Anchoring Bias in Transitions
You finally made a move to dump the demanding but high-paying job in the city. Finally, after a decade of living a fast-paced life in the corporate world, you're done. You were suddenly offered a job i
The Dark Side of Determination
The "drownproofing test" is a hallmark of Navy Seal training. You're dropped into a nine-foot pool with your hands tied behind your back and feet tied together
Lifestyle Design is a Fallacy
Lifestyle design is an alluring concept in the pursuit of success, health, and purpose. But the concept presupposes that we have the ability to shape our destiny way out into the future through long-term goals all the way down our daily routines.
Stop Pretending You Know
Leadership is often associated with decisiveness and certainty, with the ability to steer the ship through the stormiest of seas and push through the darkest storms. Yesterday's leader was somebody who confidently declared, "Follow me. I know the way."
We Live Longer Than We Think
In the 20th century, we added more years to our average life span than in the previous 1,000 years. In a single short span of human history, the length of time we have to live has doubled. Most babies born today in the world's developed
Nature Hates Straight Lines
We are introduced to the notion of a linear path as soon as we begin our journey through school. We follow a predetermined curriculum in a controlled environment, where everybody has access to the same resources and materials, follows the
The Art of Accepting Outcomes
The simple act of flipping a coin might seem insignificant. But below its apparent simplicity lies a world of foggy probability and unpredictability. When flipping a coin, we have a 50/50 chance of getting either heads or tails. Therefore, we know the odds.
Grit Doesn't Make You Infallible
Organizations and leadership models predominantly popularize a common narrative that leaders must possess "grit." Angela Duckworth characterizes this image of grit as the combination of passion and
Asymmetrical Risk Beats B-Plan
The entrepreneurial world is the world of unknowns—a random, complicated, nonlinear world that conceals many opportunities and setbacks at every turn. In the world of uncertainty, simplistic seesaws of equilibrium don't exist.
The 'Leap of Faith' is Misguided
"Entrepreneurship is about jumping and building on the way down" is an aphorism frequently thrown around in startup circles. While the words are inspiring and make you think of the intelligent innovators and risk-takers who changed the world in some small
Beware Your Stories
The origin of a six-word tale, rumored to be written by Ernest Hemingway, is clouded in mystery: "For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn." This "story" has gone down in literary history as
Goals & Learning From Mindball
Several years back, I was visiting the Science Museum in Vancouver with my kids and we came across a super interesting game called Mindball. The game requires two players two players to sit at opposite ends of a table and wear a headband that is equipped with electrodes connected to the table.