Starting today, you can change your trajectory. Plus: The two-person team that scaled to billions, the reality of the “Pedro Pascal Overdose,” and what’s really unfolding in Thailand.
Hey Friend,
Welcome! This is your weekly burst of curated insights covering Tech, the Creator Economy, Pop Culture, and Business — all handpicked just for you by Nish.
I’m Nishat Shahriyar (Nish), and honestly, I’m so glad you decided to join!
Curious Minds, Curated Finds. You’re now one of over 2,000 curious minds who get my personal links and thoughts delivered every single week. Inside, you’ll always find 4 must-see links alongside my personal Thought, Photo, and Quote of the Week.
Let’s dive into today’s issue:
- How To Get Ahead of 99% of People (Starting Today)
- Scaling to Billions with a Team of Two
- What creators actually need to grow
- The Pedro Pascal Overdose
- What’s Really Going On in Thailand
Weekly NishIsHere! – Issue #97
♣ Thought of the Week
◘ How To Get Ahead of 99% of People (Starting Today)
In this video, Sam Parr shares a contrarian formula for living a good life by inverting five common behaviors that typically lead to misery. Instead of seeking happiness directly, he argues that avoiding these specific traps can lead to a more fulfilling life:
- Have a Best Friend: Contrary to the idea of having many casual acquaintances, Aristotle noted that deep, virtuous friendships are the most valuable. Research (such as the 85-year Harvard study) confirms that the quality of close relationships is the number one predictor of long-term health and happiness.
- Decide and Act: Miserable people often stay in perpetual “research mode.” By making time-bound decisions, even reversible ones, you can manufacture happiness through action and avoid the paralysis of over-thinking.
- Set Goals and Track Progress: Drawing inspiration from John Rockefeller, Sam emphasizes the necessity of pairing SMART goals with consistent tracking (spending, fitness, or career metrics). Breaking big goals into smaller, daily habits provides the necessary structure to avoid distractions.
- Commit to a Path: Frequently switching projects or career paths prevents mastery and the power of compounding. Success often requires pushing through the period where the scoreboard shows zero results, as mastery takes significant, sustained effort.
- Invest in Index Funds: Rather than trying to be a stock-picking genius, which rarely outperforms the market, Sam advises investing in low-cost index funds. The key to wealth is patience and time in the market, not timing the market.
♣ Tech
◘ Scaling to Billions with a Team of Two
Can two people build a $1.8 billion company? By ruthlessly leveraging AI as a force multiplier, two brothers did exactly that, replacing traditional departments with autonomous workflows.
It’s the ultimate blueprint for high-agency, hyper-efficient growth. But this new era of ultra-lean operations comes with a distinct cultural trade-off: unparalleled efficiency, but a starkly isolated, lonely journey at the top.
♣ Creator Economy
◘ What creators actually need to grow
Milly Tamati, founder of Generalist World, built a 150,000-person network from a remote island using a minimalist tech stack centered on beehiiv. She challenges the need to niche down” myth, advocating for multifaceted careers.
Her success stems from owning her audience via newsletters and keeping operations simple with tools like beehiiv, Slack, and Claude. Milly emphasizes dreaming bigger to scale businesses from small ideas to major publications.
♣ Pop Culture
◘ The Pedro Pascal Overdose
Pedro Pascal is everywhere. But behind all of it is a story few people know. Before Game of Thrones, before The Last of Us, before The Mandalorian, Pedro was auditioning non-stop, struggling to make rent, and grieving the loss of the person who meant everything to him.
He carried that pain with him through decades of rejection, through every small part and missed opportunity. This is a story about fame, family, and the cost of giving everything you have.
♣ Business
◘ What’s Really Going On in Thailand
Thailand might be famous for its beaches and temples, but beneath the surface lies a massive hidden economy.
In this deep-dive explainer, ASIAN BOSS breaks down how Thailand built its $50 billion tourism empire and the surprising parallel industries that quietly power its economy today. From crypto-fueled real estate to underground tourism networks, discover the side of Thailand no one talks about.
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♣ Photo of the Week
◘ The windmill.
♣ Quote of the Week
◘ There’s a lot of truth in this.
Steady habits and a calm mind don’t seem like much, but they carry you a long way over time.
It’s the kind of stuff that pays off little by little, then all at once.
Before You Go…
What did you enjoy most in this edition? Hit reply, I personally read every response!
Forward this to a friend who’d appreciate these insights.
Until next week, Nish
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