To the obsessed,

Here are your weekly Ten Bullets. A list of ideas I can't stop thinking about- to help you build companies, make art, and find your obsession.

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1. On the magnificent game:

"There's some games you don't get to play unless you're all in. And the thing that's so interesting about being alive- is that you're all in. No matter what you do, you're all in. This is going to kill you. So, I think, you might as well play the most magnificent game you can, while you're waiting. Because, do you have anything better to do?

- Dr. Jordan Peterson [YouTube]

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2. On Stephen King's obsession:

"I used to tell interviewers that I wrote every day except for Christmas, the Fourth of July, and my birthday. That was a lie. I told them that because if you agree to an interview you have to say something, and it plays better if it's something at least half-clever. Also, I didn't want to sound like a workaholic dweeb (just a workaholic, I guess). The truth is that when I'm writing, I write every day, workaholic dweeb or not. That includes Christmas, the Fourth, and my birthday (at my age you try to ignore your goddam birthday anyway). And when I'm not working, I'm not working at all, although during those periods of full stop I usually feel at loose ends with myself and have trouble sleeping. For me, not working is the real work."

- Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft​

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3. On seriousness:

"We are far too serious, we must learn to juggle our heavens and hells...the game is playing us, we must play back."

- Charles Bukowski

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4. On normal:

"There is no normal, Evelyn. A 'normal person' is what is left after society has squeezed out all unconventional opinions and aspirations out of a human being."

- Sylvia Path

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5. On inclinations:

"The basic elements of this story are repeated in the lives of all of the great Masters in history: a youthful passion or predilection, a chance encounter that allows them to discover how to apply it, an apprenticeship in which they come alive with energy and focus. They excel by their ability to practice harder and move faster through the process, all of this stemming from the intensity of their desire to learn and from the deep connection they feel to their field of study. And at the core of this intensity of effort is in fact a quality that is genetic and inborn not talent or brilliance, which is something that must be developed, but rather a deep and powerful inclination toward a particular subject.

This inclination is a reflection of a person's uniqueness. This uniqueness is not something merely poetic or philosophical-it is a scientific fact that genetically, every one of us is unique; our exact genetic makeup has never happened before and will never be repeated. This uniqueness is revealed to us through the preferences we innately feel for particular activities or subjects of study. Such inclinations can be toward music or mathematics, certain sports or games, solving puzzle-like problems, tinkering and building, or playing with words.

With those who stand out by their later mastery, they experience this inclination more deeply and clearly than others. They experience it as an inner calling. It tends to dominate their thoughts and dreams. They find their way, by accident or sheer effort, to a career path in which this inclination can flourish. This intense connection and desire allows them to withstand the pain of the process -the self-doubts, the tedious hours of practice and study, the inevitable setbacks, the endless barbs from the envious. They develop a resiliency and confidence that others lack."

- Robert Greene, Mastery​

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6. On writing:

Write the words you're afraid to think.

Someone else needs that thought, desperately, but lacks the courage to have it.

[Share on Twitter/X]

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7. On creating the 'meta':

"First: The meta matters somewhat, but ultimately the people who will win are going to be those who have something truly interesting to say or show.

If you're a creator, you do want to focus some energy on improving the technical aspects of your content - audio/video quality (audio especially), editing, pacing, etc. But focus more energy on doing impressive things and bringing something truly interesting to each video you make. (Side note: Successful, "unoptimized" creators have always been around. Scotty Kilmer has been crushing it for years.)

Second: The truly interesting folks choose a format (or develop it over time), and that sets the meta.

Then, many followers try to replicate their success by copying the format, or at least taking major inspiration from it. Some also bring their own truly interesting perspectives to the table, but others don't. Many simply copy what the truly-interesting folks are saying or doing, along with their format. This, I believe, is what forms the perception of what the 'meta' is.

Again, playing within the meta has some value. Cultural energy and attention get concentrated in certain places for a while before they move on. Play where the energy is concentrated (or where you know it's going) and you'll usually get better results.

But it will always be more important to simply have something interesting to say."

- Thomas Frank [Twitter/X]

Great thread on content.​
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8. On obsession:

"It's not a matter of discipline for me. I can't help it."

- Paul Graham, on how to 'make writing a habit' [Twitter/X]

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9. On opportunities:

"The simplest way to find opportunities is to look for entry barriers that everyone else avoids."

- Oliver Cookson, Founder of Myprotein [Twitter/X]​
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10. On potential:

Having 'potential' in your mind, feels better than failure in reality. This ego-cushion prevents millions from creating their life's work. Once you feel it- physically- that cushion becomes painful, like a tumor you have to remove. And you only get it out one way. By identifying not with goals, but with output. You should feel dead inside if you have not given something to the world.

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Stay obsessed,

Zach 🏴

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