Things I learnt last decade (A thread)
1/ Don't think in Absolutes.
- Identifying with labels (anything ending with -ist) which mostly created in a different time period doesn't serve you.
- Your brain is making tons of assumptions ALL the time. You have an incredible number of blind-spots.
- Identifying with labels (anything ending with -ist) which mostly created in a different time period doesn't serve you.
- Your brain is making tons of assumptions ALL the time. You have an incredible number of blind-spots.
2/ What we see is an abstraction of Reality.
Our senses evolved to keep us alive, not to help us experience what actually is. From the shapes of eyes to the visible spectrum to our neurons, our bodies modulate our reality. Our sensations and sense organs are highly coupled.
Our senses evolved to keep us alive, not to help us experience what actually is. From the shapes of eyes to the visible spectrum to our neurons, our bodies modulate our reality. Our sensations and sense organs are highly coupled.
3/ Almost anything in this world is fungible.
Steve Jobs: "“Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you. And you can change it, you can influence it… Once you learn that, you'll never be the same again”
Steve Jobs: "“Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you. And you can change it, you can influence it… Once you learn that, you'll never be the same again”
4/ Make good mistakes
You can play all the right moves and still lose. Conversely you can play wrong moves and still win. But over time, probability will work for (or against) you.
Play long term games, make best possible decisions on every turn, and you will (eventually) win.
You can play all the right moves and still lose. Conversely you can play wrong moves and still win. But over time, probability will work for (or against) you.
Play long term games, make best possible decisions on every turn, and you will (eventually) win.
5/ World is highly non-linear
Every successful person had found ways to leverage their resources (skills, money, network) into increasingly bigger successes. The first million dollars, election or class to teach is the toughest.
Look for areas of leverage and ride the momentum
Every successful person had found ways to leverage their resources (skills, money, network) into increasingly bigger successes. The first million dollars, election or class to teach is the toughest.
Look for areas of leverage and ride the momentum
6/ Quick iterations
Since we have blindspots, always welcome critical feedback. Do weekly reviews. Course-correct as often as possible.
Reinterpret blame as feedback. Identify the implicit truth in criticism - bad decisions, wrong priorities, hurt emotions?
Don't quit. Pivot.
Since we have blindspots, always welcome critical feedback. Do weekly reviews. Course-correct as often as possible.
Reinterpret blame as feedback. Identify the implicit truth in criticism - bad decisions, wrong priorities, hurt emotions?
Don't quit. Pivot.
7/ Vertical Coherence
Your day-to-day activities should reflect your long term priorities. Start from goals for an arbitrarily long time period. Break it down into multiple years, quarterly and weekly goals. Revise these often.
Time-block and do these before day-to-day tasks.
Your day-to-day activities should reflect your long term priorities. Start from goals for an arbitrarily long time period. Break it down into multiple years, quarterly and weekly goals. Revise these often.
Time-block and do these before day-to-day tasks.
8/ Everything is a rep
You're developing habits every time you do something. Whether its good for you or not, it becomes easier to do it again.
Because of power of compounding, improve a bit everyday.
(1.01)^365 = 37.78
(0.99)^365 = 0.02
You're developing habits every time you do something. Whether its good for you or not, it becomes easier to do it again.
Because of power of compounding, improve a bit everyday.
(1.01)^365 = 37.78
(0.99)^365 = 0.02
9/ Creative Destruction
Innovation occurs at the intersection of fields. Using the models of one field in another gives new insights.
Life is an infinite game. Current progress will be source of problems in the future, just like problems now were introduced by prev generations
Innovation occurs at the intersection of fields. Using the models of one field in another gives new insights.
Life is an infinite game. Current progress will be source of problems in the future, just like problems now were introduced by prev generations
10/ Listen
Good relationships are built on feeling heard. When everyone around the table feels heard, a lot of the emotional attachment to their position is released. Everyone is on the same field and problems can be solved objectively.
Listen and acknowledge.
Good relationships are built on feeling heard. When everyone around the table feels heard, a lot of the emotional attachment to their position is released. Everyone is on the same field and problems can be solved objectively.
Listen and acknowledge.
11/ Maximize Serendipity
The world is a complex place. Try lots of things and see what comes from it.
Keep iterating until you're the best in your niche. Bring the market to you.
Be discoverable. Travel. Participate in stuff. Talk to strangers. Experiment.
The world is a complex place. Try lots of things and see what comes from it.
Keep iterating until you're the best in your niche. Bring the market to you.
Be discoverable. Travel. Participate in stuff. Talk to strangers. Experiment.
12/ Wealth vs Status
Wealth creation is using leverage to own assets that earn money when you sleep. Its a positive sum game that adds value to the society.
Status is your rank in the social hierarchy, a zero-sum game.
@naval: If you play stupid games, you earn stupid prizes
Wealth creation is using leverage to own assets that earn money when you sleep. Its a positive sum game that adds value to the society.
Status is your rank in the social hierarchy, a zero-sum game.
@naval: If you play stupid games, you earn stupid prizes
@naval 13/ Productivity
Effectiveness is doing the right thing. Efficiency is minimizing the resources used. Moving fast in the wrong direction just gets you to the wrong destination faster.
Choose the right things to work on. Then set up systems to manage attention, time & energy.
Effectiveness is doing the right thing. Efficiency is minimizing the resources used. Moving fast in the wrong direction just gets you to the wrong destination faster.
Choose the right things to work on. Then set up systems to manage attention, time & energy.
@naval 14/ Control Emotions
Life is so much better when you can see yourself getting sad, angry or frustrated. You always know you have some degree of control, and can scale your emotions back to your baseline simply by sitting with yourself.
Meditate.
Life is so much better when you can see yourself getting sad, angry or frustrated. You always know you have some degree of control, and can scale your emotions back to your baseline simply by sitting with yourself.
Meditate.
@naval 15/ Let Go
Suppressed emotions from past events in our lives affect our feelings, decisions and goals way into the future. These can lead to irrational decisions. Work on releasing these.
Forgive others.
Suppressed emotions from past events in our lives affect our feelings, decisions and goals way into the future. These can lead to irrational decisions. Work on releasing these.
Forgive others.
@naval 16/ We're mimetic creatures
Our desires are largely influenced by what others around us want. This often makes life into a hedonistic treadmill.
Be picky in choosing the people you surround yourself with.
Learn to love what you have. Be grateful.
Our desires are largely influenced by what others around us want. This often makes life into a hedonistic treadmill.
Be picky in choosing the people you surround yourself with.
Learn to love what you have. Be grateful.
@naval 17/ Pay Attention
Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.
There's beauty in small moments. Learn to recognize and appreciate it.
Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.
There's beauty in small moments. Learn to recognize and appreciate it.
@naval I've learnt more from these polymaths, their articles, book recommendations, podcasts & tweets than I've from my last decade of school. I'm infinitely grateful.
@naval @tferriss @nateliason @TaylorPearsonMe @fortelabs @vgr @sebastmarsh @SparksRemarks @david_perell @StudyHacksBlog
@naval @tferriss @nateliason @TaylorPearsonMe @fortelabs @vgr @sebastmarsh @SparksRemarks @david_perell @StudyHacksBlog
@naval @threadreaderapp unroll
