What do we have here?
a country that is abundant with natural resources, including massive potential for renewable energy
a world-class research system with some of the greatest minds on the planet
a startup ecosystem that can stand up a new business quickly and know how to take it to scale
a venture system that is, at last, scaled to get the job done
a government that is focused on ‘missions’, ‘sovereign capability’, and resource security
It is potent.
And we also have a planet in trouble. Climate change, polarization, wars…
So, what do you believe?
How do we deploy ‘us’ into this world? Do you believe there is something to be done, or are these other people’s problems?
I believe that Australia is ‘Moonshot Country’ - that we can and should deploy ‘us’ towards a better world.
My Approach
When making a decision on something that will take a lot of my time - a job, a project, a relationship, I ask myself - will this make something good? There is no time to spend on making a quick buck or jumping onto the next trendy path. What needs to be done? Can I help it succeed?
Do ‘radical collaboration’ in everything. Radical collaboration is radical because it is uncomfortable. Because competitors stand in the same room and figure out how to help the conditions for all to improve. There is no time to send shots at each other to slow things down and make the conditions weaker.
Play the ‘infinite game’ - there is no winning or losing - just keeping the game in play. The game of ‘Moonshot Country’, which plays out for hundreds of years, determined to make things better.
I know, I know…
People often pat me on the back and applaud my naive optimism in a world that is ultimately f*****d.
But we can’t have that view, and I will always resist it. I think we have what it takes to turn things around. Everything. In time. It might take decades or even hundreds of years. But we can do it.
But if we are all lost in our x.com streams while building our pointless NFT apps, we can’t turn this around.
Phil. I'm all in for this! Although, perhaps we could be the "Loonshot Country". A term I love from Safi Bahcall's book. https://www.bahcall.com/book/