A 2019 Interview with Eric Bond
Who is your favorite disney character?
Elsa from Frozen or Todd from Fox and the Hound.
What is your favorite disney movie?
Wall-E for its guess at the future, Fox & the Hound for the selflessness of Todd, and Frozen for its empowerment of young women.
What is your favorite food?
Boiled Artichoke, Thai/Vietnamese Food, or maybe Nachos.
What is your favorite animal?
I'm not sure. I love them all.
What is your favorite color?
There's this really dark purple that you see just after dusk on the Pacific. I love it.
What is your favorite drink?
Ice Cold Water (as close to 0C as possible) when you're dehydrated after working out. I love a strong coffee in the morning with a tsp of honey mixed in and a few ice cubes to cool it down. Otherwise- whiskey neat.
What is your favorite tv show?
True Detective Season 1 or the Office.
What’s your top three favorite places you’ve ever traveled?
The Tepui's of the Northern Amazon, road-tripping/beach camping Iceland, and the Victoria Falls area of Africa. Also- Greece and the Greek Isles, particularly Santorini and Kamari, Chamonix in France, the Hawaiian Islands, and weirdly, India, lately.
If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
Big Island, Hawaii- on the Kona side, with a small amount of land, a view of the ocean, and walking distance to the town/beach. Or...somewhere around Glacier National Park in MT or around the Tetons in WY.
What does your average day look like?
When in Okinawa: Up around 730-ish, shower, shave, brush teeth (all in the shower), dry off, weigh myself and record, get dressed, 30min drive into work (arrive around 830), email collation for a couple hours with misc breaks to discuss operations, intel, and plans. Lunch break with colleagues, work for an hour on various exercises and strategic planning, go workout around 1330/1400 for 2 hours, come back, check email, work a bit more (all while still sweaty and winding down), leave around 1530/1600. Drive home (30min), make some food, clean the dishes and the kitchen, do a load of laundry, read, have a drink around 1930, relax while 'multi-tasking,' videochat with eline, and to bed around 2330.
When on travel (~70% of the time): Up around 630am, drive into conference for work, conference from 8-1630-ish, long shuttle drive home (~1hr depending on location), change, workout, jump in the pool, do work while eating dinner in the lounge or lobby or room, vc with eline, to sleep around 2330.
What do you spend a ridiculous amount of money on?
Hmmm...probably nice hotels or airline flights. Fortunately, most of these have been paid for by the USG this last year.
If you only had two extra hours per day outside of work, what would you spend it on?
Probably working out and jumping in a swimming pool to cool down.
What has become more important for you in the last few years?
Honesty, truth, Les Misérables, Opportunity Cost.
What has become less important for you in the last few years?
FOMO.
What would you do/have/be if you had $10 million dollars?
I'd invest almost all of it with a person/company that deals with large investments. I'd consider leaving my job and traveling somewhere solo to for a couple months to work exclusively full time on my ongoing self-tasks.
What can you do that will be remembered in 200-400 years?
Find a way to strengthen and legitimize organizations like the UN with enforcement powers to begin nudging not just people but nations in the right direction. Or write something. Or lead something important.
What assets do you have (not financial)?
My Family, my brain, my attitude.
When you think of the word successful, who comes to mind?
Louis Mountbatten, GhandI.
What is something you believe that other people think is insane?
Belief in God is stupid (although I can understand that some people morally require it). That conspiracy theories in general are stupid. That there is no black or white....and the more you are inclined to think there is...the less you understand the world. I believe the world is doing fairly well as a whole and that we'd be remis to make anything larger than small changes to its current momentum. This is tapered with the understanding that humans are thriving at the expense of every other scientific system of earth- the biosphere, the hydrosphere, the atmosphere, the cryosphere, etc..
What is the book (or books) that you’ve gifted and/or discussed/referenced the most?
“Gates of Fire” for it's lessons on leadership. “Countdown” because it puts the current state of the world in vibrant perspective. “Factfulness.”
What is your favorite documentary or movie?
“Les Mis” simply for the selflessness of Jean Valjean after what he learns in life.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last couple years?
The first thing that comes to mind is the Kindle. But I've since replaced it with the kindle app on my phone. Otherwise, my Phillips Sonicare toothbrush (although, I admit, that is nearly $150). I also have an $8 fogless mirror that hangs in my shower so I can shave in the shower- love this..
What are your morning rituals? What do the first 60minutes of your day look like?
See Question 11 above.
What obsessions do you explore on the evenings or weekends?
I love watching people debate, I love sitting out on my balcony watching the moon and the stars over the Pacific with a drink, I love learning the stars and the trees, I love learning how everything natural works. I love being underwater in really turbulent water and watching the turbulence on the surface. Or, at night, watching the moonlight penetrate the ocean from below.
What topic would you speak about if you were asked to give a ted talk on something outside your main area of expertise?
Probably something like "The Art of Self Actualization" and the importance of Maslovs Hierarchy of Needs. Or, hell- History, Physics, Nutrition, Fitness, I love all of these things. How to: Focus and Flow.
Do you have a quote you live your life by or think about often?
"Let it Go" "The means are as important as the ends." "Who am I? I'm Jean Valjean."- this one literally brings tears to my eyes as I think on it. "Someone else will do it" means YOU will do it.- not a quote, but words to live by. "Always Assume leadership..."- again not a quote buy words to live by. Oh, also: "Just updating the phonebook" which I just saw on an episode of Friends where this old lady is taking the obituary column of the newspaper and crossing out names in the phonebook- an apt parallel to how I spend a fair amount of my time.”
What is the worst advice you see or hear being dispensed in the world?
I've never liked "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." And really anytime people say "well the government said..." or "the authority figure said...," both of which imply a lack of self-responsibility and a personal failure to look things up for themselves. Also- when people try to say that education isn't important because some billionaire didn't finish high school or college; as if money is the measure of success.
