Business Theatre and the Art of Being Human

We just talked about building the future—a world of continent-spanning data centers and AI that will reshape the American landscape. We’ve designed the hardware.

Now, let’s talk about the user. You.

What’s the most draining app on your phone? The one that kills your battery, your wallet, or your will to live?

Wrong. The most draining app isn’t on your phone. It’s the collection of personalities you run every single day, and it’s a defense mechanism born from one simple thing: the fear of being judged.

You have ‘Work You,’ a high-functioning automaton who speaks fluent Buzzword, pretends to find pivot tables exhilarating, and is a master of the passive-aggressive email. Then there’s ‘Family You,’ who can mediate a fight over the last slice of pizza and feign interest in a 20-minute story about the garden center. And let’s not forget ‘Friend You,’ who swears they can still hang like they’re 22, even though their knees now sound like someone stepping on a bag of potato chips.

We live in a world of infinite connectivity, yet we’ve become internally disconnected. We’ve built these siloed selves, these little digital boxes we live in, and we wonder why existence feels so hollow. It’s exhausting. And it’s no way to live.

Believe me, I’m speaking from experience. My own ‘character’ has been built on a mountain of failures and bad performances. It’s character-building, they say. I say it’s time for a new script.

The Infinite Game You Didn’t Know You Were Losing

The writer Simon Sinek has a concept called the “Infinite Game.” In a finite game, like football, there are known players, fixed rules, and an end. Someone wins, someone loses.

In an infinite game, the objective isn’t to win. The objective is to keep playing.

Business is an infinite game. So is marriage. So is your life. There is no “winning” life. There’s only playing it.

The problem with our siloed selves is that we’re trying to win a series of miserable, finite games. Win the promotion. Win the argument. We’re so focused on the short-term victory that we forget the entire point is to find enough joy and meaning in the process that we get to keep playing tomorrow.

The Operator's Manual: A Practical Guide to Authenticity

Let’s try a different algorithm. This isn't just a feel-good platitude; it's a strategy.

Authentic Life = (Playing Your Infinite Game - The Siloed Selves) * Gratitude

Here’s how to actually use it.

Step 1: Subtract the Performance.

You know what Business Theatre is. It’s when you use the trope language of the corporate world to make a request. That’s a siloed self. Instead of performing, try connecting. Think about the other person’s position, their stressors, their workload. Then, craft an authentic email.

* INSTEAD OF THIS: “Per my previous communication, I am writing to follow up on the synergistic action items we discussed. Please provide a status update at your earliest convenience.” (Puke… I hope your CPU gets a virus)

* TRY THIS: “Hi Fred, hope you’re having a good week. I know you’ve got (x), (y), and (z) on your plate right now. Let’s grab lunch sometime this week—you need to eat anyway, and we can chat about the project then. My treat.”

One is a transaction between two characters. The other is a connection between two humans.

Step 2: Multiply by Radical Gratitude.

This isn't about cheesy affirmations. This is about perspective. Whether you like it or not, you are making choices daily. Multiplying by gratitude is about finding the bedrock reasons to be grateful for the very context in which you get to make those choices.

It’s the realization that, despite things not being optimal, you still get to breathe. You have your family. You're an American in the Western world with running water and food, and you aren’t dealing with a warlord hell-bent on killing you for personal reasons. When you multiply by that level of gratitude, the daily annoyances shrink to their proper size.

The First Tiny Step: A Dose of Unapologetic Authenticity.

What’s the first step you can take, today? Be unapologetically authentic. Say something you feel or think simply because you think or feel it. Disregard, just for a moment, how you’ll be perceived (within reason, of course—don’t get yourself fired). Stop worrying about the person you are trying to be, and focus on the person you are.

The Pragmatist's Objection (And Why It's Right)

At this point, the hyper-pragmatic reader is thinking: "This is a lovely philosophy, but my 'Work Self' is professional, effective, and pays the mortgage. Authenticity doesn't pay the bills."

You know what? You're not wrong. I respect that. You’re going to do what needs to be done regardless of whether you read this article or not.

This isn’t about quitting your job to find yourself. This is about changing your internal state while doing the job you have to do. This is a strategy for a better outcome. Doing the necessary work with gratitude and a sliver of happiness is infinitely better than doing it while you’re miserably unhappy. It’s not about changing the task; it’s about changing the operator.

Assembling Your Self

This is a transformation, not a transaction. It’s about integration. It’s about letting ‘Work You,’ ‘Family You,’ and ‘Friend You’ merge into one, whole person. A person who can be serious and silly, focused and fun, professional and deeply human.

The great industrial and technological booms of the past built the world around us. This new era, the age of AI and instant connection, is forcing us to build the world within us.

The question is no longer, “What do I want to achieve?” but “What game am I playing, and how can I play it with enough joy and gratitude that I get to play again tomorrow?”

