Open Loops #124

👋 Welcome to the 124th issue of Open Loops, a weekly newsletter to help you think, grow, and build momentum.

My name is Reza, and every week, I sift through over 100 pieces of content —newsletters, articles, podcasts, books, and (way too many) tweets—to pull out the most interesting, actionable ideas.

You may have noticed a change in the past couple of months. Open Loops now arrives every two weeks instead of weekly.

This new rhythm allows me to maintain quality while balancing other priorities.

I expect to return to weekly publishing eventually. For now, this pace works best.

As always, I appreciate your attention.

Changing your mind is a superpower.

Parents and teachers taught us that strong people stick to their beliefs. That flip-flopping is weakness.

We've got it backwards.

Five years ago, I was convinced that morning routines were overrated. I prided myself on flexibility - waking up at different times, working when inspiration struck.

When friends suggested structured mornings, I dismissed them. I had plenty of evidence that my approach worked for "my creative process."

But results speak louder than beliefs. My output was inconsistent. My energy fluctuated wildly.

I reluctantly tested a fixed morning routine for just two weeks. Wake at 6AM. Exercise. Meditate. Write. Every day, no exceptions.

The difference was undeniable. More consistent energy. Better thinking. Double the output.

I had to admit I was wrong. Completely, utterly wrong.

The smartest people I know change their minds regularly. Not out of inconsistency, but because they're constantly updating their mental models.

Charlie Munger called this "destroying your best-loved ideas." Jeff Bezos considers what evidence would change his mind about any position.

In a world of increasing complexity, certainty is often a liability.

The people who cling to outdated beliefs fall behind. The ones who adapt their thinking move forward.

Strong opinions, loosely held.

The next time you feel that instinctive defense of your position, consider what evidence would make you change your mind.

If the answer is "nothing," you're not thinking clearly.

Intelligence isn't about being right initially. It's about being less wrong over time.

Now, let's dive into this week's ideas.

I became an excellent public speaker because, rather than once a week, I booked myself to speak three times a day to anyone who would listen.

While others in my organization had forty-eight speaking engagements a year, I would have a similar number within two weeks. Within a month, I'd have two years of experience. And within a year, I'd have a decade's worth of growth

My associates talked about how "lucky" I was to have been born with such an "innate" talent. I tried to tell them what I'm telling you now: mastery takes as long as you want it to take. By the way, were all of my speeches great? Far from it! But I did make sure that I learned from every experience and that I somehow improved until very soon I could enter a room of any size and be able to reach people from vinually all walks of life.

The moment I understood that I'd be more regretful having failed to become a successful writer than a successful startup founder, I was no longer clasping onto the fading aspiration of startups. Instead, I was focused on ensuring I aged with minimal regret.

•• About 99% of the time, the right time is right now.

•• No one is as impressed with your possessions as you are.

•• Don’t ever work for someone you don’t want to become.

•• Cultivate 12 people who love you, because they are worth more than 12 million people who like you.

•• Don’t keep making the same mistakes; try to make new mistakes.

•• If you stop to listen to a musician or street performer for more than a minute, you owe them a dollar.

This newsletter is my creative outlet. When I’m not writing it, or working out, I help founders and their early teams bring clarity and structure to the chaos of building early-stage brands. If you’re a founder navigating GTM, you can lean more here.