Happy New Year,
Here is your very first Seven-Bullet Monday of 2024
1. A quote I am pondering:
"What you water, grows." – old Proverb
As we head into the new year with our 2024 goals in mind, we need to pay as much attention to the inputs as the outputs because we will reap the benefits where we put in the most effort. And it applies as much to our thinking as our doing, so let's focus on nurturing the right thoughts because it starts there.
2. A question I am asking myself:
How can I be focused and curious at the same time?
The key here is to direct my curiosity in a way that fuels my focus and progress. I need to concentrate my curiosity on a specific task to do this while I explore and learn its aspects. If I let my curiosity wander, however, I could head in unrelated directions and fragment my attention, preventing me from completing the task.
3. My best books from the last six months
Here are my top six books from the second half of 2023
a. Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity – Peter Attia
b. I Don't Want to Talk About It - Terrence Reel
c. The Invincible Miss Cust - Penny Haw
d. Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results - Shane Parrish
e. Elon Musk - Walter Isaacson
f. Material World: The Six Raw Materials that Shape Modern Civilisation - Ed Conway
4. What I learnt this week
There is a new method of plane de-icing that is being tested
Instead of the traditional, time-consuming glycol spraying, Air Canada is testing a new method involving adhesive ice-melting strips fitted to parts of the aircraft. An electric current heats these strips, melting ice quickly and efficiently. This technology, expected to complete regulatory tests in 2024, could eliminate the need for glycol sprays, reducing delays and environmental impact. It's an exciting development that could reduce delays and make winter flying smoother and more efficient.
5. My 2023 highlights
Here are my top highlights of 2023, in chronological order:
a. Becoming a Canadian citizen – January
b. Conuma acquiring the Quintette mine from Teck Resources – February
c. Publishing our 2022 Sustainability and Climate Change Reports - March
d. Teaching more than 60 students from two NEBC secondary schools on Making Money Work – April to December
e. Speaking on Conuma's Sustainability Journey at the CoalSMART and the Canadian Coal conferences – June and October, respectively
f. Learning to boat and boating around Vancouver – July to September
g. Competing in the Emperor's Challenge 20km mountain race - August
h. Leanne's Dad giving us an awesome deal on his one-year-old electric Audi and, despite being nearly 80, driving it 1,500 km to deliver it to us in Vancouver and show us how to use it - September
i. Leanne's and my European trip – late September to early October
j. Getting engaged to Leanne – October
k. Adopting Ronan, our little labradoodle – October
l. Posting the highest lean muscle mass gain of all the participants in our final F45 challenge for the year - December
m. Being involved in one of the projects that help Conuma achieve significant fuel savings – all year
n. Unravelling the complex world of BC fuel taxes and developing a Conuma renewable fuel strategy for 2024 and beyond – Q2 to Q4
o. Stating to shape Conuma's electrical future and energy savings – second half of the year
6. Hugh-bits
Watch this 90-second clip with Sir Michael Caine on "Using the Difficulty"
This is some delightful advice Sir Michael Caine gave in an interview with Sir Michael Parkinson, recorded in 2002. Thanks to Tim Ferris for sharing this one.
7. My 2024 challenge for you
Make 2024 a watershed year in one or more areas of your life
What would make your 2024 look like a breakthrough year in respect of one of the following?
· Health
· Relationships
· Work
· Financial
· Personal development
# You'veGotThis
Have a fantastic first week of 2024