Engaging Read of the Week #4

Imagine you wake up in a foreign prison. You get one phone call. Who do you call to give you the highest chance of getting out of there?

This thought experiment from George Mack brilliantly captures what "high agency" is all about. It forces you to identify who in your life embodies that rare combination of traits: immediate action-taking, sharp thinking under pressure, willingness to challenge authority, self-permission to act without approval, extreme resourcefulness with limited means, and adaptability when plans fail.

The real question becomes: Are you the person others would call in this situation? If not, what are you missing?

High agency isn't just a concept—it's about recognizing your power to shape reality rather than being shaped by it. The full essay on HighAgency.com (about a 30-minute read) explores this transformative mindset through examples like the Wright brothers, who achieved human flight despite experts claiming it would take "a million years."

For 2025, perhaps the best goal isn't just career advancement or fitness milestones, but becoming the type of person who could get a friend out of a foreign prison.

Now that's high agency.

One of the best reads I have come across recently.