Quit vs persist

Still doing a lot more listening to podcasts and audiobooks post-car accident/concussion but gradually tolerating more screen time. For audiobooks, I’ve found it useful to also borrow e-book from NYPL so I can read/screengrab top passages.

I found “Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away” by professor & ex-world poker champion Annie Duke to be a fascinating book. Too often, we stay too long in a situation because to be certain that quitting is the right move, it has to hit us in the face. How to know when to quit? One reason is that in a dilemma, we will never know for sure that leaving was the right choice unless we stay until it is certain that staying will be a bad outcome. We glorify staying and persistence (I do it, too - grit and perseverance are critical in many aspects of life, but we have to be able to determine when quitting is the best move).

“Be picky about what you stick to. Persevere in the things that matter, that bring you happiness, and that move you toward your goals. Quit everything else, to free up those resources …” Annie Duke

This is true of relationships, jobs, majors, projects, training for a marathon, investing, and on and on and on. In the book, Annie Duke discusses a situation where a woman is miserable in her job and debating whether or not to take a different job. But she isn’t certain she’ll be happy in the new job. Of course! Nothing is certain.

Duke asks her what the probability is that she’ll remain unhappy in a year if she stays in her job. The woman says, 100%.

Then Duke asks what she thinks the chances are she’ll be unhappy in a year in the new job. The woman says, maybe 50%.

Reframing it in that way made it clear. The woman quit immediately.

The guardrails & decision points should be set long before we have to make a decision about quitting. Whether in attempting to summit Mt Everest or deciding to move on from a project or relationship, if we wait until we are desperate, our mind won’t be clear & options fewer.

Other reads & listens

• Have been shoring up on Tim Ferriss episodes while screentime is limited. He’s such a great interviewer and gets great guests, but I usually don’t listen to podcasts much longer than an hour. This episode with Adam Grant had a particular piece that I am finding phenomenal. The Reflected Best Self Exercise is something where you ask 15 to 30 people who know you well (could be friends, colleagues, classmates, people you have collaborated with) to think of a story of a time when you were at your best and why. When you get back all the stories, you will likely see some common threads and it’s a great learning experience. I am in the midst of this, and the stories I am receiving back from people are insightful and informative. I will write more about this at another time.

• Una charla excelente entre Àlex Rodriguez Bacarit y Juanjo Mostazo. Un consejo de Juanjo a si mismo de hace años: “Reunirme de gente que es mejor que yo, que sabe más y que es un pelín encima para ir aprendiendo.” Tal como Àlex comentó, el perfil de CTO (como Juanjo) que llega a ser inversor no es lo típico. Pero Juanjo comentó que la experiencia de fundador técnico le dio aprendizajes por errores cometidos que le permitan ayudar fundadores y reconocer talento y evitar errores. Otro consejo vital para crear comunidad y aprender de ella: “Lo que hay que tener es voluntad de participar en la medida posible y sobre todo tener la humildad de estar receptivo de aprender de los demás. Cuanto más mayor me hago, más doy cuenta de lo poco que sé.”

• This was a great listen between Susan Cain and Tim Ferriss. Discussing embracing creativity, melancholy, quiet and more.

• It’s becoming ever more dangerous in the U.S. to make a wrong move, whether ringing the wrong doorbell or facing a mental health crisis.

• Daily dose of sunshine.The Supreme Court corruption goes on and on. Put in a Code of Ethics already, Chief Roberts. Quit already, Justice Thomas.