Good morning, friends!

My birthday was last week, so that means it was time for my annual check-in.

Every year, I take the time to pause and think back on the previous year of life. What’s changed, how have I grown, where can I improve, and most importantly, what learnings can I share with you?

Like I’ve said before, the best part of my birthday is getting to reflect on how my thinking has evolved. I've been doing annual reflections for the last three years (check out 28, 29, and 30).

This year certainly looks quite different from prior ones. (I’m writing this as my 9-month-old daughter is currently “cleaning” the bookshelf of all books and magazines because she has decided they belong on the floor.)

I hope you find my insights useful, and I look forward to hearing from you.

(Below is an excerpt, but you can read the full article here).

1. Things aren’t always perfect on arrival

One very difficult (but very important) lesson I learned this year is to embrace the messy middle. How many times do we look forward to something only to have our plans derailed and our expectations shattered? I learned this lesson from author and speaker Robert Hoge.

“Now, more so than ever, I think a lot of people expect things to be perfectly formed, perfectly mature, and wonderful on arrival,” he told me. “But they're not. You don't go from the first scene of a movie or a book to the last scene of a movie or a book. That journey in the middle is really important.”

That messy middle is where growth happens — we learn how to navigate chaotic situations and become better people as a result of it.

2. Serendipity can be a tremendous teacher

Serial entrepreneur Martine Rothblatt reads 10 to 15 books at the same time and relies solely on serendipity to guide her.

By cross-referencing and combining the books, she boosts her creativity because it allows her mind to make new connections. If you focus on two subjects for a period of time, you will naturally begin to see relationships between them that will trigger new ideas. Exposing yourself to a wide range of reading material has the power to improve your content diet and spark fresh ideas.

Books are magic, and they are often the gateway to endless creativity and innovation.

3. Seek priorities, not balance

When I was born, my parents were finishing their master’s degrees, so I spent a lot of time with my grandparents. My mom has told me that she wishes she hadn’t missed out on those early moments.

That sentiment stayed with me, and I’ve always known that I wanted to be present when I had a child. But I also wanted to work.

So the one thing I am genuinely thankful for every single day is the flexibility that The Profile provides (all thanks to you, dear reader!) on a personal and professional level. I’ve been able to be present with my baby while still growing my business. There’s no “balance,” but rather, a shifting of priorities.

….

and more.

Read the Full Article Here

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR: On Wednesday, August 31 at 1 p.m. EST, Jacob Goldstein, the former host of popular podcast Planet Money, will participate in an hour-long, live "Ask Me Anything" with premium readers who are part of The Profile's members-only Telegram chat. Goldstein now hosts a podcast called ‘What’s Your Problem,’ in which he gives listeners the inside scoop on how innovators are facing their business problems head-on. He’ll answer questions live, and we’ll discuss everything from entrepreneurship to audience-building to storytelling, and more. Become a premium member, and join us on August 31.

PROFILES.

— The reluctant prophet of effective altruism [**HIGHLY RECOMMEND**]
— The TikTok star betting on himself
— The comedy legend who just can’t stop
— The new king of pop
— The domestic-violence hotline for abusers

PEOPLE TO KNOW.

The reluctant prophet of effective altruism: William MacAskill helped to found a moral crusade called “effective altruism.” The movement takes as its premise that people ought to do good in the most clear-sighted, ambitious, and unsentimental way possible. Effective altruism is now a broadly influential faction, especially in Silicon Valley, and controls philanthropic resources on the order of $30 billion dollars. Has his idea strayed too far from its original goal? (The New Yorker)

“What weight do I give my own well-being against the possible impact I can have?”

The TikTok star betting on himself: TikTok-powered boxer Jake Paul is hoping to pivot to a role that doesn’t involve him getting punched in the face. His sports-media and mobile-betting company, Betr, just raised $50 million in Series A funding. Here’s how Paul is planning out his next act. (New York Magazine)

“I fully believe I’ll be the Jay-Z of this generation and this will be a billion-dollar company — my first billion-dollar company.”

The comedy legend who just can’t stop: After more than 60 years in the business, comedy legend Steve Martin was ready to wind it down. Then came 'Only Murders in the Building' and his three Emmy nominations. And a new stage show. And a new book. And a new documentary. But after that, it's really over … or is it? (The Hollywood Reporter)

“My wife keeps saying, ‘You always say you’re going to retire and then you always come up with something.’”

The new king of pop: Harry Styles has become a global pop icon. At 28, Styles has unlocked a new level of stardom for himself. Years ago, he regularly filled stadiums as a member of One Direction, his former boy band. This spring and summer, he’s playing them on his own. (Rolling Stone)

“It just felt like sitting at home doing nothing might feel better if we all move in together and try to make some music.”

COMPANIES TO WATCH.

The domestic-violence hotline for abusers: The 10 to 10 Helpline, the nation’s first helpline for people who harm their intimate partners, launched in April 2021. Helpline staffers aim to respond with compassion, but also to get callers to recognize and begin to change abusive behaviors. About one in four women and one in ten men in the United States experience domestic violence, and 55% of female homicide victims are killed by their current or former intimate partner. And yet for decades, the bulk of efforts to end intimate-partner violence have focused on criminalization rather than prevention. Here’s how the 10 to 10 Helpline hopes to change this. (New York Magazine)

“What you want to do is paint a picture for him to look at himself a little bit differently, naming this pattern of behavior, naming what the impact is.”

✨ This installment of The Profile is free for everyone. If you would like to get full access to all of the recommendations, including today’s audio and video sections, sign up below.

AUDIO TO HEAR.

Thomas Zurbuchen on the weaponization of space: Every other week, the news carries reports of a world power engaging in passive-aggressive practices in space. Which makes you wonder: How long before mankind’s feuds transcend earth into the cosmos? “One of the things we want to be careful about is keeping space peaceful,” says Thomas Zurbuchen, an astrophysicist and NASA’s Associate Administrator. “I think that’s something we’ve been watching with trepidation. We see some nation-states out there that are making us question whether they’re serious about the peaceful utilization of space.” (Link available to premium members.)

Katie Haun on the story of Silk Road: When asked to describe Katie Haun, Naval Ravikant once said, “If I’m down to one phone call, instead of calling my lawyer, I’m calling Katie.” Between leading the charge at two of the nation’s top VC firms, hunting criminals as a federal prosecutor, and being a ‘child whisperer’, Haun is that person who seems to have done it all. But one of her more famous feats is the role she played in the unraveling of the infamous Silk Road. If you’ve ever wondered how the dark web marketplace came toppling down in 2013, Haun offers you a front-row seat in this podcast episode. (Link available to premium members.)

VIDEOS TO SEE.

Jahmicah Dawes on the importance of inclusion: When the KKK held a rally in his hometown in 2007, Jahmicah was certain that he would not raise a family in Stephenville, Texas. But fast forward 15 years, he and his family of five not only live there but run the country’s first Black-owned outdoor gear shop. What changed? “I don’t know much about the outdoors—the customers that come in here know twice as much as me,” Dawes says. “But for a long time, they had to go to other places to be part of a community. Now, they can find that here.” (Link available to premium members.)

Morgan Housel on playing to your strengths: When Morgan Housel sat to write The Psychology of Money, he gave himself a year to write the book. Ten months later, he realized he only had two poorly-written chapters to show for it. “The reason was I was trying to reinvent my whole writing style,” he says. “When I discovered I was adding fluff and going off crazy tangents just to have 5,000-word chapters, it didn’t make sense. I know how to write blog posts—that’s what I’ve done my whole career. So I decided I was going to deliver a book of blog posts.” (Link available to premium members.)

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