Journal on My Ledger

The Library That Burned Twice: On Institutional Drift and Market Amnesia

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 18:07:14 +0400

The library at Alexandria didn’t die in a single fire. That’s the version most of us carry around, the dramatic one-act tragedy: the greatest collection of ancient knowledge, consumed in a single blaze of negligence or conquest. But the historical record is murkier. The library declined over centuries, through a succession of smaller destructions, political neglect, and the slow erosion of institutional support. Scholars left. Scrolls deteriorated. Funding dried up. By the time any final fire came, the collection was already a fraction of what it had been.

March 2026 Review: Geopolitical Risk, Personal Risk, and the Rules We Suspend Under Stress

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 18:13:10 +0000

There is a line often attributed to Lenin: sometimes decades pass and nothing happens, and sometimes weeks pass and decades happen. I have been thinking about this all month — not as a historical observation but as a lived experience. War arrived in my region. The portfolio drew down nearly 16% from its peak. I found myself, one evening, toggling between a missile trajectory map and a brokerage screen, wondering which one deserved more of my attention. The absurdity of that moment stayed with me.

The Architecture of Synthetic Equity: From the £100 South Sea Trade to Modern Tokenomics

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 18:17:39 +0000

In the summer of 1720, an English citizen holding government debt could walk into the offices of the South Sea Company and execute a simple exchange. They would hand over an illiquid state annuity and receive an equivalent market value of South Sea Company stock in return.

On the surface, it looked like a routine upgrade in personal liquidity. The citizen was trading stagnant paper for a dynamic asset. The government was simultaneously consolidating a fragmented, expensive ledger of war debt into a single obligation to one corporate entity.

Boats on the Grid: Notes on Fear, Faith, and Staying Anchored

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 13:31:39 +0000

On a recent flight back to my home city, I played Battleship with Hamza. Two grids, hidden boats, and you take turns calling out coordinates. B4. Miss. D7. Hit. You drop bombs blindly onto a map, hoping to strike something before your opponent strikes you. Hamza celebrated every hit with the joy only a child can muster for destruction that isn’t real.

Now debris is falling on the city I have called home for the past decade. Interception booms echo at night. And I find myself thinking about that grid, about being a boat, sitting still, while coordinates are called somewhere far away. The odds aren’t the same as a board game, but the logic is. Randomness. Chance. The terrible democracy of shrapnel, which does not distinguish between the guilty and the innocent.

The Geometry of Ruin: Possible, Plausible, Probable

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 17:53:51 +0000

Jay Gatsby stood at the edge of his dock, staring across the water at a green light. He had done everything right. He had accumulated wealth through means he never disclosed. He had purchased the mansion directly across the bay from Daisy Buchanan. He had thrown parties so lavish that strangers wandered in from the streets of West Egg, hoping that one night she might wander in too. He had engineered a reunion through her cousin Nick. He had a plan, a five-step sequence that was elegant, logical, and coherent.

On Borrowed Conviction: Momentum, Narrative, and the Erosion of Judgment

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 15:06:42 +0000

I first noticed crypto the way most people do. Prices were moving. Headlines were getting louder. Everyone seemed to have an opinion.

This was 2021. Bitcoin was climbing fast. I watched. I stayed out. I told myself I was being disciplined. Skeptical. Rational.

Then, sometime in 2022, as prices pushed toward what was then the all-time high around $60,000, something shifted. The hesitation that had felt like prudence began to feel like paralysis. The conversation had changed too. It wasn’t just speculation anymore. It was inevitability. Institutional adoption. A new financial order.

What Actually Burns: A Reflection on Risk, Positioning, and Fragility

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 17:46:07 +0000

“A forest fire doesn’t start because lightning exists. It starts because the forest was already full of dry brush.” —David Dredge

Lightning hits the ground thousands of times a day. Most strikes disappear into dirt. But one strike hitting a stretch of accumulated branches, leaves, and tinder becomes a catastrophe.

The event is the same. The outcome depends entirely on where it hits.

That idea stuck with me longer than it should have. Mostly because it forced me to confront something uncomfortable: I spend far more time thinking about “lightning events”: Fed meetings, CPI releases, earnings surprises, than I do about the actual structure of my risk.

Balance Sheets Through Time: Lessons from Sleep, Zakaria, and Spier

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 21:32:42 +0000

In 2005, Amazon puzzled most investors. Its strategy seemed to defy business logic. The company kept reinvesting its potential profits, driving down prices, and building expensive infrastructure. Wall Street analysts saw inefficiency and waste. They focused on metrics like operating margins, which remained stubbornly low. The stock price reflected this skepticism, having fallen nearly 80% from its dot-com peak.

But Nick Sleep and Qais Zakaria of Marathon Asset Management saw something different. Where others saw wasteful spending, they recognized deliberate balance sheet strengthening. Where others demanded immediate profits, they saw the accumulation of invisible assets that accounting statements couldn’t capture.

The Anti-Library: Why What You Haven’t Read Matters Most

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 20:25:26 +0000

I recently turned 40, and when my wife asked what I wanted for my birthday, I answered without hesitation: “A home library.” Not a trendy shelf for coffee table books, but the real thing: floor-to-ceiling shelves, rows upon rows, the kind of library that demands its own ladder. We live in a small apartment in downtown Dubai. Space is a luxury we don’t have. But my wife, never one to shrink from a challenge, found a way: she designed a custom olive-green bookshelf, stretching from the floor up to our ceiling, cradling more than five hundred books.

The Mathematics of Excellence: Lessons from Jim Collins

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 15:13:13 +0000

Language shapes thought.

When Jim Collins began his research for Good to Great, he explicitly told his team to avoid focusing on leadership. He was skeptical of attributing too much success to individual leaders. After all, if a company succeeds, we call its leader great; if it fails, we say they weren’t. A circular logic that teaches us nothing.

But his research team pushed back. They saw something different: a specific type of leader who combined fierce professional will with personal humility. They were cut from different cloth.

Director of What?

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 16:23:03 +0000

“You need to stop defining yourself by your titles and degrees. Here, nobody cares about that. They care about who you are.”

The words from my Toastmasters evaluator land with unexpected weight. Moments earlier, I had stood before the group, delivering what was supposed to be a speech about myself. Instead, I had retreated to the comfort of familiar credentials: Chartered Accountant, Finance Director at MAF. Professional shorthand that I’ve used so many times it flows without thought.

The Stories We Tell: From Coffee Shops to Balance Sheets

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 16:27:10 +0000

We construct stories to make sense of our lives. Sometimes these stories become prisons of our own making.

Recently, what began as a simple misunderstanding over coffee evolved into days of tense silence. In isolation, I crafted an elaborate narrative where I was the wounded party. Each hour of silence became evidence supporting my version of events. The longer she went without reaching out, the more convinced I became of my righteousness.

From Accounting to Economics: A First-Principles Lens on Business Value

Sat, 28 Jun 2025 09:19:37 +0000

In 1965, Warren Buffett took control of a struggling textile business called Berkshire Hathaway. On paper, the company looked modestly profitable, neat rows of depreciated machinery, tidy inventory valuations, and thin but positive earnings. The accounting numbers whispered possibility. But reality told a harsher story.