The Modern Gold Rush: A Construction and Municipalities Guide for Building the Data Center Future

 Let’s play a quick game. What’s the heaviest thing in the universe? A dying star? A politician’s ego? The awkward silence after you tell a joke that absolutely bombs?

Wrong. The heaviest thing in the universe is the cloud.

That ethereal, wispy thing where you store your vacation photos, your company’s entire financial history, and that half-finished screenplay you’ve been “working on” for a decade? It’s not floating in the ether. It lives in a box. A very, very large, very heavy, and very, very expensive box that hums with the electric pulse of modern civilization.

That box is a data center. And for those of us in the construction industry, it’s the biggest opportunity since the invention of the nail gun.

But let’s be honest. For most folks, data centers are a mystery wrapped in an enigma, cooled to sixty-eight degrees. The clients are secretive, the terminology is baffling, and the stakes are astronomical. You hear about hyperscalers, colocation, and megawatts of power, and you just nod along, hoping nobody asks you to explain what any of it means. You feel like you’re trying to sell concrete to a bunch of wizards.

This is your spellbook. 

This isn’t another bone-dry industry report filled with jargon that’ll put you to sleep faster than a warm glass of milk. This is the seminal, no-frills guide to understanding the data center market, forged from hard-won experience and deep research. We’ll dissect the clients, decode the economics, and give you a practical blueprint for underestanding. We’ll look at the history, the AI-fueled future, and why this boom is a movie we’ve all seen before.

So, grab a coffee (or something stronger), and let’s get to work. It’s time to stop being intimidated by the cloud. 

Part 1: The Lay of the Land - What Exactly Are We Building?

At its core, a data center is simply a dedicated, secure facility that houses an organization's IT infrastructure. But that’s like saying a battleship is a boat. It’s technically true but misses the point entirely.

Think of it as a fortress for nerds. It contains servers, routers, switches, security systems that would make Fort Knox blush, cooling units that could freeze a volcano, and enough raised flooring to give an entire city a step up. There are more cables than a plate of spaghetti and more blinking lights than a Las Vegas casino. And every single component, from the diesel generator to the biometric scanner on the door, requires world-class construction.

This isn't a server closet. The concept began in the mid-20th century with behemoths like the ENIAC computer, which took up an entire room and had the processing power of a modern-day microwave oven. These early mainframes, mostly for government and military use, were built with a "security-first" mindset that still influences design today (Comprehensive Analysis of Data Centers, 2025).

The 1990s and the dot-com boom changed everything. The internet exploded, and suddenly everyone needed a place to host their shiny new website. This led to the rise of colocation facilities, where multiple companies could rent space for their servers in a shared, secure building. It was a game-changer, democratizing IT and setting the stage for the next big leap (Comprehensive Analysis of Data Centers, 2025).

That leap was the cloud. In the early 2000s, companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft began building massive facilities to rent out processing power and storage on demand. This gave rise to the "hyperscale" data center—gargantuan, purpose-built campuses engineered for mind-boggling scale. Today, the number of large hyperscale-operated data centers has doubled in just the last five years. This isn't just growth; it's a supernova (Comprehensive Analysis of Data Centers, 2025).

Part 2: The Players of the Game - How to Spot a Winner (and an also-ran)

In the Wild West of data center development, not all clients are created equal. Chasing the wrong one is a fantastic way to waste six months of your life, burn through your travel budget, and question all your life choices.

We've all been there. You get a hot lead from a guy who knows a guy. He’s got a slick PowerPoint, a firm handshake, and talks a big game about revolutionizing the pet-food-delivery-via-drone industry. You spend weeks putting together a proposal, only to find out his "funding" is a dog-eared credit card and his "headquarters" is his mom's basement.

Let's not let that happen with a project that costs more than the GDP of a small country. Your first job is to sort the serious players from the pretenders. From what the sharpest minds in the industry will tell you, potential clients fall into three main buckets.

* The End-User (The Monarch): This is a company building a data center for its own specific use. Think Meta, Google, Apple, or a major bank. They are the A-list. They have the capital, a clear vision, and an unquenchable thirst for data. Working with them is a badge of honor, but they are demanding, sophisticated, and will squeeze every penny of value out of the project.

 * The Co-Location Developer (The Landlord): These folks are the real estate developers of the digital world. They build the facility and then lease out space, power, and cooling to other businesses. The key here is their track record. Have they done this before? Do they have relationships with the big cloud providers? A solid history means they have the funding and the expertise to see it through.

 * The Speculator (The Gambler): This is the group you need to be wary of. These are deal-flippers. They get land under contract, try to secure a power agreement, and then shop the deal around to a real developer for a massive payday. They often have no intention of building anything themselves. Tying up your firm's resources with a speculator is like betting your retirement on a single lottery ticket.

