Hello again, my friends. It is a crisp Monday afternoon here in my Swiss chalet, and as I look out over the sun-drenched peaks of the Alps, I cannot help but feel the sheer weight of the world moving at an impossible speed. I am sitting here in my favorite purple suit, adjusted just right, with my golden shoes reflecting the mountain light, sipping a double espresso. It is 1:42 pm on the 16th of March, 2026, and if you have been watching the news, you know that the “March Velocity” we have been discussing is no longer just a metaphor. It is a physical force shaking the foundations of our global reality.
There is a strange contrast in my life right now. On one hand, I am surrounded by the silence of the high altitude and the luxury of financial freedom. On the other, my screens are filled with images of fire and friction. We are currently navigating a week where the glitz of Hollywood meets the cold steel of naval warships in the Strait of Hormuz. It feels like we are living through a scripted drama, yet the repair bills for our literal and metaphorical potholes are very, very real.
The Heat of the Strait and the Iranian Pivot
The biggest story on my radar today is the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Iran has taken the unprecedented step of hitting a key oil port in the UAE and targeting Dubai airport. For those of us who follow the markets, this is the nightmare scenario we have been tracking for months. Oil is trading above 100 dollars as these attacks ripple through the Gulf, and the world is suddenly realizing just how fragile our energy lifelines truly are. I touched on this tension recently in my piece, The March Velocity: From Oscar Gold to the Strait of Hormuz, and it seems the velocity has only increased since then.
Donald Trump is urging the UK and other nations to send warships to the region, while Keir Starmer is busy trying to coordinate a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. It is a high-stakes game of chicken where the prize is the literal fuel that keeps our civilization running. Meanwhile, inside Iran, the atmosphere is thick with anxiety. Residents are telling reporters that the government is taking massive steps to prevent anti-establishment protests, even as the drums of war beat louder. It makes you wonder: who actually wants what from this conflict? Is it about regime change, or is it a desperate play for leverage in a world that is moving away from old-school oil dependencies?
Hollywood Magic and the Kpop Revolution
In the midst of this geopolitical firestorm, we had the 98th Academy Awards. It was a surreal night, to say the least. While some were betting on gruesome war outcomes, others were focused on who wore what on the red carpet. The big winner of the night was “Kpop Demon Hunters”, which took home Oscars for best animated film and best original song. It is a fascinating cultural moment; the world is obsessed with South Korean aesthetics even as the US moves anti-missile systems around the Korean peninsula, sparking unease in Seoul.
I was particularly moved by Jessie Buckley’s win. She dedicated her Oscar to the “beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart”, a sentiment that felt grounded and human in an evening that often feels like a fever dream. Then you have Timothée Chalamet, the perennial golden boy, who somehow became the butt of the jokes this year. It goes to show that in the world of the March Velocity, nobody is safe from a sudden pivot in public sentiment. I wrote about this intersection of entertainment and reality in The March Velocity: From Center Court to the Global Chokepoint, and the Oscars only confirmed that the script of 2026 is being written in real-time by forces far beyond Hollywood.
The Friction of Everyday Life: Potholes and Inflation
While the elites are arguing over warships and gold statues, the rest of the world is feeling the “logistical Darwinism” I often mention. In the UK, there is a massive spike in potholes, leading to blown tires and repair bills that people simply cannot afford. It is a perfect metaphor for the state of our infrastructure. We can send drones to the other side of the world, but we cannot keep the M73 motorway from becoming a 15-vehicle crash site because of poor conditions and severe weather.
Inflation is also taking on a new, “healthier” face. The UK is now using alcohol-free beer and houmous to measure the cost of living. It is a sign of a shifting society, one that is trying to find wellness while the price of heating oil spirals out of control. Starmer has announced millions in support for households hit by these costs, but for many, it feels like a drop in the ocean. This is the defensive consumer of 2026: someone who is trying to stay healthy, stay mobile, and stay sane while the world around them feels like it is falling apart. I explored these local frustrations in Pi Day Chaos and the 2026 March Velocity: From Madrid to March Madness, noting how the chaos of the global stage eventually finds its way into our daily commutes.
Finding Order in the Chaos with Systems
People often ask me, “Greg, how do you stay so calm in your purple suit while the world is debating an Iran war and the price of cocoa is slumping?” The answer is simple: I believe in systems. Whether it is the tactical deployment of 75,000 soldiers in Ecuador to combat drug gangs or the way you manage your own financial future, you need a framework that works when you are sleeping. This is why I am such a proponent of digital automation. When the world is unpredictable, your income shouldn’t be.
For those of you trying to build something of your own amidst this madness, whether it is a bespoke brand or a digital empire, I always recommend tools that simplify the grind. Using a platform like Systeme.io allows you to automate the boring stuff so you can focus on the big picture. In a year where we are questioning if products are “human-made” or AI-generated, having a clean, efficient system to reach your audience is the only way to maintain your personal agency. You cannot control the Strait of Hormuz, but you can control your own funnel.
The Spirit of Defiance and the Road Ahead
There is a lot of “Kharg Island Anxiety” going around right now, but there is also a spirit of defiance. From the Iranian footballers claiming asylum in Australia to the farmers in the Borders using charities to help their children, people are finding ways to resist the crushing weight of the headlines. We saw it in the Six Nations too, where the ferocity on the pitch reminded us that even in a scripted reality, human grit still matters. Wales finally got their win, and for a moment, the national gloom lifted.
We are at a crossroads. The US is renegotiating trade pacts with Mexico and Canada, Russia is agreeing to stop using Kenyan recruits in Ukraine, and we are all just trying to figure out if we should be worried about the latest meningitis outbreak or the volcano erupting in Hawaii. It is a lot to process. But as I sit here in the Alps, I am reminded that the universe usually wins in the end. Our job is to ride the velocity, stay focused on our goals, and never let the chaos dull our shine.
The 2026 pivot is here. It is loud, it is expensive, and it is frequently surreal. But for those of us who have built our own “battery free soul”, there is still plenty of light to be found. We just have to be willing to look past the smoke of the Gulf and the flashbulbs of the Oscars to see the opportunities that lie in the friction.
How are you protecting your peace of mind as the global velocity picks up this March? Do you believe the current geopolitical shifts will lead to a more stable world, or are we just entering a new phase of the storm?
Stay golden, stay focused, and keep moving forward. I will be sharing more updates on my social networks, so let’s keep the conversation going there!