Chaos is a Ladder ⚔️

January 21, 2025

As we get further into 2025, the initial inertia from the fresh start of the year is likely to crack — unexpected items start appearing on your to-do list, and chaos starts to creep in.

I recently got reminded of a quote from one of my favourite series, Game of Thrones:

Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish: Chaos isn't a pit. Chaos is a ladder. Many who try to climb it fail and never get to try again. The fall breaks them. And some, are given a chance to climb. They refuse, they cling to the realm or the gods or love. Illusions. Only the ladder is real. The climb is all there is.

In the context of the show, it's about the chaos in the different plotlines giving the characters the chance to triumph over one another, for certain groups to lose control and to give way to underdogs. In a more day-to-day way of thinking, I see it more like spontaneity, rather than chaos.

A Case for a Little Chaos

When we build very rigid systems, we limit the chance for spontaneity to manifest within them — a very busy to-do list will always be very productive, and almost always very predictable, if you follow it thoroughly.

Chaos is something that seems like it doesn't have a place in one's day-to-day life and productivity, but I feel like it's what makes things colourful. Of course, structure will always be crucial, but I think we should:

• add a little more buffer time in our time-blocking,
• go to events where we aren't 100% sure what to expect,
• and talk with people who we may initially think we wouldn't vibe with.

A bit of a rambly intro, but I think it's some good food for thought — think of ways in which you could incorporate a little chaos in your life, not so much that it will hold you back on your goals, but just enough to introduce some fun and adventure here and there. 🎉

A Week of Steady Steps

A rather calm week, with some steady work and some steady rest. Got to do my best 5K run so far, which is still far from the sub-28min goal I set for myself, but it feels nice to have some measurable progress. 🏁

• Despite the intro going on about chaos in one's schedule, my week was rather chill — mostly just work, the occasional run, and some time to chip away at side projects.
• One of those side projects in particular is coming along quite nicely — it's still not fully open to test users, but you can take a look at its landing page at frameworked.io. It's a data-visualisation tool that works as an interface on top of your existing Notion databases — making the user experience smoother, faster, and more straightforward. ⏩

Book of the Week: 12 Rules For Life

12 Rules For Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Dr Jordan Peterson is a thought-provoking self-help book that combines psychology, philosophy, and anecdotes to offer practical advice on living a more meaningful and responsible life. The book is structured around 12 rules, each delving into themes like personal accountability, the pursuit of meaning over fleeting happiness, and the importance of self-discipline.

It's one of those books that became a staple in the self-improvement community, even though I think it's quite different from others in the same niche, like The 4-Hour Workweek or Atomic Habits. The focus isn't so much on productivity tactics, but mostly on mindset shifts and general practices that should, logically, make our lives a bit better.

It ties in nicely with the topic of chaos in this newsletter — Dr Peterson frames his advice as an antidote to chaos. One of the 12 rules is something along the lines of Tidy your room before tackling the world, and while this sounds almost too simplistic, he explains it beautifully — a messy room is a miniature version of the chaotic world outside, and by tidying it up you bring order to it, as an exercise of what you'll do against the real chaos in your life.

An 8/10 book, and one that I think I should reread every few years, to remind myself of the basics. I especially recommend it if you're dealing with situations that sometimes feel out of your control.

If you've read this or the follow-up Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life, I'd love to hear your thoughts — did they resonate with you, or did you find them a bit too dense?

Worth Watching This Week

How to cure brain rot by Better Ideas — a pragmatic look at digital overload and how to claw back your attention.

How to Manage Multiple Interests by Odysseas — perfect if you tend to bounce between projects and feel like that's a problem (spoiler: it isn't, if you channel it right).

Closing Thoughts

Till next week, stay safe, stay curious, and keep kicking. ✌️