The Core Question: What Does It Mean to Be Useful?
The central theme of the article addresses the transition from being a passive or burdensome individual to becoming a highly resourceful asset to family, teams, and society. The author explores how to maximize one’s contribution through a structured, three-step evolution ranging from personal behavior to business strategy.
Step 1: The Foundation is Non-Interference
The first step to utility is ensuring you are not a burden. In both family and professional settings, an individual who fails to manage their own tasks or distracts others negatively impacts collective morale. Usefulness begins with self-sufficiency and the discipline to not hinder those who are working for the common good.
Step 2: Acquiring High-Value Skills
To move from neutral to positive utility, one must acquire specific skills that solve problems for others. The author suggests focusing on three critical areas where most people lack sufficient knowledge:
- Finance: Understanding investments, taxes, and banking products to avoid poor decisions.
- Health: Knowledge of diet and exercise to improve quality of life and longevity.
- Technology: Navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of smart devices and hardware.
Additionally, practical life skills—such as first aid, car maintenance, and digital security—are cited as essential ways to provide immediate value to one’s environment.
Step 3: The Business of Utility (The Musk Model)
Drawing on an interview with Elon Musk, the article presents a mathematical definition of usefulness in a business context. Utility is defined as the value of the solution relative to current options multiplied by the number of people it reaches. This leaves two viable paths to success:
- Creating a massive improvement for a small number of people.
- Creating a small improvement for a massive number of people.
Authenticity as a Competitive Advantage
The article concludes by analyzing the podcast industry (specifically Joe Rogan’s success) to highlight that authenticity is a form of utility. Individual creators often defeat corporations because the internet favors genuine human connection over polished, corporate narratives. In an era of AI-generated content, human authenticity and truth remain distinct competitive advantages.
Mentoring question
If you applied Elon Musk’s formula for utility to your current career, are you currently maximizing your impact by solving a deep problem for a few, or a broad problem for many?
Source: https://52notatki.substack.com/p/jak-byc-uzytecznym-i-jeden-kierunek