Maxims for a happy life: Difference between revisions

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[[Coin metaphors]]. Be figurative.
[[Coin metaphors]]. Be figurative.
[[Be on the first lift, not in the last bar]].


Be predator, not prey. Don’t be a victim. Own your predicament, don’t whine about it. See also : don’t talk your own book.
Be predator, not prey. Don’t be a victim. Own your predicament, don’t whine about it. See also : don’t talk your own book.

Revision as of 08:04, 9 February 2020

A hearty collection of the JC’s pithiest adages.
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Maxims for a happy life.

Coin metaphors. Be figurative.

Be on the first lift, not in the last bar.

Be predator, not prey. Don’t be a victim. Own your predicament, don’t whine about it. See also : don’t talk your own book.

Beware of shorthand: Experts use heuristics to exploit knowledge they gave already acquired. Charlatans use heuristics instead of it.

Judge people by what they do, not what they say Talk is cheap.

If you’re a man, be masculine. Don’t apologise for who you are.

It’s just a game: If you derive a significant part of your self-worth from the fortunes of a dozen well-paid me you’ve never met and over whom you have no influence, ask whether there’s something missing in your life.

Don’t be easily shocked: it’s called the shock of the new for a reason. Shock value isn’t the same as stock value. The longer something’s been around, the more crap it has put up with, and the more likely it is to be worthwhile.

It’s okay to generalise. It’s okay to stereotype. That’s how humans work. We apply heuristics. Just be aware that you’re doing it. Sometimes generalisations are unfair. Sometimes they fail. Remember they are provisional. It’s okay for others to stereotype you too. Deal with it. It’s not like you’ll be able to stop them.

There are no outsized risks or rewards at the top of the curve. They are down the tail.

It’s not just "not all heroes wear capes". Heroes don’t wear capes.

Don’t be needy. Walk up escalators. Give up your seat.

Change direction by 5, not 45, degrees. But lock in the change. Rome wasn’t built in a day - but it was built. a 5% change is less volatile, more sustainable, more controllable. see evolution: optimal degree of ariability. If you vary to much, you’ll change away the good stuff.

Pass the ball

This time isn’t different. The laws of physics, finance and economics still apply. Even with blockchain. Just as they did in the dot com boom and the global financial crisis.

The Dead Poet’s Rule: There’s no machine for judging poetry.

The pitch

You

What you’ve got

Confidence

Mental space

Learn

Your nose

Others

  • Don’t be intimidated: they’re more scared than you are.
  • First question: cui bono?
  • Assume they’re talking their own book until you know otherwise. Value people who don’t.
  • Insiders have an interest in making what they do seem hard.
  • Challenge. Require an explanation. What a professional can’t explain, she doesn’t understand. If she can’t explain it, it’s probably bullshit.

The team

  • Disregard rank. Seniors must earn your respect. You must earn it from juniors.
  • Your team. They get the credit. You take the responsibility. Deal with underperformance privately: that’s your job. Never sell them out.

Disobey stupid rules

Complexity and order

References

  1. If you said, “or girl,” you’re being that guy. (and/or girl, as the case may be.)