Monthly Mullingš”
Learning a new subject, Via Negativa, and the Obstacle is the Way.
Hiš,
Tapan here.
Monthly Mulling is a newsletter sending the best ideas from the web to your inbox for free. High signal. Low noise.
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Happy Sunday yāall!
Based on the feedback I received, I have decided to increase the frequency of this newsletter to twice a month! š„³ Thank you for your support!
Onwards.
šMULLING
Here are the ideas that I have mulled over this month.
š§How to Learn a New Topic (Video)
Johnny Harris in this beautifully edited videos explains how we learn any new topic.
1) As we are trying to learn something new (software, language, technical skill), we have our eyes on the goal but the learning process is not a straight-line
2) We descend into a valley (a.k.a. valley of despair) where we keep going deeper and deeper trying to understand the topic
3) Only after we have reached the very bottom, we rise up again to finally understand the subject and reach our learning goal
He has created this fascinating video about the topic using his own example of how he went about learning astrophotography. It helps to be cognizant of the learning process. Check it out!
What he skipped over is a bias related to learning a new topic - the Dunning-Kruger effect. Before you enter the valley of despair, you hit Mt. Stupidity where you think you understand everything about the subject. Itās very important to understand this bias.
šThe Knowledge Project - Derek Sivers (Podcast)
Derek Sivers in conversation with Shane Parrish - a lot of insights every minute of the episode. Here are my favorites.
Derek on note-taking - Derek has an inventory of ideas from all the books that he has read over the years and has tagged each idea in the database. So when he has to write about a topic, he can search for the tag. I have recently started doing this with the books I am reading. Itās a tedious process but hoping it will be worth it.
Business-owners leaving work - You are a business-owner once you are comfortable enough to leave your work for a month/year and come back to see that it is doing better. Business-owners need to learn how to delegate and have working procedures in place for their staff.
The method of getting a good idea is by eliminating a lot of bad ideas. After all, the best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas. This process of obtaining knowledge via subtraction is also calledĀ Via Negativa.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb defines Via Negativa as,Ā āThe principle that we know what is wrong with more clarity than what is right, and that knowledge grows by subtraction. Also, it is easier to know that something is wrong than to find the fix. Actions that remove are more robust than those that add because addition may have unseen, complicated feedback loops.ā
š£On being a meaningful specific (Article)
If you walk into a noisy bar and ask why they donāt have Chopin on the jukebox, theyāre unlikely to accommodate you. The same is true if you go to a BBQ joint and insist on sushi.
Most of the brands we truly care about stand for something. And the thing they stand for is unlikely to be, āwhatever you want, we have it.ā Itās also unlikely to be, āyou can choose anyone and weāre anyone.ā
A meaningful specific canāt possibly please everyone. Thatās the deal.
I have been avoiding Netflix recently by following the Derek Sivers rule of āhell yeahā or ānaahā. If I see a title and it doesnāt excite me enough to say āhell yeahā, I donāt watch Netflix.
Recently, I found a hell yeah title, Connected. I just watched the first episode which was about āSurveillanceā and it was really interesting. The journalist talks to a reporter in France who recently got her personal data from Tinder and it was shocking to see how much data dating-apps collect on users. They were literally able to predict when she would be the most vulnerable and was going to swipe!
šTREAT YOā SHELVES!
I read the 3 books this month.
šNever Split the Difference by Chris Voss
The book talks about negotiation and provides actionable strategies. I have also written an article on the book with all the details.
āNo deal is better than a bad dealā
š“āāļøAtomic Habits by James Clear
Atomic Habits essentially works on the principle of aggregation of marginal gains which means that you search for a tiny margin of improvement in everything you do - if you break a task into smaller tasks, example cycling, and improve marginally in all the smaller tasks - you will improve when aggregated together.
You try to improve 1% every day in individual behaviors and let the good habits compound.
āSuccess is the product of daily habits ā not once in a lifetime transformationā
š§š¼āāļøThe Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
I have been following a few concepts from Stoic philosophy for a while now. The Obstacle is the Way just added a lot more concepts to my inventory.
The whole book can be summarized using the quote below.
āSee things for what they are. Do what we can. Endure and bear what we must.
What blocked the path now is a path. What once impeded action advances action. The obstacle is the way.ā
Note:Ā If you have book recommendations, you can directly send them to me through my social accounts linked below. I also keepĀ my GoodReads accountĀ up-to-date, if you want to take a look. Here isĀ a list of my most recommended booksĀ of all time.
šCONTENT UPDATE
āš¼BLOG
I released 5 articles this month (wow! I know! š)
Network Effects - this is a 4-part series talking about the concept of Network Effects. I talk about what are Network Effects, how do you value Network Effects, and types of Network Effects. The series finale will be coming soon!
Never Split the Difference - my book review of Never Split the Difference and some strategies for negotiation.
Mastering Time Management - 7 Time Management strategies that have been working for me.
šPODCASTS
WHAT THE HAT!?
We talked with Pooja Ghadiali on joining the family business and sexism at the workplace in India.
Archana Iyer talked to us about Mixed Reality and the art of improv.
Sujen Shah discussed with us his role at NASA JPL and applications of Data Science.
Chirag Mandot talked to us about Data Science and leadership.
COLD BREW MONEY
Atit and I discussed budgeting, setting savings aside, and some of our failures.
Details on how to automate your finances so you donāt have to worry about reaching your saving goals!
Discussed the 8th wonder of the world - COMPOUNDING!
I also release daily content on my Instagram account - follow me!ā
Thatās it for now. Talk to you soon!
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