Category Archives: Uncategorized

“It can do anything”, is rarely something knowledgable people say about a tool. This is especially true of quantitative tools. The people who best understand a tool, also understand its limits. That doesn’t mean they are bad at using a tool. Often, they know what other skills will complement the limits of the tool. They canContinue reading “The Limits Of Quantitative Tools”

Whenever I see someone do something that looks difficult or near impossible, I always wonder what their emotions are like. When Barack Obama gives a speech seen by millions or when an NBA player shoots a buzzer beating shot in a playoff game. What are they thinking? How are they not crushed by the weight ofContinue reading “Experience Puts Emotions into Context”

When Breath Becomes Air is simply one of the best books I’ve ever read. {spoiler alert} I’ve read a number of fantastic books about life, death, mortality and human’s search for meaning. Some of them make great points and offer compelling insights. However, they are all written for an audience. They are all bound byContinue reading “Book Recommendation: When Breath Becomes Air”

Monopoly is one of my favorite games. It is just the right mixture of probability, deal making, strategy and numbers. Monopoly is a game of working with luck and other people. My key philosophy is: Do things that maximize your chance of winning. Most people play to avoid losing. However, nobody cares about 2nd place.Continue reading “Monopoly Strategy”

This is a “Science of 1” post. I have experimented a lot with my caffeine consumption. Until the age of 20, I never drank coffee. When I studied abroad in Spain, I started drinking coffee for the cultural elements of it. After getting a summer internship,  I started drinking coffee daily to help me focusContinue reading “Caffeine Consumption”

One reason evolution is amazing is that incorporates knowledge into our species. However, it is slow and a lot of people live suboptimal lives waiting for our biology to adapt. Fortunately, humans, unlike other species can adapt to the world quicker than evolution through science. We can observe the world and learn from our environmentContinue reading “The Science of 1 Person”

Life is a series of events that we go through. Often, we try very hard to control what those events will be. Or at least we try to make sure certain positive events are part of the list. Those positive events could include having a company we work for IPO, winning a prize, getting married, buyingContinue reading “Choose People, Don’t Chase Circumstances”

Sometimes, it feels like each day is roughly equal in it’s impact on the entirety of life. Like a game of basketball, sometimes you are up or down. Sometimes by a little or a lot. However, the pace is relatively stable. The score only changes by 1-4 points per play. Even giving up the maximum four point playContinue reading “Best and Worst”

When I look back on any activity that I’ve done, I always look for ways I could do it better. Usually the first question is: did I do a good job on that activity or do I need to completely rethink my approach? The biggest clue I get is the outcome of the activity. ForContinue reading “Offsetting Mistakes”

The common sense around reading is to only read one book at a time. Some people even insist that books must be read cover to cover. This could be called reading in serial. It is the general way that I read when I was younger. If I started another book before finishing one, teachers andContinue reading “Reading Books in Parallel”