Hey everyone - Adam here!
The idea of compounding is a concept that has been stuck in my brain this week.
Seemingly earlier this week - Twitter working it’s weird magic that it does surfaced a tweet that I felt could be fun to reflect on this week on compounding.
The part that struck me primarily was the dichotomy between invested time and spent time.
Invested time = actions that compound.
Spent time = actions that don’t compound.
(You can bet I made Anki cards off of these flashcards “spaced repetition flashcards” off of these definitions.)
WHAT IS COMPOUNDING?
However, in order to fully understand these definitions, I think it’s important we understand what exactly compound is.
There are two definitions that I want us to take a look at today.
In English grammar: compounding is the process of combining two words (free morphemes) to create a new word
Rewording: The process of combining two practices into one.. ex: reading and writing are actions that compound. Hence, when you do these two things you become not only a better reader, but you also become a better writer. These things feed off one another. WARNING: The same can be true for destructive behaviors/habits..
Whereas in financial terms:
“Compounding is the process in which an asset’s earnings, from either capital gains or interest, that are reinvested to generate additional earnings over time.”
Rewording: Earnings can be referred to as skill acquired towards the things we invest our time in. The beauty of working towards becoming really good at “reading” for example is that we can tap this skill into our next choice of learning. Usually once one goes down the rabbithole of reading a lot, this translates into an interest of writing.
Let’s come up with a freelance graduate student definition of compounding.
Compounding: is the process of combining the things in which we know and invest our time into create something fundamentally new, in other words generating new permutations. In other words, I am equating the idea of compounding with the implied idea of “work put in” akin to the 10,000 hour rule.
Just as a reminder the 10,000 hour rule is a theory that states the best way to develop expertise in something is spending 10,000 hours doing so. So for example, if you want to become a really good DJ… spend 10,000 hours DJING.
When something we have invested time in “compounds”, I would say there are fundamental benchmarks that signify when our skills or behaviors have compounded. This is something we need to track internally and remind ourselves of.
Releasing an album can be considered a “compounding” moment for your ability to create, just as publishing that book of poetry you have been working on for your writing, just as running a half-marathon can be considered a compounding moment for exercising.
Rx: Reading, Writing, Meditating, Exercising, Creating and Manifesting these are all habits which compound over time. Invest your time in just one of these habits over the next year and see what happens :)
Compounding moments can be considered as times in which the work that we do daily reaches an inflection point. It’s a moment in which you have that “"inner-knowing” that you genuinely feel much more comfortable doing something that once terrified you.
Publishing your 69th newsletter (YES this is #69 of my newsletters somehow). Finishing up your first year teaching. Switching roles to work in an industry you are much more aligned with, etc. Getting married. Traveling to perform music you’ve worked on the last 3 years. These are examples of compounding moments.. some more major than others.
WHAT’S YOUR POINT ADAM?
We live in our minds… and existence in this world equates the attempt to bring these ideas residing in our minds into realities.
Starting this newsletter was initially just that. An idea.
However, writing consistently over time has been a unique medium in which I have the chance to present ideas, “forcing” them from me on a weekly basis.
We must not worry about getting good, the thing we should worry about is if we don’t enjoy the process of getting good. In other words, the more you enjoy learning, the easier it’ll be towards getting quite good!
A day that was initially designed for writing, has become a weekly reminder designed for getting me thinking about music, as well as taking bigger steps towards a career in music. Something that I’m loving more, the more I dedicate my practice towards doing so.
Please share with me reader some actions that you are hoping to compound over this summer? Sure we can live life like it’s our summer vacations, but it’s important to have guardrails on what it is we’d like to improve on while also having a blast this summer.
Speaking of improvements and practicing…
BARTYDARTY VOLUME 10!?
Yes. Since the release of my album and in preparation for some events I have planned this summer, I have been working on a new mix!
So far it’s a 40ish minute long-mix compiled from the music I have been listening/making over the past few weeks.
My plan is to release the next BARTYDARTY mix this coming Thursday.
Thursday, June 30th @10AM I will be releasing BARTYDARTY VOLUME 10 on SoundCloud and Audius. Want a sneak peek? Listen here.
In the meanwhile, feel free to follow me on SoundCloud and Audius, I’ll release the tracklist as part of next week’s newsletter. I have a feeling you are really going to enjoy this one!
Cheers to lifelong learning,
69.... nice.