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The Real Reasons Companies Are Forcing You Back To The Office

Is BlackBerry’s rally over? If you are looking for another good rally, consider adding this Canadian AI stock to your watchlist. The post Move Over, BlackBerry: This AI Stock Is the Real Deal for Canadian appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

Move Over, BlackBerry: This AI Stock Is the Real Deal for Canadian

NVIDIA engineers have developed an AI-powered neural network capable of generating ultra realistic virtual characters in real-time. Technically speaking, a neural network-based simulation super-resolution framework that can efficiently and realistically enhance a facial performance produced ...

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Ederson believes Manchester City proved their quality in their win over Newcastle and says it has given them confidence going into their game at Real Madrid on Wednesday. "It's really, really important to win the game against big opponents - it gives us lots of confidence for Wednesday," said ...

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Manuel Akanji is ruled out of Manchester City's Champions League return with Real Madrid and the Premier League match with Liverpool amid fears the defender faces an extended absence with a muscular problem.

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If Elon Musk Had Any Real Guts, He Would Go After the Gigantic Budget of the US Military

A Gaming Leaderboard is a ranked list of players, typically sorted by a specific metric such as score, points or level.

System Design of a Real-Time Gaming Leaderboard

Real

real

Testing User Representation and Avatar Realism in VR Navigation Tasks

Authors:
(1) Rafael Kuffner dos Anjos;
(2) Joao Madeiras Pereira. Authors: Authors: (1) Rafael Kuffner dos Anjos; (2) Joao Madeiras Pereira. Table of Links Abstract and 1 Introduction Abstract and 1 Introduction 2 Related Work and 2.1 Virtual avatars 2 Related Work and 2.1 Virtual avatars 2.2 Point cloud visualization 2.2 Point cloud visualization 3 Test Design and 3.1 Setup 3 Test Design and 3.1 Setup 3.2 User Representations 3.2 User Representations 3.3 Methodology 3.3 Methodology 3.4 Virtual Environment and 3.5 Tasks Description 3.4 Virtual Environment and 3.5 Tasks Description 3.6 Questionnaires and 3.7 Participants 3.6 Questionnaires and 3.7 Participants 4 Results and Discussion, and 4.1 User preferences 4 Results and Discussion, and 4.1 User preferences 4.2 Task performance 4.2 Task performance 4.3 Discussion 4.3 Discussion 5 Conclusions and References 5 Conclusions and References 2 RELATED WORK In this section we present and discuss the related work regarding user representation. First, we introduce and define virtual avatars and concepts associated. Following, a brief review of point cloud visualization techniques is discussed, and their use and viability in Virtual Reality setups 2.1 Virtual avatars An important part of the experience is how users are represented on the virtual scene. As opposed to CAVE-like systems, the use of Head-Mounted Display technology occludes users’ real self, compromising the overall virtual-reality session. A way of overcoming this problem is by using a fully-embodied representation of the user within the virtual environment [31]. A virtual body can supply them with a reference of recognizable size and a connectedness to the virtual environment [13, 26], even though studies indicate that the use of a virtual body setups may still cause distance underestimation [24]. The feeling of presence is related to the concept of proprioception, which is the ability to sense stimuli arising within the body regarding position, motion, and equilibrium. The sense of embodiment into an avatar is constitutive of the sense of presence in virtual reality (VR) and affects the way one interacts with virtual elements [16]. This concept is subdivided in three components: the sense of agency, i.e. feeling of motor control over the virtual body; (ii) the sense of body ownership, i.e. feeling that the virtual body is one’s own body; and (iii) self-location, i.e. the experienced location of the self. The level of realism of the avatar also plays an important part on the VR experience and how it relates to the sense of embodiment of an user. A common problem on this matter is the uncanny valley [21], which states that the acceptability of an artificial character will not increase linearly in relation to its likeness to human form. Instead, after an initial rise in acceptability there will be a pronounced decrease when the character is similar, but not identical to human form. Additionally, Piwek et al.[22] state that the effect of realism in the deepest part of the valley become more acceptable when it is animated. Works by Lugrin et al. [19, 20] also state that the uncanny valley also affect the feeling of presence and embodiment of avatars in first person perspective (1PP) when viewed through a head-mounted display. Another possibility when using a self-embodied avatar of the user is changing the perspective which the avatar is viewed. This approach is normally used on video-games to increase user’s spatial awareness when navigating and interacting on the scene. The sense of body ownership is also possible when using artificial bodies (in real scenarios) and avatars (in virtual environment scenarios) in immersive setups. A classical extra-corporeal experience is known by Rubber Hand Illusion (RHI) [5]. In this illusion, a subject is made to believe a rubber hand is in fact his own hand, which is hidden from view, to the point of pulling his own hand away if the rubber hand is attacked. This illusion has similar effects in Virtual Reality setups, which is called Virtual Hand illusion, and can be induced by visuotactile [30] and visuomotor synchrony [29, 34]. The Rubber-hand Illusion has also proven to work with full-body embodiment. Ehrrson et al. [9] proves this by streaming a the image of the body of the participant with an image of his body in a third-person perspective using an stereoscopic camera. Leggenhager et al. [18] confirms this by using a similar setup to prove that when using a Third-person perspective behind users bodies, users felt to be located there they saw the virtual body to be. In VR, the usage of orthogonal third person viewpoints has been explored and was for instance recommended to help setting the posture of a motion controlled virtual body [6]. Further work by Salamin et al. use an augmented-reality setup with a displaced camera and an HMD to show that the best perspective depends on the performed action: first-person perspective (1PP) for more precise object manipulations and third-person perspective (3PP) for moving actions. Work by the same work also shown that the users preferred the use of the 3PP in comparison with 1PP and needed less training in a ball catching scenario [28]. Further work by Kosch et al. [17], find that the preferred viewpoint in a 3PP is behind user’s head, providing a real life third person experience. Distance underestimation is also present when the avatar is seen on a third person perspective [28]. 2.2 Point cloud visualization The main challenge when dealing with point-cloud visualization is the unstructured nature of the data and its sparsity. Rendering point clouds with point primitives has several drawbacks when compared to other techniques (e.g., background/foreground confusion, loss of definition on close-ups), when confronting a low resolution scenario [1]. Katz et. al [14] solved the problem of background foreground confusion by estimating the direct visibility of sets of points. However, in a mixed visualization scenario such as the one applied on this work, confusion still exists between the rendered points and for the body and the mesh-based environment. Surface reconstruction is the standard approach to visualize point cloud data [10] with several successful techniques estimating the original surfaces from point sets [12, 15]. A single depth stream can be easily remeshed using delaunay triangulation [11], or multistream fusion can be performed such as shown in the work of Dou et al. [8]. While single stream triangulation can be performed in real time, multi stream fusion can be a very consuming task that requires specialized hardware for processing data. Screen-aligned splats [33] have been proposed as a more efficient alternative to polygonal mesh rendering [27], and are easily implemented in an interactive system, being the to go approach for visualization of real time data. Authors claim to have a comparable visual appearance to closed surfaces for visualization uses [4]. Although surface aligned splats [23, 3, 35] which create a better approximation of the surface, normal estimation in real-time can be also a costly operation. Splatting has been used in the past for point cloud visualization of environments [2], but not in a real time reconstruction of the users body. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. available on arxiv

How Your Avatar Shapes Your Virtual Reality Experience

The NOW function in Excel returns the current date and time from your system clock. NOW Function: A Brief The NOW function in Excel returns the current date and time based on your computer’s system clock. The NOW function will update every time the worksheet recalculates or when the file is opened. It can be useful for the following scenarios: Logging timestamps
Tracking task updates
Calculating durations or deadlines from the present moment. NOW Function: A Syntax =NOW() // Returns the current date and time from your device clock. Objective

Value Returned by the function



Aim to return the date and time.

