Woolgathering # 159: Some Advice Never Goes Out of Style
Plus: the proximity effect, super-lean entrepreneurship, and tactile illusions
I was supposed to be an academic philosopher, but for various reasons, that didn’t quite work out. However, I spent enough time in that discipline over the years to have gotten a few useful things out of it.
Case in point, the story about the inscriptions in the ancient temple of the Oracle at Delphi. Supposedly, there were 3 aphorisms, or well-regarded pieces of advice, inscribed on a pillar in the temple.
And though the temple was destroyed just under 2,000 years ago, those 3 principles still hold true today. In fact, they may be more in need of attention now than they were then—because we seem to have forgotten at least 2 of them.
My article in Forge this week discusses the enduring significance of these 3 aphorisms.
Read This
The Proximity Effect
Why do people like what they like? Why don’t people change things up more often? Interesting stuff here:
Overall, the results support the general idea that proximity amplifies liking. And the researchers also present preliminary data suggesting that people like other desirable objects – including hamburgers and wrapped presents – more when they are physically closer.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Grad Students
(But for more than just grad students!)
Long ago, I was an overwhelmed grad student. And I had no idea how to advocate for my future in academia. So I pretty much let it slip away from me. My friend Ben Noble took the plunge and went back to grad school—and is thriving. Here, he gives some tips about how to be effective as a grad student. But these tips are effective for pretty much any career where you’ve got to advocate for your own future (with is to say, most careers).
Listen to This
Sahil Lavingia on Super-Lean Entrepreneurship, Bringing Value, and People’s Motivations
What an excellent and wide-ranging conversation. Gumroad’s founder goes both wide and deep in a variety of topics. His journey, and his takeaways from it (so far) are worth hearing. It’s a long listen, but it had me locked-in from beginning to end.
Watch This
“Handy Illusions” That Highlight the Unreliability of Perception
These tactile illusions are trippy. The one where you have to try to move specific fingers while your arms are crossed is weird, but a great analogy for conditioning in our perception and decision making. It's about only about 2 minutes long, but sure gets you thinking...
Try This
A Truly Great Nutritional Supplement
Before my current gig, I worked in the nutrition industry for a while. In doing so, I learned a great deal about nutrition and supplements. I still carry that knowledge about and enthusiasm for nutrition and supplements with me to this day. I’m skeptical of a lot of products’ claims, and I stick with only a select few that have a good ingredient profile.
A few months ago, I caved to the relentless ad campaign of Athletic Greens (who sponsor many a podcast these days). And I’m taking the time to recommend it here because it’s really good. The ingredient profile is the best I’ve seen of its kind. It tastes decent (considering it’s a bunch of vitamins minerals, and herbs). And the service is also great.
Athletic Greens is not a sponsor, but if you choose to buy from them through my link above, I’ll get a little discount on my own AG kits.
A Question
What’s the operating principle?
18th century philosopher Immanuel Kant was famous for discussing ethics in terms of the principles behind our actions—rather than the actions themselves. After all, someone could mean well by what they chose to do, but screw up badly. Conversely, someone might do something with terrible intent, but it turned out well, and they’re viewed favorably as a result.
It helps to ask—both of others and of yourself—what the motivation or operating principle behind the action is. We can so often get obsessed with action and results. But those things mask a whole world of intent and motivation. And the more you have to interact with people, the more important it is to understand their operating principles and motivations.
And as you’re trying to improve yourself in various ways, it’s important to ask what your own intent is behind your actions. You may think you’re in touch with them, but take any one of your bad habits that you wish you could change, and catch yourself in the act of repeating that habit. Most likely the way you’re justifying the habit is by masking your motivation from yourself. This is no different from what others do to us and to each other.
So, make sure to pay attention to the actions, but more importantly, to the intention.
A Quote
“True leadership knows not to go to extremes but knows how to confront and appreciate challenges.”
- Lubna Olayan