My Quests for 2025

1. Become a Dangerous Professional

• Here’s the plan.
  1. Make a list of systems that control large aspects of our lives, and will continue to do so, that most choose to ignore.
  2. Learn as much as possible about them, from the ground-up, until I can become an amateur dangerous professional. Use bootstrapping.
  3. Consolidate efforts into shareable artifacts. (Software, tools, notes, etc). Make note of wicked problems and potential improvements.
• On my list so far:

  • Financial systems

    • Questions
      1. what really is debt? what really is money? financial instruments? What’s their history?
    • Resources
      • patio11
      • Conrad Bastable

  • Governments / Corporations

    • Progress so far
      • Last year, I started learning and building tools for understanding the SF government via Michael Adams’ CivLab. I will continue that effort amongst others this year.
    • What are their structure, policies, histories, change?
    • Resources to explore
      • From Third-World to First World

  • AI

    • I don’t expect to get to the frontier of AI development, but I don’t want to be left behind either. I have a few experiments I want to run. I will pick up some basics when it comes to development, and learn math.

  • Interfaces, Computers, the Web

    • I learnt to code a long time ago - but want to do a lot more. I want to get really good (and fast!) at being able to create novel interfaces on the web. That means deliberate practice until I have the fundamentals at my fingertips. That means being satisfied with my work without it having to sacrifice time for other things. I’m particularly inspired by Bret Victor, Chris Shank here.
    • My end goal here to create at least one tool/interface that is designed to tame infinities. (Roam Research, Muse, or Workflowy are examples of fractal software, but lack high-level affordances)

  • Medical/Healthcare systems

    • A lot of people get burnt here. I’ve learnt a bit about the system over the last 4 years. But I want more of an insider view.

  • Logistics, Industrial Production, Distribution, General Engineering Techniques

    • I respect people who can get things done. Probably will start with Amazon/Apple histories
    • Resources to explore
      • The Art & Science of Engineering Sanjoy Mahajan

2. Learn to collaborate productively

I generally prefer to work alone and/or async. Working in teams synchronously so far has felt unsustainable/draining. This year, I would like to develop techniques & mindsets to make it net-energizing. I suspect this means new friends and focusing on doing the things I enjoy alone.

3. Learn math I care about, and will actually use.

I want to learn math that’s actually applicable in the things I’m interested in, from people who actually get it (vs cargo culting) and not for its own sake.

• Contenders:
  • Graph theory
  • Set theory
  • Hyperbolic geometry
  • AI prerequisites
  • Stats
  • sheaf theory
  • complexity-adjacent stuff (dynamics)
  • evolution requisites
  • game theory requisites
• Resources to explore
  • Math academy
  • Street-Fighting Mathematics
  • Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know About Mathematics *
  • Nonlinear Dynamics by Steven Strogatz

4. Be the healthiest+strongest I’ve ever been

• Bulk up at least 25 lbs by end of year (while sub-20% BF)
• Have really consistent+high quality sleep - and the means to track it
• Consistent high mental energy days (20 out of 30 days)
• Resources
  • https://www.julian.com/guide/muscle/intro
  • https://www.justinmath.com/calisthenics/

5. Increase my agency as much as possible.

• Resources:
  • https://usefulfictions.substack.com/p/how-to-be-more-agentic
  • https://milan.cvitkovic.net/writing/things_youre_allowed_to_do/
  • https://mindingourway.com/obvious-advice/
  • https://malcolmocean.com/2015/04/decide-to-make-things-happen/
  • https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Tnpp3cyEHMGthjGAf/seven-ways-to-become-unstoppably-agentic
  • https://mindingourway.com/half-assing-it-with-everything-youve-got/
  • https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1276956836856393728.html
  • https://danfrank.ca/things-i-tell-myself-to-be-more-agentic/
  • https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/XCcqNb9Hy3sjSMDfq/what-s-stopping-you

6. Give back to the people I have never met

• A lot of people online I’ve never met have enormously changed my life. I want to give back to them.