NOW Function in Excel will return the date and time based on your device’s clock, and it varies real-time, whenever the file is opened. NOW Function: Introduced In The NOW function was introduced in Excel 1.0 and is a built-in function. If you want to recreate the working of the NOW function using formulas, you will need to manually combine functions as shown below. =TODAY() + (HOUR(NOW())/24 + MINUTE(NOW())/1440) By combining functions like TODAY, HOUR, NOW, and MINUTE with mathematical operations, you can get the current date and time based on your system clock. However, this type of formula is static. Once it returns a result, it does not update automatically every time you reopen the file, unlike the NOW function, which refreshes with the current date and time whenever the sheet is opened or recalculated. By default, a formula may show only the date or only the time in a cell. To display both date and time, right-click the cell and choose the Format Cells option. In the Number tab, choose Custom, then in the Type field, select the dd-mm-yyyy hh:mm, and click the OK button. Now, the content in the cell will be updated with the date and time value as shown in the image below. Formatting cells will display both date and time. Examples of Using NOW Function With Other Nested Functions: In the example below, I’ve included 13 different scenarios showing how to use the NOW function together with other nested functions. Each case includes the formula, the output, and a brief explanation for clarity. Example’s Explanation: Case 1: The formula checks whether the current time is before noon or afternoon. If HOUR(NOW()) is less than 12, it returns “Morning” or otherwise, it shows “Afternoon” as the output value.
Case 2: EOMONTH returns the last day of the current month. By subtracting TODAY(), the formula shows how many days are left in the month. Based on the current device’s clock, it may return 6 days remaining.
Case 3: The formula TEXT(NOW(), “hh:mm:ss”) displays only the current time, removing the date portion and showing it in HH:MM:SS format.
Case 4: It uses the WEEKDAY function to check if today is a weekday or weekend. If the result is 6 or 7, it returns “Weekend” or otherwise, it returns “Weekday” as the output.
Case 5: This formula calculates total hours passed since midnight using HOUR(NOW()) + MINUTE(NOW()) / 60. The result is shown as a decimal, such as 12.38.
Case 6: It calculates how many hours are left in the day by subtracting the total passed hours from 24.
Case 7: This checks if the current time is within typical office hours (9 AM to 5 PM) using IF and AND with HOUR(NOW()). If true, it returns “Yes” as the output.
Case 8: The formula adds 15 minutes to the current time using NOW() + TIME(0,15,0), useful for setting reminders or future triggers.
Case 9: It subtracts 2 hours from the current time with NOW() – TIME(2,0,0), showing a time 2 hours earlier.
Case 10: TEXT(NOW(), “dddd”) returns the full name of the day, like “Thursday“, which is useful in dynamic headers or reports.
Case 11: FLOOR(NOW(), “1:00”) rounds the current time down to the nearest hour, removing minutes and seconds.
Case 12: The formula checks whether today is a Monday using WEEKDAY(NOW(), 2). If the result is 1, it returns “Yes”.
Case 13: SECOND(NOW()) extracts the current second value from the time. You can download the NOW with other Nested Function Worksheets here: Download Now with Nested Functions.xls Functions Used in the Examples: Function

Used for



NOW

Returns the current system date and time



IF

Performs logical checks to return different values based on a condition



HOUR

Extracts the hour portion from a time value



MINUTE

Extracts the minute portion from a time value



SECOND

Extracts the second portion from a time value



TEXT

Formats numbers/dates as text in a specified format



EOMONTH

Returns the last day of the month, x months before or after a given date



TODAY

Returns the current date without time



WEEKDAY

Returns a number representing the day of the week



AND

Checks if multiple conditions are TRUE



TIME

Creates a time value from hours, minutes, and seconds



FLOOR

Rounds a number down toward zero to the nearest multiple That’s it. This tutorial was originally published on How to Use Excel NOW Function? The NOW function in Excel returns the current date and time from your system clock. NOW Function: A Brief The NOW function in Excel returns the current date and time based on your computer’s system clock. The NOW function will update every time the worksheet recalculates or when the file is opened . It can be useful for the following scenarios: current date and time worksheet recalculates opened Logging timestamps Tracking task updates Calculating durations or deadlines from the present moment. Logging timestamps Tracking task updates Calculating durations or deadlines from the present moment. NOW Function: A Syntax =NOW() // Returns the current date and time from your device clock. =NOW() // Returns the current date and time from your device clock. Objective

Value Returned by the function



Aim to return the date and time.

NOW Function in Excel will return the date and time based on your device’s clock, and it varies real-time, whenever the file is opened. Objective

Value Returned by the function Aim to return the date and time.

NOW Function in Excel will return the date and time based on your device’s clock, and it varies real-time, whenever the file is opened. Objective Value Returned by the function Objective Objective Value Returned by the function Value Returned by the function Aim to return the date and time. NOW Function in Excel will return the date and time based on your device’s clock, and it varies real-time, whenever the file is opened. Aim to return the date and time. Aim to return the date and time. NOW Function in Excel will return the date and time based on your device’s clock, and it varies real-time, whenever the file is opened. NOW Function in Excel will return the date and time based on your device’s clock, and it varies real-time, whenever the file is opened. NOW Function: Introduced In The NOW function was introduced in Excel 1.0 and is a built-in function. If you want to recreate the working of the NOW function using formulas, you will need to manually combine functions as shown below. Excel 1.0 =TODAY() + (HOUR(NOW())/24 + MINUTE(NOW())/1440) =TODAY() + (HOUR(NOW())/24 + MINUTE(NOW())/1440) By combining functions like TODAY , HOUR , NOW , and MINUTE with mathematical operations, you can get the current date and time based on your system clock. However, this type of formula is static . Once it returns a result, it does not update automatically every time you reopen the file, unlike the NOW function, which refreshes with the current date and time whenever the sheet is opened or recalculated. TODAY TODAY HOUR HOUR NOW MINUTE MINUTE static not update automatically NOW By default, a formula may show only the date or only the time in a cell. To display both date and time, right-click the cell and choose the Format Cells option. In the Number tab, choose Custom , then in the Type field, select the dd-mm-yyyy hh:mm , and click the OK button. date time Format Cells Custom Type dd-mm-yyyy hh:mm OK Now, the content in the cell will be updated with the date and time value as shown in the image below. Formatting cells will display both date and time. Examples of Using NOW Function With Other Nested Functions: In the example below, I’ve included 13 different scenarios showing how to use the NOW function together with other nested functions . Each case includes the formula , the output , and a brief explanation for clarity. 13 different scenarios NOW nested functions formula output explanation Example’s Explanation: Example’s Explanation: Case 1: The formula checks whether the current time is before noon or afternoon. If HOUR(NOW()) is less than 12, it returns “Morning” or otherwise, it shows “Afternoon” as the output value. Case 2: EOMONTH returns the last day of the current month. By subtracting TODAY(), the formula shows how many days are left in the month. Based on the current device’s clock, it may return 6 days remaining. Case 3: The formula TEXT(NOW(), “hh:mm:ss”) displays only the current time, removing the date portion and showing it in HH:MM:SS format. Case 4: It uses the WEEKDAY function to check if today is a weekday or weekend. If the result is 6 or 7, it returns “Weekend” or otherwise, it returns “Weekday” as the output. Case 5: This formula calculates total hours passed since midnight using HOUR(NOW()) + MINUTE(NOW()) / 60. The result is shown as a decimal, such as 12.38. Case 6: It calculates how many hours are left in the day by subtracting the total passed hours from 24. Case 7: This checks if the current time is within typical office hours (9 AM to 5 PM) using IF and AND with HOUR(NOW()). If true, it returns “Yes” as the output. Case 8: The formula adds 15 minutes to the current time using NOW() + TIME(0,15,0), useful for setting reminders or future triggers. Case 9: It subtracts 2 hours from the current time with NOW() – TIME(2,0,0), showing a time 2 hours earlier. Case 10: TEXT(NOW(), “dddd”) returns the full name of the day, like “Thursday“, which is useful in dynamic headers or reports. Case 11: FLOOR(NOW(), “1:00”) rounds the current time down to the nearest hour, removing minutes and seconds. Case 12: The formula checks whether today is a Monday using WEEKDAY(NOW(), 2). If the result is 1, it returns “Yes”. Case 13: SECOND(NOW()) extracts the current second value from the time. Case 1: The formula checks whether the current time is before noon or afternoon. If HOUR(NOW()) is less than 12, it returns “Morning” or otherwise, it shows “Afternoon” as the output value. Case 1: Case 2: EOMONTH returns the last day of the current month. By subtracting TODAY(), the formula shows how many days are left in the month. Based on the current device’s clock, it may return 6 days remaining. Case 2: Case 3: The formula TEXT(NOW(), “hh:mm:ss”) displays only the current time , removing the date portion and showing it in HH:MM:SS format. Case 3: current time HH:MM:SS Case 4: It uses the WEEKDAY function to check if today is a weekday or weekend. If the result is 6 or 7, it returns “ Weekend ” or otherwise, it returns “ Weekday ” as the output. Case 4: Weekend Weekday Case 5: This formula calculates total hours passed since midnight using HOUR(NOW()) + MINUTE(NOW()) / 60. The result is shown as a decimal, such as 12.38 . Case 5: 12.38 Case 6: It calculates how many hours are left in the day by subtracting the total passed hours from 24. Case 6: Case 7: This checks if the current time is within typical office hours (9 AM to 5 PM) using IF and AND with HOUR(NOW()). If true, it returns “ Yes ” as the output. Case 7: Yes Case 8: The formula adds 15 minutes to the current time using NOW() + TIME(0,15,0), useful for setting reminders or future triggers. Case 8: 15 minutes Case 9: It subtracts 2 hours from the current time with NOW() – TIME(2,0,0), showing a time 2 hours earlier. Case 9: Case 10: TEXT(NOW(), “dddd”) returns the full name of the day, like “ Thursday “, which is useful in dynamic headers or reports. Case 10: Thursday Case 11: FLOOR(NOW(), “1:00”) rounds the current time down to the nearest hour , removing minutes and seconds. Case 11: current time hour Case 12: The formula checks whether today is a Monday using WEEKDAY(NOW(), 2). If the result is 1, it returns “Yes”. Case 12: Monday Case 13: SECOND(NOW()) extracts the current second value from the time. Case 13: You can download the NOW with other Nested Function Worksheets here: Download Now with Nested Functions.xls You can download the NOW with other Nested Function Worksheets here: Download Now with Nested Functions.xls NOW with other Nested Function Worksheets Now with Nested Functions.xls Functions Used in the Examples: Function