But beneath these neat accounting figures lay a brutal reality. The textile industry had become what Buffett would later call a “textile trap” - a declining industry that required constant capital expenditures for modernization yet never produced attractive long-term profits. The machinery, depreciated so smoothly on the balance sheet, needed endless upgrading just to stay competitive with foreign manufacturers.

Guy Spier x Eric Schaanning on Asset Liability Management and Banking Risk

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 14:43:46 +0000

There are few conversations that make you rethink the fundamentals of how modern finance functions—and fewer still that manage to blend bank balance sheets, behavioral risk, and the role of central banks into one compelling narrative. In this four-part conversation, Guy Spier sits down with Eric Schaanning to unpack the mechanics of banking risk through the lens of Silicon Valley Bank, the Savings & Loan crisis, and lessons from decades of asset-liability mismanagement.

Inversion: Different Questions, Better Answers

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 12:43:26 +0000

Every Sunday morning, I’d grab the kids’ supplement from our newspaper and flip straight to the maze puzzle. Like most children, I’d start at the beginning, trying to find my way through the twisting paths to the end. My page would end up a mess of scribbled lines - false starts and dead ends marked in heavy graphite.

Then one day, I tried something different. Instead of starting at the beginning, I began at the end and worked backwards. You’d think it wouldn’t matter which direction you solved the maze - the path is the same either way. But somehow, working backwards made everything clearer, cleaner, quicker.

The Elephant's Rope: Why Breaking Free isn't About Strength

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 18:18:10 +0000

In circus traditions across Indian subcontinent, there’s a peculiar method for keeping elephants in place. When the elephants are young, trainers tie them to a stake with a heavy rope. The baby elephant pulls and struggles, but the rope is too strong. After countless attempts to break free, something remarkable happens: the elephant stops trying.

Years later, even when the elephant grows into a magnificent four-ton creature capable of uprooting trees, it can be held in place by the same rope tied to a flimsy stake. The elephant could easily break free, but it doesn’t. In its mind, the rope is still an unbreakable barrier.

Building Shock Absorbers: From Playground to Portfolio

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 22:26:01 +0000

The call from his teacher caught me off guard. My son had been bullying other kids in class. When I confronted him at home, he broke down crying. Through his tears came the explanation: “My friends told me to do it. They said they wouldn’t be friends with me if I didn’t.”

Maybe he was trying to dodge responsibility. Kids often do. But those tears, that raw fear of losing friends - it took me straight back to my own school days.

Beyond Basic Put Options: Learning to Build Better Portfolio Protection

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:58:27 +0000

I’ve been thinking a lot about Nassim Taleb’s story of Nero Tulips in “The Black Swan.” Here was a trader who spent most of his career looking foolish, losing small amounts on crash insurance, only to make it all back (and more) in a single market collapse. What fascinates me is how he understood something that most miss: in markets, the rare catastrophic events might matter more than all the small daily moves combined.

Measure What Matters: John Malone and the Birth of EBITDA

Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:15:58 +0000

Show me how you measure me, and I’ll show you how I behave.

This fundamental truth about incentives runs through every business decision ever made. As Adam Smith observed in The Wealth of Nations, “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.” Like a river, incentives shape the flow, speed, and direction of human behavior—often in ways that aren’t immediately obvious to system designers.

The Architecture of Quality: Lessons from Pirsig to P&L

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 19:12:11 +0000

The classroom was stuffy on that Montana afternoon in 1963. A group of freshman English composition students sat at their desks, the scratch of pencils against paper the only sound breaking the silence. They’d been grading each other’s essays for weeks now, confidently marking A’s and B’s, identifying good writing from bad without a second thought.

“And what is good, Phaedrus, and what is not good—need we ask anyone to tell us these things?”

Sandcastles and Life Lessons

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 18:46:12 +0000

The following is a prepared speech for Project 2: “Writing a Speech with Purpose” in Toastmasters Pathways Level 1. The speech aims to share a personal story that connects with universal themes of change and acceptance. It was adapted from my original essay.

Introduction

“Will it stay here forever, Baba?” My five-year-old (he is currently seven at the time of this speech) son Hamza pointed at our sandcastle. We’d spent the last hour building it together on the beach. I knew my answer would upset him.

Navigating Options for Portfolio Protection: Lessons and Experiments

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 20:57:00 +0000

Nassim Taleb, the author of The Black Swan and Antifragile, often illustrates the dangers of unforeseen events with a story he calls the “Turkey Problem.” A turkey lives a comfortable life for 1,000 days, fed and cared for by humans, believing that each day reaffirms its safety. On the 1,001st day, Thanksgiving arrives, and the turkey’s world changes drastically. Taleb uses this story to show how past stability can lull us into a false sense of security, leaving us unprepared for sudden, catastrophic events.

Ice Breaker: Building Better Foundations

Sat, 02 Nov 2024 13:16:51 +0000

Couple of months after my daughter was born in 2022, my wife told me that she has had enough of me, and things looked bad. This had happened after yet another angry outburst on my part. Not only at her, but it had started with the security guard. That September evening as I sat, reflecting on where my life was heading, I wondered how I had gotten here. On the surface I had everything, I was a qualified chartered Accountant, a CFA charterholder, I had a good job as a finance Director and a very loving family. But I was angry all the time. I was in self destruct mode.

Beyond Luck: How Positioning Shapes Our Lives and Careers

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 16:34:41 +0000

Growing up in Pakistan, cricket was my thing. It was the thread that connected me to my dad. A former army man who claimed he could have played first-class cricket had he not joined the army during the 1971 war, my dad was still an impressive player even in his late 40s. His love for the game was infectious, and I found myself captivated by every aspect of cricket.

When my high school announced they were forming a team to compete against other schools, I was ecstatic. This was my chance to play real, hard-ball cricket. There was just one problem: I wasn’t very good at it, and I was fat. With the odds stacked against me, I knew I couldn’t make the team as a batsman or bowler.

Thinking Outside the Binary Box: How to Create Options When None Seem to Exist

Sun, 01 Sep 2024 13:19:26 +0000

Life often seems to present us with either-or choices. Stay or go. Risk or safety. Present comfort or future security. At first glance, these are mutually exclusive. Can either have this or that?

From time to time, I grapple with one of these dilemmas.

I left my home in Pakistan for a place where gleaming towers rise from the desert sands. It’s a modern oasis of opportunity, offering what some call golden handcuffs. The pay is great, but there’s a catch - it doesn’t come with long-term security.

The Most Important Thing: Cutting Through Noise and Confusion for Clarity

Sun, 26 May 2024 17:02:56 +0000

People are destined to suffer when communication from leadership is misdirected, unclear, or misunderstood.

Consider a physician who left a written order for a nurse treating an earache: ‘Two drops, twice a day, r. ear.’ The nurse, reading the note, opened the medicine and then directed the patient to turn over, putting the eardrops in his rectum.

The somewhat amusing anecdote is narrated by Robert Cialdini in his book “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. We don’t know whether the ear infection was cured from this method of administration of ear drops but it is meant to illustrate how, humans have been programmed to follow leaders. In his talk, Psychology of Human Misjudgments, Charlie Munger talks about how our society is formally organized into dominance hierarchies, with culture augmenting the natural follow-the-leader tendency of man.

