Rebellious Thoughts #71 - 🤘 A dad, a van and the Road

Hey Rebels!

Did you miss me last week?! I have a really good excuse - my eldest and his girlfriend left on a 3 month South America adventure and the same day my dad arrived from Argentina!

Way too much emotional overload to sit down and write!

Dad is turning 80 this year and came on his own to do a road trip!
(Mum stayed home this trip and we will go and see her later in the year) - crazy right?

He is such an inspiration to me - he does not speak English but speaks “human” and manages to always get his point across somehow… he is the proof that communication is primarily non-verbal (newsletter about it here)

The last two days we spent in Sydney, I was doing a bit of work and he just tagged along and hanged. Icebergs, pool swims, Bondi walks and an almost bridge walk…

Open brackets - here is an example of simple customer friction that can be solved in an afternoon of coding and it should have never happened:
I bought the tickets last week, jumped on the site, picked date, time, type of climb and boom - sorted.
When we turned up to the climb, I did a quick form for dad and me about our health and a few other things.
I ticked “over 75” for him and when I approached the desk they asked me for the medical clearance to do the climb… and I am like… what medical clearance?

“In the terms and conditions when you bought the ticket there was a line deeply buried that warns you about “this” very specific medical clearance you need to be signed by a doctor to be able to climb”

“Right - no - I didn’t read the terms and conditions, I trust you take care of that the same as I trust an engineer ensuring a bridge won’t fall. If it was that critical, should you have not put a pop-up as I press pay that said “if you are x months pregnant, over 75, have these heart conditions, etc do not proceed, download this form instead, get medical clearance and then come back and buy the tickets”

Anyway - argghghhhh - the staff were great and the manager was great and they just refunded me and all is ok - but - come on! It doesn’t have to be this hard!

I am wondering if there is a bit of ageism going on here, there aren’t many over 75s maybe doing the climb, or certainly not enough for them to worry about it, so they just deal with it last minute by either disappointing them or saying “go get the clearance around the corner at the medical centre and come back tomorrow”

Anyway back to Dad - we ended up going into town, walking around and having dinner at Ragazzi (the best pasta in the world - better than my own fresh pasta - not as good as my mum and dads fresh pasta! ;-)

Dad leaves on Monday - he is travelling up and down the east coast, first inland then doing the Pacific hwy and the Hume.

He built a little bed in the back of my son’s 4x4, he is taking the fridge, a cooktop and wants to camp and rough it all the way.

What I said - an inspiration.

I want to be like dad when I grow up.

No challenge this week - maybe just go and consciously love your loved ones a bit more this week - tell them you love them out loud - appreciate them and cherish them a tad more!

Ok enough, I need to go and have another mate 🧉 with him and plan the route.

Love

Gus 

P.S. This newsletter was created to provoke you in less than 5 min once a week so that you can stay adaptable and on top of your game, so for some good reads, and challenging thoughts check out all my past newsletters here!

P.S.S. Click here to join the FREE 5-day email course “the ShakeUp! Starter Series” —short, punchy lessons designed to challenge the way you think about your future and get you moving. In your inbox, every day, for 5 days.

Click here, opt in, and we’ll send you one lesson per day over the next few days so you can experience it for yourself. It’s free. Just take the first step.

YEW!

Hey you!

Lucas here… you might know me already, as I’ve been helping Gus with this newsletter for over a year and a half! We’ve also done a bunch of other cool stuff together!

The thing is… For years, I’ve been having mind-blowing conversations with Gus.
Every time we talked, I kept thinking, "More people need to hear this."

So I provoked him and pushed him to go for it.

First, we launched this newsletter (over 6000 people receive it weekly!).
Then came our first Career Rebellion workshop. Then the second, then RTS, then the 3rd.. and so on..
And every step of the way, the same thing happened—people kept asking for more. More tools, more guidance, more community, MORE FREQUENT SEEING EACH OTHER.

So we built it:
Life Shake Up!

The program I wished existed. The one I needed.

A space for people like us—people who refuse to live on autopilot, who want to shake things up, challenge the norm, and actually design a life that excites them.

I personally will share my journey and would love to learn from yours too.

If this resonates, come join us.

I honestly believe this is a unique opportunity.

OH!! ONE LAST THING

Lucas again. Actually, most people call me Mencho.
So… Mencho here!

TL;DR: Exactly ONE month ago I launched a newsletter about AI experiments: HumanAI. And it’s going great!!
Check it out if you want to learn practical ways of using AI to improve your daily life - both personal and professional.

A few months ago, I started asking people a simple question:

“Are you using AI?”

Corporate execs. Lawyers. Designers. Accountants. Tech founders… a diverse bunch.

Most of them gave me the same answer:
“I tried ChatGPT when it came out. It was cool, but not that useful.”

I used to think the same.
But that was AI 1.0. Think of it as a newborn.

So yeah, you’ve used ChatGPT in 2022, didn’t get much out of it, and moved on.

Ouch. Dangerous mistake.

Because the version you tried?
Remember, it was just a newborn baby..

Time has passed. This kiddo has started running, jumping and climbing.

And they grow so fast….

So I started experimenting with AI to discover the possibilities that it brings.
Not in theory—in real life.

Here’s what I’ve built so far:

• A digital clone of myself
  I trained a custom GPT with my voice, style, basically with a side of my personality and brain (interests, stances, etc)
  Then I cloned my voice using ElevenLabs—so yes, now I’m fluent - with my full Argentine accent- in 80+ languages.
  And I used HeyGen to train a video AI avatar on my looks and mannerisms.

• A podcast hosted by my AI clone
  Yes, The Mencho #8 Show is a thing.

• An AI-powered habit tracker
  It tracks my daily habits, keeps me accountable and sends me daily reminders and motivational words like a coach

• An AI Skill Analyzer that based on my CV and Linkedin profile, tells me which of my strengths are future-proof and where my future weaknesses might appear

• A system to think better, move faster, and get more done—with less effort.

• And a bunch more happening right now!

Every week, I document it all in my newsletter: HumanAI

No fluff. No hype.
Just practical AI, wild experiments, and some good existential brain fuel.

Tomorrow I’m sending out the next edition.

If you want in—go here: humanai.beehiiv.com

Thanks :)

Mencho

MADE IT THIS FAR?! YOU CAN GIVE ME FEEDBACK WITH ONLY 1 CLICK:

What do you think of this email? Tap your choice below and let me hear it 👇

🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘 AMAZING - LOVED IT!

🤘🤘🤘 GOOD / OKAY

🤘 NOT GREAT

OR… HIT REPLY and share your thoughts on what you want to have more in this Newsletter!