Israa Nasir

So hyperoptimization is really just a way to make sure that you are meeting this standard of optimizing your time, resources, energy, body, food, wellness, relationships, all of that stuff. And you have this yardstick that you're measuring yourself against. And so that I think is a really unhealthy way of trying to improve and engage in personal growth.

So hyperoptimization is really just a way to make sure that you are meeting this standard of optimizing your time, resources, energy, body, food, wellness, relationships, all of that stuff. And you have this yardstick that you're measuring yourself against. And so that I think is a really unhealthy way of trying to improve and engage in personal growth.

And both for being hyper-optimized and being extremely busy, chronic busyness, both of those things signal to other people that you are very valued, that you have it together, that you are needed, that whatever skills you have are very valuable. And that's why you're so busy all the time. And you're able to manage a lot of things. And all of these things are... status markers.

And both for being hyper-optimized and being extremely busy, chronic busyness, both of those things signal to other people that you are very valued, that you have it together, that you are needed, that whatever skills you have are very valuable. And that's why you're so busy all the time. And you're able to manage a lot of things. And all of these things are... status markers.

And both for being hyper-optimized and being extremely busy, chronic busyness, both of those things signal to other people that you are very valued, that you have it together, that you are needed, that whatever skills you have are very valuable. And that's why you're so busy all the time. And you're able to manage a lot of things. And all of these things are... status markers.

They put us in competition with each other. And I think the force behind it is a feeling of belonging, a feeling of acceptance and a feeling of being valued. And these three things are foundational human needs. Like we need to feel accepted and have belonging and be valued. We've just found this very unhealthy way to get to that feeling now. which is through productivity.

They put us in competition with each other. And I think the force behind it is a feeling of belonging, a feeling of acceptance and a feeling of being valued. And these three things are foundational human needs. Like we need to feel accepted and have belonging and be valued. We've just found this very unhealthy way to get to that feeling now. which is through productivity.

They put us in competition with each other. And I think the force behind it is a feeling of belonging, a feeling of acceptance and a feeling of being valued. And these three things are foundational human needs. Like we need to feel accepted and have belonging and be valued. We've just found this very unhealthy way to get to that feeling now. which is through productivity.

I really like that concept that you're talking about of unmattering because that's one of the things that people are trapped in is how can I be like extraordinary? How can every experience I have be extraordinary? And I think on my end, something I talk about is how can we welcome being mediocre in some places in our life, right?

I really like that concept that you're talking about of unmattering because that's one of the things that people are trapped in is how can I be like extraordinary? How can every experience I have be extraordinary? And I think on my end, something I talk about is how can we welcome being mediocre in some places in our life, right?

I really like that concept that you're talking about of unmattering because that's one of the things that people are trapped in is how can I be like extraordinary? How can every experience I have be extraordinary? And I think on my end, something I talk about is how can we welcome being mediocre in some places in our life, right?

Because everything cannot be extraordinary and everything cannot matter, right? And everyone cannot matter. But I think the way our society has changed over the last 30 years has a big role to play in this idea. You see a lot of people get a lot of success at a very early age with the advent of startups and social media.

Because everything cannot be extraordinary and everything cannot matter, right? And everyone cannot matter. But I think the way our society has changed over the last 30 years has a big role to play in this idea. You see a lot of people get a lot of success at a very early age with the advent of startups and social media.

Because everything cannot be extraordinary and everything cannot matter, right? And everyone cannot matter. But I think the way our society has changed over the last 30 years has a big role to play in this idea. You see a lot of people get a lot of success at a very early age with the advent of startups and social media.

Like you see these like young people create these enormously influential platforms, right? Like Facebook, for example. And so I think like in the last 30 years, we've seen these like handful of of stories in people who have become exceptional. And the cultural consciousness has now become that, well, it could be possible for you too. You can also do this. And so we have this idea that

Like you see these like young people create these enormously influential platforms, right? Like Facebook, for example. And so I think like in the last 30 years, we've seen these like handful of of stories in people who have become exceptional. And the cultural consciousness has now become that, well, it could be possible for you too. You can also do this. And so we have this idea that

Like you see these like young people create these enormously influential platforms, right? Like Facebook, for example. And so I think like in the last 30 years, we've seen these like handful of of stories in people who have become exceptional. And the cultural consciousness has now become that, well, it could be possible for you too. You can also do this. And so we have this idea that

I have to matter as well. And I have to be exceptional. And I think that's really driving people to do a lot of things that they don't feel very aligned with. They might not even be intellectually interested in. Now I live in New York city. And so I meet a lot of people who have these like goals around. I was saying things like, Oh, I want to start a company and exit.

I have to matter as well. And I have to be exceptional. And I think that's really driving people to do a lot of things that they don't feel very aligned with. They might not even be intellectually interested in. Now I live in New York city. And so I meet a lot of people who have these like goals around. I was saying things like, Oh, I want to start a company and exit.

I have to matter as well. And I have to be exceptional. And I think that's really driving people to do a lot of things that they don't feel very aligned with. They might not even be intellectually interested in. Now I live in New York city. And so I meet a lot of people who have these like goals around. I was saying things like, Oh, I want to start a company and exit.