Sailing Against the Current of Frictionless AI

Terrain partner Willem Van Lancker wrote our most recent Thesis, about productive friction in the age of AI. Rhea Purohit spoke with him about the origins of his philosophy—including 10 tips for cultivating friction in your own life.—Kate Lee

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Willem Van Lancker was six years old when he learned a lasting life lesson: from a rope, a sail, and the salty taste of a sea breeze.

Van Lancker’s dad, a sailor and boat builder, sent him and his older brother out to sea in a small dinghy. The two boys prepped the boat: tied knots, checked lines, and wrestled sails into place, making sure everything was in place, or so they thought. They’d fixed one of the lines wrong, and as the boat turned into the wind, it capsized. Their father had to swim out and bring them and the boat back to land.

Years later, reflecting on the adventure, Van Lancker recognizes that sailing is as much about preparation as it is about the act itself. What you choose to do, or not do, at that stage is viscerally felt once you’re out on the water. Understanding how all the components go together goes far beyond being a necessary chore; it is essential to making it work at all.