"Evolutionary mismatch": our brains are stuck in mammoth-era survival mode where everything feels "life or death". Modern worries are rarely more than minor inconveniences, yet our reactions create unhealthy stress spirals.

Next time you're stressed, get perspective: "Scan your environment and know that right now you are not being attacked, not about to die." (Rick Hanson)

https://www.fwends.net/lets-be-fwends/2025-10-01/

The paradox of knowledge in business environments. People getting paid for knowing the unknowable.
People should say "How should I know" more often.
How you make them do that?

How should I know?

https://www.fwends.net/articles/how-should-i-know-a-novel-approach-to-problem-solving/

#agile #knowledgework

BYOS Services:

https://www.fwends.net/articles/bring-your-own-storage/

You tell someone that it "should be considered a serious possibility" that something is going to happen.
What do you think they will think? If you had to assign a number to that possibility, how high would it be? What would the number in the head of the other person be?

Looks like anything between 20% and 80% is possible.

In your communication, be as concise and clear as possible.

https://www.fwends.net/lets-be-fwends/2025-05-14/

In 1970, Austrian philosopher Ivan Ilich said that if you sum up the total cost of car production and ownership (including the hidden costs), the "social" speed of a car drops to walking speed.
He also asserted that "beyond a critical speed, no one can save time without forcing another to lose it".

https://www.fwends.net/lets-be-fwends/2025-05-14/

Should you estimate bugs? I used to say: "No". But nowadays I'm more like: "Meh, why not?'"

https://www.fwends.net/articles/i-changed-my-view-on-estimating-bugs-and-so-can-you

#agile #softwaredevelopment

The litmus test for practically everything.

https://github.com/medialab/xan/blob/master/docs/LOVE_LETTER.md