginally improves the success and fitness of a group.

    High coalitional value leads to prestige (freely given deference), status, and influence within the coalition.

    Why intelligence and willpower matter so much:

    • Intelligence helps a person see more connections, make better predictions, solve complex problems, and coordinate effectively. In modern environments (and likely in ancestral ones too), this is an extremely high-value trait. Intelligent people can generate more resources, better strategies, and better outcomes for the group.
    • Willpower (closely related to Conscientiousness, grit, and self-control) determines reliability, consistency, and the ability to follow through on commitments even when it’s difficult. A highly intelligent person with low willpower is often less valuable than a moderately intelligent person with high willpower, because the latter actually delivers results over time.

    Together, high intelligence + high willpower create a very strong combination for coalitional value in almost any group (work, friendships, romantic relationships, tribes, companies, etc.).”

  • Coalitional Value Theory

    Coalitional Value Theory: an Evolutionary Approach to Understanding Culture
    Published: 08 May 2020
    Bo Winegard, Amanda Kirsch, Andrew Vonasch, Ben Winegard & David C. Geary 


    Abstract

    In the following article, we forward the coalitional value theory (CVT) and apply it to several puzzles about human behavior. The CVT contends that humans evolved unique mental mechanisms for assessing each other’s marginal value to a coalition (i.e., each other’s coalitional value). They defer to those with higher coalitional value, and they assert themselves over those with lower. We discuss how this mechanism likely evolved. We note that it helps explains how human groups can expand into large, complicated, and specialized coalitions (chiefdoms and even nation states). And we combine this with strong evidence that suggests that status striving is a fundamental human motive to explain partially (1) anti-gay bias, (2) cultural signaling, (3) cultural conceptions of god, and (4) ideological conflict.

  • Darwin, Sex, and Status

    I am taking a deep dive into Darwin, Sex, and Status by Jerome Barkow.

  • Mate Choice

    “Presumably, however, we tend to choose partners whose attributes would, back in our hunting-and-gathering evolutionary environment, have enhanced our inclusive fitness.”

    Jerome Barkow

  • Beauty and Personality:

    Beauty fades. Personality remains.