The Profile's 2021 Year in Review
We had high hopes for 2021, and well, it turned out to be eerily similar to 2020.
But for me, The Profile has always served as a refuge from the screeching news of the day. As we now know, our content diets determine how we see and think about the world. I’ve discovered that the best way to fall into intellectual rabbit holes is to create an environment full of rich, high-quality content.
Below, I’ve compiled some of the best profiles, interviews, podcasts, and videos that I’ve shared throughout the year. I hope you enjoy.
Here is 2021 through the eyes of The Profile. (If you want more year-end-reviews, check out the 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017 editions as well.)
✨ BEST PROFILES
The baseball player who got another chance at life: San Francisco Giants outfielder Drew Robinson hated his life. Even more so, he hated that no one knew how much he hated his life. In some weird way, the handsome and charming baseball player was living his dream and wanting to die. On April 16 at 8 p.m, he reached out to the coffee table, lifted a gun, pressed it against his right temple, and pulled the trigger. That was supposed to be the end of the Drew Robinson story. Over the next 20 hours, he would come to realize it was the beginning of another. This is a spine-chilling profile. (ESPN)
The Bitcoin billionaires who made a comeback: After losing an epic battle with Mark Zuckerberg over ownership of Facebook and being shunned in Silicon Valley, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss are back—this time as budding Bitcoin billionaires at the center of the future of money, the creative economy and quite possibly a new operating model for Big Tech itself. (Forbes)
The fearless war correspondent: Clarissa Ward, CNN's chief international correspondent, has become one of the most visible reporters during the withdrawal of U.S. troops. She delivered her accounts, often with gunfire ringing in the background, on what it was like in Kabul in the often chaotic final days of America’s longest war. Her job has included assignments in other conflict zones, including in Baghdad and Aleppo, Syria, often putting her in danger. Here's why she continues to tell the human stories from the front lines of war. (The New York Times)
The company that came back from the brink of death: Airbnb was at a crossroads—financially and spiritually—when COVID-19 hit. In March 2020, its business dropped by 80%. "A company dropping by 80% in eight weeks is like a car driving 100 miles an hour, and then hitting the brakes," Chesky says. "There’s no safe way to do that. Things are going to break.” Today, it’s the world’s most valuable hospitality company, poised to remake travel once again. Here's how Airbnb plans to conquer a re-opened world. (Fast Company)
The North Tower restaurateur who survived 9/11: Glenn Vogt was the general manager of Windows on the World, the restaurant located atop the North Tower on Sept. 11, 2001. That morning, he watched incredulously as people waved white table linens from broken windows. He could tell, based on their location, that the people waving them were his employees. “I’m floating through Lower Manhattan like a ghost,” he remembers. “It was so loud, it was actually quiet.” He survived that day, but 79 of his employees did not — and Vogt is still searching for permission to move on. (The Atlantic)
Want even more? Here are some captivating profile recommendations from 20 business power players.
✨ BEST PROFILE DOSSIERS
(These are normally only accessible to premium members but I've unlocked them for a limited time. If you want the full archive, become a premium member here.)
Nims Purja, the mountaineer who summited the world's 14 'death zone' peaks
Clarissa Ward, the journalist covering the world's most dangerous places
Keanu Reeves, Hollywood's most gracious actor
Edith Eva Eger, the Holocaust survivor who escaped the prison of her mind
Tobi Lütke, the founder who believes in arming the rebels
✨ BEST PROFILE COLUMNS
How to Improve Your Content Diet in the New Year (One of the most important things you can do for yourself in the new year.)
7 Mentally Tough People on the Tactics They Use to Build Resilience (This was one of the most popular articles in 2021.)
Why It's Useless To Wonder About the Life You Never Had (We'll never know where our unled lives could've led us and the people we could've become — and that's probably for the best.)
The Danger of Idolizing Imperfect Humans (Read this the next time you feel envious of someone’s relationship, career, or life.)
30 Book Recommendations From the World's Most Successful People (Here are 30 great recommendations to pick up during the holiday season.)
✨ BEST PROFILE ORIGINAL INTERVIEWS
Author James Clear offers practical strategies to help us form better habits in the new year
Legendary restaurateur Danny Meyer delves into how he built a hospitality empire
Four-time obstacle race champion Amelia Boone discusses mental grit and the art of suffering
Ex-GE CEO Jeff Immelt explains how he led through crisis and became a master of chaos
Ana Lorena Fabrega explains why traditional education is broken and how kids can learn to think independently
Atoms co-founder Sidra Qasim discusses her unlikely journey to building a shoe empire
Foursquare founder and CEO Dennis Crowley shares how one moment of anxiety changed his entire career trajectory
Three-Time Olympian Kara Lynn Joyce explains why action is the antidote to doubt
✨ BEST PODCASTS
Rob Henderson coined the term "luxury beliefs," which he defines as ideas and opinions that confer status on the wealthy, while inflicting costs on everyone else. Take the idea that "monogamy is outdated," for instance. "Saying monogamy is outdated will give you some social cred from other elite college students," he says. "And it's kind of ironic because the upper class is most likely to broadcast these kinds of unusual luxury beliefs, but then they themselves are most likely to get married, and recapitulate the privileges they are critiquing." Listen here.
What do you do when the way you look forces you to confront that every day? And even if you can get past it — what about the rest of us? In this podcast episode, Robert Hoge explains how the day his life transformed was the day he said no to any more surgeries on his face. As the interviewer notes: "Most of us are caught in this sort of uncanny valley. We look fine but we’re convinced that a few little tweaks could totally transform our lives. Hoge gave up on tweaks and he transformed his life anyway." Listen here.
How do you teach kids to be secure and confident? Start by trusting them with small acts of responsibility. "We have restricted the freedom of our kids," says author and educator Esther Wojcicki. "We don't let our kids go anywhere by themselves." Here's how Wojcicki recommends molding your child and helping them develop habits that will turn them into independent adults. Listen here.
✨ BEST VIDEOS
This Religion of Sports episode follows the world’s best freediver Alexey Molchanov and several other freedivers as they compete at the 2018 Vertical Blue competition in the Bahamas. We see him up close on his dives as he pushes the limit, goes for more records, and tries carrying on his mother’s legacy. Watch here.
Mountaineer Nims Purja summited all 14 ‘death zone’ peaks in a record six months and six days. This Netflix documentary features never-before seen footage of Purja's ambitious expedition. It makes one thing clear: When you embark on an expedition to summit a peak, giving up is not an option. Failure is oftentimes lethal. "When you are in the mountains, if you give up, you die," he says. Watch the trailer here.
One of the biggest lessons Kat Cole learned after years of business experience is to put your ego aside and learn from criticism. She once received the following advice: “Anytime you’re criticized, assume first that it’s correct.” The act of simply considering that a fraction of the criticism may be accurate will keep you learning, unlearning, fixing, and ultimately, gaining respect. This episode is full of unforgettable insights. Watch here.