Then there’s the wild card: cryptocurrency miners. They are chasing one thing and one thing only: cheap power. When a potential client promising untold riches comes along, it can trigger a powerful fear of missing out. You see dollar signs, and the logical part of your brain goes on vacation. Treat every client, especially in a volatile sector like crypto, with a healthy dose of professional skepticism.

So how do you separate the wheat from the chaff? Here’s a simple, brilliant test straight from the pros:

Ask for an organizational chart.

That's it. A legitimate company will have no problem showing you who owns the entity and who is making the decisions. If there's pushback, offer to have them sign an NDA. It's a standard business practice. If they still refuse to show you their corporate structure?

Run. Do not walk.

A refusal to be transparent about who they are is the biggest red flag in the business. It’s not them being coy; it’s them telling you they have something to hide. Remember, you are the average of the five clients you associate with most. If a potential client isn’t making your company stronger, they’re making it weaker. Choose your partners wisely.

Part 3: The New Gold - Power, Land, and the Economics of Everything

If you want to understand the data center business, forget everything you think you know about real estate. The three most important words in this game aren't "Location, Location, Location." They're "Power, Power, and where in the blazes are we plugging this thing in?"

A data center is, for all intents and purposes, a machine for turning electricity into data. The building is just the shell. It all starts with power. You find the cheap, reliable, and abundant electricity first, then you find the land to go with it. 

If you want to boil it down, think of it like an equation:

Data Center Success = Abundant Power + The Right Land + Fiber Connectivity

The scale of the land and power required is mind-boggling. A typical 10-megawatt (MW) facility requires about 100 acres. A 25 MW facility needs 250 acres. And a 100 MW hyperscale campus? You're looking at a jaw-dropping 1,000 acres. Power generation is the single greatest predictor of where these facilities will go.

The economic ripple effect is tidal. A new data center campus can triple a local school district's budget within five years. It can create between 1,500 to 2,000 permanent jobs. That job mix is diverse: about one-third are skilled trades like electricians and plumbers, one-third are on-site computer professionals, and one-third are ancillary jobs supporting the campus, from landscapers to security guards.

Nationally, the impact is even more profound. The data center industry's contribution to U.S. GDP grew 105% between 2017 and 2023, reaching $727 billion. For context, the entire U.S. economy grew by only 41% in that same period. Each direct job in a data center supports more than six other jobs throughout the U.S. economy (Comprehensive Analysis of Data Centers, 2025). This isn't just building a building; it's building an economic engine.

And just when you thought the numbers couldn't get any crazier, along comes Artificial Intelligence. AI is to data centers what jet fuel is to a bonfire.

Goldman Sachs forecasts that global power demand from data centers will increase by 165% by 2030, almost entirely because of AI. A traditional computing rack uses a modest amount of power. An AI server rack is a different beast entirely. NVIDIA’s upcoming "Kyber" system, set for 2027, will cram 576 GPUs into a single rack. That one cabinet will require 600 kilowatts (kW) of power—enough to power 500 U.S. homes. That is a 50-fold increase in power density from just a few years ago (Comprehensive Analysis of Data Centers, 2025).

For construction, this means everything has to be rethought. Traditional air cooling can't handle that kind of heat. The future is advanced liquid cooling—direct-to-chip systems or full immersion tanks where servers are literally dunked in non-conductive fluid. This requires entirely new plumbing, new containment systems, and new structural considerations. The capital expenditure needed by 2030 is an estimated $6.7 trillion worldwide. This is the opportunity of a lifetime (Comprehensive Analysis of Data Centers, 2025).

Part 4: The Historical Blueprint - We've Seen This Movie Before

This all feels new and unprecedented, doesn't it? This lightning-fast, world-altering, capital-intensive boom. But it's not. If we look back, we can see the blueprints for today's gold rush in the great industrial transformations of the past. To win the future, you have to understand the story you’re in.

In the 19th century, railroads were the revolutionary infrastructure. They physically connected a sprawling continent, created national markets, and fueled explosive economic growth. Sound familiar? Data centers are the "rails of the digital economy," connecting the globe through fiber optic cables and cloud networks (Comprehensive Analysis of Data Centers, 2025). The parallels are uncanny. The railroad era was marked by speculative investment, with tycoons laying "tracks to nowhere." Today, tech giants build massive data centers in remote regions, lured by cheap power, betting on AI demand that is still taking shape.

Another parallel is even more potent: John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil. In the Gilded Age, oil was the new fuel powering industrialization. Today, data is the new oil, and compute power is the refinery. Rockefeller’s genius was vertical integration; he controlled everything from the well to the gas pump. Hyperscalers are doing the exact same thing. They design their own chips, build their own software, construct their own global networks, and are now becoming energy players, investing directly in renewable power to feed their AI workloads (Comprehensive Analysis of Data Centers, 2025).

