Neglecting to understand which things are your business, and which are not, causes many problems. People spend too much time with their noses in places where they don’t belong while ignoring things for which they are responsible.
Tag: business
On Being a Part of City Life
I had to get a job before I started to realize the beauty of a city skyline, or even a busy interstate. The high office buildings, the businesses, the traffic, the construction, the people rushing off to do things – I’m a part of that flow now. I know what these places and things and activities are like. I know (some of) what it takes to create value in the world.
Janitorial Studies in South Korea
“We jokingly predict that colleges will offer a master’s degree in Janitorial Studies within a decade or two and anyone seeking employment as a janitor will discover no one will hire unless proof of possession of such a degree is presented.”
Thank Your Competitors
There’s plenty to be said for Peter Thiel’s case that establishing a natural monopoly (via innovation, not privilege or coercion) is best for innovation. In many cases, it’s true. You should probably not go into a space that is already competitive. But if you have already done something innovative, competitors are bound to come behind to ride your coattails. Here are a few reasons you shouldn’t be too upset – and why you might actually want to thank your competitors.
A Degree is a Signal, But Not the Kind You Think
The signaling theory of higher ed is correct, except it’s not a career signal, it’s a social signal. You can build a better professional signal and better career in a fraction of the time for a fraction of the cost outside college conveyor belt.
New Law in Utah Protects Free-Range Kids from Government “Protection”
State officials and lawmakers told the Washington Post that authorities in Utah were “not in the business” of arresting parents who allowed their children to roam freely, but lawmakers felt compelled to pass the legislation after Child Protective Service in other states opened criminal cases against parents who did.
Syria: Is Trump Finally Putting America First?
During a visit to Ohio to promote his infrastructure plan on March 29, US president Donald Trump dropped one of the bombshells that Americans have become accustomed to over the last year and a half: “We’ll be coming out of Syria, like, very soon …. Let the other people take care of it now.” If he’s serious, if the more hawkish members of his administration don’t dissuade him, and if he follows through, Trump will be taking a giant step in the right direction on foreign policy.
Federal Reserve Notes are Risk Free?
Governments default on debt all the time! Essentially every government that has ever existed has defaulted on its debt at some point. Sure, they can go centuries without defaulting, but eventually they do and will default. This makes them no longer risk free.
Whither Self-Driving Cars?
I don’t want to be too quick to say last rites over self-driving cars, but fallibility is the Achilles’ heel of the illusion of infallibility. And ideas are far more dependent on popular acceptance than they are upon usefulness.
You’re Not the Only Person On a Quest
If your search is long and arduous, it’s reasonable to get some tunnel-vision. You’re focused on becoming excellent at your job, establishing your new business, educating yourself in a new technology/science, or becoming a hero to your children. Your quest is and (probably) should be a focus for you. But maybe you’re missing something important.