Getting comfortable being uncomfortable. The wheels are turning.
To Warriors,
This is my last entry for 2021 and I will be taking a break from public journaling on here. I plan on using this break to organize myself around the ideas I have for this space, catch up on some readings and continue to work on other projects as I have been ruminating on speaking publicly in the form of a podcast together with a video format. Readers and subscribers alike will be able to watch and grow with me in real time as I learn from scholars by engaging in thought provoking and in-depth conversations.
I am a fan of the podcast format and I listen to many during my workouts and free time but what I notice is that the African perspective is missing in many conversations or often look over. I believe this perspective will be an addition to the socio-political narrative and cultural debate taking place in various online and physical spaces. Having a view of the black continent will give another mix or corroborate many notions that has been in the public domain on how people view the world. This journal has been a part of that journey, and getting myself comfortable with being uncomfortable sharing my thoughts publicly was one of my goals to grow publicly. The podcast/video addition will be an expansion of this journey by learning and developing from others in interesting topics and fields of studies.
Besides this, I am working on developing a NFT project to be launched sometime in January (JUJU). The NFT space is one that speaks to me. The opportunity to build a community around a project, to coalesce people around shared values, the impact it has on culture and its significance together with the utility is fascinating! I have been looking forward to building a community of virtue and NFT is a way for me to realize this dream. Journaling publicly here was my first step, launching the NFT the second, podcasts and video channels on (Odyssey, YouTube) will follow for now, with more ides bubbling in the pipeline (no worries, I will keep you updated).
I have so many things planned. And sometimes it feels overwhelming, then I remind myself that taking the first action is important, poco a poco.
Follow us on twitter for more on JUJU NFT developments and release date.
I am sure many of us are winding up the year’s activities and planning out how our next year will look as I am too. An admirable thing but there is a danger in falling for the new years resolution trap where we overwhelm ourselves with unrealistic goals and end up not accomplishing 1% of it.
What seems to work for me is to continue where I left off from last year, using the end of the year as a yard stick. And I only have to double the effort I already put into said task. So it does not feel daunting to begin something new all of a sudden in the new year.
But looking back in retrospect, we have to ask ourselves some pertinent questions and answer truthfully. Did I accomplish what I set out to accomplish in 2021? Why or why not? And answering “I did not work hard enough” is not acceptable, please. What did I do well in 2021? What could I have done better? What are the distractions I need to be aware of in the future?
These and many more questions are the kind I grapple with so as to be uncomfortable with my past decisions and train myself to choose better ones. One has to be truthful and honest with oneself in order to be excellent. To excel is not for faint hearted, we have to get comfortable being uncomfortable in order to attain excellence! This is no joke.
Another important point I always try to remember is that every ounce of energy spent trying to control things outside my domain is just wasted energy. I am more effective focusing only on what I can control. Myself and my actions!
Another goal I have for this break is to finish off some books and readings I started in 2021 so I am better prepared to be more thoughtful in my insights on the technological future and global governance structure that awaits us.
Some books that will be occupying my time during this break;
AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, And The New World Order by Kai-Fu Lee
Surveillance Valley: The Secret Military History of the Internet by Yasha Levine
The Price of Tomorrow: Why Deflation is the Key to an Abundant Future by Jeff Booth
War does not stop for the holidays, we are using this to gear up for our next strategy.
Hope you all have a refreshing holiday and see you on the battlefield in 2022.
LFG!
- Ope