My Dear Friends,
It’s been a minute since my last newsletter and I’m thrilled to be moving it to substack!
I made the transition because I believe substack is the best and most readable format to communicate my message from me to you.
Todays newsletter at a glance:
The “why” of creating this newsletter, The FutureFit Leader. In an increasingly uncertain and volatile world, new skillsets will be needed to thrive. That’s what we’ll be exploring together.
An impactful book about migration and climate change I’m reading that everyone needs to be aware of because it will affect you, in your lifetime.
One supplement that I take that can increase your energy and your longevity.
Why the FutureFit Leader Now
It’s with little fanfare that I’d like to introduce you to my newsletter, the FutureFit Leader.
I decided on this name because WE (the collective) are currently in the midst of VUCA.
VUCA is an acronym that stands for VOLATILITY, UNCERTAINTY, COMPLEXITY and AMBIGUITY.
Peering into the future, it doesn’t take a genius to surmise that there are multiple issues from rapid climate change, ecosystem collapse, political polarization, wealth inequality, genetic engineering, machine learning, artificial intelligence and other exponential technologies that all offer humanity a threat to our very existence.
These challenging issues have been termed hyperobjects by philosopher Timothy Morton in his book of the same name.
Hyperobjects (like climate change) are essentially complex processes that defy simplistic understanding, effect other things that are seemingly disconnected, are affected by an unfathomable number of inputs, and are often beyond the timescale of a single human life.
Are you starting to see the conundrum?
The nature of the left brained logical human mind is to break things apart.
Night and day, black and white, good and bad, alive or dead, happy or sad, Democats vs. Republican, success or failure.
Since hyperobjects are beyond simplistic explanations they cannot be fully understood by the logical mind alone.
How then does an organizational leader or anybody for that matter prepare for a future filled with existential risk?
That is the question I’m seeking to explore with this newsletter.
My goal, or maybe I should say “our goal,” as it feels truer in some way, is to explore this question not to come up with answers, but to arrive at even better and more powerful questions.
Great questions are ones that clarify our thinking in such a way that creates obviousness of action where there is alignment between the head, the heart and the gut.
You know when this is true for you because there is absolutely no conflict between your thoughts, your feelings, your beliefs and your actions.
You are in alignment.
For me, after doing a research deep dive into climate change in the last month, I was shocked to understand that massive changes are coming not just from climate but from mass migration and more, all within our lifetimes.
At first, I panicked finding myself looking for real estate in Alaska.
When I realized what was happening I asked myself “What is the most important action I could take? What will have me the most well resourced?”
For me it was to go surfing and to keep surfing, no matter the state of the world.
Because when I go surfing I get to have the simple experience of joy, and for hours after I am calm, clear and collected.
Life gives me the opportunity for joy at every moment, and I intend to experience that as much as possible.
Secondly, if I’m going to make any big decisions, I want to have clarity.
So the climate crisis has instructed me to keep surfing and keep asking bigger questions.
Together, I’d like to invite you to explore the skills, competencies, mindsets, tools, beliefs, strategies and awarenesses that will give us as humans and all living things the best chance to not just survive, but to thrive in a world of VUCA.
A book I’m currently reading:
Nomad Century: How Climate Migration Will Reshape Our World by Gaia Vince.
This book has been incredibly eye opening for me in terms of understanding likely outcomes of climate change and it’s effect on migration in the next 25-75 years.
The long story short is humanity is looking at around a 3-4 degree celsius temperature increase in the next 25-50 years.
An increase this size will leave large parts of the planet essentially uninhabitable, causing billions of people to migrate.
You and me could be those migrants, so I suggest you read it immediately.
A Supplement That Could be a Magic Bullet for Aging
Nicotinomide Riboside (NR) and Nicotinomide Mononucleotide (NMN), both of which are commercially available as supplements can be highly effective for increasing energy and slowing the aging process in its tracks.
NR and NMN promote mitochondrial biogenesis (making new mitochondria which are the engines of your cells), increase NAD (which is critical for energy production and multiple metabolic pathways), and decrease cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders.
Best of all, these supplements are well studied and appear to be extremely safe.
I’m currently taking about 1000 mg (3-5x recommended dose) per day of NR combined with NMN.
I recommend taking a gander at Harvard Molecular Biologist David Sinclair’s book, Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We Don’t Have To for more information and context on both of these compounds.
In conclusion
I’d love to hear your thoughts, ideas, solutions, and more importantly, the big questions that you are pondering or you believe culture, society and leaders need to ponder now more than ever.
brilliant, as always! migration driven by the need for water as well as man-made humanitarian crises ie: over 5 million people have left ukraine, many of whom don’t have homes or towns or family to go back to so that massive flow into poland and to a smaller extent western europe, have shifted societies, countries, borders etc significantly.