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The Observe and Rapport Newsletter
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A weekly guide of my favorite books, articles, products, and lifestyle habits.
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September 6th, 2024 | by Kyle Brennan
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Thought of the Week
What is the definition of intelligence?
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Let's start by defining what "learning" is.
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Learning is the process through which we adapt and exhibit new behaviors based on our experiences and the conditions we encounter. Put simply, learning means changing how we behave due to new information.
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So then, what separates a decent learner from someone who is truly intelligent?
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Alex Hormozi (AlexHormozi) claims that intelligent people are able to learn at a faster rate - meaning it takes less exposure to implement lessons. Therefore, your ability to change what you do when you see the same thing determines how smart you are.
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But Naval Ravikant (@naval) offers an even simpler definition of intelligence that I love:
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"The only real test of intelligence is if you get what you want out of life."
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"If you're so intelligent, how come you can't figure out a way to make yourself happy?"
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And it's true, in a sense. Sure, you may know more about astrophysics or molecular biology than the average Joe, but is it really worth anything if your daily life is filled with things that don't bring you peace?
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Intelligence doesn't just mean you learn things quickly. What's more important is how one uses those means to craft an ideal life. i.e. How have you implemented your intelligence to fill your life with the right proportion of wealth, time with loved ones, and freedom?
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Quick decisive actions and obsessive pursuit of goals.
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What I'm Reading
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Thomas Ricks is one of the premier authors of American history. I've read Fiasco, which covers our military's "adventure" in Iraq during the post-9/11 war, and First Principles, a fantastic book that eloquently and accurately discusses why the Founding Fathers reflected on the Greeks and Romans when designing the American nation.
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The Generals covers the dramatic evolution of the US military's command structure over the last 70 years. Ricks asserts that our military and civilian leaders must "abide by the belief that the lives of soldiers are more important than the careers of officers -- and that winning wars is more important than either."
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While the subject may seem boring for a non-fiction book, the author makes it super readable with short chapters on known generals like George Marshall, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, George Patton, and David Petraeus, but also lesser-known leaders like William Dean from the Korean War or Maxwell Taylor in Vietnam.
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Ricks believes that a large reason for our military's decline in effective leadership since WWII is that we've placed too much emphasis on rank and seniority, and not enough on promoting and relieving officers based on their capabilities. Generals are good at winning battles, but not as good at winning wars. He ties this directly to the lack of training in strategic thinking.
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I found this to be an interesting read, especially due to my lack of knowledge on the less popular wars of Korea and Vietnam.
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h/t to Scott Loechner for lending me both Fiasco and The Generals.
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What I'm Watching️
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I think some of my favorite documentaries are about mountain expeditions. Meru, 14 Peaks, The Alpinist, Free Solo, Dawn Wall. I find it fascinating how 1) humans are so obsessed with venturing into the unknown and 2) how they are willing to put their bodies to their extremes to do simply reach the top.
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This documentary was one of the most interesting stories I've seen. Lhakpa Sherpa was born in Nepal in extreme poverty. Being a sherpa on Mount Everest had always been a job exclusively for men, but Lhakpa refused to let that stop her. She quickly proved her ability not only to be a successful woman sherpa, but becoming one of the best. She eventually came to summit Everest ten times, setting the Guinness World Record for most summits by a woman.
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But her story is so much more than that. After meeting a Romanian man on one of her several summits, she married him, started a family, and moved to Connecticut. Unfortunately, the marriage turned sour and stripped Lhakpa of all her dignity.
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That is, of course, until she returned to Everest for one last summit.
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What I'm Listening To
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Eric Weinstein is a mathematician, economist, former Managing Director of Thiel Capital, and a podcaster.
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I've listened to Eric and his brother Brett on a number of podcasts. If you're not familiar with their knowledge and discourse, much of what they discuss may seem highfalutin or too ethereal to grasp. You have to really listen to understand their message because they are incredibly sharp and attuned to nature, science, media, and politics.
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Expect to learn Eric’s thoughts on the 2024 presidential election, whether we are being gaslit on a global scale by the media, the future of string theory and what's next for theoretical physics, why we have canned humor and what that means as a society,
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"They aren't trying to fool you, they are instructing you."
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Purchase I'm Considering
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I'm a sucker for recovery gadgets.
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My brother recently used HSA funds to purchase NormaTec recovery boots, which reduce muscle soreness, inflammation, and fatigue by improving circulation and lymphatic drainage, thereby accelerating recovery.
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I'm by no means LeBron James, but as an active 31-year-old with some mileage on his knees, this recovery tool was a welcome sight. I tested them for about 30 minutes and immediately felt relief on my achy quads and calves.
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I wish I had these boots back when I was training for the NYC marathon. Would have saved me a lot of sleepless nights with achy knees.
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They are pricey (~$700) but I may bite the bullet. First ice baths, now this.
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Just look at how they've worked for LeBron...
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Quote I'm Pondering
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“Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”
-- Nathaniel Hawthorne
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Keith and Kyle sit down to discuss the negative effects of the sobriety crisis on the culture, the insanity of “Waifuism”, the unbelievable corruption in the pharmaceutical industry revealed by Calley and Casey Means, Robert Kennedy Jr.’s recent endorsement of Donald Trump, and why it’s important to understand the difference between incentive and intention when forming opinions about large corporations.
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Check Out My Amazon Favorites Bookstore
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Browse my favorite book selections hand-curated by me. I also earn commissions so if you buy anything, those earnings get reinvested right back into this fancy newsletter ;)
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Affiliate Links!
I've had the fortunate opportunity to partner with some great brands that I love. Use the links below to find great hats, sweatshirts, and sunglasses
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- Huega House - 15% off first order with promo code: KYLEBRENNAN. My everyday hat is the Athletic Association in Green & white
- Find the Good Brand - 10% off first order with promo code: OBSERVE. I've been loving my 3 Simple Words Embroidered Hoodie in cream.
- WMP Eyewear - Excellent array of eyeglasses and stylish sunglasses. My favorite are the Sawyer Polarized for $45
- Amazon Storefront - Check out my collection of favorite books, workout gear, and tech tools for work-from-home!
- LMNT - I start every morning with LMNT's electrolyte drink, filled with salt, magnesium and potassium. It tastes delicious and contains zero sugar or any other junk. Try LMNT Risk-Free with a free sample pack (US only).
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33 Life Lessons on My 33rd Birthday
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Thirty-three was a big one. Mostly because I became a dad. Our daughter was born on New Year’s Eve — a fitting arrival for a kid destined to reset everything. It’s been a beautiful, if slightly sleep-deprived blur ever since. I’ve only been “Dad” for less than ten months, but if I’m being honest, I’ve been preparing for the role for over …
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Depth Over Downloads: Why Spending Time with Books Still Matters
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Everyone wants faster information. But no one asks if faster information leads to better understanding — or a better life. In the age of AI and tweet-sized wisdom, we’ve confused information with transformation. But there’s a massive difference between knowing what a book says and being changed by it. The Delusion of Instant Learning In a recent interview, political journalist Ezra Klein admitted he once believed …
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The Jack Reacher Approach to Never Being Caught Off Guard
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There’s no difference between a pessimist who says, ‘Oh, it’s hopeless, so don’t bother doing anything,’ and an optimist who says, ‘Don’t bother doing anything, it’s going to turn out fine anyway.’ Either way, nothing happens.” —Yvon Chouinard, Founder of Patagonia I don’t read much fiction, but I’ve always been hooked on Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. He’s not your typical …
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