Farnam Street
Mastering the best of what other people have already figured out
“The CEO who misleads others in public may eventually mislead himself in private.” — Warren Buffett *** Is there a link between candor and execution? L. J. Rittenhouse thinks so. Rittenhouse is the …
In this video Richard Feynman explains why trains don’t need differential gears
A simple explanation of how differential gears work and why they are necessary.
“The basic trouble, you see, is that people think that “right” and “wrong” are absolute; that everything that isn’t perfectly and completely right is totally and equally …
Tina Rosenberg with a thoughtful op-ed in the NYT on the influence people around us have on our decisions, even, oddly, when they are imaginary. Bad behavior is usually more visible than good. It’s …
When it comes to using our minds, we all want to learn how to think like Sherlock Holmes. This isn’t just a way of solving a crime. It’s a way of thinking. Maria Konnikova’s book, …
I love this excerpt from Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking on Warren Buffett and temperament. Buffett is known for thinking carefully when those around him are …
The Eisenhower Matrix is a powerful tool that helps you work on the most important thing and get more done. Let’s explore how it works so you can put it to use today. Dwight Eisenhower …
An organization’s core capabilities are those activities that, when performed at the highest level, enable the organization to bring its where-to-play and how-to-win choices to life. They are best …
Just because you see does not mean you observe. The difference between seeing and observing is fundamental to many aspects of life. Observation is more than simply seeing something, but rather a …
Recent digital technologies generate a perfect storm of anti-attention, largely because they draw on the tremendous power of what B. F. Skinner called ‘intermittent reinforcement.’ We click the ‘new …
Two important nuggets from an interview with Chip Heath, co-author of Decisive (more here), on improving our ability to make better decisions: A decision-making magic trick The closest thing to a …
Below are three excerpts from a great interview with Rory Sutherland on decision making psychology. Understanding Human Behavior That attempt to model economic behaviour as though it were Newtonian …
In The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us About Coming Conflicts and the Battle Against Fate, author Robert Kaplan offers a new way in which to view the global upheavals and to understand …
You’re probably not as effective at making decisions as you could be. This article explores Chip and Dan Heaths’ new book, Decisive. It’s going to help us make better decisions both …
If workplaces had nap rooms, multitasking was frowned upon, and meetings were held during walks, we’d be vastly more productive. These are just some of the things we know about how to optimize …