Let me explain the difference between optimizing and maximizing. Optimizing means maximizing the positive aspects of something to an extent where nothing else is negatively impacted, such that there is no net negative.

Let’s say the maximum number of apples you can eat is 10. But after eating 10 apples, you can’t walk, so it’s no good. In contrast, the optimum number of apples you can eat is maybe one or two, because that way you’re satisfied, you can walk, and nothing else is negatively impacted. That’s the difference between optimum and maximum.

Why am I telling you this? You want to be an optimizer. I see myself as an optimizer. Let me give you a few examples of how I optimize.

I want to make the best use of my time when I consume entertainment. A person who is not an optimizer would consume any entertainment that hooks them—any music, any TV series. But because I want to optimize, I’ve put in place a rule: if I watch a movie or a TV series, it has to be in Spanish. That way, I’m not only consuming entertainment, but also improving my Spanish. I’m getting practice and more exposure to the language I’m learning. So I’m getting two benefits at the same time.

Additionally, I noticed that when I listen to music, especially good music, it keeps playing in my head even after I’m done listening. I keep humming it, which prevents my brain from generating other creative ideas and thoughts. So I found music to be a kind of mental pollution. I’ve decided to listen to music only when I work out, because it helps with that. Apart from that, I listen to podcasts instead. That way, I’m getting both entertainment and knowledge.

Now, a typical Joe Rogan podcast is two and a half to three hours long, and I walk for two hours every day. But I don’t have five hours. So how do I optimize further? I listen to podcasts while I walk. Since the podcast is longer than my walk, I listen at 1.5x speed, and I’ve gotten used to it. That way, I can listen to three hours of a podcast while walking for two hours. I’m effectively getting five hours of activity—three hours of podcast and two hours of walking—within two hours.

These are some examples of how I optimize. You want to be an optimizer. I’ve seen very few people who operate this way, and I love it when I come across them.

Optimizing everything you can in life should be your operating system. Optimizing is the meaning of life.

If you’re an optimizer, I want to be friends with you.