For all my American readers, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving yesterday.  This is always one of my favorite weeks of the year.  As the pace of work slows down and people start thinking more about what they are going to cook (and how) and who they are going to see, a kind of peace and calm descends upon the land.  This, I have to believe, was exactly what President Lincoln intended when he established the holiday in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg, one of the most consequential battles in the history of freedom. 

I try to remind myself very regularly of all the reasons I have to be grateful.  One of my favorite practices is to go for what I call a “gratitude walk.”  It’s a very simple practice and can be done at any moment and for any length of time.  You just go for a walk around the neighborhood and start mentally listing all the things you are thankful for in that moment.  “My wife and kids, the warm feeling of the sun, my parents and everything they did for me, friends, coffee, life and health, freedom, music and wine, books…” You get the idea.

Since the Profit+ Newsletter is, at its core, a publication about the individual’s relationship to the community, I thought it fitting this week as I was reflecting about Thanksgiving, to consider what we together have reason to be thankful for:

Our Economy

Despite some nasty fallout from one of the most aggressive rate hiking cycles in modern history, our economy is proving rather resilient.  Amazingly, GDP is still growing and inflation still coming down.  Perhaps, we will get a soft landing after all.  The course of events over the last few years has me feeling optimistic.  Back in early 2022, if you would’ve told me that we’d have 2 wars, a total meltdown in crypto, 550 basis points of interest rate hikes, and the real estate industry in crisis, I would’ve assumed we’d be in a recession for sure.  Instead, we’re doing ok and technology, the leading edge of our economy, has created a whole new industry with the rise of AI.  Obviously, anything can happen from here and we might just get that nasty recession after all.  But it’s a good sign that our economy is robust enough to muddle through these past few ways the way that it has.   

Democracy and Freedom

Although the work of creating an ever more perfect Union continues and 2024 is setting-up to be a very consequential (and perhaps crazy) year, we still have a functioning democracy.  That’s something to celebrate.  Think of all the people in history who’ve either lived under a tyrannical regime or died fighting to preserve freedom.  As frustrating as democracy can be sometimes, it’s the best we’ve ever come up with and wildly better than all the alternatives. 

That being said, this is no time to rest on our laurels.  The threats to democracy both around the world and here at home are real and cannot be ignored.  Rest assured, you will all be called upon to do your part in the coming years to protect democracy and freedom.  My plan and my mission is to help you find effective and productive ways to do so.

Our Culture

Though no culture is perfect and ours regular produces trash (as anyone can see after spending a few minutes on social media), we have a culture of world historical significance, one that regularly produces works of artistic and scientific genius.  If you can find the mental strength to just tune out the garbage, you cannot help but feel a sense of awe.  At this very moment, scientists are planning missions to space, technologists are getting closer and closer to artificial general intelligence, authors are writing, artists are creating, musicians are performing, philosophers are thinking, teachers are teaching…. In short, all across the world people are pouring a staggering amount of creative energy into the universe, inspiring us with beauty, challenging us with truth, and pushing us ever forward to greater understanding.   

As we zoom out and consider the great truths of our age, it becomes clear that we do indeed have a lot to be Thankful for.  On the scales of history, you literally cannot find an age with more prosperity, individual freedom, and cultural richness.  Though we have many problems, we are living in a kind of Golden Age.  Rather than let the gravity of our problems drag us into a cynical collective loathing, let’s appreciate what we have and just get busy with the work necessary to fix our problems, heal the wounds of the world, and restore the bonds of human fellowship like never before.     

I want to take this opportunity to Thank all of you.  What started as an experiment of sorts has evolved from 8 friends on an email list to a growing community of over 9000 super curious, purpose-seeking readers spread across the globe.  I still cannot believe there are this many people interested in what I have to say!  I am incredibly honored and humbled to have your support and am determined to keep going and doing my best to put out better and better work.  Thanks for being here!

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