Continuously learn and let knowledge compound over time, viewing it like compound interest, to achieve significant growth and progress throughout your life.
Develop meta-rationality by realizing your own limitations and critically assessing what skills will truly matter in emerging sectors and technologies, rather than just feeling good about yourself.
Cultivate good judgment by learning from trusted mentors who teach you about different areas, supplemented by extreme and intense online experimentation (e.g., using Google creatively, reading Wikipedia, listening to podcasts, curating social media feeds).
Combine intense online learning and experimentation with face-to-face learning from human mentors who can guide, inspire, motivate, and steer you, as this combination leads to success.
Actively seek to identify your intellectual mistakes, facing up to the fact that you often don’t make the ‘best move’ intellectually, as this is crucial for continuous improvement and avoiding ossification.
Face up to your own imperfections and actively work on them, as this habit is consistently rewarded.
Take responsibility for your own problems and imperfections, even if external factors are involved, and focus on working on them.
Prioritize re-energizing yourself in the face of setbacks, recognizing that morale is increasingly important in today’s world.
Accept feedback and embrace humility by recognizing that you will rarely be the best, using this realization to re-energize yourself rather than becoming discouraged.
Foster internal motivation by focusing on aspirations and what you want to become, rather than claiming to be the best, as the internet constantly reveals others who are superior.
Develop the wisdom to know how and when to defer to the knowledge and judgment of others, especially given the abundance of information available online.
Recognize that in a world of algorithms and AI, attempting to ‘beat’ them will lead to more mistakes; instead, cultivate the judgment to know when to defer to their advice.
Develop epistemic modesty, which means having good judgment about when to trust the advice of others (including algorithms and online sources), as this is becoming more valuable than raw intelligence.
Recognize that on most matters, someone else likely knows more than you, so question the need to always hold independent opinions and consider finding expert opinions to inform your own.
Cultivate intellectual humility by being far less sure about many of your opinions, acknowledging the vastness of knowledge held by others.
When encountering information that offends or disagrees with you, avoid dismissing it immediately; instead, try to learn from almost everything, as dismissal prevents growth.
Actively seek out and read books you disagree with, as they are more likely to challenge and educate you than books that simply confirm your existing views.
Consciously avoid the intellectual move of ‘devalue and dismiss’ when encountering ideas or people, as this habit significantly hinders learning and personal improvement.
If you choose to be a generalist, prioritize developing expertise in evaluating the quality of sources across all online platforms, as this skill is rapidly increasing in importance.
Be a critical reader of online information, judging the quality of sources, while also maintaining epistemic modesty to avoid becoming ‘stupider’ in the age of the internet.
Acquire necessary skills and talents, specifically working with information technology and software, or developing wonderful people skills (sales, marketing, management), to thrive in a world where computers enhance productivity or compete against human labor.
Retrain yourself every three to five years to stay current with rapidly changing information technology and software skills.
Identify whether you are primarily a ’tech person’ or a ‘sales, marketing, persuasion manager person’ and focus on developing expertise in one of these areas to position yourself well in the job market.
Consider Charlie Munger’s advice to hyper-specialize for 80-90% of your time, dedicating the remaining time to becoming a generalist in ‘big ideas’ of the world.
In a competitive environment with many demands on attention, be authentic, dedicated, or target a niche to do something really interesting, as ‘slop’ will no longer suffice.
For most books (excluding classics), don’t feel obligated to finish them; instead, constantly evaluate if continuing a book is more valuable than starting a new one, finishing only truly compelling works.
Start by reading the opening 20-30 pages of a book to quickly determine if it’s worth your time, discarding more than half if they don’t pass this initial test.
If you own a book, fold over pages with notable content to help you remember specific points, as the physical act can aid recall.
Instead of consuming bundled news (like traditional newspapers), pick and choose individual articles and sources that are most efficient and relevant for you.
Utilize platforms like Spotify, YouTube, and Netflix streaming to easily and quickly access culture, allowing you to ‘pack more in’ without needing to physically ‘go out and do culture as much’.
Actively explore foreign films from countries like South Korea, Iran, or Latin America, as they offer diverse storytelling and can be a richer cinematic experience than current Hollywood offerings.
Consider prioritizing watching movies over TV shows, as movies are often underrated and offer a higher quality experience than much of today’s ‘overrated’ TV.
Consciously limit your TV watching to very few, high-quality shows, or none at all, due to time constraints and the belief that movies are often better.
For those under 40, adopt a rigorous saving system with fixed rules, treating it ‘almost like a religion,’ to build wealth despite low-interest rates.
Strive to live happily off the wage from your first job, banking any subsequent income increases, as this strategy in your 20s can set you up for life.
Leverage the internet to find free or low-cost entertainment and resources, questioning the need to spend excessively and thereby facilitating saving.
Prioritize functional and reliable possessions (like a car) over expensive status symbols, even with a high income, to support saving and a deliberate lifestyle.
Do not rely on Bitcoin as a primary means for saving or putting your wealth, despite its current interest.
In disagreements, especially with loved ones or colleagues, recognize that you are often wrong (or both sides are wrong) and avoid prioritizing proving yourself right, as this is usually a mistake.
Emotionally internalize even a small percentage of the realization that you are often wrong in disagreements, as this can significantly improve your interactions.
Expose your children, especially during their teen years, to many of your quality friends who can serve as alternative role models, as your direct influence as a parent becomes limited.
Support and engage with initiatives that promote chess education, recognizing its value for developing thinking skills, though not necessarily making it mandatory.
Leverage the internet’s increased access to gaming, especially those with intellectual components, as a positive development for learning and development.
Be cautious about giving books as gifts, as the recipient might feel obligated to read it or misinterpret the implied message, unless you are certain it’s the perfect book for them.