Maks Kubicki Show Notes

Key Points:

• Maks says that people underestimate the amount of work they can do in a year and overestimate the work they can do in a day. He is adamant that you can do an incredible amount of work in a month if you focus.
• When faced with challenges, Maks has reframed his mindset to “show himself that he can complete the challenge at hand.”
• The best way to learn something new is to embrace the difficulty of a new activity. Maks suggests accepting the challenge rather than fearing it.
• Maks defines success as continuous improvement daily. He feels that he can always do better and improvement in himself or his work. He encourages asking yourself “Am I better today than I was yesterday?” 
• Like Quentin Barrial, Maks feels that setting goals suggests a ceiling, whereas setting milestones allows for continuous improvement. When setting milestones, set realistically unrealistic ones.
• Maks advocates for distributing work efficiently rather than taking it all on at once. Given his programming background, he tries to disassemble an issue, which then gives him a plan and timeline to solve the issue.
• Sleeping 8-9 hours helps set your circadian rhythm, or “internal clock” and Maks prioritizes a consistent sleep schedule. Maks also advocates for regular exercise and trains with calisthenics (bodyweight training) for efficiency.
• Productivity/Focus Hacks:** 
  • Supplements (From Huberman Labs)
    • L-theanine
    • Tongkat Ali
    • Ashwagandha
    • Caffeine
  • Diets
    • Intermittent Fasting
    • High Protein, High Fat, Low Carbs
    • Keto Diet
• Maks encourages undergrads to try not drinking alcohol for half a year and see how well they feel. During this time he encourages working hard on something that you are passionate about. Citing “If you don’t want to be “normal” or “average”, you have to go beyond the “normal” level of dedication.
• Maks encourages undergrads to “be delusional.” To see the challenges as opportunities to get better. He believes the true value of hard work is growth over time. Citing the quote, “I want to make a million dollars for the person I will become”.

Resources:

• The Art of War by Sun Tzu
• The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
• The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli
• Blackjack Strategy Books
• The Obstacle is The Way by Ryan Holiday
• Huberman Lab Podcast by Andrew Huberman

**Exceptional Undergrads encourages our listeners to continue research before trying any of the supplements and diets from this episode.