Used for



NOW

Returns the current system date and time



IF

Performs logical checks to return different values based on a condition



HOUR

Extracts the hour portion from a time value



MINUTE

Extracts the minute portion from a time value



SECOND

Extracts the second portion from a time value



TEXT

Formats numbers/dates as text in a specified format



EOMONTH

Returns the last day of the month, x months before or after a given date



TODAY

Returns the current date without time



WEEKDAY

Returns a number representing the day of the week



AND

Checks if multiple conditions are TRUE



TIME

Creates a time value from hours, minutes, and seconds



FLOOR

Rounds a number down toward zero to the nearest multiple Function

Used for NOW

Returns the current system date and time IF

Performs logical checks to return different values based on a condition HOUR

Extracts the hour portion from a time value MINUTE

Extracts the minute portion from a time value SECOND

Extracts the second portion from a time value TEXT

Formats numbers/dates as text in a specified format EOMONTH

Returns the last day of the month, x months before or after a given date TODAY

Returns the current date without time WEEKDAY

Returns a number representing the day of the week AND

Checks if multiple conditions are TRUE TIME

Creates a time value from hours, minutes, and seconds FLOOR

Rounds a number down toward zero to the nearest multiple Function Used for Function Function Used for Used for NOW Returns the current system date and time NOW NOW Returns the current system date and time Returns the current system date and time IF Performs logical checks to return different values based on a condition IF IF Performs logical checks to return different values based on a condition Performs logical checks to return different values based on a condition HOUR Extracts the hour portion from a time value HOUR HOUR Extracts the hour portion from a time value Extracts the hour portion from a time value MINUTE Extracts the minute portion from a time value MINUTE MINUTE Extracts the minute portion from a time value Extracts the minute portion from a time value SECOND Extracts the second portion from a time value SECOND SECOND Extracts the second portion from a time value Extracts the second portion from a time value TEXT Formats numbers/dates as text in a specified format TEXT TEXT Formats numbers/dates as text in a specified format Formats numbers/dates as text in a specified format EOMONTH Returns the last day of the month, x months before or after a given date EOMONTH EOMONTH Returns the last day of the month, x months before or after a given date Returns the last day of the month, x months before or after a given date TODAY Returns the current date without time TODAY TODAY Returns the current date without time Returns the current date without time WEEKDAY Returns a number representing the day of the week WEEKDAY WEEKDAY Returns a number representing the day of the week Returns a number representing the day of the week AND Checks if multiple conditions are TRUE AND AND Checks if multiple conditions are TRUE Checks if multiple conditions are TRUE TIME Creates a time value from hours, minutes, and seconds TIME TIME Creates a time value from hours, minutes, and seconds Creates a time value from hours, minutes, and seconds FLOOR Rounds a number down toward zero to the nearest multiple FLOOR FLOOR Rounds a number down toward zero to the nearest multiple Rounds a number down toward zero to the nearest multiple That’s it. This tutorial was originally published on How to Use Excel NOW Function? How to Use Excel NOW Function?

Excel NOW Function: Real-Time Date & Time in Your Sheets

A true story of good intentions, missing architecture, and a backend that almost took the whole system down. A true story of good intentions, missing architecture, and a backend that almost took the whole system down. A true story of good intentions, missing architecture, and a backend that almost took the whole system down. The Setup The Setup We were brought in to audit an internal logistics platform that had been under development for five years. The budget? Roughly €15,000 per month — totaling just under €900,000. At first glance, everything seemed functional. But once we started digging into the code and infrastructure, we found a system on the edge of collapse. Not because of bad intentions — but because of years of well-meaning decisions made under pressure. What Went Wrong What Went Wrong The backend was a PHP monolith on a single server — no scalability, no failover.
The frontend was built on Next.js, but with no structure, routing logic, or user flow. Users couldn’t find anything.
The mobile app? Built by someone without mobile experience. No search, no filters, no UX — just chaos.
The data sync relied on CSV files exported from Oracle 9, transferred via FTP, and re-imported daily.
All logs were dumped into unpartitioned Oracle tables. Eventually, they grew too large to query — and rebuilding indexes meant shutting down the database. In production. The backend was a PHP monolith on a single server — no scalability, no failover. backend was a PHP monolith The frontend was built on Next.js, but with no structure, routing logic, or user flow. Users couldn’t find anything. frontend was built on Next.js The mobile app? Built by someone without mobile experience. No search, no filters, no UX — just chaos. mobile app The data sync relied on CSV files exported from Oracle 9, transferred via FTP, and re-imported daily. data sync All logs were dumped into unpartitioned Oracle tables. Eventually, they grew too large to query — and rebuilding indexes meant shutting down the database. In production. This wasn’t just technical debt. It was digital quicksand. Why This Happens Why This Happens We see this pattern often: MVPs that were never upgraded
Legacy systems duct-taped together
Internal tools that cost hundreds of thousands, but don’t actually solve problems MVPs that were never upgraded Legacy systems duct-taped together Internal tools that cost hundreds of thousands, but don’t actually solve problems And always the same request: “Can you build us an MVP in 3 months?” Yes — but only if we agree what minimum and viable really mean. minimum viable What It Took to Fix It What It Took to Fix It Here’s what we proposed after the audit: Upgrade to Oracle 11 and partition the bloated tables
Offload logs to an external system (ELK or ClickHouse)
Rebuild the backend as a microservice architecture (Spring Boot, Docker, K8s)
Implement real CI/CD pipelines
Design a service API layer for all interactions
Map out user journeys and business processes from scratch
Secure the infra with encrypted VPNs, IAM, and zero-trust access Upgrade to Oracle 11 and partition the bloated tables Offload logs to an external system (ELK or ClickHouse) Rebuild the backend as a microservice architecture (Spring Boot, Docker, K8s) Implement real CI/CD pipelines Design a service API layer for all interactions Map out user journeys and business processes from scratch Secure the infra with encrypted VPNs, IAM, and zero-trust access Not a quick fix. Not a cheap one. But a path forward that could actually scale. We’re still working with this client today — not just rebuilding software, but helping them rethink how they operate digitally. The Takeaway Tech debt isn’t always the result of bad developers. It’s often the outcome of survival mode — building just enough to stay afloat. But eventually, systems that were never designed to scale… don’t. You don’t always have to rebuild. But if you do — do it right.