The Quantum Pause: Delaying Decisions to Increase Optionality

Sun, 12 May 2024 21:15:23 +0000

The Cat Inside the Box

Imagine a cat is placed inside a sealed box, and inside the box, there is also a bit of radioactive material, a Geiger counter (a device that detects radiation), a hammer and a small vial of poison. If the radioactive material emits radiation, the Geiger counter detects it and activates the hammer. The hammer then strikes the vial poison, breaking it and releasing the poison, which would kill the cat.

The Waiting Game: Finding the Right Moment to Decide

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 10:42:55 +0000

A decade back, I met this girl named Sana. We hit it off right away. Things were going great. But a few months in, Sana’s like, “So, what’s the deal? Are we going somewhere with this? I’m at a point in my life where I’m ready to settle down, get married.” But me? I hadn’t really thought about it.

Getting married is one of those life changing irreversible decisions? It’s not like choosing which apartment to rent. This is more like deciding to move to a new country or putting down payment on a property. It’s one of those irreversible decisions, and the stakes are high. This a decision that lies in the fourth quadrant of our decision matrix. I mean, if it goes wrong, it’s not just your bank account that gets steam rolled. The psychological and emotional cost is bound to knock you down.

Setting the Frame: Separating Problem Definition from Problem-Solving

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 10:40:43 +0000

Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale “The Emperor’s New Clothes” is a story rich in wisdom about the dangers of vanity, pride, and the fear of appearing foolish. The story revolves around an emperor who cares more about his appearance and clothing than anything else. Two swindlers arrive at the city, claiming to be weavers who can create the most magnificent clothes, with a special quality: the clothes are invisible to anyone who is unfit for their position or hopelessly stupid.

Stacking Up: Navigating the Complexity of Decision-Making

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 12:47:57 +0000

Life is full of decisions, from the seemingly trivial to the monumental. Each choice we make, no matter how small, contributes to the overall structure of our lives. Recently, a simple game of Jenga with my son provided an insight into this concept.

As we began the game, the tower stood tall and stable, a sturdy foundation of wooden blocks. We took turns carefully selecting and removing blocks, each of us trying to maintain the tower’s integrity. With every move, the structure became increasingly precarious, teetering on the brink of collapse. Then, inevitably, one block too many was removed, and the tower came crashing down.

Playing the Long Game: Risk Management Lessons from Costco and Charlie Munger

Sat, 09 Mar 2024 07:21:12 +0000

Costco operates with the lowest gross margins among major US retailers but boasts the highest returns on invested capital. This impressive profitability, coupled with operating margins similar to competitors, stems from Costco’s efficient operating and business model.

The late Charlie Munger, a longtime Costco board member (from 1997 to his death in 2023) used to call Costco the perfect business.

It’s seemingly simple business model rests on five key pillars:

Navigating Complexities: The Prisoner's Dilemma and Its Implications for Personal and Professional Decisions

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 12:55:19 +0000

There is a story of a stalemate in Uber’s corporate history.

This was a time when the company underwent a substantial shareholder reshuffle, marking a turning point in its trajectory.

In August 2017, Dara Khosrowshahi, former CEO of Expedia, stepped into the role of Uber’s CEO. He took the reins from Travis Kalanick, the company’s co-founder, who had resigned under intense pressure from key shareholders, including Benchmark Capital. Kalanick’s departure came in the wake of a series of scandals that had rocked Uber, ranging from allegations of sexual harassment to a major lawsuit from Waymo and revelations of questionable business practices.

Shifting Perspectives: From Past Precedents to Future Fortitude

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 18:13:43 +0000

In another lifetime, a younger version of myself watched as my father, a man who had devoted the best years of his life to military service, faced a calamity that would redefine our future. His dream to transition from the disciplined life of an army officer to the uncertain world of entrepreneurship led him down a path filled with risk and ambition. Ignoring cautionary advice, he ventured into this unfamiliar territory by securing loans that would soon become unsustainable. The business floundered, leaving in its wake financial devastation characterized by mortgaged property and a multitude of debts. This period marked the most challenging phase of our lives, casting a long shadow over my father’s spirit and significantly altering my perspective on money, debt, and the unpredictability of life.

The Art and Science of Persuasion: Exploring Robert Cialdini's Core Principles

Sun, 28 Jan 2024 18:15:30 +0000

In the 1997 film “The Devil’s Advocate,” a memorable scene unfolds around a chess game between the two main characters, Kevin Lomax (played by Keanu Reeves) and John Milton (portrayed by Al Pacino). Lomax is a talented lawyer who has never lost a case, and Milton, his mysterious boss, is later revealed to be the Devil.

The chess game represents more than just a clash of wits. It is a strategic exchange where every move and word has a deeper significance. Milton, commanding and charismatic, subtly shapes the conversation and the game. He uses his role as Lomax’s boss and his engaging personality to create a persuasive environment. Instead of giving direct orders, Milton influences Lomax by tapping into his desires and aspirations.

A Journey Through Time: The Enduring Legacy of Al-Zahrawi and the Quest for Life's Work

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 08:03:27 +0000

While listening to David Senra and Patrick O’Shaughnessy’s podcasts, I am struck by a recurring term: ’life’s work.’ This concept, a frequent topic in their dialogues, led me to explore historical figures who embodied this ideal. Among them, Abul Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas Al-Zahrawi, known in the West as Albucasis, stands out. Living in the 10th century in Cordoba, within the Umayyad Caliphate in Spain, his dedication to medicine offers a compelling illustration of what it means to commit to a life-defining work.

Understanding Uncertainty and Making It Work

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 08:04:04 +0000

For the past five years, I’ve been diligently investing in ETFs through dollar-cost averaging, much like I persistently try to improve my fitness levels, though with noticeably more financial sweat than physical. At the start of the year, despite getting battered through 2022 on equities, I had set a fairly ambitious dollar amount target for my investment portfolio. This goal was a part of my larger plan to hit a specific number by the time I turn 40, which is looming on the horizon.

Navigating Cognitive Drift: Aligning Actions and Values

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 14:20:50 +0000

In my quest to grasp the undercurrents of human behavior, I stumbled upon a realization that has altered my perspective: our actions are largely shaped by incentives, often overshadowing the black-and-white notions of right and wrong. This epiphany didn’t strike me in a moment of grand revelation; rather, it was a gradual awakening as I navigated the complexities of everyday life.

My initial encounter with the intricate play of incentives began at home, in my role as a father. I found myself grappling with the challenges of parenting, particularly in encouraging positive behavior in my son, Hamza. My approach was straightforward: reward good behavior with toys. Each time Hamza exhibited kindness, discipline, or athletic prowess, he would receive a toy of his choice. Initially, this strategy seemed successful. Hamza’s behavior improved, and I thought I had cracked the ultimate parenting hack.

Navigating Complexity with Simplicity: Creating Systems That Work for All

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 11:19:55 +0000

In the challenging economic landscape of post-World War II Japan, the Toyota Motor Corporation stood as a modest automotive manufacturer, grappling with inefficiencies and uncertainty – a reflection of the nation’s broader struggles.

