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The Path of Least Resistance

December 19, 2021

Welcome to Sunday Brain Food: a weekly newsletter full of timeless ideas and insights for life and business.

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FS

“Most times, not everyone on a team agrees with the course of action. Even when you have enough cognitive diversity in the room, people still keep their mouths shut because people in power tend to reward people who agree with them while punishing those who dare to speak up with a dissenting view.”

— An Approach to Making Better Decisions

I spoke with professor Nancy Sherman about controlling your emotional response, why pre-rehearsing is so important, and what we can learn from the stoics about making better decisions. (Become a member and get transcripts to all episodes).

Explore Your Curiosity

“A group will never admit they were wrong. A group will never admit, “We made a mistake,” because a group that tries to change its mind falls apart.”

— Groups Never Admit Failure

“Microfame is the best kind of fame, because it combines an easier task (be famous to fewer people) with a better outcome (be famous to the right people).”

— Writing is Networking for Introverts

Insight

“The willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life is the source from which self-respect springs.”

— Joan Didion

Tiny Thought

One simple way to unlock your best self is to shape your environment so that your desired behavior is the path of least resistance.

(Share on Twitter)

Et Cetera

  • The best of Christopher Hitchens.
  • How to separate your beliefs from your identity.
  • Social proof explained.
  • A read for curious teens.
  • Charlie Munger did a podcast.

P.S. Beethoven.

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