Whose Land is This?
This land is your land, this land is my land From California to the New York island; From the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters This land was made for you and me. I was born in 1956. Firstborn of my parents. Old enough to be drafted 18 years later, but young enough to […]
What Does It Mean to Be A “Man?”
In these benighted times, do we dare even pose such a question? What does it mean to be a man? Should we not instead find another term . . . Fully Realized Adult Functioning Member of Society Credentialed Human Unit Responsible Humanoid Grown Soul Something else? I find myself at this cultural tripwire of a […]
Song of Myself
I exist as I am, that is enough, If no other in the world be aware I sit content, And if each and all be aware I sit content. Walt Whitman I’ve had a long and varied career in business. I’ve started companies and folded companies. Given advice and sometimes even taken some. Made money […]
Reciprocity is Good Until It Isn’t
Reciprocity is essential for group function. It enables trades across time through informal IOUs – “Help me today, and I’ll help you tomorrow.” These IOUs exist because of trust between people, and in turn strengthen that trust. This exchange forms the foundation of social contracts dating back to our earliest days: “You watch the children […]
Thinking Traps (Part 3)
A mental model malfunctioning or producing an unplanned result is called a “thinking trap.” Here are some common examples. Remember, we all fall victim to these at some point. We are poor estimators. We are remarkably bad at predicting the future and estimating how things will work out. We are even worse at estimating how happy […]
Thinking Traps (Part 2)
A mental model malfunctioning or producing an unplanned result is called a “thinking trap.” Here are some common examples. Remember, we all fall victim to these at some point. We assume the future will be like the past. We take the same route to work every day without thought, and usually, it works just fine. We […]
Thinking Traps (Part 1)
I have written previously about “mental models.” A mental model that malfunctions or produces an unplanned result is called a “thinking trap.” Here are some common examples. Remember, we all fall victim to these at some point. We focus on the wrong things. We live overstimulated lives, which we attempt to process through a working […]
How Do You Know You Have Made a “Good” Decision
How do you know you have made a good decision? It is tempting to say, “By the results I achieve”. If only it were that easy. Consider this example: “How do you know you made the right career choice?” Which results? When you achieve some great success? When you receive some award? Because you made […]
Check Your Mental Models
We create mental models to help us organize the complicated aspects of our lives. They are combinations of emotions and verbal and non-verbal stimuli. The term ‘model’ is useful: Models aren’t the thing; they are just representations of it. They contain only as much detail as necessary. They serve as mental shorthand. Mental models are […]
Life Is Combustion. Sometimes, that’s Good. Sometimes It’s Not.
When you light a fire (or a candle), that’s combustion. The process goes like this. Ignition: Heat starts the process. When enough heat is applied to a suitable fuel source and oxygen, the fuel and oxygen molecules get excited and start moving faster, increasing the likelihood of colliding with enough energy to react. The Bonds […]