Learn How to Predict the Future

As I was scrolling through TikTok (guilty as charged!), I came across an interesting idea. It stated that your chances of success are a mix between intelligence and discipline. The interesting concept was how intelligence was defined: as the ability to predict the future.

I found this quite strange at first, but then I thought about it. Can intelligence really help you see into the future?

Of course not. Life is so full of uncertainty, chance, and blind luck, that it is impossible to predict, no matter how smart you are.

However, the idea still has food for thought.

Being intelligent, well-read, wise, and experienced gives you a clearer view of the world. You will be open-minded and have learned many things - both in practice and in theory.

So when uncertainty appears - changing careers, moving cities, leaving friends, even just choosing to shop in a new supermarket - you are able to look at all the changing variables and connect the dots. This will allow you to make a prediction on how the change will affect your life, which will help you “see” the future.

My message for this week is to carry on learning - which can sound like a chore, especially as we rush to get a few final hours of sun before September pushes summer aside and the wind gets colder - but do it regardless!

The more you know, the more you learn, and the more experiences you have, the better you will be at predicting the future.

🧭 Top Insights from Digital Marketing Compass by Etien Yanev

Etien Yanev is a Bulgarian digital marketer and lecturer. I recently finished his book “Digital marketing compass”. It was PACKED with useful information - for all of you who aren’t fluent in Bulgarian, I have picked my favourite takeaways below!

• The biggest mistake in content marketing is NOT providing a solution to a problem.

• With all the noise around AI and prompt generated images, authenticity is becoming more valuable, and will be one of the biggest future trends.

• First validate that there is a need and a market for your product, and THEN worry about making the product itself.

• Don’t just read marketing news - instead, find top voices which analyse news and explain why things happen and why.

Shelf Shocks

1. The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People's Lives Better, Too) by Gretchen Rubin

We all know of the 16 personality types and the Big 5 personality traits, but Gretchen Rubin offers a new way to segment people: through the Four Tendencies. They are based on our reaction to the simple question “How do I respond to expectations”?

Upholders, Questioners, Obligers, and Rebels are the four groups of people Rubin defines. She argues that understanding your type will help you react better to challenges and find partners who complement your approaches.

2. It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson

We already discussed ReWork, where the two authors busted some myths about running a successful company. In their new book, they continue to oppose the idea that hustle culture and long hours at work are necessary for success.

Not only does the book give practical tips for defending your time (and sanity) at work, but dedicates a few chapters to how companies and managers can improve their approach to make their work environments less Crazy and more Calm.

3. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

Praised for her attentive and moving advice, Anne Lamott’s guide on writing covers the full process from finishing your first draft to getting published. You will learn about plot, characters, finding your voice, defeating writer’s block, and more, form a true expert.

What makes the book special is Lamott’s distinctive voice, which makes this quite far from a dry technical manual that you might have encountered before. I’d go as far as to recommend it as much as my own guide, Write Better.

Fun Links

1. How to read A LOT more

I guess that you enjoy reading, but like most of us, you can’t find enough time to read as much as you’d like. Ryan Holiday is here to help!

He explains why reading is so vital for our mental and social development and how we can use little tricks to become better readers - regardless of whether this means reading 5 books a year or 150. Read more here.

You've reached the end of my newsletter. Hooray! If you have any comments or would like to share what you enjoyed the most, feel free to get in touch! See you in two weeks!