These transformations also carry a heavy environmental footprint. The oil industry created unprecedented pollution. Today, data centers are voracious consumers of energy and water. U.S. data centers consumed 4.4% of the nation's total electricity in 2023, a figure projected to hit 12% by 2030. An average data center can use 300,000 gallons of water a day for cooling (Comprehensive Analysis of Data Centers, 2025). This is the central tension of the boom: incredible progress at a significant environmental cost. For the construction industry, this means green building isn't just a "nice to have"—it's an absolute necessity.

We are living through a fundamental restructuring of the global economy. The transition from an analog to a digital world is happening faster than any of us can fully comprehend. But it is not happening in some mythical "cyberspace." It is happening in the real world, in steel and concrete, with pipes and wires, on thousands of acres of land.

Part 5: The Next American Landscape: How AI and Energy Will Reshape Our World

Every major technological leap creates a new downstream reality that affects everything. The Industrial Revolution and railroads concentrated populations into dense urban centers. The oil boom and the automobile paved the way for the suburbs, fundamentally reshaping family life and the American landscape. The first internet age created the "global village" and the possibility of remote work. Each shift and evolution creates a new reality.

Now, we face the next great transformation, driven by the twin forces of AI and its insatiable demand for energy. The question we must all ask is: What new reality will this create? This isn't just an academic exercise; it's a strategic imperative for every leader. Here are some of my thoughts and  possibilities:

 * The Rise of "Energy Towns": Will we see the emergence of new communities built for a single purpose: to power the AI revolution? Imagine towns springing up around next-generation nuclear plants or massive solar and wind farms, with data centers as their anchor tenants. This could be the 21st-century version of the company town, built on bits and megawatts instead of coal and steel.

 * The Re-Shoring of Industry: For decades, manufacturing has chased cheap labor overseas. But as AI-powered robotics and automation become more sophisticated, the most important factor won't be cheap labor, but proximity to its data center "brain" and the massive energy source that feeds it. Could energy-abundant regions in America become the new hubs for advanced, automated manufacturing?

 * A Forged-in-Fire Power Grid: The steady, immense, 24/7 power load of data centers will force a fundamental re-engineering of our national power grid. It will accelerate the transition away from monolithic, distant power plants toward a more resilient, decentralized grid incorporating a mix of renewables, energy storage, and advanced baseload power. I would find it very difficult to imagine a world that doesn't embrace nuclear at some point.

This is the future being written. As leaders, your role is not just to react to it, but to actively shape it. The decisions made today—in zoning meetings, on construction sites, and in corporate boardrooms—will determine the landscape of our economy and our communities for the next fifty years. The gold rush is on, and history has provided the map.

The Dog Training Conversation We're All Ignoring:

I set out to write this article with a kind of certainty, presuming everyone understood what force-free dog training was all about. But a conversation with my aunt proved me utterly wrong. She was bewildered(and she has 30 years of experience) and that's when it hit me. We often get lost in the weeds of our own expertise, forgetting the basic questions and the assumptions.

So, what is force-free training? Force-free training is simply the method of training dogs (or any animal per se) without using force, coercion, threats, or intimidation or inflicting pain on the animal. This involves avoiding punishments or anything that invokes fear and panic, cause pain, or harm the dog in any other way.

We love its emphasis on positive reinforcement, its feel-good promise of harmonious human-canine relationships. Studies are bandied about, stories of miraculous behavioral transformations are consistently passed on to us. It seems too good to be true. Let's at least look at the possibility that maybe it is to good to be true.

Here's the thing: when you dig into these studies, there's an interesting pattern. Sure, a puppy kindergarten class boasts a 94% retention rate(retention rate meaning owners keeping dogs and not removing or euthanizing) compared with the 33% average. The 33% average meaning that 1 and 3 dogs will stay with their original owner through their life cycle. That's a staggering improvement and I can't think of a single person who wouldn't be on board with that(Theresa Deporter ran the study and hopefully we will get to interview her)

But let's play devil's advocate. Is it really the force-free training that's miraculous, or is it something else?

Imagine you're a dog owner. You're struggling. Maybe your puppy is a terror on the leash, or perhaps you're dealing with something more serious. You enroll in this force-free class. It's your first step in seeking professional help. You're taught timing, technique, and patience – skills most new owners lack.

Of course you're going to see improvement! It's the difference between fumbling around solo and having a knowledgeable coach at your side. If we're having a writing contest with 99 people who have pen, paper and a typewriter and the 100th contestant has a complete computer with internet access. All things being equal, we can expect the person with better tools to create a better result.

The problem is, we're so in love with the idea of force-free training that we lose sight of the common-sense factors at play. If someone has ZERO training, and you give them a single tool, of course there's going to be massive improvement.

Before we decide force-free training is the next evolution in dog training, we need a different kind of study and conversation. We need to compare force-free vs. traditional training, with both led by skilled professionals. Control for the handler's expertise, and then we might actually discover whether the philosophy itself is the magic bullet it's often touted as. If not, we're selling dog owners short by focusing on the wrong problem.

