Welcome to Verstreuen—meaning “to scatter”—where I unpack the ideas I’ve collected this week in my 🗃️ Zettelkasten, “note box,” personal knowledge management system. Here, I’ll share the highlights, insights, and stories I find interesting—and I think you will too!

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This Week’s Highlights

This week's notes come from two books: The Richest Man in Babylon, and World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction

• How to Attract Luck (and Make the Most of Opportunities) 🍀

• The Five Laws of Gold: Timeless Rules for Managing Money 💰

• Why We Can’t Seem to Stop Innovating & Expanding 📈

In last week’s edition of Verstreuen I referenced an article about the concept of one’s "luck surface" and wanted to expand on that idea by connecting it to a principle from The Richest Man in Babylon.

The concept of a "luck surface area" suggests that our actions and choices create a surface area for luck to strike. Essentially, the more things we do the greater our surface area for luck to strike and new opportunities to come about.

I’ve been reflecting on this idea in the context of my work—particularly regarding the opportunities I’ve been given to gain experience and solve problems. Below, I’ve included a model that diagrams the relationships between attention, opportunity, knowledge, and outcomes.

Feedback Loops in Action

I’ve highlighted two feedback loops within the model that I find particularly fascinating—and that I’ve personally experienced.

1. The Experience Feedback Loop
   Recently, I had the opportunity to work with a team to develop executive metrics. I had previously showcased knowledge of data science, which attracted the original attention. I embraced the challenge of this project and, in doing so, gained valuable experience enhanced my skills but also provided me with new insights and knowledge on the subject.

2. The Problem Feedback Loop
   Upon completion of the executive metrics work and newfound knowledge drew more attention from other managers and I was quickly asked to put this newfound knowledge to use solving new analytics problems. Through this project I’ve gained lots of experience and developed several solutions to unique challenges. These outcomes have since drawn more attention with more analytics problems being thrown my way.

Using selective action to manipulate your luck surface area to catch more of the opportunities you want (and minimize those you don’t)

As the original quote from The Richest Man in Babylon says “To attract good luck to oneself, it is necessary to take advantage of opportunities”, the operative phase in this case is “take advantage” it does not imply a positive or negative outcome, you are free to utilize the opportunity and take action how you see fit.

For example, in my case, I’ve gained valuable experience learning how Fortune 500 companies manage their metrics and develop tools to steer their billion-dollar enterprises. However, the work has become monotonous, and I don’t want to be permanently typecast as "the analytics guy." To address this, I’ve adopted a new approach: I now minimize the energy and urgency I invest in analytics-related tasks. If I’m asked to implement a web analytics tool, I complete it on my own timeline—not with the accelerated pace I used to maintain when I was more engaged in the work.

This approach has allowed me to gradually shift my responsibilities. As I deprioritize analytics tasks, my manager has started assigning new analytics tasks to others. Obviously a direct conversation with my manager is also an effective strategy, but this selective action approach has helped me subtly redirect my focus toward the areas that interest me most on multiple fronts at once. By doing so, I’m reshaping my "luck surface area"—reducing engagement in tasks I’m no longer passionate about and accelerating the feedback loop for new opportunities that align with my desired learning and career outcomes.

**🗃️**

On the surface, the core principles of wealth—saving, investing, and protecting your assets—seem incredibly straightforward. But in practice, I know how challenging they can be to implement consistently. I’ve been fortunate to develop a healthy financial outlook after several missteps early on which has helped me internalize these ideas and develop good practices.

Living off of 90% or less of my income since starting work at 15 has given me financial security and given me options as my savings have grown. With a solid foundation in place, I’ve been able to make moves that might otherwise have felt impossible, like moving across the country or seizing lucrative investments when the timing was right.

The key takeaway here is that The secret to personal wealth isn’t about having more—it’s about needing less. wealth, when carefully managed, does more than accumulate—it works for you.

The freedom to take risks, explore opportunities, and create a life on your own terms starts with the discipline to save and the wisdom to invest. Wealth is a tool, and when you treat it as such, the possibilities are limitless.

**🗃️**

As I finished The Richest Man in Babylon and picked up World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction this idea stuck out like a sore thumb.

In The Richest Man in Babylon, the emphasis on cultivating wealth through prudent investing is presented as the foundation of the civilization's prosperity and longevity. While not explicitly stated, the book implicitly highlights the emergence of an "investor class"—individuals who save money and actively seek ways to make their savings grow.

As more individuals join the investor class, the demand for returns grows. This need for return has to come from somewhere and it wasn’t until I read this quote that I realized that this growth is coming from the literal expansion of geographical, psychological, intellectual and scientific frontiers, creating new technologies and expanding our understanding of the world in response to some old folks looking to make 10 cents on the dollar.

The quest for returns becomes a key engine driving human progress, transforming economies, technologies, and even the conceptual boundaries of what is possible.

However, the investor class bears a critical responsibility. Their drive for profit must not undermine the very foundations of progress. When leaders prioritize wealth accumulation above all else this imbalance leads to what Simon Sinek calls "Destructive Abundance." This is when the protection of results is prioritized above protecting those who produce the results, reducing progress to a mere byproduct of unchecked metrics.

Wealth creation can serve humanity rather than consume it, but we have to hold those in positions of influence and power accountable for fostering conditions for sustainable growth—creativity, collaboration, and a shared sense of purpose—ensuring that progress is a means to enrich life, not diminish it.

**🗃️**

Closing Thoughts

Our pursuit of growth and opportunity is both our greatest strength and our greatest challenge as a species. This innate drive—rooted in our biology and exemplified in countless ways—has shaped the arc of human progress. Dopamine, aptly nicknamed the "molecule of more," pushes us to seek, strive, and achieve. Yet this neurotransmitter when institutionalized and left unchecked can blind us to the broader context: growth for its own sake can overshadow its purpose, and unchecked expansion can erode the very foundations of what we value.

As we navigate our individual paths, whether through personal finance, professional growth, or intellectual exploration, it’s worth remembering that progress isn’t just about the accumulation of resources or accolades—it’s about alignment with purpose. True wealth, whether financial, intellectual, or emotional, is a tool to enhance our lives and the lives of those around us, not an end in itself.

We live in a world driven by feedback loops, both constructive and destructive. The choices we make today influence the opportunities we encounter tomorrow. By being intentional about where we direct our energy and what we prioritize, we can reshape and align with the opportunities and growth we truly value.

Thanks for reading Verstreuen

Thanks for taking the time to explore and reflect on my notes with me. Sharing these ideas each week has quickly become something I look forward to and been such a rewarding experience elaborating on interesting ideas. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to connect with you and share these thoughts.

If you found something meaningful here, I’d be thrilled if you shared it with someone who might also enjoy it.

👋 Until next week.

-GH

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