Feb 21 - Creating a Haven in a World of Chaos & Change

There is one thing you and I can learn to do in times like these - something that will ultimately do the most good for the most people. It is this: We can take this opportunity to learn how to be a haven.

S3T Podcast Feb 22

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In this Issue...

🌊 Be the Calm, Create the Haven

• Anchor in What Matters – Reconnect daily with faith, love, wisdom, or gratitude to stay grounded.
• Cultivate Stillness – Meditate, pray, journal, or take mindful walks to reset your inner peace.
• Curate Your Environment – Reduce noise, clutter, and negativity; create spaces that promote calm.
• Be a Safe Harbor – Offer non-judgmental listening and understanding before giving advice.
• Let Go of Control – Not every battle needs to be fought; focus on what truly matters.

🌍 Geopolitical & Economic Shifts

• Rare Earth Geopolitics – The U.S. & Russia vie for Ukraine’s mineral wealth as China seeks involvement.
• Healthcare Economics – Denying healthcare has societal costs; a better financial model is needed.
• Investment Risks – High valuations in AI & crypto sectors raise fears of market corrections.
• U.S. Tariff Impacts – Germany’s economic slowdown signals broader trade risks.
• Defense Spending Surge – European nations ramp up military budgets amid NATO uncertainties.

🤖 Emerging Tech & Innovation

• Regulatory Clarity for Crypto – The GENIUS Act aims to set stablecoin and digital asset regulations.
• Crypto Investment Tools – The COIN50 Index offers diversified exposure to top cryptocurrencies.
• AI Cost Revolution – Budget AI models like S1 challenge industry giants.
• Free AI Research Tools – Perplexity AI's "Deep Research" offers advanced capabilities at no cost.
• EU’s AI Push – €50B public & €150B private investment to compete in the AI race.

🏆 Change Leadership Insights

• Multidisciplinary Collaboration – Success requires experts from diverse fields working as a team.
• Beyond Command & Control – Traditional leadership structures no longer ensure enterprise success.
• Leveraging Emerging Tech – GenAI, Web3, and other tools drive better collaboration and outcomes.
• Avoiding Catastrophic Loss – A failure to adapt to new collaboration models risks organizational decline.
• S3T Playbook Guidance – This series teaches leaders how to harmonize expertise for impactful change.

[perspective]

What Can Be Done?

In the midst of so much rapid change, relentless disruption, rising anxiety and what feels like sheer mayhem, it’s so easy to just feel overwhelmed and wonder: What can I do? With so much change and uncertainty, it’s understandable to feel exhausted and overwhelmed.

If you’re feeling that way, you’re not alone. Amid all this fast and accelerating pace of change, many people are wondering, what is the one thing that would be most important and most helpful?

There is one thing you and I can learn to do in times like these - something that will ultimately do the most good for the most people. It is this:

We can take this opportunity to learn how to be a haven.

Let your presence be a place of calm. Make your home a haven.

Let the places you work likewise be places of clarity and fruitful focus. In a world that feels increasingly chaotic, be the one who brings calm.

Rather than living and thinking in a reactionary way, we can live intentionally. Rather than being ruled by frustration, anger, or fear, we can actually choose to be led by love.

From love flows peace. From peace comes clarity. And with clarity, we can do the quiet, patient work that truly matters—nurturing others day by day, making good things happen, and moving forward with purpose.

Bring the calm. Be the haven. But how?

How to bring calm & create havens

It’s one thing to want to bring peace—it’s another to become a peaceful presence in a chaotic world. So how do you do it? How do you become the calm, the haven others need?

Here are some ways...and realize: You don’t have to do all of these at once. Even one small act of calm—one deep breath, one moment of stillness, one kind word—can shift the energy around you.

• Anchor in What Matters – Reconnect daily to what is true and lasting—faith, love, wisdom, or simple gratitude. Fear grows when we lose perspective, or when we lose our connection to these true and lasting things. Ground yourself before facing the world.
• Cultivate a habit of stillness – Meditate, pray, walk in nature, journal—find practices that reset your inner world so you can bring peace outwardly.
• Curate Your Environment – Your surroundings influence your inner state. Keep your home, workspace, and personal habits aligned with calm—less noise and clutter, more beauty, more light.
• Be a Safe Harbor for Others – People feel peace where they feel safe. Listen without judgment. Offer understanding before advice. Let your presence be a place where others can breathe.
• Slow your reactions – When faced with stress, pause. Take a breath. Give yourself space before responding. A non-reactive presence sets the tone for clarity and wisdom.
• Choose your words with patience – Speak in a way that de-escalates. Words can either fuel chaos or diffuse it. Let your words bring perspective, assurance, and steadiness. And remember, you don't have to explain everything or get all your points across right now. People change and learn over time.
• Let Go of What You Can’t Control – Not everything needs a response. Not every argument has to be won right now. Not everything is yours to carry. Focus your energy where it truly matters.

