Monday Memo #19
Obtain a yield.
The Monday memo is food for thought to fuel your week.
Hi everyone,
This week I spoke with Joan Vermette, and once again, she brought up permaculture. Permaculture is an idea that we can use our land like nature does.
Natural ecosystems absorb energy from their surroundings and recycle that energy many times before it drains away. You are a part of nature, and you exist in an ecosystem that you are also a part of. Permaculture is also a way of life, a way of thinking about who you are and the part you play in the world.
Just like any other element in an ecosystem, you require energy to sustain yourself.
In our conversation, Joan mentioned that her favorite permaculture principle is “obtain a yield.” Another way of saying this is that your ecosystem should not only use your energy, it should also supply you with energy.
To obtain a yield is to make sure your ecosystem is working for you. Permaculture gardeners say that a good permaculture garden will obtain a maximum yield, in the smallest space, with a minimum effort. In other words your ecosystem should reward you for being you.
In our modern world and economic ecosystem, one primary source of energy is money. In past memos I’ve suggested that you consider moving away from factory time and think like a gardener, thinking of your time in cycles and seasons.
Gardens don’t grow on your schedule, they grow on nature’s schedule. If your life is a garden, how is it working for you?
Exercise.
Here’s your exercise for the week: obtain a yield. Think about how you can use your natural activities and flows to generate more energy for yourself and others.
Here’s an example: Are you reading a book? Why not write down your learnings and publish them as a blog or LinkedIn post? How about starting an Amazon Affiliates account so you can make a small profit when people buy the book?
Granted, this is a small action which will result in small rewards, but it’s a start.
Permaculture gardeners say that you should look for things that provide multiple functions. For example, chickens provide eggs, but also they help control pests, eat weeds, and provide eggshells for compost.
Think about the things you do naturally as part of life, things you enjoy. How can those activities generate a greater yield, with a minimum effort, over time?
Upcoming:
Our next Collaboratory, Because: reasons: Why philosophy matters, will feature Dan Klyn, a teacher, information designer, and good friend that I chat with regularly. I am excited to be co-hosting this session with him.
It’s happening a week from Wednesday, May 1st, from 9 to 10:30 AM Pacific, (that’s Noon to 1:30 PM Eastern, 5 to 6:30 PM GMT).
Collaboratories are free for members. Members also get access to the Collaboratory recordings and AI summaries. Become a member today.
Campfire calls.
Our Friday Campfire calls are free to join, anyone is welcome, and we talk about things that are fueling our creative energy and inspiring us. The energy is infectious. Even if you’re stuck, or don’t feel like you have anything interesting to add, if you have the time, join anyway. I promise you’ll enjoy it. Instructions to join the Friday Campfire and/or add it to your calendar.
Final week of our AsiaPac Campfire experiment.
This week will be the final session in our four-week experiment to see if there’s interest in an AsiaPac Campfire call. This will be held on Saturday morning AsiaPac time, at 8 am IST, 10.30 am SGT, 12:30 PM AEST. This works out to Friday evenings at 7:30 PM Pacific, 10:30 PM Eastern. So a Friday late-night treat if you want to join from the US. More info here.
Collaboratories.
Our Collaboratories are like a conference in possibility, spread out over the course of a year. Twenty-four workshops, on the first and third Wednesday of every month.
Collaboratories are held on the first and third Wednesdays of every month. They are free for members. Members also get access to recordings of previous collaboratories and the full email archive. You also get a warm and fuzzy feeling of being part of a community and supporting our work. It’s only $20/month or $200/year, kinda like Netflix for Possibilitarians. Become a member by upgrading your subscription.
The Collaboratories are a great way to connect on a regular basis and sample ideas of interest to our members in a fun, interactive, mini-conference format. We are planning upcoming Collaboratories with Dan Klyn, Ingrid Lill, Jorge Arango, and Mike Parker.
As of this week we have 59 members. The first 100 members will lock in the $20/month, $200/year rate.
If you’re already a member, thank you. You’re making this possible.
More information for members is below.