You have to keep a dozen of your favorite problems constantly present in your mind, although by and large they will lay in a dormant state. Every time you hear or read a new trick or a new result, test it against each of your twelve problems to see whether it helps. Every once in a while there will be a hit, and people will say, “How did he do it? He must be a genius!”
—Richard Feynman via “Forte, Tiago. Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential (p. 62). Simon Element / Simon Acumen.”
Feynman’s approach encouraged him to follow his interests wherever they might lead. He posed questions and constantly scanned for solutions to long-standing problems in his reading, conversations, and everyday life. When he found one, he could make a connection that looked to others like a flash of unparalleled brilliance.
Ask yourself, “What are the questions I’ve always been interested in?”
In the spirit of Richard Feynman’s 12 problems, here are some questions to keep in mind as we go about our business in 2025:
- How do we raise more funds?
- How do we keep our community safe while including more people?
- How do we set boundaries to protect our mental health without being called performative?
- How do we help people survive the dismantling of healthcare systems and the administrative state?
- How do we increase community engagement in Discord and on social media?
- How do we support our 4 pillars: Mutual Aid, Creator Grants, Learning Space, Open Research?
- How do we resist behaviorism in education and healthcare?
- Who should we add to our board?
What should we add?
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