Eric Cartagena

Surrounding yourself with people who share your goals is like building a powerhouse team. You feed off each other’s energy, ideas, and drive. When everyone’s aiming for the same target, you celebrate wins together and push through setbacks without losing sight of the vision. A goal-aligned circle also acts like a board of directors by offering shared vision, diverse expertise, accountability, resource sharing, and constructive challenges. Identify your core goals, then seek out those who’re already chasing similar ones. "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."

Focusing on lack breeds scarcity and dissatisfaction, draining your energy and appreciation for the present. Shifting focus to what you have cultivates contentment and opens you to new possibilities, often attracting what you need.

Embrace criticism, prioritize the mission (your overarching purpose or goal) over personal pride, and inspire others toward a shared vision through influence and example.

Safetyism (protecting individuals from emotional and intellectual discomfort), while well-intentioned, risks creating entire generations who are less capable of handling adversity or engaging with the world’s complexities. Hot take: We should be teaching young people to navigate complexity with strength and reason.

M = f(LIR, EB, CS) Where: • M = Malinvestment • LIR = Low Interest Rates • EB = Excessive Borrowing • CS = Capital Spending Low interest rates spur borrowing and spending, misguiding investments into unprofitable or unsustainable projects.

Businesses face competition and customer choice, forcing efficiency or closure. Governments, lacking similar pressures, often secure funding despite failures, leading to bloated budgets and declining service quality. Without accountability or market-driven incentives, inefficiency grows, costs rise, and outcomes worsen.

Productivity stems from intentional systems: clear goals, prioritized tasks, time blocks, and tools that reduce friction. Eliminate chaos, automate repetition, and focus energy on high-impact work. Consistency in the system drives results.

Restricted Nuclear = Fear + Costly Regulations → Limited Energy + Missed Potential.

A house demands upkeep, a car needs fuel, a phone pulls your attention. Even ideas or goals we "own" can shape our identity, for better or worse. Choose what you own wisely, because it’ll claim a piece of your time, energy, and/or mind.

AI supercharges sharp minds, unlocking deeper critical thinking and multiplying productivity by orders of magnitude. It hands lazy deceivers tools to fake competence, but their shortcuts crumble against the relentless output of motivated, AI-empowered intellectuals. Long-term, drive wins.