The transformational journey of Toyota began with an insightful realization by Eiji Toyoda. He envisioned a leaner, more efficient production system for Toyota, a vision that would soon revolutionize the manufacturing world. At the heart of this transformation was Taiichi Ohno and his groundbreaking concept of “jidoka,” or “automation with a human touch.” This concept marked a significant departure from the existing manufacturing norms.

Beyond the High Score: Understanding the Pull of Average

Sun, 26 Nov 2023 15:18:02 +0000

Cricket has always been more than just a sport to me; it’s a cherished pastime that evokes fond childhood memories of playing with my dad and younger brother in our backyard. Despite my deep affection for the game, I must admit that my skills have always been squarely average. When playing indoor matches with friends, I would often find myself contributing modestly, never quite standing out in the team.

There was a certain predictability to my performance in these friendly games. Typically, I ranked around the middle, reflecting the median skill level of our group. That is until an unexpected day when I experienced a significant deviation from this norm. During this particular match, everything I did on the cricket field seemed to work flawlessly. Every shot I played connected with a satisfying precision, and each decision I made turned out to be the right one. By the end of the match, I had notched up the second-highest score and bagged five wickets. It was an exhilarating experience, one that made me feel as though I had suddenly unlocked a new level of cricketing prowess.

The Power of Selective Focus: A Lesson in Prioritizing for Success

Sat, 25 Nov 2023 09:44:54 +0000

The story of the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, is a fascinating chapter in history that epitomizes the essence of focus and prioritization. In the early 20th century, these two brothers from Dayton, Ohio, embarked on a journey to achieve what many considered impossible - powered flight. Unlike many of their contemporaries who were also chasing this dream, the Wright brothers had limited resources and no formal training in engineering or aviation.

Embracing Imperfection: The Value of Completed Endeavors Over Unfinished Perfection

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 15:19:01 +0000

In the heart of Renaissance Italy, a story unfolded that encapsulates the essence of human endeavor and the pursuit of perfection. In the early 1500s, renowned artist Michelangelo was commissioned to create a series of 12 apostles for the Cathedral of Florence. His work on the first statue, Saint Matthew, began with fervor and promise. Michelangelo, known for his meticulous attention to detail and his pursuit of perfection, embarked on this ambitious project with his usual passion.

Perception and Prejudice: The Pervasive Power of the Halo Effect on Our Decisions

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 11:20:23 +0000

The story of Cinderella, a familiar fixture on children’s bookshelves, starkly divides the world into good and evil, beauty and ugliness, the oppressed and their oppressors. Cinderella herself, portrayed as both stunningly beautiful and exceptionally kind, stands in sharp contrast to the difficult life she leads. Her character transcends mere fiction, becoming a symbol of virtue and resilience in adversity.

In contrast, her stepsisters, who live under the same roof, are depicted as the opposite. They are portrayed as both mean-spirited and physically unattractive, their appearance reflecting their unpleasant personalities. The story ties their negative behavior to their looks, suggesting that their meanness stems from their lack of beauty.

The Unintended Obituary: How Alfred Nobel Changed His Story

Sun, 12 Nov 2023 17:46:24 +0000

In the late 1800s, Alfred Nobel, a Swedish inventor and industrialist, experienced a profound and unusual wake-up call. Nobel, who had amassed a fortune from his invention of dynamite, faced a unique turn of events when his brother Ludvig died in 1888. Due to a mix-up, a French newspaper mistakenly published Alfred’s obituary instead of Ludvig’s. The obituary was scathing and condemned Alfred for his invention, labeling him as “The merchant of death,” and stating that he “became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before.”

Unraveling the Knots in Our Minds: Tackling Real and Imaginary Worries

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 08:27:39 +0000

In 1914, Ernest Shackleton embarked on an Antarctic expedition, a journey that soon turned into a fight for survival. His ship, Endurance, became trapped and eventually crushed by ice. Shackleton’s leadership in the face of real, life-threatening challenges was remarkable. He focused on tangible problems, like rationing food and keeping morale high, rather than succumbing to fear or despair. His story is a powerful example of distinguishing between actual problems and unhelpful worries.

Through the Prism of Possibility: How Our Choices Sculpt Our Unpredictable Lives

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 15:18:36 +0000

In life, our every decision—whether made with deliberate intent or left to chance—acts as a catalyst that shapes our destiny. Ted Chiang’s story, “Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom,” introduces us to the prism: a conduit to the varying paths unfolded by our choices. This fictional device is far more than a mere plot element; it serves as reflection of the countless trajectories our lives could take at each juncture.

Beyond the Surface: Challenging Our Perceptions of Understanding

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 11:45:33 +0000

In the late 1990s, Long-Term Capital Management (LTCM), a hedge fund managed by a constellation of financial wizards including Nobel laureates Myron Scholes and Robert Merton, epitomized the pinnacle of financial acumen and innovation. The fund, armed with sophisticated mathematical models, promised to outsmart the market, leveraging complex strategies to yield unprecedented profits. Initially, their approach seemed infallible, as they navigated the financial seas with apparent ease, racking up significant returns. However, their perceived mastery over market dynamics was put to the test during the Russian financial crisis in 1998. The market, chaotic and unpredictable, deviated from LTCM’s meticulous models, revealing the fragility of their understanding. The fund’s highly leveraged positions, once a source of strength, became its Achilles’ heel, leading to staggering losses. In the end, LTCM’s story serves as a humbling reminder that even the most brilliant minds are not immune to the illusion of explanatory depth, and that our understanding, no matter how sophisticated it appears, can lead to catastrophic outcomes when we fail to grasp the intricate complexities and inherent risks of financial markets.

Why Dodging Pitfalls Is Just as Crucial as Achieving Brilliance

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 17:52:46 +0000

In Herodotus’s “Histories” Book VIII we find the tale of Greek general Themistocles. Outnumbered and facing a formidable Persian navy at the Battle of Salamis, Themistocles didn’t rely on a grand, heroic act to claim victory. Instead, he won by carefully avoiding mistakes and luring the Persians into a well-orchestrated trap. This disciplined approach echoes down the ages, reminding us that the path to success isn’t always paved with brilliance; sometimes, it’s about avoiding the pitfalls that would have us stumble and fall.

Building Castles in the Sand: Understanding Life Complexities from Entropy to Stability

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 17:36:23 +0000

Not long ago, my family and I took a short vacation at a beach resort. While my wife enjoyed some spa time, my son Hamza and I decided to build a sandcastle. After about an hour, we had constructed something we were proud of. However, when Hamza asked if our creation would last forever and I explained that nature would eventually reclaim it, he threw a fit. This reaction didn’t surprise me; Hamza has always been the type to build intricate Lego structures and expect them to remain untouched for all eternity. At his age, he is yet to understand the relentless force of entropy, a concept that I myself grappled with well into my twenties.

