Hey everyone. Adam here.
I have a hypothesis I’d like to share to start this week’s post.
Creating an environment that aligns with your ambitions… is one of the most IMPORTANT things to do in our lives, especially as we seek to cultivate this while online.
Because let’s face it… there’s a WHOLE lotta noise in our everyday existence, as we continually are overwhelmed by an abundance of information (glut). How do we decipher from the noise and discover a clear signal in terms of cultivating more progress towards our long-term goals?
In doing further research on how to create a more resonant environment for my personal goals, I was sent a very helpful resource. Daniel Jiang, one of my internet homies, sent me a link entitled: “Enabling environments, games, and the Primer”.
It turns out that this link Daniel sent me was created by the one and only Andy Matuschak. Matuschak is an individual who “explores tools that augment human memory and attention,” an area that absolutely piques my interest. As this idea of tech more fluidly nudging us to spend time on the things in which we find fascinating has always struck me. Especially in relation to the alternative of having our tech swallow us into a pool of nothingness induced by doomscrolling.
Nevertheless, after reading Andy’s notes on “Enabling environments, games, and the Primer” I discovered a concept that rose to the top of mind for my curiosity… this idea of enabling environments.
Enabling Environments: is the type of environment that vastly improves its participants capacity to do the things they find meaningful and important.
Creating a future enabled by our environment
The future is what we want it to be for ourselves.
I am a continual believer of this, as I find myself preaching the wondrous effect that laying out a long-term goal and making the everyday commitment to stride towards these goals has on us.
Bringing the future we would like to come true… also comes down to making the weekly choice to hone in on this pursuit. Whether this involves creating a song a week, writing a newsletter every week, going to the gym more days than not, using our coworking space more days than not.. etc.)
However, talk is cheap and action is way more important.
What’s a way to dig deeper… and no longer just talk about our goals…
To instead dive into the DEEP work that is required to make immense progress in what it is we are incredibly passionate about.
It’s creating an enabling environment towards the things that make you tick.
What is it that makes you tick???
Is it making music?
Is it writing a newsletter?
Is it designing that particular aesthetic that you just have to share with the world?
Is it learning all you can about the ins and outs of the music industry? crypto industry? fashion industry?
Is it learning how to program your first personalized website?
How do you mentally nudge yourself one day at a time, to go on the path less-traveled?
Especially, if you are working a typical 9-5 job.. and yet, still looking to diversify yourself creatively.
Take active steps to shape your environment and letting yourself get immersed into these environments, making the pursuit of our long-term goals the easiest thing to do.
AN EXAMPLE
I have found an increasingly wonderful intersection between two things I am very passionate about: music x crypto.
With this, there are still times where I need to sit down and hack away on my computer. This consists of taking care of zoom calls, personal finances, writing this newsletter, or helping out the numerous DAOs I am now a part of.
What does this require? It requires set aside attention, as well as intention to my environment while attending to my “work”.
I typically do these by writing out the TODO items that are required of me to, in a sense, do my digital custodial work... cleaning up and completing the tasks that are needed of me. (These are things that are typically time-sensitive).
As at the core of digital custodial work, is a variety of tasks that need to be broken down into small, actionable, as well as measurable outcomes.
This way, I can pack up my computer for the day.. head to my coworking space, and take care of the things in which I may find a bit more tedious, compared to making music.. which then creates/enables the separation required for me to get into a workflow. Just as it does with making music!
Especially as I seek to really embody the ethos of being a musician, which requires immense concentration.
ACTION REQUIRES SEPARATION
Say the above statement to yourself again.
Action requires separation. The reason being is there is always more that we can seemingly do, especially of the digital custodial variety.
However, action towards our one true goal can be tough to take that first step towards.
So.. the more refined the goal, the better.. as it enables us to fully immerse ourselves into that creative abyss once we reach a flow state.
Putting us in a position in which, the only task in which we are going to work on is.. the one before us. Rather than worrying about the multitude of other tasks we could be working on in that instant.
Let’s call it for what it is: attention towards the things that matter most is incredibly hard. Especially in the days in which we live of having access to a never-ending flow of new information (whether it’s emails, text messages, new books, articles, new music, new shows, etc..).
The real question is: how do we STICK with the things that matter most?
How do we continue to take that everyday action to create opportunities that are in alignment with our goals?
It is by creating an enabling environment for ourselves.
Set aside a time to do something, and don’t veer off of that path. If you do decide to veer off that path, increasingly immerse yourself into environments that more than likely align with your long-term visions. This way you can productively procrastinate ;)
Whenever you learn as a result of your procrastination, consider this a win.
For example: one of my long-term goals is to create a debut album. In the meanwhile, I’ve found a way to meet individuals and ask for advice as to how to drive the process of learning and taking action towards this goal.
On days in which I have other obligations.. such as today, in writing this newsletter.. I then ask myself how can I make this smaller goal of writing a weekly newsletter more aligned with my long-term goal of becoming a musician?
It’s simple. By writing on how I am approaching this long-term goal, on an increasing basis. By brainwashing myself that I am a musician.
There’s that common saying of “fake it until you make it” but what about “brainwashing yourself until you become it”?
WHAT IS THE POINT OF ALL OF THIS?
Everyday, you get back up on the wagon towards fulfilling your dreams, is a day won. When you sustain your attention towards your long-term goal on a daily basis, this is how you build something incredible in the long-term.
Build up creative momentum, and continually leave yourself open to adjustments for your weekly action plan.
Create an environment for yourself that makes the hardest thing to do become the easiest thing to do.
Create an enabling environment for yourself to get closer to your dreams.
Share this process. And repeat.
We are in the midst of a learning revolution empowered by digital technologies and the easily available information dedicated towards whatever topic we are passionate about.
At the end of the day, it comes down to having the willingness to push through on an action-by-action basis. Become the best student of your emerging passion. And speak with those who are actively doing this as well.
The internet can be an incredible tool for sharing our lifelong commitments. So I suggest you join me, and declare yourself a lifelong student enrolled in the best educational institution we have: the internet.
Cheers to lifelong learning,
PARTING NOTE
If you're enjoying “The Freelance Graduate Student” newsletter, I would really love it if you shared it with a homie or two. You can send them here to subscribe. I try my very best to put out creative ideas each week, and I hope you have as much fun reading them as I do writing them.
If you find anything relevant to the previous writing I have put out, or just additional links you would like to share on this particular topic, reply to this post!