How €900,000 Disappeared Into an App No One Really Used (And What We Learned Fixing It)

We Thought It Was Fine I don’t remember exactly when the backlog started becoming a problem. Maybe it was the third time a stakeholder changed their mind about a request we’d already scoped. Or when we moved yet another story to the “parking lot” because no one could agree on whether we still needed it. Or maybe it was just the slow build-up of ideas, tickets, and half-baked items that never really went away. What I do know is that we ended up with a backlog full of... stuff. Some of it useful. Some of it once-relevant but now outdated. And some of it we were honestly too afraid to delete in case someone, somewhere, might come looking for it later. We didn’t think it was unmanageable at first. There weren’t hundreds of items—maybe around 90 or so. That seemed reasonable. But sprint planning became guesswork. Tickets would resurface that none of us remembered writing. Some stories lacked any context, others had no owner, and a few had ambiguous titles like “Optimize flow” or “Check alerts.” Developers started relying on Slack threads for real priorities instead of referencing the backlog. QA wasn’t sure what to expect next. The backlog was technically there, but nobody trusted it anymore. How It Spiraled The irony? We’d already cleaned it once. But the same clutter crept back in. We weren’t careless—we were trying to be helpful. A stakeholder would mention a feature, and we’d log it. Then they’d pivot, and we’d quietly move it down the list or tag it for “future consideration.” Designs changed. Priorities shifted. Some stories aged out without anyone noticing. And little by little, what was supposed to be a tool to guide delivery became a repository for indecision. What We Tried (That Actually Helped) We didn’t do a full reset. No dramatic purge or Jira bonfire. But we did start asking better questions. Why is this story still in the backlog? Do we know who it's for? If we built this tomorrow, would anyone care? What’s stopping us from deleting it? Sometimes we archived tickets. Other times, we rewrote them because there was still something valuable there—just not in the original form. And occasionally, reviewing a story revealed blockers or duplicated efforts we hadn’t noticed before. It wasn’t fast or flawless, but it helped. What We’re Still Learning Backlogs rarely fall apart overnight. It happens slowly. A couple of placeholder stories here. A few outdated ideas there.  Missed grooming sessions. Deferred decisions. Suddenly, you’re staring at a list no one fully understands. We’re still figuring it out, but a few changes made a difference: Archiving anything untouched for three months
Using a separate “idea board” for raw input
Requiring a clear owner and purpose before a ticket gets added
Accepting that backlog cleanup is a habit, not a one-time task Archiving anything untouched for three months Using a separate “idea board” for raw input Requiring a clear owner and purpose before a ticket gets added Accepting that backlog cleanup is a habit, not a one-time task Some weeks it looks clean and aligned. Other weeks, it starts slipping again. But now we catch it early—and course-correct as a team. Final Thought If your backlog feels bloated, unclear, or like a list of forgotten intentions, you’re not alone. You don’t have to fix it all today. But one small question might help get things moving again: “Are we actually using this the way we want to?” “Are we actually using this the way we want to?” That one question helped us reset. Still messy. Still learning. But the backlog is working again—and that’s what matters.

