What really matters #3

?? Life update: Do you have time to think?

With Covid slowing down, I feel like we all are rushing to catch up on what we missed. We want to do everything: excel at work, do many projects, attend every event, meet all our friends, travel everywhere... Everything is a priority.

But, something’s lost in an environment of manic productivity: deep thinking — the kind where you make unexpected connections, ask yourself revealing questions and refocus your attention on what you determine to be true priorities. I am talking about the moments of thinking when information becomes insight, moments that can lead to creative whirlwinds.

Especially in our work lives, the new normal seems to be more and more of reactive nature. Working on climate change, you are forced to focus on such a tiny little part of the solution that you tend to lose sight of the big picture. And the longer you work on a topic, the more you can lose direction. When we constantly operate in this state, it can become too easy to think that our work is the most important and urgent. But that is often not true.

Slowing down is essential to re-establish perspective and, in turn, judgment. Your judgment is based on how well you can keep the big picture view while executing your day-to-day tasks. Why are things occurring as they are? What is really necessary? How do the various single pieces I’m involved in fit into the grand scheme of things? It all comes back to having enough time to think. To have unexpected connections. To establish perspective. To be creative.

Slow down to speed up - it’s worth it long term. Who agrees?

?? Brussels in-person events are back!

TEDx Brussels. 10 inspiring speakers, meetings with Brussels stakeholders, food & drinks, networking moments and 1000 participants. This TEDx will offer a variety of ideas to share: From poverty, women in tech, AI and space to building sustainability, climate crisis & agriculture! 14 May, 4 pm. Brussels.

Brussels Economic Forum. Join award-winning young economists, academics and high-level speakers from across the world to discuss how we can build a fair, green and digital economy for the future. What is the economy for the next generation? 17 May, 10.30 am. Brussels.

Peer Mentorship Space Launch Event by Christina Wunder. A get together of peers in policy, tech or sustainability to break the silence around specific topics - verbalising and sharing their experiences and supporting each other with their learnings. 18 May, 6 pm. Brussels.

?? What I loved this month

?? Speed & Scale - An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now by John Doerr. The book is comprehensive, quantitative, and precise yet highly accessible to people who are intelligent but do not have domain knowledge. Part 1 puts forward a plan to get to net-zero by 2050, with specific objectives and key results to track progress. The second part is about getting it done - politics, policy, movements, and investment. A helpful framework to think about solving the climate crisis. #BigPicture

?? Storytel. This app gives you access to audiobooks & ebooks in languages of your choice for EUR 2.50 per month - but any audiobook platform does the job. Recently, listening to fiction books has been my go-to to relax and enjoy the sun. #Thinking

?? Zülfü Livaneli. I want to introduce you to my favourite thinker and role model. He is a Turkish musician, composer, author, and director. Livaneli is known for his novels that interweave diverse social and historical backgrounds, figures, and incidents. A highly praised author by prominent literary critics worldwide - I recommend all of his books. #Perspective