The Myopic Trap: How to Avoid a Narrow Focus

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 15:39:09 +0000

In 2008, the global financial landscape was rocked by an event that sent tremors across markets and households alike. At the epicenter of this financial earthquake was Lehman Brothers, a titan in the investment banking world that had stood for over 150 years. Its sudden fall from grace and ultimate bankruptcy was a wake-up call that reverberated through every corner of the financial universe. However, not everyone was caught off guard. Dr. Michael Burry, a one-time physician who had transitioned into hedge fund management, saw the collapse coming. By meticulously studying mortgage-backed securities, an area that most investors took for granted, Burry was able to anticipate the financial meltdown. His story became the focal point of the movie “The Big Short,” acting as a cautionary tale about the dangers of narrow-mindedness or what can be termed as ‘myopic vision.’

The Art of Being Consistent: How Ordinary Tasks Create Extraordinary Results

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 16:38:33 +0000

You might not have heard of Eugene Cernan, but you’ve likely heard of Neil Armstrong. Armstrong was the first person to walk on the moon; Cernan was the last (to date). Armstrong’s name is immortalized, but it’s Cernan who holds an extraordinary record. He flew into space three times—each mission more challenging than the last—and his career spanned more than a decade. Armstrong’s first moon step was a giant leap for mankind, but Cernan’s consistent commitment to his craft allowed him to make multiple leaps, each contributing to our understanding of space. You see, consistency mattered more than the spotlight for Cernan.

Simple Choices, Big Changes: A Lesson in Playing Life on Easy Mode

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 18:07:04 +0000

In the late 1970s, a young cricketer named Allan Border was called up to the Australian national team. The team was in shambles; they were losing badly, and morale was low. Allan Border wasn’t a prodigy, but he had something just as important: consistency. He steadily improved his game, not through spectacular shots but through meticulous attention to technique and strategy. By the mid-’80s, Border was the captain, and he led one of the most spectacular turnarounds in cricket history, culminating in a World Cup win in 1987. He didn’t rely on flashiness but on doing the basics extraordinarily well. Border’s journey exemplifies how the consistent application of simple, straightforward principles can turn a losing endeavor into a triumph.

The Pull of Conformity: How Diogenes Teaches Us to Break Free

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 14:34:09 +0000

In ancient Greece, there was a man named Diogenes who lived in a barrel. While others sought wealth and status, he chose a life of simplicity and independence. One sunny day, Alexander the Great, intrigued by the philosopher, visited him. “Ask anything of me,” said the great conqueror. Diogenes looked up and replied, “Move out of my sunlight.” The point here is that Diogenes refused to conform, even in the presence of arguably the most powerful man of his time. He lived life on his own terms, indifferent to societal norms.

The Psychology of Control: Why We Can't Grasp Randomness

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 12:51:01 +0000

Just a few centuries ago, life was a wild card. Your village could be invaded by armed swordsmen, and you’re enslaved by force, no questions asked. There is no recourse, no police and no law to give you protection. Picture being a woman in those times, where being taken as a war bride was a grim reality. Or consider, being forcefully “recruited” to fight in a war, stripped away from your home and community. The common thread? A life dictated by factors entirely out of your control.

The Invisible Armor: How Your Reputation Shields You

Sat, 14 Oct 2023 17:08:31 +0000

In ancient Rome, Marcus Aurelius, was known for his wisdom, integrity, and fairness. Even when he was fighting wars or managing the empire, people respected him because he treated everyone justly and upheld his moral principles. His reputation was so powerful that it has survived for nearly two millennia, studied and revered to this day.

Our reputation is like Marcus Aurelius’ legacy; it’s the invisible armor. It walks into a room before we do, affecting how people perceive us and react to you. Even after you leave, it sticks around, influencing how you’re remembered. You may not be an emperor or a philosopher, but the reputation you cultivate has lasting impacts on your personal and professional life.

Taking Aim at Life's Problems: The Importance of Finding the Root Cause

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 17:49:33 +0000

I remember my first-time playing pool back in 2011. I was in a remote part of southern Punjab on an audit assignment. My skills were questionable, they still are, but I quickly grasped the game’s basics: use a stick to hit the white cue ball, which in turn knocks colored or striped balls into pockets. Simple, right? But it got me thinking: What really causes those balls to go into the pockets?

The Unseen Filter for Making Better Choices

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 14:34:21 +0000

We all face decisions, big and small, every day. From deciding what to eat for breakfast to contemplating career moves, choices are a constant. Yet, how often do we pause to consider what happens after we make a decision? Here’s a simple yet powerful method I use to make better choices: I ask myself, “How much can I shape the outcome after I make this choice?”

Imagine standing at a fork in the road. One path is gravelly but well-lit, and the other is smooth but shrouded in darkness. How would you decide which to take? If you’re like most people, you’d weigh the pros and cons. But there’s a vital factor that we often overlook—our ability to affect the outcome after the decision is made.

The Allure and Illusion of Upgrading Your Life: A Journey Through the Diderot Effect

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 17:54:44 +0000

In the 18th century, Paris was a crucible of Enlightenment ideas. Among the era’s most influential thinkers was Denis Diderot, best known for his contributions to the Encyclopedia. Despite his intellectual prowess, Diderot wasn’t financially well-off—until, that is, he sold his library and found himself unexpectedly flush with cash.

This newfound wealth led him to purchase a luxurious scarlet robe. Yet, this garment soon made his other belongings appear drab in comparison. Trapped in a cycle of upgrading, Diderot found himself in financial strain and regret.

The Two Phases of Expectations: Fueling Success and Finding Peace

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 14:06:17 +0000

While you’re in the thick of your work, set your sights high. The goals you set for yourself often serve as a self-fulfilling prophecy; you’re unlikely to outperform your own expectations. So, aim high to motivate yourself to stretch your abilities and achieve your full potential.

After you’ve completed the work, it’s crucial to shift your mindset. Let go of those lofty expectations you set earlier. Holding onto them can taint an otherwise successful outcome. If you keep telling yourself it wasn’t good enough, you’ll rob yourself of the satisfaction and happiness you deserve. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not just about meeting or exceeding those high expectations, it’s also about the effort and dedication you’ve put into the task.

Hoof Taps and High Hopes: The Pygmalion Effect

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 14:53:35 +0000

In the early 20th century, a German teacher and horse trainer named Wilhelm Von Osten was convinced that animals could be taught to read and perform arithmetic. While dogs and bears failed to live up to his expectations, a horse named Clever Hans captured the world’s imagination. With a 90% accuracy rate, Hans would tap his hoof to answer mathematical questions. Scientists and laypeople alike were intrigued. Could a horse genuinely possess the cognitive ability to understand arithmetic?

The Allegory of the Modern Cave: Why Your Reality May Not Be as It Seems

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 14:38:51 +0000

Imagine you’re chained in a dark cave, facing a bare wall, unable to turn your head. A fire crackles behind you, casting shadows of various objects that puppeteers hold up on a raised walkway between you and the fire. This is your reality, shared with other captives. You discuss the shapes of the shadows, make guesses about what they represent, and even give them names. You and your fellow captives have lived your entire lives believing these shadows to be the only form of reality.

Beyond Intelligence: 'How Not to Be Stupid' in an Age of Information Overload

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 15:30:52 +0000

“Please review and check your work before submitting it. Do not rely solely on your Excel formulas and make careless mistakes.” These words, direct and pointed, lingered long after I received them. I grappled with their implication. Was this feedback an indirect way of labeling me ‘stupid’? Was it an overarching critique of my capabilities or just a comment on that specific task?

