Prepare for Surprise / by Alexander Lyadov

I remember the times when money poured in like from a cornucopia.

But other times I had no money and no idea where to find them.

In both cases, I was convinced that this state would last forever.

This meant that things could only go:
- better and better in the first case or
- worse and worse in the second.

Of course, I was absolutely wrong.

Each time, life surprised me in a clever way.

Just when I was enjoying life and crafting even more ambitious plans, a black swan would swoop in and topple my house of cards.

And in the darkest moments, when I was at the bottom, light would emerge out of nowhere, and the flapping of white wings could be heard.

The truth is that we are bad predictors of our own future (well, I certainly am).

And not because we lack data or have a low IQ. The problem lies in the proud mind, which is convinced that it has sufficiently understood the world outside and inside.

However, the external world is constantly changing, not only by itself but even by the fact that we observe it. Therefore, we are doomed to be regularly caught off guard.

We also know little about who we are and what we can do. So as long as we are alive, we will continue to surprise ourselves again and again.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander


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