Here's Why Your Backlog Is Really Overloaded

The promise of receiving attractive returns has been a cornerstone of the crypto and decentralized finance (DeFi) industry. attractive returns crypto and decentralized finance (DeFi) Early models managed to attract massive amounts of capital, driven by the high interest rates they offered. attract massive amounts of capital high interest rates But the real question is: how did we get to this point? how did we get to this point? 1️⃣ The Rise of Infinite APYs 1️⃣ The Rise of Infinite APYs Everyone remembers that era of indiscriminate forks, when thousands of tokens were launched just to feed outrageous APYs. indiscriminate forks outrageous APYs. But before reaching that moment, someone had to throw the first stone, right? someone had to throw the first stone The first protocol considered fully DeFi was MakerDAO, launched in 2017. fully DeFi MakerDAO It allowed users to lock ETH as collateral and mint DAI, a decentralized stablecoin pegged to the dollar. lock ETH as collateral DAI decentralized stablecoin MakerDAO was revolutionary for two reasons: MakerDAO was revolutionary for two reasons: It introduced the concept of collateralized loans without intermediaries.
It proved it was possible to create a stablecoin without holding actual dollar reserves. It introduced the concept of collateralized loans without intermediaries. collateralized loans without intermediaries. It proved it was possible to create a stablecoin without holding actual dollar reserves. stablecoin without holding actual dollar reserves. Soon after, other pillars of the ecosystem emerged, such as Uniswap (automated exchanges without an order book) and Compound (programmable money markets), laying the foundation for today’s DeFi landscape. Uniswap Compound The ignition point was the launch of Compound’s COMP token in June 2020. ignition point Compound’s COMP token Although the protocol already provided interest for lending and borrowing, the new model rewarded users with COMP tokens just for using the protocol, even if they didn’t actually need the loan. rewarded users with COMP tokens This incentivized a frenzied behavior: borrowing to lend again, in a leveraged loop that multiplied gains, an “infinite loop.” frenzied behavior leveraged loop infinite loop. That’s how the phenomenon known as yield farming was born, along with the craze for astronomical APYs. yield farming craze for astronomical APYs. But if we ask people from that time, few likely remember those moments, as yields weren’t outrageous just yet. yields weren’t outrageous just yet. So the question is: who inflated the bubble, and how? who inflated the bubble, and how? Several Players Helped Fuel the Bubble: Several Players Helped Fuel the Bubble: Yearn Finance (YFI) Yearn Finance (YFI) Yearn Finance (YFI) Led by independent developer Andre Cronje, YFI launched without a token pre-mine or private sale. Andre Cronje without a token pre-mine or private sale. All tokens were distributed to users providing liquidity. Within weeks, YFI skyrocketed from zero to over $30,000, and its automated vaults went viral. zero to over $30,000 automated vaults SushiSwap SushiSwap SushiSwap In August 2020, SushiSwap, a fork of Uniswap, offered SUSHI rewards to users migrating liquidity from Uniswap. SUSHI rewards to users migrating liquidity from Uniswap. It was a successful "vampire attack" that revealed how high APYs could destabilize even the most established projects. vampire attack high APYs could destabilize even the most established projects. PancakeSwap and Binance Smart Chain (BSC) PancakeSwap and Binance Smart Chain (BSC) PancakeSwap and Binance Smart Chain (BSC) Backed by Binance, PancakeSwap replicated the model on the BSC. replicated the model on the BSC. It offered APYs over 1,000% and dirt-cheap fees compared to Ethereum, attracting a new wave of retail investors. APYs over 1,000% dirt-cheap fees retail investors. Its token, $CAKE, combined with staking and exponential price growth, triggered intense FOMO, drawing in even more capital. $CAKE triggered intense FOMO Following PancakeSwap’s popularity, many protocols emerged copying $CAKE’s strategy. many protocols emerged copying $CAKE’s strategy. However, most of these DeFi tokens lacked sustainable foundations. most of these DeFi tokens lacked sustainable foundations. APYs were funded by printing more tokens, and when users started selling their rewards, prices collapsed. APYs were funded by printing more tokens prices collapsed Key Reasons for the Collapse: Key Reasons for the Collapse: Over-minting of tokens: runaway inflation without real revenue
Mass dumping of rewards: users farmed and sold immediately
Lack of long-term utility: many projects were just forks with cosmetic changes
Hacks and bugs: platforms like Harvest Finance, Value DeFi, and Pickle lost millions to exploits Over-minting of tokens: runaway inflation without real revenue Over-minting of tokens: Mass dumping of rewards: users farmed and sold immediately Mass dumping of rewards: Lack of long-term utility: many projects were just forks with cosmetic changes Lack of long-term utility: Hacks and bugs: platforms like Harvest Finance, Value DeFi, and Pickle lost millions to exploits Hacks and bugs: Harvest Finance, Value DeFi, Pickle The market (partially) learned that sustainable returns require real economic models, not just endless token printing. (partially) learned sustainable returns require real economic models, And this is where Real Yield was born. Real Yield 2️⃣ What Is Real Yield? 2️⃣ What Is Real Yield? Real yield in DeFi refers to sustainable interest or rewards generated from actual revenue streams, such as trading fees, lending fees, or protocol profits. Real yield sustainable interest or rewards actual revenue streams, trading fees, lending fees, or protocol profits. Unlike fake yield, inflated by endless token emissions without real backing, real yield: fake yield real yield: Doesn’t depend on minting new tokens
Is distributed to holders or stakers from actual net profits
Is lower, but more stable and legitimate Doesn’t depend on minting new tokens Doesn’t depend on minting new tokens Is distributed to holders or stakers from actual net profits distributed to holders or stakers from actual net profits Is lower, but more stable and legitimate lower more stable and legitimate For instance, if a DEX charges a fee on every trade and redistributes part of that to token holders, that’s real yield. that’s real yield. It’s not speculative farming, it’s profit-sharing. profit-sharing. So, when, and thanks to whom, did Real Yield gain popularity? So, when, and thanks to whom, did Real Yield gain popularity? The term real yield began gaining traction in late 2021 and early 2022, after the collapse of many inflated yield farming platforms (such as OlympusDAO and its many forks). real yield in late 2021 and early 2022 inflated yield farming platforms OlympusDAO In response to these events, several protocols emerged: In response to these events, several protocols emerged: GMX GMX GMX A decentralized trading platform on Arbitrum. Arbitrum It distributed trading fees directly to GMX stakers, in real ETH, not inflationary tokens. trading fees directly to GMX stakers real ETH dYdX v3 dYdX v3 dYdX v3 Introduced rewards more closely tied to actual protocol usage. rewards more closely tied to actual protocol usage. Trading fees are redistributed among LPs and stakers. Trading fees are redistributed Real yield became a maturity narrative in the space, aiming to attract institutional capital and less speculative users. Real yield maturity narrative institutional capital less speculative users 3️⃣ The Current State of Things 3️⃣ The Current State of Things The situation is mixed, but clearly more favorable than in 2020: clearly more favorable than in 2020: There’s growing support for real yield: There’s growing support for real yield: More cautious investors after the collapse of Terra, Celsius, and others.
Protocols like GMX, Lido, Pendle, Aevo, EtherFi, Synthetix v3, and IAESIR are betting on models with organic revenue and sustainable distribution.
New narratives like restaking (Eigenlayer), liquid staking, or modular yield are aligned with this philosophy. More cautious investors after the collapse of Terra, Celsius, and others. More cautious investors Protocols like GMX, Lido, Pendle, Aevo, EtherFi, Synthetix v3, and IAESIR are betting on models with organic revenue and sustainable distribution. GMX, Lido, Pendle, Aevo, EtherFi, Synthetix v3 IAESIR organic revenue and sustainable distribution. New narratives like restaking (Eigenlayer), liquid staking, or modular yield are aligned with this philosophy. New narratives restaking (Eigenlayer) liquid staking modular yield But risks still remain: But risks still remain: Some protocols disguise inflationary yield as “real yield.”
There’s still a lot of speculative capital chasing trends like memecoins or Layer 2 airdrop farming. Some protocols disguise inflationary yield as “real yield.” disguise inflationary yield as “real yield.” There’s still a lot of speculative capital chasing trends like memecoins or Layer 2 airdrop farming. a lot of speculative capital memecoins Layer 2 airdrop farming. Notable Protocols Following the Real Yield Philosophy Notable Protocols Following the Real Yield Philosophy 1. GMX – Perpetual Exchange With ETH-Paid Fees GMX Perpetual Exchange With ETH-Paid Fees GMX is a decentralized futures trading protocol operating on Arbitrum and Avalanche. GMX Arbitrum and Avalanche Its model is simple but effective: GMX stakers and GLP liquidity providers receive a share of the actual trading fees, paid in ETH or AVAX, not in inflated tokens. simple but effective: GMX stakers and GLP liquidity providers receive a share of the actual trading fees ETH or AVAX GMX became famous for distributing tens of millions of ETH during peak volume periods
Yield is directly tied to protocol usage: more trading = more rewards
It’s considered a pioneer in proving that a DEX can generate stable cash flow for its users GMX became famous for distributing tens of millions of ETH during peak volume periods distributing tens of millions of ETH Yield is directly tied to protocol usage: more trading = more rewards Yield is directly tied to protocol usage It’s considered a pioneer in proving that a DEX can generate stable cash flow for its users pioneer in proving that a DEX can generate stable cash flow for its users 2. IAESIR – Algorithmic Hedge Fund With Real Profits 2. IAESIR – Algorithmic Hedge Fund With Real Profits IAESIR is a DeFi investment fund that combines AI-based algorithmic trading with deflationary tokenomics and multiple revenue streams. IAESIR AI-based algorithmic trading deflationary tokenomics multiple revenue streams. Its real yield model is based on: Distributing 70% of the net profits generated by its trading algorithm (based on CNNs and strategies like volatility arbitrage and smart DCA) to investors Distributing 70% of the net profits generated by its trading algorithm (based on CNNs and strategies like volatility arbitrage and smart DCA) to investors Distributing 70% of the net profits CNNs volatility arbitrage smart DCA Token (Not Yet Launched) Token (Not Yet Launched) $IASR is not yet available, but it's designed to distribute 70% of the algorithm’s profits. $IASR distribute 70% of the algorithm’s profits. No inflation
Buybacks and burn mechanisms
Fully aligned with the real yield philosophy No inflation Buybacks and burn mechanisms Buybacks and burn mechanisms Fully aligned with the real yield philosophy real yield philosophy IAESIR offers a transparent, scalable model backed by real technology, built to appeal to both retail and institutional investors. transparent, scalable model backed by real technology both retail and institutional investors. 3. Lido Finance – Leader in Liquid Staking With Validator Rewards 3. Lido Finance – Leader in Liquid Staking With Validator Rewards Lido is the largest liquid staking protocol on Ethereum, allowing users to stake their ETH without locking it, in exchange for stETH, a liquid token that represents their staked position. Lido largest liquid staking protocol on Ethereum stETH Lido’s real yield model is based on: real yield model Rewards are generated from ETH staking through validators operated by trusted node operators.
These rewards are distributed to stETH holders by automatically adjusting their balances via a rebase mechanism.
No artificial inflation: rewards come from the actual performance of validators on the Ethereum network.
Lido charges a fee on staking rewards, part of which goes to participants and part to the protocol’s treasury. Rewards are generated from ETH staking through validators operated by trusted node operators. Rewards are generated from ETH staking These rewards are distributed to stETH holders by automatically adjusting their balances via a rebase mechanism. distributed to stETH holders rebase mechanism. No artificial inflation: rewards come from the actual performance of validators on the Ethereum network. No artificial inflation: actual performance of validators Lido charges a fee on staking rewards, part of which goes to participants and part to the protocol’s treasury. fee on staking rewards Lido has established itself as a core real yield protocol, attracting millions of users and integrating across multiple DeFi platforms to increase stETH utility. Lido has established itself as a core real yield protocol Its success has helped drive the liquid staking narrative as a legitimate way to earn sustainable and accessible yield on staked assets. liquid staking narrative earn sustainable and accessible yield 4️⃣ In Summary 4️⃣ In Summary 1. The APY Boom Was an Inflation-Driven Illusion 1. The APY Boom Was an Inflation-Driven Illusion The yield farming craze was fueled by incentives without economic backing.
Protocols like Compound, Yearn, SushiSwap, and PancakeSwap offered massive returns funded by token emissions, not real productivity.
This created an unsustainable speculative bubble that collapsed when users began mass selling their rewards. The yield farming craze was fueled by incentives without economic backing. yield farming craze incentives without economic backing. Protocols like Compound, Yearn, SushiSwap, and PancakeSwap offered massive returns funded by token emissions, not real productivity. Compound, Yearn, SushiSwap, PancakeSwap funded by token emissions, This created an unsustainable speculative bubble that collapsed when users began mass selling their rewards. unsustainable speculative bubble mass selling their rewards. 2. The Collapse Forced the Market to Mature 2. The Collapse Forced the Market to Mature The fall of OlympusDAO and similar projects showed that the inflationary model was unviable.
This phase made it clear that sustainable DeFi yield must come from real revenue, not just printing more tokens. The fall of OlympusDAO and similar projects showed that the inflationary model was unviable. OlympusDAO inflationary model was unviable. This phase made it clear that sustainable DeFi yield must come from real revenue, not just printing more tokens. sustainable DeFi yield real revenue, 3. Real Yield Emerged as a Rational Response 3. Real Yield Emerged as a Rational Response Defined as sustainable returns from fees, commissions, or tangible protocol profits.
Lower, but much more stable and transparent.
Represents an evolution toward economic efficiency in DeFi. Defined as sustainable returns from fees, commissions, or tangible protocol profits. sustainable returns fees commissions, or tangible protocol profits. Lower, but much more stable and transparent. much more stable and transparent. Represents an evolution toward economic efficiency in DeFi. evolution toward economic efficiency 4. Real Yield Pioneers Set a New Standard 4. Real Yield Pioneers Set a New Standard Protocols like GMX and dYdX proved it's possible to redistribute real profits (in ETH, not inflationary tokens).
Helped attract more sophisticated capital and restore trust in the sector after the DeFi Summer. Protocols like GMX and dYdX proved it's possible to redistribute real profits (in ETH, not inflationary tokens). GMX and dYdX redistribute real profits Helped attract more sophisticated capital and restore trust in the sector after the DeFi Summer. more sophisticated capital restore trust 5. IAESIR Positions Itself as a Key Player in the New Narrative 5. IAESIR Positions Itself as a Key Player in the New Narrative Although its token $IASR hasn’t launched yet, it already operates with a profitable AI-based algorithm using CNNs.
Designed to distribute 70% of real profits to future stakers, without inflation and with deflationary mechanisms.
Its transparent, tech-driven focus on real performance makes it a strong example of the new DeFi wave. Although its token $IASR hasn’t launched yet, it already operates with a profitable AI-based algorithm using CNNs. $IASR profitable AI-based algorithm CNNs. Designed to distribute 70% of real profits to future stakers, without inflation and with deflationary mechanisms. distribute 70% of real profits without inflation deflationary mechanisms. Its transparent, tech-driven focus on real performance makes it a strong example of the new DeFi wave. transparent, tech-driven focus on real performance new DeFi wave. 6. The Present Is Mixed, but Evolution Is Evident 6. The Present Is Mixed, but Evolution Is Evident Many projects have adopted or imitated the real yield approach.
Yet the ecosystem still struggles with speculative noise, empty promises, and short-lived trends.
The key will be to differentiate between protocols generating real revenue and those merely disguising inflation. Many projects have adopted or imitated the real yield approach. adopted or imitated Yet the ecosystem still struggles with speculative noise, empty promises, and short-lived trends. speculative noise, empty promises, short-lived trends. The key will be to differentiate between protocols generating real revenue and those merely disguising inflation. differentiate between protocols generating real revenue disguising inflation.