My entire life, I’ve rooted my self-worth in my intellectual abilities. Given my limited prowess in sports, my intellect was my pride. Therefore, when this feedback seemed to challenge my belief, I was driven to delve into the dynamics of intelligence and its counterpart, stupidity. Contrary to popular belief, stupidity isn’t simply the absence of intelligence.

Borrowed or Owned: Where Does Your Intellect Come From?

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 13:58:09 +0000

“Recall the fable of the crow and the pitcher? A thirsty crow discovers a pitcher with water at the bottom, but it’s too deep to reach. Ingeniously, the crow drops pebbles into the pitcher until the water level rises. This age-old tale underscores the merits of critical thinking. Yet, it begs the question: How many of us would genuinely solve a problem, and how many would resort to ‘second-hand intellect’?”

Beyond the Battlefront: A Tale of Survival and Resilience

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 13:50:50 +0000

The life journey of Alister Urquhart, as depicted in “The Forgotten Highlander,” is a testament to human resilience.

At the tender age of 19, Alister Urquhart was conscripted into the British Army during World War II and dispatched to Singapore. However, fate took a turn when the Japanese forces invaded, capturing him.

For 750 grueling days, Urquhart labored as a slave in the jungles, constructing The Death Railway and the infamous bridge on the River Kwai. During this ordeal, he was often naked and battled against the harsh elements.

The Art of Identifying The Most Important Thing: Insights from the Banana Wars

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 16:03:32 +0000

In the early 20th century, amidst the geopolitical tensions of Central America, the corporate rivalry termed the “Banana Wars” unfolded, predominantly between the behemoth United Fruit Company and the smaller, agile Cuyamel Fruit Company, led by Sam Zemurray. Central to their contention was a 5,000-acre tract of land, both deemed invaluable. United Fruit, upon discovering that this land resided in territories claimed by both Guatemala and Honduras with two separate claimants to ownership, engaged in their default approach: deploying lawyers and investigators to determine the rightful owner—a process that predictably dragged on. Zemurray, in stark contrast, recognized the primary issue at hand and acted with remarkable alacrity. Meeting both claimants, he ensured he had a clear title by addressing both parties who laid claim, effectively sidelining any potential disputes. While he might have paid more upfront, his quick action ensured he secured this strategic piece of land, leaving United Fruit embroiled in legalities.

Beyond the Rear-View Mirror: Understanding Risk and Responsibility

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 13:07:57 +0000

A mundane drive on Sheikh Zayed Road took an unexpected turn one evening. As traffic ahead halted suddenly, I found myself stopped behind a cab, hazard lights flashing urgently. An SUV, oblivious to the change, barreled toward me at high speed. Hemmed in by moving traffic to my side, a helpless glance in the rear-view mirror was all I had before the jolting impact. This event, though alarming, spurred introspection. Was it sheer misfortune, or did it underscore the necessity of the precautionary principle in our daily lives?

Time, Tasks, and Tendencies: The Intricacies of Parkinson's Law

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 18:10:31 +0000

Reflecting on my early days in public accounting in Pakistan, our audit assignments stretched from four to eight weeks. Given the readily available and affordable audit associates, our teams typically ranged from 4 to 8 members. Fast forward to my tenure at PwC in the Middle East, where the expectation shifted dramatically. Here, we aimed to complete audits in just one to two weeks, often with a leaner team of 1 to 3 people.

Chasing Metrics, Missing the Mark: Lessons from Colonial Cobras to Modern Management

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 08:24:21 +0000

During the British colonial period in India, Delhi faced a pressing issue: an overwhelming number of venomous cobras. To curb this threat, the British officials introduced a seemingly straightforward solution — offer a bounty for every dead cobra, aiming to mobilize the locals into reducing the snake population.

But, as with many policies, there were unintended side effects. Some entrepreneurial individuals recognized a lucrative opportunity. Instead of hunting cobras, they began breeding them at home. The more cobras they bred, the more they could kill and turn in for a reward. As word of this malpractice spread, the officials had no choice but to end the reward scheme. The outcome? Those home-bred cobras, now worthless to their breeders, were released into the streets, leading to an even more significant cobra menace than before.

6 Proven Strategies to Reinforce Financial Discipline with Dollar-Cost Averaging: Defeat Impulse Spending, Grow Your Savings, and Realize Your Financial Dreams

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 13:25:28 +0000

Discover the power of consistent investing and the path to financial independence.

In today’s fast-paced world, building wealth isn’t just about earning more; it’s about investing wisely. But how can one invest without large sums of money? And how can you ensure your hard-earned money grows over time? We’ll uncover the strategy that has helped countless individuals achieve their financial dreams.

The Birth of Dollar-Cost Averaging

The investment world is riddled with complexities, but amidst the noise, one strategy has stood the test of time: Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA). Originating from the desire to mitigate risks and promote disciplined investing, DCA is not just a tool; it’s a philosophy. Picture a world where market swings don’t induce panic, and where every paycheck moves you one step closer to financial freedom. That’s the essence of DCA.

Self-worth, Creation, and the Quest for Objectivity: Balancing Pride and Perception in the Shadow of the IKEA Effect

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 08:22:38 +0000

Late one night, surrounded by the quiet of midnight, I was meticulously finalizing a presentation for the Board. To me, each slide was more than just a task; it served as a testament to my dedication and skill. Filled with anticipation, I sent it to my boss, hoping it would be met with the same enthusiasm with which I had crafted it.

However, the break of dawn brought an unexpected turn. Rather than the accolades I had hoped for, the presentation returned dotted with revision suggestions. This didn’t just feel like routine feedback; it felt like a personal affront, questioning my capabilities. A tidal wave of defensiveness rose within me. Was my effort not clear enough?

Favors Without Strings

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 12:46:38 +0000

If you’ve ever done someone a favor—be it a colleague, a friend, or anyone else—like lending money in a tight spot or using a connection to help them get a job, here’s a piece of advice: Don’t mention it again.

Avoid bringing it up in conversations or hinting that they owe you. While your genuine assistance can strengthen your relationship, constantly referencing it can do the opposite.

Over time, they might hesitate to interact with you, fearing you’ll remind them of the favor. And if you continually bring it up, especially in a belittling manner, you risk ruining the relationship altogether.

The Red Queen Effect: A Modern Parable of Perpetual Pursuit

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 07:12:21 +0000

In the heart of an ethereal land, Alice, a curious adventurer from Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking Glass,” raced alongside the Red Queen. As they ran, she was struck by an unsettling truth. Despite the fervor of their sprint, the surrounding environment remained eerily stagnant. “Now, here, you see,” remarked the Red Queen, “it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place.” This perplexing insight didn’t just captivate Alice in Carroll’s fantasy world; it resonated, providing a metaphor that’s reverberated through time, shedding light on individuals and systems battling the whirlwinds of competition, evolution, and relentless change.

Monopoly, Gambler's Ruin, and a Five-Year-Old: Insights Beyond the Game Board

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 13:21:17 +0000

A few months ago, my five-year old son (Hamza) got into board games. We started from Uno, moved on to Snakes and Ladders, until he came across Monopoly. But given that he is too young to understand the intricacies of monopoly, I decided to give him a head start by more than doubling his starting money.

