46: Notes To Self

Yo, it’s Luke!

Been a wild last few weeks. Started 2 new jobs! My 9-5 is doing sales, ops, and special projects at Solace (time to fix healthcare!). And my 5-9 is doing sales and growth at Haven (hooking up founders with killer accountants).

That said, here is your weekly dose of 5 noteworthy ideas & things I learned about last week. Click on each link to dive further on that topic.

1. Healthcare Spending Across Populations (Health System Tracker)

“1% of people are responsible for 24% of the health spending in America and 5% of people are responsible for just over half.”

This is crazy!!

Here’s my back of the napkin plan: make most of the 5% healthy with subsidies on organic whole foods + show the impact of their daily habits with precise measurables via continuous glucose monitors and Fitbits → less chronic disease and general need for healthcare → wayyy less spending healthcare → less debt and generally healthier population.

What would you add? Respond to the email and we’ll cook up a grand plan.

2. Zebras (Sheel Mohnot)

What do you say we fuck around bring back zebras as a status symbol? Just imagine you and the fellas cruising down the street with some zebras….cmonnn!

3. Transportation Innovation (Tim Urban)

Let’s take a second to recognize the unbelievable speed of technology innovation. Take this example:

How people got around in 190 BC: horseback, horse-drawn carriage, sailboat.

2,000 years later...

How people got around in 1810: horseback, horse-drawn carriage, sailboat.

160 years later...

How people got around in 1970: bike, train, subway, car, bus, airplane, spaceship.

Sheesh!

4. Amen My Brotha!!

5. Creative Polymaths Are Awesome

(inspired by Shaan Puri)

There’s something inspiring about people who have pursued completely different chapters in life — “creative polymaths.” Take Ben Franklin for example:

• As a scientist, he invented Bifocals, the franklin stove, and tons of other big ideas (tons around electricity).

• In media, he created a successful newspaper (the Pennsylvania Gazette).

• In politics, he was a founding father, helped write the constitution & declaration of independence.

• In business, he was CEO of the US postal system, made it efficient and profitable.

• In music, he invented the glass armonica, an instrument that influenced composers like Mozart and Beethoven.

Science, Media, Politics, Business, Music… what a legend.

Jesse Itzler is a modern day example:

• Started as a white-boy rapper.

• Wrote a few famous jingles (won an emmy).

• Entrepreneur (coconut water, private jet company).

• Prolific ultra-runner / endurance athlete.

• Lived in a monastery with monks, had David Goggins live in his house.

• Wrote a couple great books.

• Married Sara Blakely, 4-5 kids, seems like a good dad.

• Now a great motivational speaker and life coach.

3 more examples, because I had to go down the rabbit hole…

Julia Child:

• Worked in advertising and media before World War II.

• Served in the Office of Strategic Services (precursor to CIA) during WWII.

• Trained as a chef at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

• Pioneering TV chef, bringing French cuisine to American audiences.

• Bestselling cookbook author.

• Cultural icon and advocate for culinary education.

• Voice actor (voiced a character in the Pixar film "Ratatouille").

Dolph Lundgren:

• Started with an abusive childhood in Sweden.

• Chemical engineering scholar with a master's degree from the University of Sydney

• Fulbright Scholar to MIT

• World-class karate champion

• Hollywood action star, famous for roles in "Rocky IV" and "Universal Soldier"

• Director and producer of various films

• Author of fitness books

• Appointed Leader of the Future by the King of Sweden

Joshua Waitzkin:

• Chess prodigy, became an International Master and won multiple national championships as a child.

• World champion in Tai Chi Chuan Push Hands.

• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt.

• Bestselling author of "The Art of Learning."

• Performance coach for world-class athletes and financial traders.

• Founder of an educational non-profit, The Art of Learning Project.

• Public speaker on performance and learning strategies.

Thanks for wanting to know more today than you did yesterday! If you liked this edition, send it over to a friend who would like it too 🤝 

Cheers,

Luke

PS: you can find more rabbit holes here & my writing here.