Creativity

Munch Munch

Computer science, the global datasphere, machine learning, computer vision, and language modeling have embedded artificial intelligence (AI) into every conversation. Machines have long used human logic to automate routines, and AI is not new, but this form of knowledge engineering was transformed as compute was enriched, storage became boundless, and AI learned to speak human. We may not have invented a new species (yet), but language modeling taught our digital counterparts how to articulate what it already knew, and conversationalized AI made science fiction real for everyone all at once.

Anytime innovation threatens the status quo, a common response is fear followed by complacency. This is evident in the argument that AI will take all our jobs. We may not be able to depend on clocking in to climb a ladder built on compliance, but this willingness to play it safe has long been a choice that makes anyone easy to replace with cheaper labor and faster tools. This advancing technology reduces the need for humans to turn knobs, but the efficiency will create new jobs and reward remarkability. When clever counts, remain indispensable by letting AI devour the dull and stay ahead by pulling the levers of ingenuity.

History teaches us that any frontier introduces opportunity, but the void that creates also attracts misunderstandings, dangers, and false realities. As we explore frontiers, be vigilant and don’t assume truth. When every business pitches innovative metamorphosis and everything is “powered by AI,” realism is easy to dilute within the noise. Transcend hype by tinkering with internal tools. Reward continuous execution and keep exploring in and outside your industry. This forms wisdom to reinforce more external interplay.

Futuristic forefronts will remain intimidating, especially when cultural changes occur in a sweeping way. This makes it easy to feel forgotten. When this sensation intensifies, avoid being left behind by taking action before you know the destination. Fresh knowledge may be required to lower the bar, but for leaders who use curiosity to stay prolific, it becomes impossible to compete with being you!

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BEN BOT went online April 1st, 2023. The Roasted Reflections NFT Collection would allow token-owning dollowers to connect with each other and 24/7 access to our conversational AI that provided BENergy in its replies and link to influence source. Later, it would even quietly co-host 100 episodes of You Don’t Need This Podcast!

Let AI munch on the mediocre. We’ll continue to build without a map, do things for the love of it, convert haters, and care enough to fail. In times of constant change, we obliterate fear and complacency with infinite dexterity and a devotion to keep leading with no permission required.

Brewed From Within
#80 📖 Technology

By Ben McDougal, ago

Recursion

Recursion is a computer science term for the process of defining a problem in terms of itself, then dividing the problem into smaller parts of the same type.

After blogging every week for two years, it became clear how writing helps us think, translate, and index thoughts. This creative act was a commitment to contemplation and required discipline to be consistent.

Even with all the nourishing benefits, toward the end of the second year, was it time to take a break from this ambitious frequency? Indexing less would add ease, and the audience may not even notice.

Personal bandwidth and self-doubt aside, a proficiency in writing had developed, and a solid distribution system was in place. Publishing these ideas felt significant, each week’s topic guided conversations, and the timeless theme was growing a library for readers who may find lasting value long after a life well lived. It was still hard to know if this was time for a hiatus or time to double down.

By talking with mentors and considering different variables, a decision was made to double down. By continuing to write each week, a form of recursion set in and new ideas were unearthed. Each writing kept provoking more writings. The original problem was being divided into smaller parts, which made it easier to keep building without skepticism.

As more new writings shipped every week, an expanding web of thoughts fed an intrinsic motivation for perpetual learning. Along with personal growth, each piece was gratifying to share and thickened a library for leaders. After another full year of writing every week, new creative opportunities made the decision to push pause feel natural.

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It’s not a rainy day. It’s free water.

Sacrifices were made to stay consistent, but the beauty of this recursive exercise was that it strengthened my own understanding while also stretching the scaffolding that would continue to support even more vigorous art.

Action inspires action. What could you divide into smaller parts, then solve by doing more of the same?

Brewed From Within
#94 📖 Life & Happiness

By Ben McDougal, ago

Time Trappers

Storytelling enhanced with trapped time defines our civilization. Voices were first translated into writings to stretch the impact. Humanity continued to bring the past to life with audio, photos, and then video. We’re now adding telepathic communication and other weird ingredients to the technology soup that’s made to trap time. Leaders who leverage these tools are time trappers who wield an ability to appreciate life experiences more actively.

To test your time-trapping skills, grab a device and look through your own creative content. Whether it’s writings, audio, photos, video, or other types of art, go back to see what you’ve captured this week. Now, be kind and rewind. Revisit this day last year, two years ago, five years ago, and ten years ago. Embrace nostalgia, then consider the quantity, quality, and variety of content you’ve created.

Avoid distractions and stay in the moment, but if you’d like to enhance your time-trapping capability, think of fun ways to create more organized content.