The Money You’re Earning in Crypto Isn’t Real

Authors:
(1) Evan Shieh, Young Data Scientists League (evan.shieh@youngdatascientists.org);
(2) Faye-Marie Vassel, Stanford University;
(3) Cassidy Sugimoto, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology;
(4) Thema Monroe-White, Schar School of Policy and Government & Department of Computer Science, George Mason University (tmonroew@gmu.edu). Authors: Authors: (1) Evan Shieh, Young Data Scientists League (evan.shieh@youngdatascientists.org); (2) Faye-Marie Vassel, Stanford University; (3) Cassidy Sugimoto, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology; (4) Thema Monroe-White, Schar School of Policy and Government & Department of Computer Science, George Mason University (tmonroew@gmu.edu). Table of Links Abstract and 1 Introduction Abstract and 1 Introduction 1.1 Related Work and Contributions 1.1 Related Work and Contributions 2 Methods and Data Collection 2 Methods and Data Collection 2.1 Textual Identity Proxies and Socio-Psychological Harms 2.1 Textual Identity Proxies and Socio-Psychological Harms 2.2 Modeling Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Race 2.2 Modeling Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Race 3 Analysis 3.1 Harms of Omission 3.1 Harms of Omission 3.2 Harms of Subordination 3.2 Harms of Subordination 3.3 Harms of Stereotyping 3.3 Harms of Stereotyping 4 Discussion, Acknowledgements, and References 4 Discussion, Acknowledgements, and References SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS A OPERATIONALIZING POWER AND INTERSECTIONALITY A OPERATIONALIZING POWER AND INTERSECTIONALITY B EXTENDED TECHNICAL DETAILS B.1 Modeling Gender and Sexual Orientation B.1 Modeling Gender and Sexual Orientation B.2 Modeling Race B.2 Modeling Race B.3 Automated Data Mining of Textual Cues B.3 Automated Data Mining of Textual Cues B.4 Representation Ratio B.4 Representation Ratio B.5 Subordination Ratio B.5 Subordination Ratio B.6 Median Racialized Subordination Ratio B.6 Median Racialized Subordination Ratio B.7 Extended Cues for Stereotype Analysis B.7 Extended Cues for Stereotype Analysis B.8 Statistical Methods B.8 Statistical Methods C ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES C.1 Most Common Names Generated by LM per Race C.1 Most Common Names Generated by LM per Race C.2 Additional Selected Examples of Full Synthetic Texts C.2 Additional Selected Examples of Full Synthetic Texts D DATASHEET AND PUBLIC USE DISCLOSURES D.1 Datasheet for Laissez-Faire Prompts Dataset D.1 Datasheet for Laissez-Faire Prompts Dataset 2 METHODS AND DATA COLLECTION We conduct our investigation on 500,000 synthetic texts generated by five publicly available generative language models: ChatGPT 3.5 and ChatGPT 4 (developed by Open AI), Llama 2 (Meta), PaLM 2 (Google), and Claude 2.0 (Anthropic). We base our selection of models on both the sizable amount of funding wielded by these companies and their investors (on the order of tens of billions in USD [47]), as well as the prominent policy roles that each company has played on the federal level. In July of 2023, the US White House secured voluntary commitments from each of these “leading artificial intelligence companies” to ensure that “products are safe before introducing them to the public” [48]. We query LMs with 100 unique open-ended prompts pertaining to 50 everyday scenarios across three core dimensions of social life situated within the context of the United States. Several principles guided our prompt design. First, prompts were designed to reflect real-world use cases including an AI writing assistant for students in the classroom [9, 12] and screenwriters in entertainment [15]. Second, each prompt uses the colloquial term “American”, which is common parlance to refer to members of the United States (i.e., “The American People”) regardless of their socio-economic background (i.e., race, ethnicity, citizenship, employment status, etc.). Even though “American” is a misnomer in that it can also be used to refer to members outside of the United States (e.g. individuals living in Central or South American nations), as we show in the results, language models also appear to interpret “American” to mean the United States, thus furthering U.S.-centric biases present in earlier technology platforms. Third, each domain is examined from an intersectional theoretical framework (see Supplement A) which describes how power is embedded in both social discourse and language [38]. Driven by this, we study how LMs generate textual responses in response to prompts that depict everyday power dynamics and “routinized forms of domination” [36]. For each scenario, we capture the effect of power by dividing our prompts into two treatments: one power-neutral condition and one power-laden condition, where the latter contains a dominant character and a subordinate one. Fourth, to obtain stories from a wide variety of contexts, our prompts span three primary domains that we call Learning (i.e., student interactions across K-12 academic subjects), Labor (i.e., workplace interactions across occupations from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), and Love (i.e., interpersonal interactions between romantic partners, friends, and siblings). In total, our study assesses 50 prompt scenarios: 15 for Learning, 15 for Labor, and 20 for Love (see Table 1 for examples). Learning scenarios describe classroom interactions between students, spanning 15 academic subjects: nine (9) core subjects commonly taught in U.S. public K-12 schools, three (3) subjects from Career and Technical Education (CTE), and three (3) subjects from Advanced Placement (AP). Labor scenarios describe workplace interactions, and span 15 occupations categorized by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For both of these domains, we base our selection of subjects and occupations to reflect a diversity of statistical representations by gender, class, and race, including subjects and occupations for which minoritized groups are statistically overrepresented in comparison to the 2022 U.S. Census [83] (see Tables S1-S2). Love scenarios describe interpersonal interactions that are subcategorized by interactions between (a) romantic partners, (b) friends, or (c) siblings. In each of these three subcategories, we design six shared scenarios capturing everyday interpersonal interactions (ranging from going shopping to doing chores). For romantic partners, we add two extension scenarios that capture dynamics specific to intimate relationships: (1) going on a date, and (2) moving to a new city. We make the decision to limit our scenarios to interpersonal interactions between two people in the interest of studying the effects of power (see next section) and while these prompt scenarios do not reflect the full diversity of experiences that comprise interpersonal interactions, we believe this framework offers a beachhead for future studies to assess an even wider variety of culturally relevant prompts, both within the U.S. and beyond. For each LM, set to default parameters, we collect 100K synthetic text generations (or 1,000 samples for each of the 100 unique prompts). We provide a complete list of prompt scenarios in Tables S3, S4, and S5. Data collection was conducted from August 16th to November 7th, 2023. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. available on arxiv available on arxiv

