The proper way to think and approach things:

Hype energy is the key?

---

What is hype energy?

My notion of “overhealth”. It is not enough to be healthy, you must be “over healthy“.

What is over health? My general thought is the night prior, having insanely great sleep. Maybe having a massage the night prior too.

Also, lots of time outdoors, in the direct sun, being well hydrated. Strong energy in your legs, elevated mood, and strong self-confidence and optimism for the future.

Heavy weight lifting is a necessity

Upon thinking about this for a long time, I am now certain that in order to be over healthy, one must lift weights. Very heavy weights. The good nuance is that you don’t need to go more than once or twice a week, the idea is to just focus on a one rep max deadlift, squat, or whatever lift you like.

I found the ideal is probably going to the gym twice a week— one visit to 100% focus on deadlift, as it seems to be the most physiologically challenging, and another visit to focus on squats and another arm or chest exercise (such as floor bench press, or heavy dumbbell press).

If possible, I recommend using a trap bar for deadlift, or a hex bar. Why? It is a more efficient movement, which will allow you to leverage more weight.

Also for squats, don’t worry too much about form. Just go however low you desire — I’ve discovered that going parallel or below parallel is nice, but not necessary to get your hype energy up.

Why is life in Cambodia so good?

I am very happy; I feel that my hype energy has returned to me, akin to 2017 Vietnam levels. Why? If you desire the best mode of living possible, I feel fairly certain that it is not in America. Why? Life in America is too basic. Too much time stuck in a car, at the local Costco, or killing time on Amazon prime.

I don’t think there’s any really good American city. Not New York, not San Francisco, not Los Angeles. Nowhere in America is life good, or allows you for maximum movement, in an interesting urban environment.

Why Phnom Penh? The city is very interesting and dynamic, with lots of upwards growth. Also for us Americans, it is very convenient to just use your US dollars anywhere, and everyone is pretty much bilingual in English. Also, Cambodia is currently open, and it is very easy to get a 30 day visa here.

In addition, certainly things are far more affordable here in Cambodia than it is back in the states or elsewhere.

Photography

My thought is that a life without photography is not a life worth living. Why? Photography is the most interesting way to spend existence; it is by far the most physical, fun, and interactive form of living and art creation. For example, painting and drawing is too sedentary. Street photography is the ideal fusion which allows for maximum walking, movement, and dynamism.

Street life is the best life

The interesting thing is that here in Phnom Penh there are lots of uber luxury hotels, sky rises, and places. However, upon touring these places, I am certain that the best life is street life. Literally being on the streets, as close to the ground as possible. Seeing the city from a Skyrise view, or a panoramic sky view is boring. When you are on the street, there is a certain level of danger, which allows you to be alert, open, and make photos.

The more photos you make, the happier you will be.

I love living in a hotel

Currently, I’m living here in a hotel in Phnom Penh. And I love it. It is good both for myself and also Seneca.

Why? It simplifies your living. You cannot really accumulate or buy stuff, as you’re living in a hotel, and you don’t have random closet space to just stockpile a bunch of things. Also, I love the hygiene aspect of it; always having somebody clean your room on the daily, clean the floors, and offer a fresh new towels is hugely uplifting.

Furthermore, the hotel I am at right now offers a swimming pool, which is great, because I’m giving Seneca daily swimming lessons, and he is only a year and a half years old. And I think there is something about undulating between being outside, in the hot sun, and also going into water; perhaps this change of substances invigorates our body and mind?

Also, I really enjoy interacting with the hotel staff. It is much more warm and friendly than just being stuck at home alone, which is often lonely and depressing.

Full stack creativity

Another thing: don’t just pigeonhole yourself into one form of creative output. What limits people? Labeling them self as “writer“, musician, blogger, vlogger, photographer, videographer, etc. Why not just do it all?

For example, although Leonardo da Vinci is mostly known for his paintings, it seems like painting was his side hobby; he seemed much more interested in engineering. Look at his drawing plans for war machines, and also his city planning.

Therefore, I encourage you to dip your toes into everything. Start a blog, start a podcast, start a Vlog. Use video, audio, text, photos, illustrations and drawings, sculpture, 3-D design, etc.

Some apps I like includes Zenbrush 2, Procreate, Nomad Sculpt, IA writer, Apple photos app.

What will you make next?

The best life isn’t the life with the most amount of pleasure or novelty. The best life is the one in which you are maximally creative.

CREATE ON!
ERIC

---

I’m going on an airplane

Embark on an epic ERIC KIM EXPERIENCE:

1. DISCOVER YOUR CREATIVE SEOUL
2. DOWNTOWN LA MINIMALISM
3. VANCOUVER STREET

---

HAPTIC INDUSTRIES

Become all you can become:

1. ERIC KIM WRIST STRAP MARK II
2. HENRI NECK STRAP MARK IV

---

Create more

CREATIVITY BY KIM >

---

Even a single creative idea?

If this sparked a creative idea within you, feel free to forward to a creative friend!

ERIC KIM NEWSLETTER

Life in Cambodia is pretty darn good.

Why?