Think about it this way: you're in a writing contest. Ninety-nine folks are armed with nothing but pens, paper, maybe an old-school typewriter. Then there's contestant number 100, sitting in front of a sleek computer, internet access humming. Now, put aside any notion of raw talent. Who's likely to produce the better outcome? The one with the superior tool, of course.

It's not rocket science, but we sometimes forget this simple logic. When we see someone succeed with seemingly minimal effort, the instinct is to assume they're special. But maybe... just maybe... they started with an advantage we simply didn't see. In many of these examples, if we take someone with no professional skills whatsoever, and give them average skills, the output increases. As a matter of fact, it would be nearly impossible for it not to do so.

Let me be clear – I'm not anti-force-free training. I don't know everything. As a matter of fact, I have days where I'm not sure I know much of anything. Handling dogs is a humbling experience and that's probably putting it nicely. Especially when it's me.

Kindness is always good and theoretically, should be the default setting for how we treat everyone and especially our animals. That being said, overzealousness toward any single method risks obscuring what might be much simpler solutions that could benefit far more dogs and people.

Dogs are not just our companions—they're woven into the fabric of our society. Yet, how we train them often seems haphazard, driven more by trends than any real understanding. We want them to be good citizens, safe and happy, but we sometimes cling to methods without asking if they truly work.

We love narratives, sound bites, and feel good stories more than asking the tough questions and doing the work. Everyone wants the ideal dog, but very few want to do the work to get said dog. People want the Instagram followers, they want the notoriety, but they don't want to be working dogs in freezing rain. This brings us to a very uncomfortable, and controversial piece of the conversation.

There's an intriguing disconnect when it comes to how we train dogs. On one hand, there's the a popular push toward force-free methods – Then there's the reality that the most high-stakes professions – military, law enforcement, search and rescue –bite sports that continue to rely heavily on balanced training.

Nassim Nicholas Taleb's concept of "skin in the game" resonates here. Shouldn't the people facing the greatest consequences be the most invested in choosing the absolute best methods? Those whose actions have a direct impact on life and safety? If positive, force-free techniques are as effective as proponents claim, why wouldn’t they be the gold standard for serious dog training?

This isn't about denouncing force free training. It's about a fascinating question: When the stakes are this high, why not explore every potential advantage available? If force free training was really that effective, why wouldn't it be used by all these other avenues of dog sports and work?

The dog training world is rife with stereotypes. On one side, you have the caricature of "balanced" trainers – egotistical, stubborn, even sadistic. On the other, "force-free" enthusiasts convinced that their opponents simply hate animals. It's a battleground of oversimplifications, obscuring a much more complex and fascinating reality.

Let's consider the "balanced" camp. These are individuals obsessed with results, training dogs to perform reliably in the most extreme conditions. They prioritize the dogs' safety above all else. They're relentlessly pragmatic, seeking out the world's top experts, pouring time and money into their craft. In fact, they often invest far more in their dogs' wellbeing than many do in their own.

Now, here's the puzzle: If a demonstrably superior, more effective training method existed, wouldn't these be the first to adopt it? Wouldn't their pragmatism and laser focus on results override any outdated traditions or bruised egos? Is it possible that they’re not wrong?

Imagine if we approached other crucial skills this way. Would we let a child learn math from just anyone, using any random technique? Of course not! There's an objective standard for a reason. Ensuring our dogs are well-trained is as important. It impacts their safety, our safety, and the overall harmony between humans and canines. It's not just the logistically correct decision it's the correct moral question.

Simple. Better. Best. Artist.

I stumbled onto an absolutely fantastic artists work named Howard Lee. To be rather honest, sketches , tattoos, and charcoal sketches are not really my thing. I’m just not going to lose my mind like a toddler that found the sugar stash. That being said, what's so absolutely profound about his work, is the nuanced changes from each level of Basic, Better, Best, and Artist.

These pieces of art provide a user friendly compass and a visual map of skill evaluation. From there, we can find the mentors or guidance we need.

We've all been there – beginners fumbling our way through a new skill. Maybe it's cooking, playing an instrument, or learning a new software program. Maybe it's free shaping behaviors with your puppy, or starting IGP tracking. The early stages are humbling, even frustrating. But with practice and persistence, something magical happens – we level up.

Let's break down the progression of skill development into four distinct levels:

1. Simple: When It Stops Being a Disaster

This is where survival kicks in. You've followed the recipe closely, and hey, the food is edible! You might play those first few hesitant notes on the guitar. Or you manage to complete a simple task in that confusing program. It's rough, needs help, but a tiny spark of potential starts to glow. The Dog can do a puppy circle. In some of these art pieces, we actually see something that resembles a dog! It's a discernable piece of art!!! I mean, sure the dog we drew in this example looks like we had a successful breeding between Elmo and Grimace. But hey… it's art.

