
Good morning. This is 1% Better. Unbiased news and practical life advice that makes you a little better every day.
Today we're covering new goal posts in Trump tariffs, a bluetooth to bluetooth messaging app, and the secret to beating more talented people.
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Top Headlines
Trump Delays Tariffs
President Trump announced Sunday he will send tariff notification letters to trading partners starting Monday, but the new rates won't take effect until August 1. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration will send "probably 100 letters to small countries" threatening return to April 2 tariff levels without progress.
The delayed implementation provides additional negotiating time as Trump's 90-day pause on "reciprocal" tariffs expires Wednesday. The president initially announced reciprocal tariffs on dozens of countries in April but reduced them to 10 percent after negative market reactions. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick clarified that tariffs take effect August 1 while rates are being set now. See trade deficit details here.
Trump suggested some letters could announce completed deals, though the U.S. has only announced trade agreements with the United Kingdom, China and Vietnam. The timing represents another shift in Trump's tariff strategy, which has involved repeated threats followed by delays or modifications since taking office. See tariff tracker here.
Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat
Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey announced Sunday a new peer-to-peer messaging app called Bitchat that operates entirely over Bluetooth mesh networks. The beta version is now live on TestFlight (more), with the Block CEO describing it as a personal experiment in decentralized communication that requires no internet, servers, or phone numbers (is this similar to the fictional Pied Piper?)
Bitchat enables encrypted, ephemeral messaging between nearby devices that form local Bluetooth clusters and pass messages device-to-device beyond standard range. Messages are stored only on-device and disappear by default, never touching centralized infrastructure. The app supports optional group chats protected by passwords and includes store-and-forward functionality for offline users.
The launch reflects Dorsey's broader push for censorship-resistant communication, similar to apps used during Hong Kong's 2019 protests. Future updates will add WiFi Direct for increased speed and range, furthering his vision for off-grid communication. Unlike mainstream platforms from Meta, Bitchat operates with no accounts, identifiers, or data collection. See decentralized messaging here.
Amazon Prime Week
Amazon doubled its Prime Day sale to four days this year, launching Tuesday with expected record U.S. sales of $12.9 billion. The extended promotion represents a 53% increase from last year's event, as the retail giant aims to attract more shoppers and boost Prime memberships. How Amazon makes money here.
The longer sale format reflects waning interest in the traditional Prime Day model, with single-digit growth rates in recent years pushing Amazon toward more creative discount strategies. Third-party sellers like kitchenware specialist Brandon Fuhrmann are experimenting with the extended timeline after selling 7,000 units during last year's two-day event (see how businesses are maximizing sales here).
The four-day format creates additional advertising opportunities for Amazon's $50 billion annual ad business while helping sellers prepare for Black Friday. CEO Ryan Close of cocktail-machine maker Bartesian said he's using steep discounts to build brand awareness, with plans to raise prices later based on tariff impacts. See 99 Amazon Prime deals here.
Get 1% Better
How to Outperform More Talented People
Author James Clear spent years analyzing why equally talented professionals achieved vastly different outcomes. His research revealed a shocking truth: technical skills matter far less than three behavioral fundamentals most people completely ignore.
The breakthrough: Clear identified three measurable qualities that predict career success better than IQ or experience:
Cheerful. You are pleasant to work with and generally raise the level of energy in the room.
Accountable. You feel personally responsible for what you want to accomplish. It is not someone else's job. It's your job.
Adaptable. You can find alternate paths to success. You don't need things to be a certain way to be happy.
Why this matters: While others chase credentials and technical mastery, practitioners of these three qualities become the colleagues everyone wants on their team. "These have nothing to do with talent or intelligence," Clear notes, "but can make a dramatic impact on your results." Related: How to get 1% Better every day (video).
The Morning Brain Dump
Clear mental clutter through daily stream-of-consciousness writing. Every morning, before coffee or checking your phone, write three pages of longhand thoughts — whatever crosses your mind, no editing or censoring allowed. Julia Cameron's Morning Pages aren't meant to be good writing; they're mental maintenance that dumps anxieties, to-dos, and random thoughts onto paper, freeing your monkey mind for deeper creative and strategic thinking. How Tim Ferriss uses this here.
Market Pulse
> TSA allows shoes on during airport screening after nearly 20 years of removal requirements (More). | Map shows which states following this now (More).
> Tesla stock tumbles 7% after Musk launches America Party, drawing Trump's "train wreck" rebuke (More). | Musk releases another Epstein post (More).
> Michelob Ultra grows 3.1% as rival beer brands decline, rising to No. 2 U.S. market share (More).
> Wimbledon reaches quarterfinals with Sinner, Alcaraz leading men's draw as Americans Fritz, Shelton advance (More).
> Texas floods kill 104 as officials blame missed warnings despite federal forecasters issuing advance alerts (More).
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