DISQUS

bentrem · 1 year ago

In a funny sorta way "The Knack: How Street Smart Entrepreneurs learn to Handle Whatever Comes up" kinda sums up what I took from Sun Tzu. It occurred to me at some point that pret'near everything he talked about was just to set the stage so you can cope when the wheels fall off, when things go pear-shaped, when the existential shit hits the paradigmatic fan.

Agility ... lithe development ... actual responsiveness rather than spin and sophistry. I mean, really, what separates the sheep from the fish better than the attitude that lets us plunge into what ever happens to be in front of us?

cheers!
--bentrem

Whitney · 1 year ago

I agree Ben- it comes down to resiliency. You have to be able to learn from inevitable mistakes and do better the next time. We all know we're going to have problems, but better to confront them and deal with them rather than pretend they belong to someone else.

bentrem · 1 year ago

Interesting that psychopaths succeed (It's actually an adaptive "pathology". They are with us generation after generation.) with precisely that sort of (cold-blooded) pragmatism.

But yes, what might seem framed a certain way to be spiritual virtues are actually foundational to good craft.
I'll suggest that 90% of Sun Tzu is nothing more than that. (What came to mind just now was the warning on hair-dryers, "Do not use in bath or shower." heh)

Kathy Drewien · 1 year ago

Most of my reading these days is online, and in short bursts. A blog post here, a post there.

The most helpful podcasts I've heard recently are the two referenced in the first paragraph from this American Life - The Giant Pool of Money and Another Frightening Show About the Economy.

I'm in the real estate industry, and aware of mortgage fraud practices and easy money. This American Life gave me an understanding of why these practices became so prevalent. I'm better able to serve my client's as a result.

Adaptation, I believe, is inherent in my will to survive. When my backs against the wall, I can either crumple to the floor or find a way to adapt to changing circumstances and move on.

John Michael Cannon · 1 year ago

There is a perspective that says our economy goes in 80 year cycles. Every 80 years, there is an economic depression. So far, we've only had one and some are predicting another very soon!

In the Rich Dad/Poor Dad books, by Robert kyosaki... he talks about a coming economic depression because of a final blow to our economy by the retirement of the Babyboomers. H.S. Dent of The H.S. Dent Foundation, (THE NEXT GREAT BUBBLE BOOM) uses demographics to predict the long-term outcome of the economy (his short term predictions SUCK)and he uses demographics to point to the retirement of the baby boomers as the crushing blow to our economy, that leads to an economic depression. This is one assumption these men have made for nearly 8 years or more,now.

In the beginning of 2007, I found another perspective. I read a marketing book by Marti Barletta entitled, PRIMETIME WOMEN: How to Win the Hearts, Minds, and Business of Boomer Big Spenders. In Chapter 6: Looking Ahead, she addresses, "The Myth of the Crushing Burden". She writes...

"You've heard this one: The sheer demographics of the enormous Boomer population will crush Social Security and flatten Medicare. Because they haven't saved enough, Boomers will all be on the dole, soaking up money from government entitlement programs funded insufficiently by the sweat and tears of the smaller generation that follows them, eventually bankrupting the system. Damn them.... Hang on a minute. First of all, they will not all be on the dole... because they're planning to keep working... Second, given... the urge to give back... we can expect a substantial surge in volunteerism...the Prime Time population will turn their golden years into a time of intense social activism, volunteerism, and lifelong learning - an immense social resource that will contribute much more economic value than it consumes."

She makes the point that the vast majority of baby boomers, especially women, do not plan on retiring like their parents did. They need the money, the health benefits, or they need to give back to society ... and they are redefining retirement altogether. She argues that the Babyboomers, especially the women (the most powerful market on earth), will enliven the economy instead of burden it.

H.S. Dent uses demographics to point to an economic depression finally caused by the babyboomers. Marti Barletta uses demographics to point to the economic revitalization caused by the babyboomers.

So who right? I don't know. But,if the major theories of a coming economic depression are all focused on what the baby boomers do... well, it's good for me to see that everything may not be doom and gloom after all

It's good to get different perspectives. Often times, evidence can be a reflection of a person's assumptions about reality... instead of the other way around.

David · 1 year ago

Great post, Whitney. The sooner we clean up this mess, the sooner we can get on to making the next mess.

Whitney · 1 year ago

I just think we're always gonna mess up- that's a given. The trick is to develop a sense of resiliency, so you bounce back and make new mistakes next time- learn, correct, move on. Nothing is ever perfect, but the more you learn, the less likely you are to repeat the same mistakes over and over. And unless you own the mistakes, you're more likely to make 'em all over again.

Soultravelers3@hotmail.com · 1 year ago

We are traveling the world as a family, so I primarily read online and I have always liked out-of-the-box thinkers. I find it hard to believe that more did not see this coming as the signs were obvious and many were writing and talking about it years ago.

Recently Warren Buffet wrote in NYT about following "Wayne Gretzky’s advice: “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been.”

That is key, and getting out of groupthink. When tons of low wage earners were "buying" 1/2 million dollar homes with O down, EVERYBODY should have been paying attention to the inevitable.

There were many good books out about how to prepare for and even do well in the coming collapse. Rubino, Turk, RGE, Shiller, Ellen Brown, Peter Schiff, Jim Sinclair all come to mind and more.

We are so glad now that we sold our dream home in California at peak in 2005 and mostly got out of the dollar.

The key is always to look ahead to where that "puck" is most likely to go, but even more so in these turbulent times.

Those that are paying attention will do great in this economy and those that are not, could get run over by it.

jonnygoldstein · 1 year ago

Fave recent book: "Back of the Napkin" by Daniel Roam. The book is about using simple hand drawn visuals to solve business problems. I would love someone to do a clear visual to explain what led to the current economic implosion.

A book I'm rereading: "Flow: the Psychology of Optimal Experience". It's a great examination of part of what it takes to lead a fulfilling life--the ability to find challenges that are a good match for your skills and interests.

Whitney · 1 year ago

@Jonny- I like Back of the Napkin as well- great adjunct to Made to Stick as a way of learning to visualize concepts, and get points across visually as well as through writing/speaking.

@Soultravelers- You're absolutely right. It's tough sometimes to see where the puck is going- you don't always have all the information, but it's worse if you aren't even in the rink or don't have a stick...in other words- some base level of being ready, some base level of awareness is important, so you have the tools to choose a direction when needed.