Who’d have thunk it? I’ve lasted 10X longer than I ever imagined!
A one year experiment with 30 year dividends.
30X: I’m back in Manhattan, and it is my happy place! Over 30 years ago I came over from London UK for a one year IT contract on Wall Street.1 That mushroomed into a very long and enjoyable career at Morgan Stanley, and planted the seed for what I do today.
To put things in perspective, most of this room knew me BC (Before Children) when I was the age my children are now and in the early years of my career.
The relationships in this room were forged around a common goal - constant improvement. Work relationships are intense, particularly in this industry, and gave us the measure of the person. We stayed in contact with each other. But the reason we were in the same room this week? We nurtured those connections - over many years, through multiple companies, across many miles.
Making connections doesn’t automatically create community.
Nurturing the “net”work does.
I met some of my best friends while working together.
And as I return to this city, I meet friends from new projects that I am working on, like Write of Passage, Act Two and Hire Cause.
10X 21
Today I am publishing edition 210 of this newsletter … I’ve lasted 10X longer than I ever imagined.
On September 15, 2021, I committed to publishing 21 editions of Tilt the Future before I evaluated if this project had legs. I did not imagine that four years later, I would be editing E210, sitting in Bryant Park's outdoor reading room, behind the iconic New York Public Library and in the shadow of the buildings on Times Square where I worked.
Each of these small initial investments in myself has dramatically altered the course of my life. And each started with a small step.
An object in motion stays in motion (hopefully!)
10X thinking:
Thanks for our recent discussion on 10X thinking,
and . Our conversation had me doing the math, and inspired this post.Big bold actions are what cause us to radically change the way we think. But it can start with simple steps and small commitments.
Tribe Tilt has evolved based on the requests and relationships within this community of readers. By starting small and taking action for 21 editions, I was able to discern what worked, constantly readjusting my strategy till I landed on a process that wasn’t too overwhelming to maintain, publishing engaging material my readers like to interact with.
And here we are … four years and 210 editions later!
Rest element 30: Community is playing the long game
Remember that Harvard longitudinal study on the longevity2? Relationships matter. Shared experiences are great - but being able to meet, reminisce and revisit those shared experiences set off all our “feel good” hormones - Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and endorphins.
I was explaining to family and friends in Toronto about the invitation to join this reunion. “I met most of them in the early stages of my career before I was 30. In fact, when we worked together, I was the same age as my children are now!” That realization freaked me out. But also made me feel incredibly youthful again in the best possible way. What a way to Reset my thinking!
Will you pick up the phone and call a friend today? It will put a smile on your face. And smiles are contagious!
Rest series: Every 7th edition of this newsletter is dedicated to Rest and Recovery. These are crucial 21st-century success skills. Done right, proactively programming in rest breaks prevents burnout. We explore different techniques and discuss rest in each of these issues. Here are some previous rest topics Rest, Recovery, Reset
Recap: Digest of issues 204 - 209
Here is a recap of what we have read over the past six weeks.
TL;DR
21st-CENTURY AND HEIRLOOM SKILLS: Community connection. Abundant gratitude as a hack.
RAISING FUTURE-READY LEADERS: Investing in community as a way to expand our knowledge net.
FUTURE OF WORK: How do we use technology and AI for good?
WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID ABOUT …
Click and revisit the editions that intrigue you:
As Act Two hits it’s stride, there are many participants who are creating big projects, and others paralyzed into inaction. I republished a short article quoting a blessing by John O’Donohue who died prematurely four days after his 54th birthday.
: Great line by O’Donohue. Never thought of a blessing that way.And from
: I heard Suleika Jaouad tell Stephen Colbert that, facing leukemia, she’s taken a gentler approach to her doctor's advice to “live every day as if it’s your last”—because if we did, "we’d all be cheating on our spouses, draining our bank accounts, and declaring bankruptcy". Instead, she tries to live each day as if it’s her very first. After a hearty laugh to her quiet hilarity, it hit me. Reading Suleika Jaouad has been good for tilting my future.
It is easy to list 3 things we are grateful for. But 50 has us digging deeper and developing our 21st-century observation skills.
: Love this! So many things to be grateful for and the exercise of listing them out is such a beautiful thing!!
One person cannot know everything (even with AI) . We rely on the collective to make connections into other topics.
: Extending the idea uch a wonderful call to action. The magic happens in the connections, not the isolation. pushed back a little on my ideas: I love the brain trust concept. It seems as though the need for a Brain Trust is what is moving many toward AI, tempting some to lean heavily on it to refine their thinking. Perhaps a Heart Trust better represents the community aspect you're describing, where we're truly seen in our humanity and encouraged and guided toward expressing it.
Latham Turner says I curate curious people. Do you agree?
As another example of community, this logo was a gift from
. He has launched a number of thinkers into visual communicators, and continues to nurture a community around these techniques. This past week, a few of these solo-preneurs gathered in an AirBnB in the Spanish countryside. Learn tips, tricks and techniques in his weekly post Explain Ideas Visually.]Do you like the concept that every 7th edition is a Rest edition? These digests make a great issue to share with others as you invite them to join our Tribe of difference-makers.
Our small and supportive community in Tribe Tilt believes in the best of humanity - connecting people, sharing ideas, and exploring thoughts respectfully. We believe we can make a difference to the people and places that are precious to us. The best idea can come from anyone, anywhere, at any time.
Is this your first visit to Tilt the Future? Join our Tribe Tilt by hitting this button below:
Stay healthy. From there, all else becomes possible.
See you next week!
Karena
Dateline: Manhattan, NYC.
Please excuse any editing errors in this edition. It is posted from the clunky Substack app.
How I Landed a Job on Wall Street When I Really Wasn't Looking For One
TL;DR - Don’t try so hard. You shine when you are relaxed.
210!? You are amazing - keep helping us see the good in the world. Also sorry I missed that reunion. You all look great.
Sometimes that early job when you're challenged and learning with others can be magical! I think it's particularly true in large organizations steeped in their unique culture. It sounds like you had that at MS (I had that too at EDS). Congratulations on those life-long relationships. AND congrats on 210 posts - you are AMAZING!!