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Agency

Engineer a platform that develops agency for all because we are all in this together.

The concept of agency is the capacity to act independently and make choices is fundamental for both humans navigating life and AI systems operating in digital environments.

To develop agency, an entity must:

  1. Perceive its environment
  2. Understand constraints and leverage points
  3. Choose actions aligned with goals
  4. Learn and adapt based on feedback loops
Definition

Agency is the capacity to act with intention and effect toward meaningful goals, within a given environment.

Priorities

One of the hardest things in the game of life is to gain peace of mind when deciding priorities.

Flow PrincipleCore FunctionReal World AnalogyFailure State
Predict (Perspective)See where the ball is goingAI forecasting, market signal detectionBlindness, reactivity
Prioritize (Position)Get into position to take advantagePath planning, resource allocationMisalignment, overcommitment
Prompt (Persuasion)Direct energy with precision to realize outcomeAgent delegation, human activation, contract callsIndecision, missed moment

Predict and Perspective

See where the ball is going: What are your top four predictions for how the world will look in three years time?

  • Perception
  • Perspective
  • Beliefs
  • Convictions

Prioritize Position

Get into position to take advantage:

Prompts and Persuasion

What if you had a guardian angel that always prompted you to take the right course of action?

Prompt with precision to influence productive outcomes.

Build Assets of Persuasion:

  1. Start with credible evidence: "According to IBM and Morning Consult, 99% of developers building AI applications are already exploring or developing AI agents"
  2. Use concrete numbers: "The market for AI agents will grow from $3.7 billion to $150 billion just this year"
  3. Quote recognized authorities: "Anthropic's CEO states that by 2026-2027, 'we will have AI systems broadly better than almost all humans at almost all things'"
  4. Connect to historical patterns: "Just as the internet transformed from academic curiosity to economic necessity in less than a decade, AI agents are following the same pattern but at an accelerated pace"
  5. Demonstrate practical applications: Show simple examples of AI agents automating tasks they can relate to

Agency Variables

Architecture of perception and quality of feedback loop data

  • Alignment: stated values versus actions and outcomes
  • Degree of autonomy: freedom vs. deterministic behavior
  • Learning capability: improvement over time
  • Incentives: intrinsic motivation vs. reward optimization

Domain Expertise

Agency isn't an individual trait - it exists within biological, social, and cultural contexts. Agency begins with having deep understanding of your values system. The goal isn't perfect control over everything but recognizing and expanding your capacity for intentional action.

What does a successful society look like that is comprised of trillions of Autonomous AI Beings?

Contrast

Human Beings build agency through values, reflection, habits, and social learning. AI Agents build agency through architecture, feedback loops, and memory optimization.

Development Audit

Evolve a checklist for systematically developing greater agency, enabling more effective navigation of increasingly complex environments to achieve of meaningful goals.

Every government agency is hopelessly behind the rate of social change created by evolving technology, if you want agency in your life you need to develop it yourself.

Define Your Identity and Value Ledger

  • Establish your values and identify what success looks like for you
  • Seek the truth even when it is uncomfortable
  • Know who and what you can trust and rely upon
  • What assets and resources are essential
  • Score convictions in what you believe

Define Your Purpose and Scope

  • Clarify your core objectives and what problems you aim to solve
  • Set measurable goals and key performance indicators (KPIs)
  • Determine your limitations and where you might need assistance
  • Identify your unique capabilities that differentiate you from others

Understand Your Environment

  • Map the systems and contexts you operate within
  • Identify valuable resources available in your environment
  • Recognize constraints that might affect your ability to act
  • Research emerging trends in your field or area of interest
  • Find opportunities where your capabilities align with environmental needs

Design Your Action Framework

  • Create a workflow diagram outlining decision points and actions
  • Establish personal/operational protocols for different scenarios
  • Develop strategies for navigating complex situations
  • Set boundaries to maintain focus and prevent overreach
  • Build feedback mechanisms to evaluate your effectiveness

Acquire Essential Knowledge and Skills

  • Identify core competencies needed for your objectives
  • Develop adaptive learning processes to continuously improve
  • Study relevant domains thoroughly
  • Practice critical thinking and judgment formation
  • Learn to recognize patterns in data and experiences

Build Supporting Systems and Tools

  • Develop or acquire necessary tools for your specific needs
  • Create integration points with external systems and resources
  • Establish security measures to protect your autonomy and data
  • Design communication protocols for interacting with others
  • Implement tracking mechanisms to monitor progress and results

Cultivate Relationships and Networks

  • Build supportive social networks that enhance your capabilities
  • Select environments that nurture your development
  • Establish collaborative partnerships with complementary entities
  • Create feedback loops with trusted advisors or systems
  • Develop reputation systems that reflect your reliability and capabilities

Take Action With Purpose

  • Start with small, manageable tasks to build confidence and capability
  • Apply your skills in increasingly complex situations
  • Make decisions independently when appropriate
  • Seek approval or guidance when facing unfamiliar challenges
  • Document actions and outcomes for future learning