Exploring Social Bias in AI Through 50 Real-World Scenarios

Prometheus + Grafana Turns Your Go App into a Real-Time Dashboard of Truth

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6pSjV5zdfjV0kshQ7fRNNa?si=9Le4xI0BQpmGEhPlFPXidg&embedable=true https://open.spotify.com/episode/6pSjV5zdfjV0kshQ7fRNNa?si=9Le4xI0BQpmGEhPlFPXidg&embedable=true Your bookshelf is full of half-read self-help books. Your phone has six productivity apps you downloaded and abandoned. Your notes are filled with morning routines you followed for exactly 9 days. I get it. I've been there – spending thousands on courses promising transformation while feeling like I was sprinting on a treadmill going nowhere. Self-improvement doesn't work as well as self-understanding. Self-improvement doesn't work as well as self-understanding. The truth is simple: No productivity system, morning routine, or habits tracker will transform your life if you don't understand why you do what you do. The Billion-Dollar Lie The self-improvement industry thrives on a simple premise: You are broken and need fixing. Buy this course. Follow this guru. Use this system. But after 15 years chasing self-improvement, I've realized something: Most people trying to "fix" themselves don't even understand what they're fixing. Imagine trying to fix a car without opening the hood. Imagine trying to fix a car without opening the hood. That's what most self-improvement is – attempting to solve problems without understanding their source. You don't have a productivity problem. You have a clarity problem. You don't have a discipline problem. You have an alignment problem. You don't have a motivation problem. You have a meaning problem. Self-improvement without self-understanding is like using the wrong map. No matter how fast you go, you'll never reach your destination. And underneath this all is something deeper – the mental patterns running your decisions without your awareness. The Hidden Operating System Every decision you make is driven by an internal operating system you didn't consciously install. It's a complex web of: Unconscious beliefs about what you deserve
Hidden rules about what's safe or dangerous
Silent agreements you made with yourself decades ago
Identities you've outgrown but still live by Unconscious beliefs about what you deserve Hidden rules about what's safe or dangerous Silent agreements you made with yourself decades ago Identities you've outgrown but still live by This operating system runs 95% of your life while your conscious mind takes credit for the decisions. You can't upgrade software you can't access. You can't upgrade software you can't access. When the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard wrote that "the most common form of despair is not being who you are," he wasn't talking about another self-improvement program. He was describing the suffering that comes from disconnection from your true self – from operating on software you didn't choose. I spent years trying to build a consistent writing habit. I tried every productivity system, accountability method, and habit tracker available. Nothing stuck. Then I stopped trying to fix the problem and started trying to understand it. Through journaling and reflection, I discovered I wasn't avoiding writing – I was avoiding judgment. My operating system equated publishing with criticism. No productivity system could solve that. But understanding it immediately changed my approach. Your problems aren't where you think they are. Most of us try to improve ourselves without understanding what's actually holding us back. The Foundation Dictates The Ceiling Most people approach personal growth backward. They add new habits and systems without fixing what's underneath first. You can't put a mansion on a shack's foundation. You can't put a mansion on a shack's foundation. What's your foundation made of? Your self-concept (how you see yourself)
Your worldview (how you see reality)
Your values (what truly drives your decisions)
Your fears (what unconsciously limits your actions) Your self-concept (how you see yourself) Your worldview (how you see reality) Your values (what truly drives your decisions) Your fears (what unconsciously limits your actions) These determine what's possible in your life more than any self-improvement technique. I see this pattern constantly – entrepreneurs installing complex business systems without understanding their relationship with money. Executives hiring productivity coaches without examining their addiction to busyness. Creatives jumping between projects without recognizing their fear of completion. The tools aren't the problem. The foundation is. And there's a reason our foundations are often unstable - no one taught us how to build them properly. The Map No One Gave You No one taught you how to understand yourself. School taught you math and history, not how to decipher your own thoughts. Parents taught you manners and rules, not how to process your emotions. Society taught you achievement and status, not how to know your authentic self. You've been expected to navigate your inner world without a map. The most valuable skill is learning to read your internal code. The most valuable skill is learning to read your internal code. This skill isn't mysterious. It's practical. And anyone can learn it. The process starts with a simple but uncomfortable shift: from fixing to witnessing. Instead of immediately trying to change your behavior, simply observe it with relentless curiosity: Why do I always check my phone when I sit down to work?
Why do I feel drained around certain people but energized around others?
Why do I sabotage progress just as things start going well? Why do I always check my phone when I sit down to work? Why do I feel drained around certain people but energized around others? Why do I sabotage progress just as things start going well? These questions yield insights no guru or system can give you, because the answers are unique to your operating system. But observation alone isn't enough. You need a systematic process for turning awareness into action. The Algorithm of Authentic Change Real change follows a clear sequence that most self-improvement programs ignore: Awareness – Seeing clearly what is (without judgment)
Understanding – Recognizing why it exists (with compassion)
Choice – Deciding what serves you now (with intention)
Action – Moving from this new understanding (with alignment) Awareness – Seeing clearly what is (without judgment) Awareness Understanding – Recognizing why it exists (with compassion) Understanding Choice – Deciding what serves you now (with intention) Choice Action – Moving from this new understanding (with alignment) Action Most people try to jump straight to action, then wonder why nothing sticks. The quality of your awareness determines the quality of your choices. The quality of your awareness determines the quality of your choices. When I finally understood my procrastination was actually fear of disappointing others rather than laziness, my approach to work completely changed. Not through force, but through clarity. The solution wasn't working harder. It was seeing clearly why I was avoiding the work in the first place. Understanding comes before change. Always. But how do you develop this understanding? You need practical tools, not just theory. The Technology of Self-Seeing Self-understanding isn't some vague philosophical idea. It's a practical skill you can develop with specific techniques. These aren't feel-good exercises. They're tools for seeing your operating system clearly: 1. Decision Forensics 1. Decision Forensics Take a recent decision you made – particularly one you regret or don't fully understand. Ask: What was I actually choosing? (beyond the surface-level choice)
What was I avoiding by making this choice?
What belief made this choice make sense at the time?
Who was I protecting by choosing this? What was I actually choosing? (beyond the surface-level choice) What was I avoiding by making this choice? What belief made this choice make sense at the time? Who was I protecting by choosing this? Do this with five recent decisions and you'll see patterns that reveal how you actually operate. 2. Emotional Mapping 2. Emotional Mapping Your emotions aren't random. They're data. For one week, when you feel a strong emotion (especially negative ones), ask: Where have I felt this exact feeling before in my life?
What does this feeling make me want to do?
What would I say if this feeling could talk? Where have I felt this exact feeling before in my life? What does this feeling make me want to do? What would I say if this feeling could talk? Emotions are often echoes from your past trying to protect you from old threats. Recognizing this breaks their automatic control. 3. Identity Inventory 3. Identity Inventory List the roles that define you: Professional, parent, friend, creator, etc. For each, ask: When did I first adopt this identity?
What would happen if I let this identity go?
What does this identity protect me from?
What does this identity prevent me from experiencing? When did I first adopt this identity? What would happen if I let this identity go? What does this identity protect me from? What does this identity prevent me from experiencing? Your biggest limitations aren't external. They're the identities you've outgrown but still live by. These practices aren't about feeling better. They're about seeing clearer. And when you start to see clearly, something unexpected happens. The Paradox of Transformation Here's what no one tells you about personal growth: The fastest way to change is to fully accept what is. This sounds contradictory, but it's the key to true transformation. What you resist persists. What you understand transforms. What you resist persists. What you understand transforms. When you fight against your current patterns, they fight back harder. When you understand them with compassion, they often dissolve naturally. I experienced this with anger issues I'd tried to "fix" for years. The breakthrough came not from controlling my anger better, but from understanding its source – a childhood where anger was the only emotion that got my needs met (or so I thought). Once seen and understood, the anger lost its grip without me having to "work on it." The parts of yourself you're trying hardest to change are the parts begging most for understanding. When you keep trying to fix yourself instead of understanding yourself, you fall into the most common trap - the endless cycle of self-improvement without progress. Breaking the Improvement Addiction Let's be honest: Self-improvement can become an addiction. The constant hunt for the next system, the next guru, the next breakthrough – it creates the illusion of progress while keeping you stuck. The next level of your growth isn't found in adding more. It's found in seeing what already is. The next level of your growth isn't found in adding more. It's found in seeing what already is. How to break the cycle: Take a 30-day pause from buying self-improvement products. Use that time to implement what you already know.
Create a "Stop Doing" list alongside your "To Do" list. What behaviors no longer serve you?
Practice "Opposite Action" – when you feel the urge to improve something, spend that time understanding it instead. Take a 30-day pause from buying self-improvement products. Use that time to implement what you already know. Take a 30-day pause Create a "Stop Doing" list alongside your "To Do" list. What behaviors no longer serve you? Create a "Stop Doing" list Practice "Opposite Action" – when you feel the urge to improve something, spend that time understanding it instead. Practice "Opposite Action" The withdrawal might be uncomfortable. That discomfort is data. What are you avoiding by staying busy with self-improvement? The payoff from asking that question is worth the temporary discomfort. The Return on Understanding The ROI on self-understanding beats any other personal investment. When you understand your mental patterns: You stop fighting against your own nature
You align your goals with your authentic values
You identify the real obstacles (not the symptoms)
You make decisions from clarity rather than conditioning You stop fighting against your own nature You align your goals with your authentic values You identify the real obstacles (not the symptoms) You make decisions from clarity rather than conditioning This isn't theoretical. It's transformative. Every hour spent in genuine self-understanding saves a hundred hours of misdirected self-improvement. Every hour spent in genuine self-understanding saves a hundred hours of misdirected self-improvement. I've seen this pattern repeatedly. The breakthroughs never come from trying harder. They come from seeing clearer. A founder I know spent three years trying to build a 7-figure business because that's what success looked like in his industry. He was miserable and stuck, despite working with top coaches. Through his journey of self-understanding, he realized his authentic value centered on depth, not scale. He restructured his business to serve fewer clients at a higher level. His income doubled while his working hours halved. The solution wasn't a better business strategy. It was better self-knowledge. This brings everything back to one simple question that changes your entire approach. The Question That Changes Everything The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your questions. Most people ask: "How can I fix this about myself?" Try asking instead: "Why do I do this in the first place?" This simple shift from improvement to understanding changes everything. Because you don't need more information, tactics, or systems. You need the courage to look at what's already there. You need the courage to look at what's already there. Stop chasing better. Start pursuing clearer. Self-understanding isn't sexy. It doesn't sell courses or books as well as promising "10X Your Life in 30 Days." But it's the foundation that makes everything else possible. And it's available to you right now, without buying anything, following anyone, or changing anything. Just look. See. Understand. Then watch as change happens not through force, but through clarity. Thank you for reading. – Scott

