Designing Your Dream Life
Tings Newsletter #23
Who am I? I’m Michael Karnjanaprakorn. I’m the ex-founder of Skillshare and Otis. These days, I’m focused on life outside the startup world. This newsletter shares my thoughts on life, work, health, and random tings. If someone forwarded this to you, subscribe along with 5k+ others here.
Ali Abdaal featured my interview with Kevin Dahlstrom on his YouTube channel. His video, "How to Design Your Dream Life (in 7 minutes)," was shared with his audience of 5.8M subscribers and highlighted Kevin's end-state lifestyle exercise.
After a six-month injury hiatus, I'm back into running and focusing on Zone 2 running following the Maffetone method. I'm keeping my heart rate at 138 bpm or lower. By running slow, I plan to run faster and longer without getting injured.
Paul Graham's essay "Founder Mode" resonates deeply. He challenges the conventional advice to "hire good people and give them room to do their jobs," arguing this often undermines rather than strengthens a company. In my experience, safeguarding the founder's vision requires a delicate balance. As a company scales, the risk of that vision being diluted by conventional wisdom increases. Founders must remain vigilant, ensuring their vision is maintained and actively driven forward as the company grows.
"The Overton Window Has Shifted" by Jack Raines offers an interesting perspective on political beliefs. A key takeaway: "If someone can correctly guess all of your political beliefs from one of your political beliefs, you've outsourced your independent thinking."
As I dive back into my fitness routine, I discovered a vegan protein called Happy Viking, created by Venus Williams. It's a gut-friendly plant protein with 60 superfoods and 20 grams of protein — and it tastes good!
Protein intake is a topic of debate, but is there such a thing as too much protein? Some research suggests that excessive protein might impair kidney function. I'm now aiming for 100 grams daily—down from the 150–200 grams I previously targeted.
Improving my sleep scores is another focus area. Along with following general sleep advice, I'm using a light, breathable blanket, sticking to a 9:30 p.m. bedtime, and sleeping next to an air purifier. I'm also trying a new sleep supplement. My current scores are around 80-85, and I'm aiming for 95+.
There’s a growing trend of people flying across the country for executive physicals — intensive three-day medical check-ups catered to the ultra-wealthy. This seems like a great business opportunity: creating an accessible version focused on longevity and fitness.
A recent study suggests that humans may experience significant aging at specific points in life, particularly around age 44 and 60. Am I going to age a decade at 44?!
I'm currently reading Dr. Becky’s book, Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want To Be, and enjoying her podcast. She also recently released a 24/7 parenting coach app.
"The Happiness Trinity" — marriage, social connections, and income. It suggests that these factors are deeply interconnected and often influenced by income, which raises concerns that well-being may increasingly become a luxury.
Some families are opting for "mini-retirements" or mid-career breaks to spend time with their children, challenging traditional retirement concepts.
My friend Marshall Haas wrote about his decision to move to Raleigh, NC, providing a thorough analysis of the process. It got me thinking: where are the best places in the world to raise a family?
Here’s a fascinating read: “What It’s Like Being a Billionaire’s Personal Assistant.” Arguably one of the most challenging jobs out there.
I like the idea of a "Y Combinator for Politics" to recruit 1,000+ new altruists into the political arena. Similar to how Y Combinator has nurtured startup founders, one could create something similar for young politicians.
Pairing this with Universal Basic Income (UBI) could enable younger politicians to make running for office a full-time job. For example, the full-time salary for the Mayor of Charlotte is $41,000, and city council members earn $34,000—well below the national average salary of $63,795.
I have a few podcast recommendations: “How to Not Ruin Your Kids with Your Wealth,” "Midlife is Chrysalis, Not a Crisis,” and "Fixing San Francisco's Broken Local Politics.”
Summer means plenty of reading time. Some recent books I’ve enjoyed include Yellowface, Real Americans, Abandon, The Glass Hotel, Finding Ultra, and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running.
A$AP Rocky’s new music video, Tailor Swif, is random. See if you can spot the dolphin. My favorite comment sums it up perfectly: “I’m perplexed, confused, baffled, flabbergasted, bewildered.”
I keep a couple of these Dechockers around the house — you never know when you need one!
Until the next one…
Michael
Good luck with sleep scores!!. I use eightsleep so I'm cold when I sleep, meant to help get in to deeper sleep quicker. Ideally I try to not eat 4hrs before sleeping. Difficult with social obligations. This has been the biggest help for me personally. I read with blue light filter glasses before bed. Fiction only, something I don't have to think about. Let us know how you get along and any other things you do if you can please. Even writing a post about it I'd find interesting and maybe others would too. Sleep just about one of the most important things that isn't given enough attention imho!