This got me thinking, the game became an illustration of a question posed by the Gambler’s Ruin: if one player has a superior skill set and the other more resources, who’s likely to come out on top?

Beyond Chemistry: The Unexpected Insights from Alloying

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 15:59:34 +0000

It’s said that life, in its vast complexity, can sometimes be distilled down to fundamental principles. And to think, one of the realizations stemmed from a chemistry concept I once loathed: alloying. Alloying is, at its heart, an emergence. It’s the process by which combining distinct elements results in an outcome greater than their individual sum.

During high school, I barely spared a thought to chemistry. Therefore, I dropped the subject in favor of social sciences. But then, while studying mental models, a curious fact caught my attention. When you combine tin, with a Mohs hardness of 1.5, and copper, at 3, you don’t get what you’d expect. Instead of an average 2.25, you get bronze – a staggering 6 on the Mohs scale! This isn’t just a matter of adding two properties: it’s an explosion of potential, a leap from the mundane to the remarkable.

The Unexpected Upside: The Wide Reach of Optionality in Life's Choices

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 15:35:37 +0000

In 2015, my entire trading account and a significant part of my measly net worth was wiped out due to a series of misguided options trades. The lure of overnight riches had me speculating on the markets via options. This failure led me to swear off options entirely, attributing my losses to speculative and riskiness of options.

However, during my CFA studies, my perspective changed. I discerned that options, when utilized correctly, offer a unique safeguard against unforeseeable market movements, all the while retaining the potential for substantial returns.

Tossing the Coin of Trading: Unmasking the Reality with Ergodicity

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 15:56:48 +0000

Imagine you’re at a carnival, enjoying the lights and sounds, when you come across a coin-toss game. The excitement is palpable. You’re told that if the coin lands on heads, you’ll double your bet, but if it lands on tails, you’ll lose everything. The 50% chance of doubling your money is a siren’s call. But as you play, you realize the trick: a single loss means you’re out of the game forever.

Building Strong Narratives: The Impact of First Principles Thinking

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 09:47:14 +0000

Have you ever found yourself faced with a problem so intricate and vast that it triggers anxiety, not because you lack the capacity to solve it, but because the available data seems to render it insurmountable?

This sensation frequently emerges when we attempt to reason by analogy. The practice of solving a problem by analogy involves recalling a similar situation we’ve encountered, drawing insights from it, and applying those insights to the current circumstance.

Anchored in the Past: Sunk Cost Fallacy

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 14:56:43 +0000

Have you ever found yourself trapped in a decision, unable to let go, even when you knew it wasn’t working out?

This is known as the sunk cost fallacy, a cognitive bias that influences our decisions based on past losses rather than potential future gains. Understanding this phenomenon and how it plays out in our lives can be crucial in making rational decisions. Today, I’ll share a real-life example from my professional life, which can help unravel this fascinating, yet potentially devastating, psychological quagmire.

The True North: Crafting My Personal Mission Statement

Sun, 28 May 2023 14:25:13 +0000

Every individual embarks on a unique journey through life, a voyage that can sometimes seem directionless. A personal mission statement serves as a compass for this journey, pointing consistently towards one’s true north. In this post, I will share my voyage through the depths of self-reflection, as I navigated towards creating my own personal mission statement.

The Starting Point

As part of a coaching program, I was tasked with creating a personal mission statement. This wasn’t merely an assignment, but an invitation to delve deeper into my core values and desires. At first, it seemed like a daunting task. However, my prior exposure to the ancient philosophy of Stoicism provided a strong foundation for my introspection.

Reflections and Roadmap: Journey Towards Self-Improvement

Fri, 26 May 2023 11:23:15 +0000

I’ve always found solace in the written word, using it as a tool to record, reflect, and drive personal growth. To hold myself accountable to my goals, I decided to create this public journal, a space where I share my experiences and the insights gleaned along the way.

Recently, I embarked on a new coaching program to break free from the inertia of my mid-level management career. There’s much to discuss about this program, and I’ll do so in future posts. Today, I want to shed light on an introspective exercise from the first worksheet of the program - an honest appraisal of various aspects of my life.

What good have I done today?

Mon, 01 May 2023 10:32:20 +0000

Back from vacation and I spent the past two hours sifting through my email and clearing the inbox. I have this OCD of keeping my inbox (both personal and work) at 0 unread. The emails which are expected to take longer to go through, process / be replied to are opened in a new window (I use Outlook desktop app for all my emails) and are kept open until I have been through them.

Harsh truths

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 06:50:13 +0000

I’m a fan of harsh truths. Someone recently linked me to this post on harsh truths from 2012 that went mega-viral back in the day.

It’s quite good, though I’d argue that several on the list are all really one single harsh truth (that you have to create something of value to be valued).

The few that struck a chord (with a few thoughts from me in italics):

The world only cares about what it can get from you. Everyone you encounter needs something. You are either valuable (by providing those things that are needed) or not (because you cannot provide any of them) and the world will treat you accordingly. This is true professionally in the context of what valuable skills you can build to fill what others need and personally in the context of what valuable emotional support you can provide to your family and friends. We should all strive to be valuable to those around us.
What you are inside only matters because of what it makes you do. As discussed in the framework, my view is that actions create identity. We have to DO in order to BE. It’s not enough to say that we are a good person on the inside if we don’t do good things for other people.
Everything inside you will fight improvement. I agree with this. For most people, the internal wiring makes it much easier to just stay the same. It’s painful to change and grow, so we avoid it. We make up excuses and do all kinds of mental gymnastics to tell ourselves that’s ok. But we’re better than that, and we are made to do more than that. You get one shot at life, might as well try to make the most of it!

Character Alarms

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 06:40:30 +0000

There is a concept called Character Invention that many of the most prominent executive coaches teach to their clients.

The general idea is pretty simple:

We all have a level of fear and imposter syndrome associated with performing certain acts. Depending on your situation, you might feel it around public speaking, performing a musical act in front of a crowd, hitting the gym hard, or being the parent or partner you know you can be. This can be crippling.

Focus on the next step

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 08:04:33 +0000

Where you focus can hold you back.

Focusing on the outcome makes the gap between now and the finish line seem larger than it is.

Yesterday I wanted to go for a long run. That little voice in my head said “Imagine running for 90 minutes. Dude, you didn’t sleep well, and that’s a lot of effort. Let’s save our energy and check Twitter instead.”

Taking the first step seems impossible when the gap between now and your desired outcome seems large.

Busy

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 09:19:55 +0000

“The problem isn’t that you’re too busy. You are too busy, but that’s not the problem. If you view being busy as the problem, there is no solution. You will always be too busy, and that will never change. As Andy Grove once noted: “A manager’s work is never done. There is always more to be done, more that should be done, always more than can be done.” The problem is that you’re acting like a firefighter instead of a fire marshal.”

Simplicity

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 09:14:07 +0000

IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad on simplicity:

“There have to be rules to enable a lot of people to function together in a community or a company. But the more complicated the rules are, the harder they are to comply with. Complicated rules paralyse!

