WAGMI & GMI over NGMI: Building the World You Want to Live In
You see these terms frequently on Twitter or various social media. NGMI=Not Gonna Make It. GMI=Gonna Make It. WAGMI=We’re All Gonna Make It. Stock and Crypto traders use these terms to refer to people who are doing good trades or get it (GMI) and those who will not (NGMI).
Technology shifts, Climate change, ongoing raging pandemic, money printing, Political instability & growing illiberalism everywhere. Just look at Australia of all places as a recent scary case. And what is happening everywhere: Growing gap between the wealthy and everyone else.
I am VERY optimistic for humanity in the long run. But boy is it gonna be ugly over the next 7-8 years. I know some people will say I’m an alarmist but my counter is “Civilization” is a precarious thing: we are always 9 meals away from riots in the street. The social contract is frayed around the world and the result is the growing rage in the populace. It’s going to be a while before a new social contract comes together.
Yet looking at the situation coldly, as per my favorite Game of Thrones quote: “Chaos is a ladder!” Opportunities to grow and thrive also come out from these times. Just look at the crazy huge fortunes that came out of the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although I should note that this came with extreme pain and suffering for most people. No one wants this but it’s the other side of the coin we need to get through.
So being pragmatic here. There are some things you need to do to prepare & thrive:
Take care of your mental and physical health. This is job one.
Learn how World works & where it’s going (read “The Sovereign Individual”, any book by Péter Zeihan, “The Creature of Jekyll Island”by Griffin, “The Ascent of Money” & “The Square and Tower” by Ferguson, “Collusion” by Prins, “The Psychology of Money” by Housel, “End of Jobs” by Pearson, “The Price of Tomorrow” by Booth, “The Fourth Economy” by Davison, “The Rise of America” by Katusa, “Debt” by Graeber, “Emergency” by Strauss. Also lots of people to follow on Twitter & newsletters like Bowtied Bull, Balaji Srinivasan, Radigan Carter)
Be a Prepper: Have a few months of food, water in storage. Prudent if you are in an earthquake zone like me. Also have weapons to protect yourself and your family. (Make sure you train and know how to use them as per point 7).
Look at alternative countries that are stable, well run and you will enjoy spending time in. For me it’s Taiwan, Portugal, Japan, Georgia, Ukraine, Mexico.
Be prepared to move
Have Resources ie. good finances, whether Crypto, cash, Gold and bullets.
Build a portfolio of useful skills: Biz Skills (copywriting, investing, writing) & Self Defense (boxing, Muay Thai, wrestling, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Krav Maga) + Learn how to shoot pistols and rifles ie. Tactical Shooting.
You need to GMI first. Ie. put your mask on yourself first.
As they say, charity starts at home. Make sure you can take care of yourself so you can take care of others. If you don’t fix yourself, it’s like building a skyscraper on a bad foundation. Or put another way, you can’t help a drowning person if you can’t swim yourself.
Once you GMI, your important next steps are:
—Building a community of like minded people. Create your scene of people whom you can count on and who can count on you
—Focus on bringing up as many people with you. This is why I try to do as much startup investing, mentoring, and public speaking at many conferences. Also a big reason why I do so much writing online (besides the therapeutic aspects of it).
As the African proverb goes, “He who travels fastest, travels alone. He who travels furthest, travels together.” WAGMI.