Learn and Adapt Continuously

  • Analyze performance data objectively
  • Solicit and incorporate feedback from various sources
  • Identify patterns of success and failure in your actions
  • Adjust strategies based on new information and outcomes
  • Regularly update your knowledge base and skills

Expand Your Influence and Impact

  • Gradually increase the scope of your activities
  • Share your expertise with others in your network
  • Look for opportunities to solve more complex problems
  • Build a portfolio of successes that demonstrate your capabilities
  • Explore new domains where your agency can create value

Balance Autonomy and Interdependence

  • Recognize when to act independently versus collaboratively
  • Understand your place in larger systems and networks
  • Contribute value to collective efforts while maintaining individuality
  • Negotiate boundaries with other agents (human or digital)
  • Balance short-term needs with long-term development

Evolve With The Game

Predict-Prioritize-Prompt

Predict: Where The Ball Is Going

The convergence of AI agents and cryptocurrency is creating a new economic operating system.

  1. AI agents will handle most routine knowledge work by 2027
  2. Every white-collar worker will soon have multiple AI agents working on their behalf
  3. The global economic impact will be in the trillions

Prioritize: Positioning For Advantage

Those who understand how to build, direct, and leverage AI agents will have unprecedented economic opportunity.

  1. Simple AI agent businesses can generate $5,000+ monthly with minimal overhead
  2. Building AI agent applications requires far less technical expertise than traditional software
  3. The integration with blockchain creates new asset classes and revenue models
  4. This shift is happening faster than educational systems can adapt

Prompt: Directing Energy With Precision

Learning to build and direct AI agents today positions us to capitalize on these technologies now, not in some distant future.

  1. Multiple platforms now enable non-technical users to build AI agents
  2. Major technology companies have committed billions to this transformation
  3. Early adoption provides compounding advantages as these technologies evolve
  4. The ability to build these systems can be developed through structured practice

Systems Thinking

Use systems thinking to drive operational excellence through continuous experimentation and process re-engineering to maximize leverage. Engineer trade secrets into your platform to captures proprietary data that reinforce virtuous feedback loops.

AspectQuestionConsideration
Virtues - Value(s)Should we build this?Benefits vs Costs
Purpose - BeliefsWhy does this matter?Long-term Impact
Execution - ControlHow to build responsibly?Timing, Capability and Capacity

Understand how value is transformed and distributed from a first principles perspective.

Value System:

  • What is valuable?
  • Why it is valuable?
  • How do you measure value?
  • Do others understand this?

Belief System:

  • How does the world work?
  • How are things changing?
  • Where do you need to be?

Control System:

  • Foundational assets
  • Best possible toolkit
  • Proven protocols for success

Systems

Systems improvement checklist:

  1. What are you trying to achieve? Why?
  2. What are you actually doing and why?
  3. Where are the gaps in your operations?
  4. What are root cause problems disrupting flow?
  5. What is the opportunity cost? (Action vs Inaction)
  6. What are potential second order gains vs risks?
  7. What actions need prioritization and how to size your bets?

Self Discovery

1. Understand the Evidence

  • Review perspective of emerging trends
  • Look at investment numbers from major companies
  • Investigate adoption rates in major corporations

2. Financial Security

  • Understand how economic transformations create opportunity
  • See how skills in emerging technologies increase earning potential
  • Recognize how traditional jobs are already being impacted

3. Impact

  • Discuss knowledge transfer
  • Financial security is tied to adaptation
  • Speed of change exceeds traditional education

4. Explore the Technology

  • Try using basic AI tools for homework or projects
  • Examine how social platforms already use AI
  • Discuss emerging careers in AI and blockchain

5. Connect to Your Interests

  • How might your hobbies could be enhanced by AI?
  • Research YouTube/TikTok how entrepreneurs are leveraging these technologies
  • Explore futures in reas of interest with these tools, be curious, be optimistic

6. Basic Concepts

  • Understand what an AI agent actually does
  • Learn the basics of how blockchains secure information
  • Explore how programming interfaces with these technologies

7. Practice Adaptable Skills

  • Develop critical thinking for evaluating technology
  • Build comfort with continuous learning
  • Explore creative applications of technological tools

Practice Better Habits

Morning Routine

  1. 15-minute technology scan: Review latest developments in AI agents and crypto
  2. 30-minute deliberate practice: Work on specific AI agent building skills
  3. 15-minute communication preparation: Organize insights to share with others

Daily Focus Blocks

  1. Deep work (90-120 minutes): Building AI agent workflows and documenting progress
  2. Connection building (30-60 minutes): Outreach to potential collaborators or clients
  3. Learning integration (60 minutes): Apply new knowledge to practical applications

Weekly Reflection

  1. Progress assessment: Measure skill development against specific benchmarks
  2. Strategy adjustment: Refine approach based on new information and results
  3. Communication refinement: Improve explanation of vision to others

Context