If you could have one gigantic billboard anywhere with anything on it, what would it say?
"Let it go! Or "Focus." Or "Gold" or "Flow.”
What is something weird or unsettling that happens to you on a regular basis?
I hate to shave. Commuting to work behind Okinawans. That feeling of nervousness before you public speak- I love it and hate it. That feeling when you're walking down to do a rowing workout and you know it's going to suck major dick. And then you get on the rower and you're like "fuck, this is going to suck..." Jumping into cold water- hate it and then love it.
What have you changed your mind about in the last few years, why?
Eating animals. I haven't entirely figured it out yet- still working on it. But I tend to think it's not okay in most circumstances. I feel like I'm less and less certain about things, particularly as I learn more about them. I find this to be a bit unsettling. Liberal Value- based more on the extremist ideologue views of the current front runners with a trend towards some conservatism values; on this front I wouldn't consider myself as either - I like and dislike viewpoints held by each major US party. That the world is doing pretty phenomenal at the moment as a whole and we should be wary of transformational changes that might impact its current momentum.
There are VERY few Experts out there. Take their advice with caution..
What do you believe is true, even though you can’t prove it?
I'm not entirely sure on this one, but maybe Entropy in regards the evolution of life.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? or, do you have a favorite failure of yours?
Haha- so many failures. Felonies and expulsion as a 13 yr old changed me dramatically. Not getting released for NWSDG left me more or less immune to a desire for Tier 1 life. There are so many more.
What advice would you give to your 20-, 25-, or 30-year-old self? and please place where you were at the time, and what you were doing?
Probably something like the importance of fighting for yourself- particularly what you want. i.e.- Sell yourself and stop being so naive to think that your reputation or your record will speak for itself, or that you will be head-hunted for extremely difficult positions. And something akin to the importance of building and maintaining lasting friendships. Be completely honest in relationships. As much as I don't care for this, you NEED/HAVE to be part of Social Groups to succeed socially. Seek out your cognitive dissonances and not only beware but seek out and minimize your confirmation biases.
What is the best or most worthwhile investment you’ve made? could be an investment of money, time, energy, or other resource. How did you decide to make the investment?
Well- apparently Tesla, as of a couple days ago. However, probably the few items I own. I'm very selective and most things I have tell a story. As such, I've had them for a very long time. Hmmm- investing in my family through email, visits, postcards, gifts, slack is easily the best investment. the Amount I read has an amazing return. As I continue thinking on this trend, probably working out- keeps me extremely healthy and probably negates some of the negative health effects of drinking.
If you were teaching a ninth grade class, what would you teach?
Anything, everything.
What do you think financially successful people who are generally unhappy in common?
They make rational vice emotional purchases. They make sacrifices that even relatively poorer people would not make.
If you had to choose three herbs or spices to cook with for the next year, what would they be?
Garlic Salt can be added to everything.
Montreal Steak Seasoning can be added to anything.
Cilantro can be added to anything.
Also- Soy Sauce.
I love adding lemon to things.
Do you medidate?
I consider working out as mediating, particularly HIIT as I don't listen to music or anything when I work out, so I'm able to clear my mind. Also, breath-holding in the water at night. I love it and it helps me think.
What is the best or most worthwhile investment you’ve made?
My Journal- maybe?
Who are three people or sources you’ve learned from- or followed closely- in the last year?
Ghandi, Louis Mountbatten, Peterson.
What is the worst advice you see or hear given in your tradE?
Stated above.
If you were a billionaire and you could give 2-3 books to every graduating high schooler, what would they be?
“Gates of Fire”, “Message to Garcia”, “Countdown.”
What are some of the choices you’ve made that made you who you are?
1. Juvenile Felonies in MN, 2. Swimming, 3. Kiski, 4. USNA, 5. Special Operations. 6. My PEP Tour.
What’s the best lessons your father ever taught you?
Implied: Nothing is as serious as you think it is. Patience, patience, patience.
Actual: Limit your cynicism with followers.
What’s the best lessons your mother ever taught you?
To whom much is given, much is required. The people who will push you and drive you to excel in life are not the ones smiling, nodding, and agreeing with every little thing you do. They are pushing you, telling you that you're wrong when you are, and empowering you with goals that you may fail at achieving.
What are you waiting for?
Self-Actualization- always. & Finishing my damn to do list. I would love to figure out the former and get past the latter so I can focus in the present.
If you were fired from your job today, what would you do to get things together financially?
I have plenty of breathing room, financially. I'd probably use the remainder of my GI Bill, saving money in the meantime from the excess. I'd do a TON of traveling and I'd use that education and travel time to figure out the way ahead.
What do you owe your community?
Opportunity. I'm just not sure how best to dole this out. So, in the meantime I've been willy-nilly handing out cash to people that need it...or occasionally food. I don't know how to do this responsibly and I've considered some sort of foundation to ensure that the people who need it have resources to help themselves vice turning to unwanted, unnecessary, trades. I have no idea how to do this.
Is there anything you would die for?
My family, Eline, my teammates, there's probably a lot.
What is your idea of happiness?
I love this question. 9 Hours of sleep, a strong coffee, a strong workout. And a sharp mind.
What is your idea of wealthy?
See above.
How do you ideally see yourself at the age of 75?
Sleeping 8 hours a night, drinking a strong coffee, working out in the morning, and learning all day with a sharp mind.
What do you always have with you when you leave the house?
On my head- Sunglasses. In my pocket- cellphone (with Kindle App- super important), minimal wallet. That's it. Less is more. For clothes, I generally dress cold (I hate being hot).
If you could automatically learn another language or two, what would they be?
Mandarin & French.