2. Simple: Doing the Thing, Plus a Little More

Here's where things click a bit smoother. You can follow the recipe without constant crosschecking. The guitar chords flow a little easier, and those software tasks start to feel familiar. There might even be a flourish – a slightly fancier plating, a simple riff, or a shortcut you discovered. Your Dog can perform a focused heel for a few steps.

In the pictures, we see well drawn objects with solid detail. To me, they look like the Mona Lisa. I draw in stick figures. We almost have Tramp from Lady and The Tramp. Go US and Go Team.

3. Best: Where Skill Starts to Shine

The 'Better' level is where you gain confidence. You don't just cook the meal, you adjust the seasoning on the fly. You improvise a melody over those chords. You troubleshoot software problems and maybe even teach a coworker a trick. Your obedience would receive better than 80 points at trial. You're able to teach a retrieve that looks exact and precise. People looking at your output will recognize the quality and appreciate the dedication to your craft. In our pictures, they take on a three dimensional appearance and personality.

4. The Artist: Mastery Meets Innovation

This is the pinnacle we all aspire to. Execution is effortless because the basics have become second nature. Now, you add something of yourself to the craft. That dish you create has your signature flair. Your musical compositions carry echoes of your unique voice. You're not just fixing software issues, you're streamlining workflows and designing new tools. It's where the work becomes an extension of the creator.

Others can look at the characteristics of your dog and immediately know who did the training by small details of the dogs performance. In this picture, we've graduated beyond simple drawings. We see a man with his dog, and we begin to wonder and think about bigger ideas than just the simple drawings. When you get to this level of any field, you begin to wonder if you really ever understood at all. You're mindset has the experience and sharpness of a guru, yet you know enough to know that you are only just beginning to scratch the surface. You started your journey as a novice knowing very little only to return novice again with a deep perspective and understanding. Guru and Fool at the same time.

Why This Matters

Understanding these levels helps in a few ways:

* Setting expectations: You can't jump from 'Basic' to 'Artist' overnight. You appreciate all steps of the process and appreciate where you are and what you are doing(to quote Yoda).

* Appreciating mastery: Next time you see truly exceptional work, recognize how much went into reaching that level of work. Realize that the opportunity for “better” is always there and can have a very different depth and meaning.

* Targeting growth: Where are you now, and where do you want to be? This can help Understanding the levels helps you build a practice strategy. It can help you find the right mentors to get you to the right places.

In closing, I want to mention Simon Sinek's book, "The Infinite Game," which I highly recommend. It discusses the concept of an infinite game, one that you continue playing throughout your life. That's what makes it infinite – you get to keep playing. This framework has helped me through both successes and crushing failures. While I might grumble about it not being about the wins but rather the journey, it's a tool I personally use to stay focused on my main goals and enjoy the ride. I hope it offers you the same benefit.

Training Decoded: A Guide to Canine Science, Part 3

Welcome back, fellow dog handlers! Ready to take your training skills to the next level? In part three of our "Dog Training Jargon Decoded" series, we're tackling the ABCs of behavior modification: Antecedents, Consequences, and Counterconditioning. Get ready to transform your "bad" habits into "good" ones, strengthen your bond, and maybe even have a few laughs along the way.

* Antecedent: What happens right before the behavior.

Real World Example: Dog growls at obnoxious person that won't leave it alone. Dog bites obnoxious person. You get served a beautifully crafted notice to appear in court. The Dog Bite and the Dog Growl can both be considered antecedents.

* Consequence: What happens immediately after the behavior.

Real World Example: You decide that Forza is a great video game about racing cars. You decide driving in the real world is more fun than Forza. You get tickets and get your license suspended. The tickets and license suspension would be your consequence.

* Extinction: When a behavior that was once reinforced no longer gets a reward, it will eventually stop.

Real World Example : Your coworker's desk pranks have gone from funny to flat. You ignore every rubber band ambush and whoopee cushion surprise. Without your laughter, their antics fizzle out, leaving your desk a boring (but blessedly peaceful) place.

* Generalization: The ability to perform a trained behavior in different environments and under various distractions.

Real World Example: Toddler is Potty trained at home. Decides the middle of the grocery store is the perfect place to relieve themselves

* Counterconditioning: Changing the dog's emotional response to a stimulus by pairing it with something positive.

Real World Example: Bob has a fear of public speaking. Stage fright turns him into a sweaty, squeaky mess Before presentations, he blasts the goofiest pump-up song and eat a fistful of gummy bears. Soon, the fear goes away.

* Desensitization: Gradually exposing a dog to a fearful stimulus at a low intensity, increasing it over time to reduce anxiety.

