interesthings #8 - Swan events

Good morning 😁! Hope you had a great weekend.

This weekend the cycling Spring Classics kicked off with a Jumbo-Visma masterclass in both Omloop het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne. Impressive.

This interesthings is about Black and Grey Swan events and how you can prepare for one in your life. The Covid-19 pandemic is such an example of a Black Swan event.

In the cycling thought I want to tell you about my bike insurance with Laka, and how it benefits me.

Have fun reading and enjoy your week🤩.

- Mark

Thoughts - Swan Events 🦢

Sometimes, unusual and unpredictable events happen. Some of these events are Swan events, events that have big impacts on the future.

One of the most recent Swan events - Covid-19 - had (obviously) a huge impact. This impact could be beneficial or not.

A few people I spoke to recently had their lives positively impacted by Covid-19. This could be starting a succesful podcast or a clothing brand. This Black Swan event gave people an impulse to do something new and make a living out of it.

For myself, Covid-19 had a huge impact. I became a cyclist, started a career as a projectmanager and learned a lot about myself. This Black Swan event gave me the boost I needed to kickstart my late 20s in the best way possible.

In this thoughts I want to explain to you what a Black and Grey Swan event is, how to prepare for one and deal with such an event. Let’s start with the 2 types of Swan events, Black and Grey ones.

Black Swan events

These are the events that are unusual, unpredictable and have huge impact. A few of the well-known Black Swan events are:

• 9/11

• World War II

• The Nuclear ramp of Fukushima

These events could not be predicted, were unexpected and had great impact on world history.

Grey Swan events

These events are predictable and avoidable but have a huge impact on the world. Some White Swan events are:

• Covid-19 (predicted by Bill Gates in this TED talk in 2015)

• Great Britain leaving the EU

• Climate Change (predicted by multiple scientists in the 1900s but ignored)

Governments and organisations could have prevented these Grey Swan events, but chose not to. These events are known and will happen, but the impact of these events is not clear. We never knew the impact that Covid-19 or Climate change would have but we knew that these could happen some day.

Now we feel the impacts of these Grey Swan events and act in retrospect while these could have been prevented.

Swan events in your life

The previously mentioned events had worldwide impact, but Swan events happen in our personal lives too. The death of a beloved one, sudden unemployment or a health related event can impact our lives in a way that you can’t imagine now.

Especially Swan events are hard to predict and can have big impacts on life. But can we prepare for some of the Grey Swan events such as unemployment or the death of a beloved one (which is something we all have to deal with some day).

Dealing with Grey and Black Swan events

How can you prepare yourself for a Grey Swan event, and how can you deal with one? I have some tips that you could use preparing:

1. Dealing: You are not alone

The first thing you have to note is that most of the Swan events you encounter in life are common. There are other people that have dealt with similar situations such as the loss of a beloved one or unemployment. You are not alone. Talk with other people and learn from the way they dealt with these situations.

2. Dealing: Look at your life from a different perspective

Swan events give us the unique ability to look at life from a distance. They ground you. They give you time to reflect on your life.

Spend time reflecting on life. Go for long walks, treat yourself. Write down what you do and what you want to do. Use this guide for questions that can help you with reflecting.

3. Benefitting: Try something new

Someone I met recently began podcasting in Covid-19. Out of boredom she started podcasting with a friend of her and this podcast grew to one of the best listened to in the Netherlands.

Some Swan events give you the space to start new things. The thing is, you have to see these opportunities as moments for change. Missing these moments keeps you on the path you are on, and that may not be a beneficial path.

4. Preparing: Practice resilience

Being resilience gives you the mental space to cope with Swan events. Practicing resilience can be done by:

• Training your mental health 🧠

• Connecting with others and make meaningful connections 🔗

• Taking care of yourself. Treat yourself sometimes ☀️

• Experiencing the beauty of nature 🍀

• Disconnecting from your phone and laptop 💻

Practicing resilience in good times prepares you for Grey and Black Swan events. By having a strong mental base you have more room to cope with life changing events.

How I prepare for Swan events

For me, cycling serves as a means of building mental strength and resilience. I find solace in nature while cycling, which prepares me for challenging times ahead.

When facing tough situations, cycling acts as a coping mechanism that helps me release pent-up emotions and provides me with mental space.

Apart from cycling, I also find making meaningful connections to be valuable in preparing for difficult times. Adopting a Socratic lifestyle has allowed me to refrain from judging others during conversations and instead learn from them. Through this approach, I am able to enjoy life and avoid unnecessary stress caused by minor issues or people.

Will this prepare me in full for a Black Swan event? Of course not. But it gives me the confidence that I am able to deal with these events.

Cycling - Bike insurance 👨‍💼

Over the past few weeks, my bike has been undergoing repairs at Canyon. During the repairs, issues were discovered that resulted from a fall I had last year 😖, and I was required to pay for the subsequent repairs.

The total cost of the repairs amounted to approximately 700 euros, which is a considerable amount of money. Thankfully, the cost was fully covered by my bike insurance provider, Laka. In light of this, I would like to share some insights about Laka and why you should consider obtaining bike insurance.

First and foremost, having insurance provides a sense of security. Bikes can be costly investments, and accidents are not uncommon. Additionally, insurance plans come with additional benefits, such as emergency assistance in case of a breakdown, which is especially helpful if you find yourself stranded in a remote location.

Laka's insurance coverage extends to all possible bike-related incidents, including accidents that occur during unpaid racing events. Although the insurance premium is not cheap, I pay a hefty €60 each month based on the value of my bike, it is undoubtedly worth the investment. If you have a less expensive bike, your monthly premium would be significantly lower.

If you're interested in trying Laka, use this link to receive €20 off your first month of insurance.

Happy riding!

Things -

• This weekend I watched the movie ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’, about friendship, boredom and the inevitable. The movie is set in Ireland, which instantly became one of the top places on my bucketlist. Watch the trailer below.

• This picture of Steve Jobs watching someone use a MacBook

• It has been one year since the terrible attack on Ukraine. The way that humanity responded to this terrifying war gives me hope. People supporting others and helping the people of Ukraine. Donate to the Ukrainian Red Cross here. Let’s hope and pray for an end.

• I found a list of companies that supported the Holocaust. There are some surprisingly well-know companies that have a really dark tie with the Holocause such as Nestle, Maggi, Adidas and Chase Bank.

• Go outside and enjoy nature.

Songs - C’era una volta il west (Finale) by Ennio Morricone

Recently I attended a tribute concert to the late Ennio Morricone. A true artist in cinematic music. He made so many beautiful songs that could be considered a part of music history. Songs such as Gabriel’s Oboe and The Good, The Bag and the Ugly soundtrack.

One song stands out for me. When listening to the concert, the orchestra played C’era una volta il west (Finale). This was one of the most beautiful things I ever heard and it gave goosebumps to everyone in the room.

Listen to C’era una volta il west (Finale) by Ennio Morricone on Apple Music and Spotify

Thanks for reading this week’s interesthings. My goal is to have 50 subscribers by the end of March. So if you like this content and want to follow this newsletter, consider subscribing 😁.

Have a great week.

- Mark