On some powerful ideas

Here are some powerful ideas, life lessons, and some and hills I would die on in belief.

I don’t think I have any proofs or justifications, it’s mostly my perspectives.

The fancier the restaurant, the fewer the smiles, and even fewer – the laughs.

The more success I have and the more I advance in social circles or work hierarchies, the more formal and restricted they feel. I’m not at the top with billions of dollars, but I’ve met some, and I’m not so convinced it’s so great up there as it might look from below. The best bottle of wine is a cheap one shared with close friends in a nice circumstance. Prove me wrong.

Notice the masks. When everyone enters a meeting room, people put on a mask and acts a role that represents their official role or title. But it’s just an illusion, always. People are people. Don’t let any mask scare you.

This is something my dad said to me. His people skills are at another level. He’s been in sales his entire life.

In fact, the only reason I am here today, is because when he had met my mom and had a great time at a party, feeling she might be “the one” – but had no way of contacting her, except for her name and that she was from Gothenburg – he convinced a telephone exchange lady (back when that was a thing) to break the only law they had to care about, really, and connect him to my grandmother’s restricted phone number that was not in any official phone book. Then he convinced my grandmother on the phone (who obviously had no idea who the hell he was) to get a way to contact her daughter.

I think about that often.

They’re still happily together, 40 years in.

I have countless stories of my dad’s ability, but that is one my favorite one.

Non-linearity is much more common than you think

The concept of non-linearity means an increase or decrease is not linear. When you measure things, it’s easy to assume that they are. For example, a 5% increase in traffic can lead to a small increase in congestion. A 10% increase in traffic can mean a tenfold increase in congestion.

Non-linearity detection is sometimes possible through measuring second order (=second derivative) effects. I find NN Taleb’s books to explore these ideas well.

Try to have limited downside with infinite downside, instead of limited upside with infinite downside.

Options are great because you pay for the contract (static cost i.e your downside) while the potential upside is unlimited exponentially. Try to structure your life like this. Being nice has very little cost, but very large upside. Taking risks where your downside is time wasted but upside is unlimited are also very useful.

Most models and estimates in presentations are dogshit

So many people and institutions make assumptions all the time.

Whenever the stated estimate or model error margin is not shown, then discard whatever has been said. – at that point it’s just someone’s fiction, maybe not even using some real model.

But even if it is a real model, is it better to have a map you know is faulty than no map at all when heading into the wilderness?

Most deadlines are just arbitrary decisions

You hear that this needs to be done in Q1. But who came up with that deadline? It’s easier to understand how serious it is when you know where it comes from.

Self-interest can lead people to believe and justify nearly anything

Anyone can convince themselves of anything, meaning any behavior can be justified by anyone, even if it’s unthinkable to you personally.

Let what people say and do tell the story. Don’t infer things – it’s more likely than not imaginary noise created by you.

Overthinking does nothing. Don’t do it and don’t assume someone will understand anything about your situation unless communicated.

The parallel boats analogy

If two boats start parallel, but one shifts direction even just a degree, then they will end up very far apart over time.

So for that reason, make sure to communicate often.

Martial arts is good for you, and your soul

It just turns people into better people. I can’t explain it, and I don’t think I ever can. But I know it’s true.

I don’t care if people think it’s “not needed” modern society.

There is a notable trend from people who actually understood violence in the past: Chinese and Japanese generals (and samurai) turned into philosophers.

Fighting is part of our nature and most primal circuits in the brain. Scientists believe 10-15% of all hunter-gatherer deaths were caused by beatdowns by other people, meaning fighting has been a valuable skill for our entire existance, and it’s all over the animal kingdom that cubs wrestle.

A fun fact people don’t think about: wrestling is the oldest sport in the world https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Duk8JfemGSY.