Real World Example: Your mother-in-law turns every drive into a critique of your driving. Except it's like a bedroom performance from your neighbors you didn't want to hear– loud and unsolicited. You would desensitize by short trips around the block while blasting death metal. Her commentary won't even register over the noise. Graduate to longer drives with the windows down. Wind noise will help mask her "helpful" suggestions. Eventually, wear earplugs and you'll never notice her commentary.

* Shaping: Reinforcing small steps towards a desired behavior.

Real World Example: Your kid's perfected the "tiny tyrant" routine – screaming like a South American Howler Monkey for candy until you cave. You would shape by rewarding any attempt at using their "inside voice", even if it's a whiny whisper. Later on, you would only give in to polite requests, maybe thrown in with a goofy "pretty please?"

* Fading: Gradually reducing the use of prompts or lures.

Real World Example: Our howling South American Howler Monkey situation would eventually be corrected by slowly removing rewards. The slight reduction of rewards would be called “fading.”

*Habituation: The process of getting used to a stimulus over repeated exposure.

Real World Example: The coworker who slurps their morning coffee loudly like a bath tub draining. Instead of wanting to reach for the nearest blunt object after several weeks you no longer hear it.

The Uncomfortable Truth About The Things You Want: It Demands Being Extra

Word: Extra

Dictionary: Oxford English Dictionary

Definition: 2. (Informal) Excessive or extravagant in behavior or style.

Example: "Crudite is so extra – just call it a snack.”

We live in a culture that praises moderation. Work-life balance, self-care, knowing your limits – it all sounds sensible. But when it comes to real achievement, moderation is the enemy.

I'm not claiming to have all the answers or some secret formula for guaranteed success. I'm no world-renowned expert either. But along the way, I've stumbled into a few wins, achieved some goals I wasn't sure were possible, and picked up some hard-won lessons that most people would probably rather avoid.

Let's be brutally honest: exceptional results rarely come from half-measures. The most successful people – the ones we admire – aren't just a little bit dedicated. They're borderline obsessive, willing to work harder and sacrifice more than most deem reasonable.

Think of it this way: Imagine a spectrum with laziness on one end and 'extra' on the other. Lazy gets you nowhere. Moderately hardworking? You're still not really getting to the place that you want to go. It's only when you push past what others consider excessive, when you're fully in "extra" territory, that real breakthroughs happen.

Let's be clear: extreme laziness gets you nothing. It's not a judgment on anyone's character, it's simple math. No effort? No results, period. There's actually an upside to this – at least when you're doing nothing, you're not wasting time or resources on half-hearted attempts.

The second stop on the path to achievement is where things get ugly: mediocre effort leading to mediocre results. This, to me, is the worst possible place to be. You put in just enough work to feel like you're trying, but not nearly enough to see any real payoff. It's a recipe for burnout – draining your time, energy, and resources for a result that's utterly forgettable.

Now, let's talk about the extreme end: the crazy, borderline-obsessive effort that might lead to equally crazy results. This is the zone of potential exponential gains, where the payoff can – sometimes – eclipse the sheer insanity of your efforts. Of course, you'll probably be a broken, exhausted mess, but that's actually where the real learning happens. The emotional toll is brutal, but that's what makes the lessons stick.

And don't even get me started on all those "it's the journey, not the destination" posts. That kind of feel-good nonsense is for people who haven't truly pushed themselves to the brink. Unless you're utterly exhausted, basking in the aftermath of victory or failure, and taking a hard look at everything you sacrificed – only then can you truly appreciate the journey. It takes courage to abandon moderation.

This isn't about glorifying burnout. It's about focus and strategic effort. It's saying "no" to the trivial distractions so you have the energy to be extraordinary in what matters most. In many ways, there's an unimaginable wisdom in laziness as long as you're being lazy in the right ways for the right reasons.

This philosophy might feel jarring at first. We're so accustomed to hearing about taking care of ourselves. But sometimes, the greatest self-care is pushing ourselves beyond comfortable limits, venturing into the zone of being "extra." Because that's often where success lies.

Training Decoded: A Guide to Canine Science, Part 2

Last time, we demystified the basics of classical conditioning and your dog's uncanny ability to sense treats. In this installment of "Dog Training Jargon Decoded," we'll explore the intricacies of operant conditioning, stimulus control, and the often baffling choices our canine companions make. Get ready to gain a deeper understanding of your dog's behavior and unlock the secrets to successful training. Enjoy!!!

* Classical Conditioning: Pairing a neutral stimulus with something that naturally triggers a response. (The sound of a clicker becomes associated with treats)

Real World Example: You're a middle-aged dude who loves Pringles. That "pop" of the can means snack time, and your brain knows it! After a while, just hearing that sound makes you crave the salty goodness. That's classical conditioning – your brain getting trained by delicious chips.

* Operant Conditioning: Learning through consequences. Behaviors are strengthened or weakened based on what follows them. Examples of various types of operant conditioning. It can also be broken down into a few pieces.