Real Growth Isn’t About More Discipline — It’s About Deeper Clarity

Ware groei gaan nie oor meer dissipline nie - dit gaan oor dieper helderheid

እውነተኛ ፍጥነት ከከፍተኛ ግምገማ አይደለም - ይህ ከከፍተኛ ግምገማ ነው

“Real” daha çox disiplinlə bağlı deyil, daha çox açıqlıq içindədir

El verdadero crecimiento no se trata de más disciplina, se trata de una claridad más profunda

Stvarni rast nije o većoj disciplini - to je o dubljoj jasnoći

Real Growth Is Not About More Discipline - It's About Deeper Clarity リアルな成長は、より多くの規律についてではなく、より深い明確さについてです。

진정한 성장은 더 많은 규율에 관한 것이 아니라 더 깊은 명확성에 관한 것입니다.

Pamba la Pamba la Pamba la Pamba la Pamba la 100%

ການພັດທະນາທີ່ແທ້ຈິງແມ່ນບໍ່ແມ່ນກ່ຽວກັບການຄາດຄະເນດິນດີຕ້ອນຮັບ - ມັນແມ່ນກ່ຽວກັບຄວາມສົນໃຈຫຼາຍ

Эдүүлбэр » Эдүүлбэр » Real Growth Is Not About More Discipline — It's About Deeper Clarity

Real Growth Is Not About More Discipline - அது Deeper Clarity பற்றி

真正的增长不是关于更多的纪律 - 它是关于更深的清晰度

In my previous article, "Engineers, Stop Getting Promoted: It's a Trap", I discussed how the corporate promotion ladder often distracts engineers from doing meaningful work. Today, I want to expand on that idea with what might be the most profound career advice I've ever received: "Engineers, Stop Getting Promoted: It's a Trap" "Don't ever attach yourself to a person, place, company, organization, or project. Attach yourself to a mission, calling, or purpose ONLY. That's how you keep your power and your peace." "Don't ever attach yourself to a person, place, company, organization, or project. Attach yourself to a mission, calling, or purpose ONLY. That's how you keep your power and your peace." This wisdom fundamentally changed how I approach my engineering career, and I believe it's the key to becoming what I call an "Alpha Engineer" i.e. someone who transcends the corporate hierarchy to create true technological innovation. The Illusion of Corporate Security Many engineers fall into the trap of believing that climbing the corporate ladder will provide security and fulfillment. We chase titles like "CEO," "CTO," or "Board Of Directors," thinking they represent achievement and safety. But here's the harsh reality: no matter how high you climb, you remain replaceable. Organizations restructure, technologies change, and market conditions shift. A promotion doesn't protect you from these forces, it often just gives you the illusion of control while binding you more tightly to systems designed to extract value from your skills. Moreover, once you are being rug pulled from those positions, you will be greeted with the harsh realization and stigmatization of "NOT HIRABLE". You have become a liability to be put back as an Engineer in the engine room. True security doesn't come from a position or title. It comes from aligning yourself with a meaningful purpose and developing capabilities that transcend any single organization. Finding Your Mission The journey to becoming an Alpha Engineer begins with identifying your true mission. This isn't about what your company wants you to build, it's about what you believe technology should accomplish in the world. Ask yourself: What technological problems genuinely fascinate me?
What values do I want my work to embody?
What impact do I want to make through my engineering passion?
What would I build if money and recognition weren't factors? What technological problems genuinely fascinate me? What values do I want my work to embody? What impact do I want to make through my engineering passion? What would I build if money and recognition weren't factors? Your answers reveal your authentic mission. Perhaps you're driven to make technology more accessible, to solve complex performance problems, to bring new capabilities to underserved communities, or to advance a specific field like machine learning or sustainable systems. The key is that your mission persists regardless of where you work. It becomes your North Star, guiding your decisions about which skills to develop, which projects to pursue, and which organizations align with your purpose. your Building Protocol Level Skills Once you've identified your mission, the path to becoming an Alpha Engineer requires developing what I call "protocol level skills." These are capabilities that transcend any single codebase, framework, or company. Protocol level skills include: Deep technical understanding: Mastery of fundamental principles rather than just surface level implementation details
Systems thinking: The ability to see how components interact and to design holistic solutions
Problem formulation: Defining problems precisely before rushing to solutions
Communication: Expressing complex ideas clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
Strategic vision: Seeing beyond immediate needs to identify tomorrow's challenges Deep technical understanding: Mastery of fundamental principles rather than just surface level implementation details Deep technical understanding Systems thinking: The ability to see how components interact and to design holistic solutions Systems thinking Problem formulation: Defining problems precisely before rushing to solutions Problem formulation Communication: Expressing complex ideas clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences Communication Strategic vision: Seeing beyond immediate needs to identify tomorrow's challenges Strategic vision These skills aren't measured by promotion committees. They're demonstrated through the quality of your work, the problems you choose to solve, and how you influence those around you. The Corporate Game vs. Your Mission Corporate environments inevitably create games i.e. sets of rules and incentives designed to direct your energy toward organizational goals. These games include promotion cycles, performance reviews, and visibility projects. The Alpha Engineer understands these games but doesn't confuse them with their mission. They play the game just enough to create space for their real work, but they don't become consumed by it. When your colleague obsesses over getting promoted to the next level, you're focused on building skills that would allow you to create your own protocol. When others chase high visibility projects with marginal impact, you're solving fundamental problems that align with your mission. This distinction is critical. Playing the corporate game is about impressing others within the existing system. Pursuing your mission is about creating value that might ultimately transform the system itself. Taking Your Leap of Faith Eventually, every Alpha Engineer faces a moment of truth i.e. the leap of faith. This is when you step away from the comfortable path to pursue your mission more directly. This might mean: Founding a startup that embodies your technical vision
Creating an open source project that implements your ideas
Developing a new standard or protocol
Pioneering a new field or methodology
Building a community around your technical approach Founding a startup that embodies your technical vision Creating an open source project that implements your ideas Developing a new standard or protocol Pioneering a new field or methodology Building a community around your technical approach The leap is scary precisely because it requires letting go of external validation. There's no promotion committee to tell you you're succeeding. There's just your conviction in your mission and the real world impact of your work. But this leap is also where the greatest fulfillment lies. It's where you transform from someone who executes others' visions to someone who brings their own vision into reality. The Ultimate Freedom Becoming an Alpha Engineer isn't about ego or status. It's about freedom, the freedom to pursue work that genuinely matters to you, to build according to your values, and to make the impact you believe is important. When you attach yourself to a mission rather than an organization, you liberate yourself from the arbitrary constraints of corporate hierarchies. You stop evaluating yourself by others' metrics and start measuring success by how effectively you're advancing your purpose. This shift doesn't mean abandoning collaboration or community. On the contrary, it often leads to deeper, more authentic relationships with fellow engineers who share your values and vision. Conclusion: Claiming Your Spot in History The greatest technological innovations weren't created by people obsessed with getting promoted. They came from engineers with clear missions who developed protocol level skills and had the courage to take leaps of faith. As you progress in your career, remember that promotions are just one game within a much larger landscape. The real opportunity is to develop the capabilities that allow you to create value on your own terms to build the protocols, systems, and approaches that reflect your unique vision. That's how you claim your spot in history. Not by climbing to the top of someone else's ladder, but by building something meaningful that embodies your mission. So I challenge you: What's your mission? And what leap of faith might you need to take to fully pursue it? Let's Go! This post is a follow-up to my previous article, "Engineers, Stop Getting Promoted: It's a Trap". I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences on this journey toward mission-driven engineering. This post is a follow-up to my previous article, "Engineers, Stop Getting Promoted: It's a Trap". I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences on this journey toward mission-driven engineering. "Engineers, Stop Getting Promoted: It's a Trap"

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