my principles v2 - the alchemist and the quicksilver

Apr 26, 25

my personal operating principles (v2)

previous versions: v1

May you find this document useful.

My principles are something I revisit regularly. In this iteration I flesh out how the attitude through which I want to experience life. I'm also aiming for compression – it's hard to keep my principles in mind when they are so long!

1. build an antifragile core

"the obstacle is the way - Ryan Holiday"

  • the body is a temple. Prioritize sleep, exercise, and stress management. Meditate a bit, or at least be mindful when I walk Kaya.
  • adopt a barbell strategy: anchor in low-risk fundamentals — health, financial reserves, relationships — while taking calculated, asymmetric bets.
  • practice good cogsec. your attention is precious and easily hijacked. The mind is a pickle jar – it has limited capacity and you must be selective about what goes in and what you think about.
  • Intensity ≠ self-immolation—schedule monthly white-space days.

2. act with 10x agency

"You can just do things – X"

Play at a higher level. Use AI to amplify output. Architect > Coder. Don't just consume, ACT. Invest time in micro-projects. /s now is the time for action /s

3. be Earnest

“I am both the sculptor and the clay, the alchemist and the quicksilver.”

FEEL EVERYTHING. Approach life like a child granted backstage access to the cosmic play. Say the awkward compliment. Ask the “dumb” question. Confess fascination quickly. Welcome each experience fully without clinging to fixed outcomes. Let curiosity drive you to explore diverse perspectives and opportunities.

Reward: emotional payoff of “I saw clearly.”

4. prioritize what compounds

"Be good to your future self by prioritizing what compounds: capital investment, relationships, audience building, discipline, and self-reflectiveness. - Julian Shapiro"

Build equity and keep burn low. Cultivate high-trust, long-term relationships. Reflect regularly on the value of family, children and friends. Attention > Intelligence. But intelligence still matters, just that we need to focus now on 1. fundamentals 2. ability to learn new fields of knowledge quickly (Hamming). Move fast.

5. recalibrate relentlessly

"The map is not the territory—keep redrawing it."

  • • REALIZE THAT TRUTH ISN’T IN CONFLICT WITH YOUR OTHER GOALS •LEARN TOOLS THAT MAKE IT EASIER TO SEE CLEARLY •APPRECIATE THE EMOTIONAL REWARDS OF SCOUT MINDSET (Julia Galef)

  • • Operate in Real-Time. If you need time to think, create it. • See in Functionally Un-Fixed Ways. • Mind the Matrix: Perceptions ≠ realities. • Workshop Through Sparring: thinking that isn’t stress-tested is daydreaming, and it's easier than ever now. • Develop Deep Memory: Historical amnesia breeds bad strategy. (Venkatesh Rao)

Credits: See v1.