1-2-3 Inner Game

Welcome to 1-2-3 Inner Game, your weekly hit of actionable strategies to achieve a high-performing, healthy, and thriving life.

Today's Highlights

• Time to Recharge

• 1-2-3 Inner-Game

• The Dawn of AGI

• Elon Musk's $100B Payday

• Brain Candy

• Rundown of Cool Stuff This Week

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Hi,

As the year winds down, I see a pattern—people are burning out, sprinting to the finish line on empty tanks 🏃‍♂️💨⛽. And it makes me wonder: how can they plan for next year when they’re barely surviving this one? 🤔

Planning isn’t about forcing it when you’re drained. You need clarity, energy, and optimism to dream big. So, if you’re feeling burned out, stop stressing about next year. Recharge first—sleep 🛌, go outside 🌳, breathe 😮‍💨.

Next year’s success won’t come from a rushed December plan, it’ll come from showing up as your best self in January.

Finish this year by restoring yourself, not grinding harder.

Here's some Inner Game wisdom to chew on this week

1 question

What’s the one decision you’re avoiding that, if tackled, could unlock massive growth for your business or life?

2 questions (and answers from me)

1. How can I prioritize my time better when everything feels important? Not everything can be equally important. Start by identifying the 1–2 things that drive the most impact on your goals. Delegate, automate, or defer the rest. Productivity isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing the right things.

   
   

2. How do I stop overthinking and start executing? Action kills overthinking. Start small—send that email, make that call, write the first sentence. Remember, clarity often comes after you take the first step, not before.​

3 insights from me

1. The most successful leaders simplify their focus. If you’re trying to fix 50 things at once, you’ll fix none. Hone in on the 2–3 levers that will move the needle.

   
   

2. Great businesses aren’t built on hustle alone. They’re built on systems that make growth repeatable. Brute force gets you started; systems take you further.

   
   

3. Your brain is wired for efficiency, not fulfillment. Most of your daily actions are on autopilot, shaped by past habits. Want better results? Change your routines—intentionally and consistently.

What's new with the Pod - Emergence Now

The Dawn of AGI: Humanity's Last Invention

Listen Now

Elon Musk’s $100 Billion Payday 💸: Genius or Too Much?

Here’s the story:

In 2018, Tesla handed Elon Musk a wild compensation deal: hit a series of sky-high targets—like taking Tesla’s market cap from $50 billion to $650 billion—and he’d get paid in billions. At the time, it seemed nearly impossible. Fast forward to today, and Tesla’s market cap blew past $1.1 trillion, and Musk’s payout? Over $100 billion. 🤯

The guy crushed it. The deal was structured so he’d only win if the company did too—and boy, did it.

But here’s where it gets spicy 🌶️. Critics (and lawsuits) argue that this deal was too cozy. Shareholder Richard Tornetta claims Tesla’s board was so close to Musk they rubber-stamped this monster payday. Yet, in a shareholder vote, 72% supported the deal.

Why? Because Tesla’s value skyrocketed, and so did their portfolios. 🤑

Now, the courts are deciding: should a CEO be able to pocket billions if the shareholders are cool with it, even if the board dynamics are a little... questionable?

The Lesson: Musk’s deal is a masterclass in incentive alignment. It tied his fortune directly to the company’s success. But it also raises the age-old question: when does reward become excessive?

My Take:

• Big ideas need big bets. If you want extraordinary outcomes, you’ve got to be okay with extraordinary rewards.

• But governance matters. A board that’s too cozy with leadership is like a rubber stamp on a blank check. Risky.

For founders, there’s a takeaway here: design incentives that reward performance, not promises. And for leaders? Ask yourself: are you incentivized to win with your team, or at their expense?

Musk may be polarizing, but one thing’s clear—he’s playing chess while most of us are stuck on checkers. ♟️

Brain Candy Tweets That Made Me Think, Laugh, or Go ‘Huh, Interesting!

But here’s the thing: the 'character-building' years are where the real magic happens. That’s when you’re sharpening skills, learning resilience, and setting the foundation for the next big win.

So if this year feels like a grind, don’t sweat it. You’re just laying bricks for the cathedral you're building.

These are the OG performance enhancers. No flashy marketing, no side effects—just the basics that actually work.

Master these, and you’ll outperform 90% of people who are chasing shortcuts. Let no one tell you otherwise. 💪

Here’s a rundown of some cool stuff I’ve been diving into this week.

📖 ​Power Vs Force: The Hidden Determination of Human Behaviour by David R. Hawkins​

👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 ​Warren Buffett suggests all parents do one thing before they die​

📸 ​Associated Press 100 Photos of 2024: An Epic Catalog of Human

I'm rooting for you to continue crushing it! 💪🏼

Dhiren