The Doppleganger

I turned 34 a few months back. Generally, I do not like to reminisce in the past and look forward to each day as it comes. The 1% better each day maxim is a brilliant one which translates to 37x better in a year due to the compounding phenomena. The question remains- how do you measure if you have bettered each day by 1%. This is a qualitative measurement defined by quantitative parameters. Couple of years back as the pandemic hit, I took stock of where I was in life and what I wanted to focus more on in the next few years. I read articles and books of some very good value investors like Munger, Buffet, Marks, Greenblatt. In addition, I listened to productivity podcasts and read books around habit forming, sleep, fitness from stalwarts like James Clear, Mathew Walker and Dr. Jamunadas. Thus began a system of improving my knowledge base, coupled with fitness regime and playing a regular sport. Progress was slow but post a couple of months, I could sense a positive tilt in energy levels- both mental and physical. This got me thinking whether you need a scale to caliberate success for a goal. I might not have improved by1% each day but the effort and intent to move forward ensured I was better off than when I had started by some distance, even if it was not 37x.

The constant urge to improve and better one's life and of people around him/her is a very satisfying mental model to preserve and persevere. In the process, one not only gets inspired to do things which would have seemed nearly mpossible a few months back but also pushes others to start challenging themselves to become more disciplined. Things like lattice framework and multidisciplianry approach take time to form but the process is as engaging nevertheless.

I recall a beautful scene from one of the sitcoms that I had watched where the protagonist tells his friend that we all become our own dopplegangers in 5 years. Perhaps, it is true. Maybe, I will see a braver version of myself in my doppleganger when I turn 39.....