This may be journaling, recording a podcast series, dedicating a day to taking an exorbitant number of photos, or editing a video from individual clips. As content comes together, organize it, and then push past fear by shipping the art. Creation, organization, and sharing will prevent everything from going numb within a device. The value in doing this can be seen as we write into physical notebooks or treasure a healthy bookshelf and when music lovers choose vinyl over endless streaming or a live theater performance over a TV show. Exertion from those generous enough to create, organize, and ship their art makes thoughtful time trapping more demanding but also more fulfilling as we extend time.

We are already cyborgs, and biotech will further augment the way we seamlessly capture, organize, and share our realities. Until we autonomously enhance our bandwidth, telling a story, writing, recording audio, taking photos, or shooting video will still take manual effort. Let’s mitigate the risk of AI and optimized efficiency. But might the elbow grease required to set each time trap make our personal creations more memorable? Yes! Even as future tools add ease, ingenuity and creativity will remain an essential currency that adds heartfelt context to trapped time.

Without a thesis, care enough to habitually go beyond what’s expected. When premium human time and ambitious initiative become a fundamental part of your creative practice, you’ll be a time trapper who stays in-tune, organized, and inspired with timeless purpose.

Brewed From Within
#72 📖 Technology

By Ben McDougal, ago

Minerva

The pursuit to find Pluto is a neat example of how imagination, obsession, and reason align what can be seen. After scientists at the Lowell Observatory finally discovered “Planet X” in 1930, the world weighed in on what to name it. Let’s brew on naming your project.

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Pluto was the second choice of scientists who discovered this beloved dwarf planet. Minerva was the team’s first choice, but it was already taken by an existing asteroid.

A name makes a project feel real. It creates identity. If you’ve been thinking about something for a while, a name may naturally emerge. If you’re struggling or feel uneasy about the name you have in mind, here’s how to fuel confidence and land on something scalable.

Be descriptive. If it’s impossible to guess what you’re offering, you’re taking an early gamble. Hyper specific names may stand out in the moment, but too much definiteness can limit your ability to evolve. Attention is hard to earn, so avoid obscurity, names that trap you, or anything that makes the business hard to remember.

Verify availability. It’s tough to set yourself apart while still being memorable. As you consider naming a business, get creative, but do your homework before falling in love. Do not hope something may not exist; try to find it. Boldly research existing trademarks, domain names, social media accounts, industry competitors, and funky spellings. The result can be a name that is all yours versus something that may be catchy but could spawn future liabilities.

Think long-term. To withstand the test of time, consider how this name supports lasting growth. If the trend upon which you’ve based a name fades, might you look outdated? Will highlighting a location eliminate the ability to expand? In short, don’t corner yourself unless it’s on purpose.

Once you lock in a name, start using it within customer discovery to explore how it’s received by those you seek to serve. When a name clicks, align your marketing and overall vocabulary around the newly established identity. This will make your company recognizable, and over time it connects you to more true fans.

Brewed From Within
#6 📖 Entrepreneurship

By Ben McDougal, ago

Serendipitist

Do things always seem to work out for you?

Internal narratives and external experiences make the cultural consequences of serendipity hard to refute. Serendipity may be pseudoscientific, but things we dedicate attention to will attract more of the same.

The appetite for welcoming serendipitous collisions is often enhanced by the optimism that an entrepreneurial lifestyle constructs. No matter the source or how often stars align, many of us are or have the potential to be a serendipitist.

Serendipitists seek adventures that invite, sometimes even require, different layers of serendipity. The extent to which you control what you’re able to control (a dichotomy within stoicism) while also letting the winds of happenstance guide you through a sense of abundance determines how often we experience this charming phenomenon.

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What’s normal for a spider is chaos for the fly.

Leaders who manifest serendipity are often called lucky. Both require proficient preparation, openness, and timeliness, but serendipity is deeper. It calls for earned trust and perseverance. Serendipitists realize good fortune is not an accident and they share this mantra in their creative practice.

Serendipitists show up.
Serendipitists say yes more often.
Serendipitists assume positive intent.
Serendipitists seek to understand.
Serendipitists are empathetic.
Serendipitists stay curious.
Serendipitists are generous.
Serendipitists kill with kindness.
Serendipitists fuel positive change.
Serendipitists have fun and die empty.
Serendipitists play long-term games.
Serendipitists are consistent.

When you sense serendipity, recognize the blessings that come from this positivity we squeeze into the universe. As we keep serendipity brewing, we make new dots to connect and can invite others to turn up their own serendipity even more.

Brewed From Within
#112 📖 Life & Happiness

By Ben McDougal, ago