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A lot of otherwise talented people are too pessimistic to actually do anything. They are paralyzed by risks that don’t exist and greatly exaggerate them where they do, preventing them from being one of the best. Consider this lightly edited excerpt from a conversation between Charlie Rose and Magnus Carlsen that argues it’s better to … The post The Winner’s Edge appeared first on Farnam Street.
over a year ago

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More from Farnam Street

[FS Members] Lessons from Rockefeller: The Upside of Patience

Long-term thinking is one of the most valuable traits of successful individuals. It demands that you forego the rewards of the immediate future and position yourself for lasting success. But long-term thinking is impossible without patience; it’s what made John D. Rockefeller one of the most successful businessmen in history. Whenever he had the opportunity, … The post [FS Members] Lessons from Rockefeller: The Upside of Patience appeared first on Farnam Street.

a year ago 43 votes
Why Write

Why write an essay when you can type a few words and have AI generate one for you? Why write an email when AI can auto-respond for you with all the typical pleasantries and talking-points? While AI doing these things for you is likely to happen, it’s not necessarily a good thing. Even when these … The post Why Write appeared first on Farnam Street.

over a year ago 104 votes
Lessons on Leadership: Michael Abrashoff on Turning the Worst Ship in the Navy into the Best

Michael Abrashoff was in his mid-thirties when he took command of the USS Benfold, a guided missile destroyer and one of the worst-performing ships in the navy. Despite her potency, the “dysfunctional ship had a sullen crew that resented being there and could not wait to get out of the Navy.” By the time he left, less … The post Lessons on Leadership: Michael Abrashoff on Turning the Worst Ship in the Navy into the Best appeared first on Farnam Street.

over a year ago 101 votes
Let Go of the Learning Baggage

We all want to learn better. That means retaining information, processing it, being able to use it when needed. More knowledge means better instincts; better insights into opportunities for both you and your organization. You will ultimately produce better work if you give yourself the space to learn. Yet often organizations get in the way of … The post Let Go of the Learning Baggage appeared first on Farnam Street.

over a year ago 77 votes

More in finance

June 2025: Show times

I really want to stop mentioning Trump. Even when he sends troops into LA, one of my favourite cities. But when he launches 30kt bombs on Iran, it is very hard to avoid talking about him. In the context of what Trump’s been up to, the welfare reform screw-ups by the Labour government seem almost… Continue reading June 2025: Show times →

15 hours ago 4 votes
Issue 88 – The stockchain

Crypto firms hope putting a blockchain veneer on traditional equities will allow them to sidestep lessons learned in the 1929 Wall Street crash, crypto firms look to become banks, and Congress celebrates crypto surveillance while claiming to outlaw it

18 hours ago 4 votes
What I’ve Been Reading

This post is a list of books that I read in the second quarter of 2025, including The Snowball, The Haywire Heart, Plato's Republic, and the King James Bible

15 hours ago 4 votes
Putting the Jobs to be Done Interview to Practice

Things we wished someone told us, before we put the JTBD interview to practice.

3 days ago 9 votes
Issue 87 – SO ORDERED

Trump’s crypto empire attracts more foreign millions, the FHFA pushes crypto on mortgage lenders, and Mamdani’s mayoral primary win makes billionaires sweat

a week ago 11 votes