Weekend Briefing No. 571
How to Feel More Alive -- Eat the Frog First -- Friends: The Ultimate Life Hack
Welcome to the weekend.
Prime Numbers
100,000 — Sweden is building a $1.08 billion nuclear waste storage facility consisting of 60 kilometers of tunnels 500 meters deep in ancient bedrock that will store highly radioactive waste for 100,000 years, starting operations in the 2030s and completing in the 2080s.
75 — Most (75%) of adults experience recurring dreams in their lifetime, with about two-thirds of these dreams being negative (often featuring themes of being chased, failing or running late), and research on 15,000 dream reports showed that COVID-19 significantly increased dreams about fear, illness and death.
46 — Among employed adults whose jobs can be done remotely, 75% work from home at least sometimes, and nearly half (46%) would likely leave their current position if remote work was eliminated, with this sentiment being particularly strong among workers under 50.
How to Feel More Alive
The modern dilemma isn't that we're unhappy — it's that we've become numb to the world around us, mindlessly consuming content while waiting for the next dopamine hit. Research reveals a counterintuitive truth: Feeling truly alive doesn't come from chasing Instagram-worthy experiences or practicing the perfect morning routine but rather from embracing the unfamiliar, finding peace in small moments, and breaking free from the digital trance that keeps us perpetually distracted but never satisfied. The path to feeling more alive isn't about adding more to our lives — it's about creating space for genuine experiences by reducing our endless consumption of other people's carefully curated content and allowing ourselves to be present in our own unfiltered moments. Most profoundly, this shift doesn't require waiting for a new year or a fresh start — the opportunity to feel more alive exists in every present moment we choose to fully experience. Darius Foroux (8 minutes)
Eat the Frog First
Your toughest task of the day isn't just difficult — it's the one you'll spend hours avoiding through mindless distractions. The dreaded “frog” on your to-do list represents your most important (not urgent) task, the one that requires deep focus and often creates the most impact. Science shows that by completing your most challenging work before anything else, you create a powerful momentum effect that carries through your entire day, making all subsequent tasks feel remarkably easier. The method's power lies in its simplicity: identify your most important task, give it your fresh morning energy and watch as the rest of your day transforms from a procrastinator's nightmare into a series of manageable achievements. Asana (8 minutes)
Try Distraction-Free Reading
Sol Reader is the world's first wearable e-reader. Designed for immersive reading and maximum comfort, Sol Reader helps you form a new reading habit or return to an old one. It's lightweight and built to be 100% distraction-free so you can escape pings and doomscrolling on your phone. Adjust the focus, lean back and easily turn the page with the handheld remote. Buy books or upload your own using the Sol app, and deepen your reading comprehension with features like chapter summaries and Sol AutoPilot for speed reading. When was the last time you got lost in a good book? Try Sol Reader today. Sol Reader (Sponsored)
Friends: The Ultimate Life Hack
While billions are spent on therapy and self-help, the most powerful antidepressant might be sitting right next to you at lunch. The modern world's focus on romantic relationships and career networking has overshadowed the profound impact that genuine friendships have on our mental and physical well-being. Beyond just having someone to grab coffee with, deep friendships activate neurological pathways that reduce stress, boost immune function and even help regulate blood pressure. The science is clear: investing in friendship isn't just about having fun — it's a cornerstone of health that deserves the same intentional approach we give to diet, exercise and career development. YouTube (4 minutes)
Innovative Cooling for Data Centers
Most people don't realize that nearly half of a data center's electricity bill comes from just keeping computers cool — like running an air conditioner non-stop in a room full of heaters. By switching to Castrol's method of dunking computers in special liquid, companies can slash their cooling costs by 90% while running even more powerful machines. Just as a swimming pool cools you faster than a fan, this liquid cooling approach is dramatically more effective than traditional air cooling, allowing data centers to pack more computing power into smaller spaces. Beyond just saving money, this cooling revolution enables companies to capture and reuse the waste heat for practical purposes like warming nearby buildings or supporting industrial processes, turning a problem into an opportunity. Storage View (16 minutes)
The Root of the Masculinity Crisis
While pundits debate whether men's struggles stem from lost privilege or feminized social norms, the real crisis may be much simpler: we've created a society where feeling like a failure is the default state. To be average is to be profoundly unsatisfied, because the fact that (even a handful of) others are doing much better reveals one's (supposed) intrinsic inferiority. This crisis of self-worth has been supercharged by social media, where an endless stream of high-achieving men creates a warped standard that makes normal accomplishments — having a stable job, being a good father, maintaining strong friendships — feel embarrassingly inadequate. The solution isn't about reclaiming privilege or rejecting modern norms, but rather about dismantling a system where constant competition for status and validation has made it nearly impossible for most men to feel genuinely successful or valued. Psyche (10 minutes)
8 Words
The hardest part of helping someone in crisis is realizing you don't need to solve their biggest problems at all. Generic offers like "let me know if you need anything" create an invisible barrier that most people won't cross, as the burden of identifying and requesting help feels overwhelming in moments of stress. The transformative power of asking "What small thing would help you right now?" lies in its beautiful specificity, making it easier for people to voice simple needs they'd otherwise dismiss as too trivial to mention. The accumulated impact of these small, specific acts of care — from an unexpected ice cream sandwich to a quiet coffee delivery — creates a foundation of being truly seen and supported that can carry people through their darkest moments. Cup of Jo (7 minutes)
Should We Work Together?
Hi! I’m Kyle. This newsletter is my passion project. When I’m not writing, I run a law firm that helps startups move fast without breaking things. Most founders want a trusted legal partner, but they hate surprise legal bills. At Westaway, we take care of your startup’s legal needs for a flat, monthly fee so you can control your costs and focus on scaling your business. If you’re interested, let’s jump on a call to see if you’re a good fit for the firm. Click here to schedule a one-on-one call with me.
Founder Fridays
Check out my other email Founder Fridays — a Friday morning briefing helping startup founders and operators scale smarter.
Weekend Wisdom
I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light. - Helen Keller
Feeling truly alive isn’t about chasing grand experiences or curating the perfect life but about breaking free from the digital fog that numbs us. The constant consumption of content keeps us distracted yet unfulfilled, distancing us from real, unfiltered moments. The antidote isn’t adding more but subtracting - creating space for stillness, discomfort, and genuine presence. Life’s richness isn’t found in more stimulation but in noticing what already exists, in embracing the quiet, the unfamiliar, and the deeply human. The opportunity to feel more alive isn’t in the future - it’s in every moment we choose to fully experience.