The 365 Commitment

In this video, I reflect on a powerful pattern I've experienced over four years of doing 365-day commitments. Each time, I’ve set out to achieve something impossible—and each time, I’ve succeeded, just not in the way I expected. But rather than feeling victorious, I’ve come to a sobering realization: my goals weren’t high enough.

In this conversation, Guy Reams explores the profound advancements in artificial intelligence and technology, drawing parallels to Vannevar Bush's visionary concept of the Memex. He discusses how these advancements are reshaping society, enhancing human thought, and the potential for technology to augment memory and creativity. Reams reflects on the historical significance of Bush's ideas and their relevance in today's digital landscape, emphasizing the ongoing journey towards realizing the Memex vision.

In this video, Guy Reams shares a deeply personal story sparked by an old black and white photo found among his grandfather’s slides. What seemed like a simple image of a car on a snowy mountain pass turned out to capture a pivotal moment in his family’s history—the day his grandfather decided to move the family to Grand Junction, Colorado, to begin a new chapter as a practicing attorney. That one decision helped shift the family from modest beginnings to a new station in life.

Guy Reams explores how the language we use shapes the way we think, work, and solve problems. Drawing from his own experience in software development and computer science, Guy shares how pioneers like Ivar Jacobson transformed the industry by introducing use cases and UML, giving developers a shared vocabulary to handle complex systems. He connects this to cognitive science’s “weak Sapir–Whorf” theory, showing how language and technical notation don’t just express ideas—they shape them. From everyday symbols like play and pause buttons, to internet conventions like @ and #, Guy reveals how shared representation boosts our ability to think collectively. The takeaway: in teams, communities, and societies, shared language and intentional ceremony are not optional—they are essential to achieving shared goals. Ignore them at your peril, embrace them to unlock your team’s full potential.

It is ironic, perhaps even paradoxical, how fatigue often leads us to feeling discouraged precisely at the moment when we’ve done something truly worthwhile. Our minds don’t naturally interpret exhaustion as proof of progress; instead, they mistakenly view being worn out as a sign of trouble or failure. Feeling drained after intense effort is normal, even good, but our primitive brain treats it as a signal to stop, to conserve resources, to retreat. This misinterpretation, baked into us from long ago, creates confusion between the state of tiredness and our perception of achievement.

In this video, I reflect on the prophetic brilliance of Alan Turing’s 1950 paper Computing Machinery and Intelligence, and how it eerily anticipated the rise of today's Large Language Models. I revisit the core question Turing posed—“Can machines think?”—and explore how his Turing Test provides a framework for evaluating machine intelligence through language. I discuss the capabilities and limitations of modern LLMs, their ability to mimic human conversation, and why, despite all the advancements, they still fall short of true understanding. Turing’s insight that we “can only see a short distance ahead” resonates deeply today. As I near day 295 of my 365-day commitment, I share a personal milestone. This year’s audacious aspiration was to discover my next big step in life. After nearly a year of disciplined habits, I have found it. I’m excited to announce that I’ve joined a new startup with a remarkable team to build something meaningful—askturing.ai.

In this video, Guy Reams unpacks the powerful concept of Bad Faith from existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. Drawing from personal experience and Sartre's famous example of the French waiter, Guy explores why we often lie to ourselves to escape the burden of freedom and responsibility. If you’ve ever said “I had no choice” or felt stuck in a role that doesn’t define you, this one’s for you. The truth is—we are always free to choose, and that truth can be terrifying. But facing it might be the first step toward real authenticity.

In this conversation, Guy Reams discusses the concept of cognitive anchors and their significance in enhancing communication and collaboration within teams. He emphasizes the need for a guiding question that serves as a focal point for team members, helping them align their efforts and engage in meaningful problem-solving. Through personal anecdotes and insights, he illustrates how framing questions can unify diverse perspectives and drive action.

In this conversation, Guy Reams explores the concept of maturity, questioning the traditional markers of adulthood and proposing that maturity is less about age and more about the ability to make conscious decisions. He emphasizes the importance of saying no as a key indicator of maturity and personal growth, suggesting that true maturity involves understanding one's priorities and living with purpose.

Pretend for just a moment that you are the lead act in a circus clown show. You are fully aware of what people find funny, how they react to exaggerated antics, and the impressions they form while watching the interlude between main acts under the big tent. You know how to get them to laugh, how to poke fun, how to turn awkwardness into comedy. Your band of misfits—your fellow clowns—are nothing if not consistent. They come across exactly as you would expect. Overdressed, overly dramatic, a bit chaotic. You worry. You wring your hands. You obsess over every detail—timing, props, facial expressions. But when the show is over and the audience files out, there is not much you can do to change what they remember.