Good morning friends! 😀
I am currently writing this newsletter in the lovely city of Barcelona. 🇪🇸
I’ve visited a few times but never in the Christmas period. It’s very nice I must say. Recommend anyone to visit if you get the chance!
Burnout is increasingly common in today's society. To my knowledge, I haven't experienced true burnout, likely because I enjoy my work. However, this week, I've felt slightly overwhelmed.
When I began this newsletter, I committed to writing it weekly indefinitely. It's my non-negotiable. Additionally, I promised to produce two YouTube videos weekly and write a blog post about a new concept I'm learning. Combine this with work demands and a busy social schedule at this time of year, the workload is becoming evident.
As we approach the end of the year, perhaps I should review my targets for a more sustainable and effective long-term strategy. But that’s a discussion for another time, Most likely next week 😀.
This isn't a post for sympathy, as these are all self-imposed tasks and targets I have set myself. And, of course, many people face far more significant struggles than producing YouTube videos!
This is more of a self-reflection to acknowledge that it is okay not to reach all your goals all the time. Life interferes, and that's perfectly fine.
A rule I've started to adopt, that I got from Atomic Habits (affiliate link), is to never miss twice. In other words, if I fail to upload two videos in one week, I ensure I definitely do two the following week. One miss is an anomaly; missing two can start a pattern.
This rule is beneficial as it allows for imperfection while striving towards your goals and ideal habits. It also helps in reducing feelings of being overwhelmed.
So, if you are reading this and feeling slightly stressed around this time with everything going on, it’s ok. Just relax and take some time off. That's why it's called the holiday season!
What’s Been Cooking 🥘
Some tasty stories this week:
Gemini Is A Fraud - Google’s DeepMind is facing some heat from exaggeration in the performance of its new LLM Gemini.
Tesla’s New Humanoid - Tesla has a new prototype version of its Optimus humanoid-like robot.
ChatGPT, Lazy During Christmas? - Some evidence has emerged that ChatGPT is providing lazier and shorter answers during Christmas due to People’s more relaxed nature during this time.
Weekly Favourites ❤️
📚 Book - Nazi Billionaires by David de Jong. I love political and financial scandal stories and this book ticks all the boxes. It’s about Nazi tycoons who benefitted greatly from the third reich and made billionaires from the corrupt system at the time.
🎬 YouTube - Fireship. Probably one of the best channels out there for tech. Short, entertaining, and funny videos on coding and the latest AI news.
🎙️ Podcast - Lex Fridman: Jeff Bezos. Think the title says it all. A great exploration of physics, rockets, and philosophy.
(PS: Some links are affiliate links that I get a kickback from with no extra cost to you 😎)