Real World Example:

*Positive Reinforcement (Getting a reward increases the behavior)

Operation Spoiled Brat. Kid wants candy, kid screams, parent caves. Rinse and repeat. Now you got yourself a tiny sugar addict with the lungs of a banshee.

*Negative Reinforcement (Removing something bad increases the behavior)

Dirty dishes make you nag. Partner does dishes to escape nagging.Nagging works, so you'll probably nag more often. Non-Bonus points: you're marriage sucks

*Positive Punishment (Adding something bad to stop a behavior)

Operation Kareoke: Your tone-deaf friend loves to drink and sing Kareoke at full volume. To discourage future concerts, you secretly record their performance and play it back at the most embarrassing and least convenient time possible.(bonus points if they're on a first date with a crush)

* Stimulus: Anything that triggers a response in the dog. Can be a word, object, sound, or physical sensation.

Real World Example: You open a bag of your favorite snack. Instead of just appearing, the dog materializes from thin air, having teleported from a deep nap across the house at the first crinkle of the bag. Side note. You give your best buddy half your food.

* Antecedent: What happens right before the behavior.

Real World Example: Dog growls at obnoxious person that won't leave it alone. Dog bites obnoxious person. You get served a beautifully crafted notice to appear in court. The Dog Bite and the Dog Growl can both be considered antecedents.

Think Smarter, Not Harder: The Scout and Warrior Mindset Advantage

Understanding Julia Galef's warrior vs. scout mental model is more valuable than claiming ownership of it. Many people seek the fleeting satisfaction of "being right" in intellectual battles. They prioritize defending their current positions over a genuine pursuit of truth.

The warrior mind quickly adopts a stance, focusing on arguments that support its position. The goal is victory, not a deeper understanding. In contrast, the scout mind methodically seeks the most accurate and comprehensive information. This mindset values adaptability and recognizes that knowledge is always evolving. The scout acknowledges that uncovering one profound truth carries more weight than prevailing in countless trivial disputes.

The scout mindset allows us to grow and evolve by constantly seeking a more accurate understanding of the world around us. This open-mindedness prevents us from tying our self-worth to fleeting opinions or outdated beliefs.

Our opinions are not who we are – they are simply a reflection of where we are in a particular moment. The scout understands that flexibility and a willingness to change are essential for intellectual growth. Stagnation means denying ourselves the chance to become the best version of ourselves.

Facts, like forgotten groceries, tend to spoil over time. Samuel Arbesman wisely explored this concept, reminding us that even our certainties have expiration dates. The world is in a constant state of flux, and what we consider 'true' today might well be dismissed as outdated tomorrow.

Just consider: much of our modern life would have been pure fantasy a few decades ago. The very notion of instant face-to-face communication from across the globe, once relegated to Star Trek, now hums unremarkably in our pockets. The scout understands this impermanence. They grasp that the only true constant is change itself, and navigate the world with the adaptable eyes of an explorer, not the rigid certainty of a zealot.

To be clear, the warrior mindset isn't inherently bad, any more than the scout mindset is always superior. Both reflect where we stand at different points in time. There are moments when a firm stance is necessary, when defending certain truths is essential.

The true power lies in recognizing that both perspectives are key parts of the human experience. Knowing when to use the warrior's resolve, and when to embrace the scout's open exploration, is the mark of a fully realized intellect.

Training Decoded: A Guide to Canine Science Jargon

Anyone who's spent time in dog training circles knows the deal: people love throwing around science-y words to sound super smart. Maybe they mean well. Maybe they just want to prove they're way ahead of you, the clueless newbie.

So, to make everyone's lives easier, here's a quick and dirty guide to those fancy dog training terms. No jargon, no bragging rights – just simple explanations to help you decipher what everyone's really talking about. Consider it a survival kit for the world of know-it-all dog trainers. Cheers.

* Positive Reinforcement: Adding something desirable to increase the likelihood of a behavior happening again. (Treats, toys, praise)

Real World explanation: You do something cool. Someone gives you something cool back. It's like bribery except you don't go to prison.

* Negative Reinforcement: Removing something undesirable to increase the likelihood of a behavior happening again. (Stopping a leash correction when the dog sits)

Real World explanation: it's like reverse bribery. You remove something they want when they misbehave.

* Positive Punishment: Adding something undesirable to decrease the likelihood of a behavior happening again. (A verbal "no!" when a dog jumps)

Real World Explanation: You forget the password to your IPad. You enter the wrong password and get locked out of your iPad. Congratulations. You're now locked out of your iPad and you've been punished positively. Fun.

* Negative Punishment: Removing something desirable to decrease the likelihood of a behavior happening again. (Taking a toy away when a puppy bites)

Real World Example: You’ve watched too many no no videos on your iPad and your wife takes it away and runs over it with a car. Play stupid games and win stupid prizes.