Why Honor Matters
Quick — who’s your favorite character in The Godfather? The most popular answer to this question surprised me. About half the people who are asked pick Sonny: Santino Corleone. “Everyone loves Sonny,” …
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Strategy vs. Tactics: Why the Difference Matters
In order to do anything meaningful, you have to know where you are going. Strategy and tactics are two terms that get thrown around a lot, and are often used interchangeably in numerous contexts. But …
Double Loop Learning: Download New Skills and Information into Your Brain
We’re taught single loop learning from the time we are in grade school, but there’s a better way. Double loop learning is the quickest and most efficient way to learn anything that you …
Smarter, Not Harder: How to Succeed at Work
The key to better results isn’t working harder. Most of us already work long hours. The problem is we don’t always work smart. We all have the same amount of time each day to invest. What …
Pain Plus Reflection Equals Progress
Our most painful moments are also our most important. Rather than run from pain, we need to identify it, accept it, and learn how to use it to better ourselves. *** Our images of learning are filled …
Deductive vs Inductive Reasoning: Make Smarter Arguments, Better Decisions, and Stronger Conclusions
You can’t prove truth, but using deductive and inductive reasoning, you can get close. Learn the difference between the two types of reasoning and how to use them when evaluating facts and arguments. …
The Pygmalion Effect: Proving Them Right
The Pygmalion Effect is a powerful secret weapon. Without even realizing it, we can nudge others towards success. In this article, discover how expectations can influence performance for better or …
The Value of Probabilistic Thinking: Spies, Crime, and Lightning Strikes
Probabilistic thinking is essentially trying to estimate, using some tools of math and logic, the likelihood of any specific outcome coming to pass. It is one of the best tools we have to improve the …
Inertia: The Force That Holds the Universe Together
Inertia is the force that holds the universe together. Literally. Without it, things would fall apart. It’s also what keeps us locked in destructive habits, and resistant to change. * “If it were …
Reversible and Irreversible Decisions
Making decisions, even in areas you know relatively well, usually involves an element of uncertainty. Sometimes decisions can be made quickly, and uncertainty is acceptable or desirable. Other times, …
My Berkshire Hathaway Reflections
After a decade of attending the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders meeting, these are the thoughts and experiences that stand out the most to me. (My essay appears in the The Warren Buffett …
What is First Principles Thinking?
First principles thinking is one of the best ways to discover new solutions. Sometimes called “reasoning from first principles,” it’s a tool to help break down complicated problems by separating what …
Break the Chain: Stop Being a Slave
A vendor once tried to buy me a laptop. Not just any laptop but a very expensive laptop. The vendor claimed that there were no strings attached. And, as they pointed out, I was the only person in the …
So Two Stoics Walk Into a Bar…
The first thing he ordered was OJ with a splash of vodka. When people come to the FS bar the first thing they did was order a drink so this didn’t seem out of the ordinary. But looking closely …
The Terror of Totalitarianism Explained
We all hope totalitarianism — a form of government in which the state has no limits in authority and does whatever it wants — is a thing of the past. Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia showed what the …
The Difference Between Speed and Velocity: Getting Stuff Done
Most people think going fast and getting stuff done are the same. They are not. Understanding the difference between speed and velocity can help increase your productivity, simplify your focus, and …