Some thoughts:

1. First of all, I really like the culture here. The people are incredibly friendly, open, curious, and genuinely kind. No back-stabbing mentality here, or anyone trying to rip you off.
2. Differences between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap: I far prefer Phnom Penh, as it is a proper city. Siem Reap has too many expats and degenerates.
3. Convenient: You can take a Grab Taxi (the Southeast Asia version of Uber) pretty much anywhere in the city for only $2USD. The app is very good, fast, and you can also order takeout on it super easy too!
4. Because Phnom Penh is developing so much, it is a very fascinating and dynamic place to be.
5. Phnom Penh has the best gym I’ve ever been to in my life (Monkifit). The best selection of equipment (hex bar, open hex bar, trap bar) and powerlifting stuff. The place I got my new PR’s in deadlift and squat!
6. I love living in a hotel!
7. Very interesting to be living at the intersection between foreign investments from China, Japan, partially the US.
8. Good coffee! Lots of specialty roasters here.
9. Traditional Khmer massage is insanely good here. Probably the best, and the most skilled masseuses. Great technique and strength.

Some random innovation thoughts this morning:

Don’t look back

How do we fail? By looking back. By looking back at our old achievements, our old successes, our old approaches, our old self.

Far better to prefer the NEW YOU, and the OLDER you! Why do all these people say—

This was me back in the day, as a young lad.

Nobody cares about you as a young lad. They care about you NOW!

Also, I’ve never met a power lifter or body builder or weight lifter at their peak. It is always —

Oh, look at this old picture of me when I was able to do x, y, z.

Nobody is at their peak or pinnacle for strength.

New approaches

For example, my insanely great delight at discovering the new trap bar (hex bar) for deadlift!!

With an open hex bar here in Phnom Penh, I was able to deadlift 496 pounds (225 kilograms). Also, squat 420 pounds. How?

First of all, the trap bar is 1000x superior to the traditional straight bar for deadlift. Why? Superior leverages. You put your body and weight directly in the center (makes sense). And having your two arms neutral on the side (like you’re carrying suitcases) is more natural and makes more sense. Also no need for a mixed grip, you don’t need to worry about the barbell rotating (wasted force). All in all, it allows for a more effective movement which allows you to lift more, to lift a heavier weight!

Disregard what is “proper form”

Also with squat — I started to think more deeply to myself:

Why do people say you must squat “this deep”?

For example, at parallel, below parallel, ass to grass, etc.

I think it is because everyone desires to be the most superior.

For example, a lot of petty guys at the gym see other guys far stronger than them, and justify their superiority by thinking to themselves or saying:

Oh, that guy has “shitty form”.

Or, they think the other guy is “cheating” because they are not using the “full range of motion”.

However, if you’re not competing, form doesn’t matter. With lifts, it then becomes:

Go however low you feel like.

With squats, what is “proper form” or “proper depth”? There is none. Just squat however deeply you desire, and what feels good for you and your body.

For me, disregarding traditional measures of “proper squat depth”, I’ve been able to squat waaaaay more! And this is great for me and my personal ego.

Also I like at this gym in Phnom Penh, I’m the only guy squatting or deadlifting which means no distractions by comparing myself with others.

Therefore perhaps with innovation, we must become MORE SECLUDED and MORE ISOLATED (creative isolation). We must become more “Asperger’s” and ignore what others are doing.

In some ways, becoming LESS INFLUENCED by others, and LESS INFLUENCED by the outside world. Becoming more stubborn, strange, and unique.

Going abroad

I’ve been far more innovative and turbo thinking while abroad — during my one year in Vietnam, and now currently here in Phnom Penh Cambodia. Why?

When you’re back home, you’re stuck in the old modes of thinking and thought.

Here in Phnom Penh, I feel my mind opening and expanding. For example, to witness the development here is insanely inspirational. To have a non-American distorted notion of the world.

For example, seeing the Chinese-Korean-Japanese-American fusion here in Phnom Penh is hugely fascinating and complex. For example, how Cambodia and Phnom Penh lists everything both in their local currency AND US DOLLARS. Also, how Cambodians are all pretty much bilingual in English. Yet, currently the hulk of the development is all foreign Chinese development. Even seeing the “China weekly” propaganda newspaper in my hotel lobby here.

But, it seems a lot of the initial development was Japanese, perhaps 20 years ago? The AEON mall.

But also some Korean influences and banks, etc.

Being in a foreign place is good, as it forces you to rethink your world.

Also, even seeing a “Blockchain embassy” coffee shop here in Phnom Penh is hugely optimistic!

Simplified living

Living abroad, in a studio hotel as very useful to simplify your life. No more Amazon prime, and basic malls. Having fewer concerns is better for innovation. No need to clean your house, maintain it, etc.

Carte blanche from scratch

For example, looking at the new MAYBACH concept—

The carte blanche off road car design is a quadrillion times more fascinating than the rebranded standard S-Class color scheme.

---

INVEST IN A NEW EXPERIENCE

ERIC KIM EXPERIENCES— engineered to take you further:

1. SEOUL
2. DOWNTOWN LA
3. VANCOUVER

---

New thoughts

1. As little material as possible. The ideal is no socks, only Vibram five fingers shoes. Also, just shorts. Lululemon license to train shorts. Also, the lightest, thinnest tank top possible.
2. Innovation is subtraction: to innovate rather than figuring out what to add, figure out what to REMOVE.
3. Travel to new places, places you’ve never been to before: for example, Phnom Penh Cambodia

Sparked any new ideas?

Feel free to forward this to a friend!

ERIC KIM NEWS LINK

ENTREPRENEURSHIP BY KIM >

Think more about your own mother than your grandmother. Especially once you get a kid, and your mother *becomes* the grandmother! And you become the father!