Historical baggage, fear and unwillingness to take responsibility are the breeding ground for bureaucracy. Indecisiveness generates more statistics, more studies, more committees, more bureaucracy. Bureaucracy complicates and paralyses! Planning is often synonymous with bureaucracy.

Making sense

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 09:12:40 +0000

When you see someone doing something that doesn’t make sense to you, ask yourself what the world would have to look like to you for those actions to make sense.

Don't negotiate with yourself

Mon, 30 May 2022 15:18:10 +0000

The person who carefully designs their daily routine goes further than the person that negotiates with themselves every day.

The most successful people I know follow a routine to ensure the most important projects get the time they need.

A successful and busy acquaintance decided to write a book not long ago. I asked him how he planned to do that given all of his responsibilities at home and the office. He simply said, “I get up at 5, make a coffee, and write from 530 to 7 every day. I’ve been doing it for 9 days now and I’ll do it until the book is done.” I knew right then he’d finish his book. Why? Because he designed part of his life to accomplish that goal.

Grit

Mon, 23 May 2022 05:54:48 +0000

The irony is that this ‘fake it till you make it’ tactic is the exact opposite of how truly successful people live. They live with authentic vulnerability because they know that the world always connects more with your grit than your shine. They might show up for the shine, but they will stay because of your grit.

Joshua Medcalf on grit

Over and over again

Mon, 23 May 2022 05:51:18 +0000

The greatest threat to results are boredom and impatience.

The only way to become good at something is to practice the ordinary basics for an uncommon length of time. Most people get bored. They want excitement. They want something to talk about and no one talks about the boring basics. For example, we know that dollar-cost averaging into an index fund is likely to generate wealth, but cryptocurrency will give us a bigger thrill. Boredom encourages you to stop doing what you know works and do something that might work.

The 24 hour rule

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 06:48:44 +0000

There is a rule that has helped me put failures and victories into their proper perspectives.

The 24-hour rule states that you turn the page every day. No matter what. You can celebrate or cry but tomorrow you turn the page. Tomorrow is a new day.

We all know the person at the office that hangs on to the past. They remind of us of the project they worked on 10 years ago that was a success. Or they let a temporary defeat turn into a permanent one. They are anchored to the past and it prevents them from seeing the future.

Positive asymmetry

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 10:55:01 +0000

Linear games are won by working harder than others. And the harder other people work, the higher the bar. You need to work harder and harder, just to stay in the same relative position.

Asymmetry is different. Even people who understand asymmetry consistently underestimate its power.

Positive asymmetry happens when you have a lot of upside and little downside. Negative asymmetry is when you have little upside and high downside. Finding hidden or overlooked asymmetry is the key to an unstoppable advantage. And there is a lot of it hiding in plain sight.

Discipline vs Consistency

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 08:10:29 +0000

One of the most practical life skills that no one talks about is turning discipline into consistency. Discipline will only take you so far. It’s hard to be consistently disciplined.

Relying on discipline to do what you know you should do requires a lot of effort. But what if you could take that discipline and turn it into something that happens without much effort?

Consider a twelve-year-old who has about an hour of homework a night with his Grade 7 class. If he relied on discipline to get that homework done, it would be a mess. Sure, some nights it would be easy but other nights it wouldn’t. We can almost hear the excuses now. “I don’t feel like doing it now. I’ll do it later.” In the end, what he did would depend on how he felt.

Discipline

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 14:59:33 +0000

If small changes create big results, then why is success so elusive?

The answer boils down to a single word: discipline. Not many people have consistent discipline when times are good. Even fewer in times of stress.

Anyone can do something once. Not everyone can do it consistently. Eating healthy for a meal is common. Eating healthy all week is not. Working out occasionally is common. Working out a few times a week is not. Going to bed on time is easy. Doing it for a week is not.

Active vs Passive stability

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 07:26:45 +0000

There are two types of stability: passive and active. Most people don’t understand the difference until it’s too late. Passive stability requires no intervention.

A ship in the ocean is passively stable. The captain can take a nap and the power can go out and the ship will still ride out the storm. Active stability is different.

Active stability requires constant intervention. A modern jet is actively stable. It has little inherent stability without constant intervention.

Playing in hard mode

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 15:26:05 +0000

“Every battle is won before it’s ever fought.” — Sun Tzu

While most of us would never choose to play life on hard mode, that’s exactly what we do when we put ourselves in a bad position. One way to visualize this is through the lens of billiards. We become so focused on making the first shot that we fail to consider how we position the ball for the next shot. When we go to take the next shot, it’s harder than it had to be.

You are what you think and do

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 15:02:40 +0000

Environment is the hidden force that guides behavior. One reason it’s so effective is that it speaks to your subconscious mind and not your conscious mind.

Default behaviors love the path of least resistance. Not only does our environment choose that path but it pushes us in that direction.

Most of the time when we think of ’environment’ we think only of our visible environment. Consider your house. Seeing a bag of chips on the counter makes eating healthy harder. In the same way, removing chips from the house altogether makes eating them harder. To get a bag of chips you have to get in your car and go to the store.

Do less but do better

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 14:05:16 +0000

Any energy that goes into what doesn’t matter comes at the expense of what does.

With a little extra time, you can raise the standard from good enough to great.

Narrow the focus. Raise the standard and set yourself apart.

Premeditatio Malorum

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 06:21:42 +0000

Seneca once said, quoting Fabius, that the only inexcusable thing for a commander to say was, “I did not think that could happen.” And of course, he is right: The job of the leader is to be prepared, to have a plan, to anticipate all possible and probable outcomes. Whether it’s a military campaign, a creative project, or a business negotiation. This is why the Stoics practiced premeditatio malorum and made a point of always doing their ‘hard winter training.’

Humility

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 08:20:29 +0000

“It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.” — Epictetus

Humility is the anecdote to arrogance. Humility is a recognition that we don’t know, that we were wrong, that we’re not better than anyone else.

Humility is simple to understand but hard to practice.

Humility isn’t a lack of confidence but an earned confidence. The confidence to say that you might not be right, but you’ve done the diligence, and you’ve put in the work.

Truth

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 15:05:41 +0000

We tend to think that what we think is true. And because we think something is true, we ignore information that might tell us it’s not true.

Charles Darwin deliberately looked for thoughts that disagreed with his own. He wrote, “whenever a published fact, a new observation or thought came across me, which was opposed to my general results, to make a memorandum of it without fail and at once; for I had found by experience that such facts and thoughts were far more apt to escape from memory than favorable ones.” Darwin was out for truth, not to confirm his view of the world.

Avoidance

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 11:02:52 +0000

There is nothing that gets in the way of success more than avoidance. We avoid hard conversations. We avoid certain people. We avoid hard decisions. We avoid evidence that contradicts what we think. We avoid starting a project until we’re certain of the outcome.

To justify our avoidance, we lie to ourselves. We tell ourselves that we’re noble — we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings. We tell ourselves we don’t want to offend others. We tell ourselves that things will get better. We tell ourselves that things will get easier. We tell ourselves that we can avoid the real issue without any impact. We tell ourselves we’ll start when the time is right.