In a world where technology is increasingly conspiring to steal our focus and attention, my goal is to teach you how to be more productive with Apple technology. I want to help you achieve what is most important to you and enjoy your life at the same time using technology instead of becoming another one of its victims. Pretty much everything I make points at that North Star. I believe in this message so much that I’ve staked my livelihood on it.
The Seven-Year Rule
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Hi Reader, Years ago, I encountered a fascinating concept in a book by the Dalai Lama: every seven years, human beings transform into entirely new versions of themselves. This idea stems from the biological principle that our bodies replace virtually all their cells over a seven-year cycle. The person you are today doesn't share a single cell with the version of you from seven years ago. (This is, of course, a generalization as some cells regenerate much faster and others a little slower.) There's something profoundly liberating about this constant state of transformation. We often become fixated on our past: mistakes we've made, opportunities we've missed, harms inflicted upon us (and by us), or wounds we've suffered. But what if we truly internalized that the person who experienced those things no longer exists in a physical sense? I recently spoke with a friend who was still dwelling on something that happened thirty years ago. "Why do you care?" I asked him. "That was four versions of you ago. That person doesn't exist anymore. Move on." This perspective applies equally to our future selves. The version of you that will exist seven years from now hasn't formed yet. So why not focus your energy and attention on the present moment? As you read these words, you are uniquely yourself, different from who you were a moment ago and who you'll become in the next. By embracing this present version of yourself, you release yourself from the bonds of history while simultaneously doing the greatest possible favor to your future self. We exist in a perpetual state of transformation: cellular, psychological, and spiritual. When we recognize and honor this constant evolution, we free ourselves to live more fully in the eternal now. Adopt the Seven-Year Rule. You’ll be doing yourself a favor. In the NewsPerplexity’s Voice Assistant This week, Perplexity added a voice assistant to their app that makes Siri look pretty bad. To torture the Chinese proverb, the best time to fix Siri was ten years ago and the second best time is today. The AirPods Universal Translator There’s an intriguing rumor that Apple is working on a contemporaneous translation feature for AirPods. The idea is you’d be wearing AirPods and someone could speak to you in Spanish and it would translate live into your ear. Then if you spoke back to them in English it would translate it to Spanish and play it through your phone speaker. I remember when we saw that on Star Trek and thought it was something that was hundreds of years in the future. Your pal, P.S. Want a MacSparky Hat? I try not to go overboard with merchandise. When I do put something out there, I want it to be something you can learn from — a Field Guide, or something that gives back. But every now and then, I get the itch for some proper MacSparky gear. And when that happens, I’m usually making it just as much for myself as for anyone else. That’s definitely the case with the new official MacSparky hat. There are five different variations, each in multiple colors, all featuring the MacSparky Bolt. If you know, you know. I already grabbed one for myself—and I’ve got another one on the way. Sometimes you’ve got to treat yourself, right? If you’d like your very own MacSparky hat, they’re available now. If you'd like to read this on the web, click here. |
David Sparks (MacSparky)
In a world where technology is increasingly conspiring to steal our focus and attention, my goal is to teach you how to be more productive with Apple technology. I want to help you achieve what is most important to you and enjoy your life at the same time using technology instead of becoming another one of its victims. Pretty much everything I make points at that North Star. I believe in this message so much that I’ve staked my livelihood on it.
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