The world doesn’t need more people caught in the storm—it needs more who steady the ship. Amid all the change and chaos, one truth is clear: the work remains - the work of doing good, nurturing others and patiently bringing intentional beneficial change to this world.

Be the calm. Create the haven. Let peace begin with you.

#CalmPresence #SteadyLeadership #BeTheHaven

[macro-economics]

Geopolitical Shifts

Full Access Members: See the S3T Economic Dashboard for the Top 500+ US & International real-time economic indicators.

The US & Russia appear to be plotting how to carve up access to Ukraine's rare earth mineral deposits, as China looks for a way to get involved. - As noted in previous editions of S3T, this is just a continuation of the shift from oil-based geopolitics to rare earth minerals-based geopolitics - a shift that will spotlight locations like Ukraine and Greenland. See this collection of detailed maps showing Ukraine's mineral deposits.

For decades, global power politics were all about ensuring an uninterrupted flow of oil, from oil fields to gas stations. This was the primary organizing principle for alliances, conflicts, market movements. Today we still need oil (for now) but our phones, solar grids, bitcoin miners and AI data centers need rare earth minerals more. The kicker: Rare earth mineral deposits are not in the same locations as oil. This is going to drive a ragged set of conflicts - especially given the amoral approach being demonstrated.

Societal Costs of the healthcare status quo

United Shareholders are right - there is a societal and economic cost to denying healthcare. When will we come up with a healthcare financial equation that reflects that reality? It probably needs to start with tax policy: our society has a direct dependence on healthy people to run our economy.

Shifts in Investment Risk-Reward Dynamics:

The prolonged bull market has led investors to express concerns over potential market imbalances. Elevated valuations and increased speculative activities in sectors like AI and cryptocurrencies raise risk of correction.

U.S. Tariff impacts: Germany as "canary in the coal mine?"

Recent U.S. tariffs have raised concerns about potential negative impacts on global trade. Germany faces particular risks, with projections suggesting stalled economic growth this year, potentially falling further over the next three years. Also: European Defense Spending Surge: European defense stocks have spiked as governments face pressure to increase military spending. This trend is at least partly driven by fears that the US is abandoning NATO.

These developments underscore the connections between tech innovation, political change, and economics. Leaders are advised to closely monitor these trends to inform strategic decision-making and maintain a competitive edge in their respective industries.

[emerging tech]

As Crypto rises, AI may be hitting a consolidation point

Recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI), cryptocurrency, and macroeconomic policies present critical insights for leaders navigating these dynamic sectors.

Regulatory Progress for Digital Assets

The White House, under AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks, has introduced initiatives focusing on stablecoin legislation and a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets. The proposed GENIUS Act aims to establish clear guidelines for stablecoin issuers, indicating a significant step toward regulatory clarity in the crypto space.

Crypto Index Fund: the COIN50

Coinbase, in partnership with Market Vector Indexes, has introduced the COIN50 Index, providing investors with diversified exposure to the top 50 crypto assets. This development offers a streamlined approach for those seeking broad coverage of the digital asset market.

Intensifying AI Competition

The AI landscape has been becoming more competitive with the emergence of cost-effective models. Notably, Stanford University and the University of Washington developed the S1 model for under $50, challenging established players and democratizing AI development.

Now Perplexity AI has launched a free "Deep Research" tool, providing users with advanced research capabilities without the high costs associated with similar services.

European AI Investment Initiatives: The European Union has announced a €50 billion investment to bolster its AI industry, complemented by a €150 billion private sector pledge. This initiative aims to enhance Europe's competitiveness in the global AI arena, though there are questions about how the EU will finance AI alongside its planned increases in military spend.

[change leadership learning series]

This week's lesson: Harmonize different kinds of expertise to achieve success.

Today's change leadership opportunities require multidisciplinary collaboration: getting very smart people with divergent sets of expertise from different organizations to work together as one team toward a desired outcome.

This is not easy, and it's different from the command and control delegation hierarchy of the 2oth century. But it is the only way to avoid a brand and enterprise level catastrophic loss of control. This S3T Playbook shows you how to harmonize different kinds of expertise to achieve a desired outcome using GenAI, Web3 and other emerging technologies.

This is a continuation of the 301 level of the S3T Change Leadership Learning Series.

[playbooks]

• Spend Wisely in a Hype-Driven World
• Gaining Buy-in for Data Modernization
• Flipping the Script: Understanding and Changing Internal & Macro Narratives
• Shift to effective gatekeeping in the age of generative AI
• How to Stop Zombie Projects from Sapping your Focus and Resources
• Harmonize Different Kinds of Expertise to Achieve Success
• Addressing issues related to uneven accountability
• Validating AI use cases
• 6 Proven Ways to Resolve Conflicts

See Full List of S3T Playbooks

Opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not reflect the official positions of companies or organizations those individuals may be affiliated with. Not financial, investment or legal advice, and no offers for securities or investment opportunities are intended. Mentions should not be construed as endorsements. Authors or guests may hold assets discussed or may have interests in companies mentioned.