The Big Picture Flashcards
What is the “shifting baseline” syndrome?
The concept that with the passage of time, change and experience there is a shifting reference point for normal. The example the author gives was the overfishing Cod in the waters off New England that decimated the cod population there. Each successive generation would track the cod numbers the reference the starting point at the start of their generation rather then tracking back to historical levels. So within each generation the relative change was small, but in totality, the change was large and generally underrecognized until the codfish had been fished to near extinction. There’s been a shifting baseline syndrome present in cardiology as well. The notion of survival curves in present-day would have been miraculously miraculously appearing in 1970, for example. F
om the book this will make you smarter by John Brockman
What is “Path Dependence”?
This term was introduced to me to me in the book, “You will learn something”. This provides an explanation for the way things that does not involve common sense or a grand design. The prototypical example is the QUERTY keyboard style. This is based on an old problem with Keys sticking. Once people learned this method of typing and it was passed down, there was no going back.
What is the difference between thinking “in time” and “out of time”?
From the book “you will learn something”, one of the authors talks about thinking “in time” as a recognition that the universe and everything in it is constantly changing. There are no immutable laws. Thinking out of time supposes there is something outside the known universe that is fixed / constant and independent of time (i.e., a god or a immutable law of physics”.
What is a black swan?
An event of low probability, extreme impact and only retrospective predictability.
How can three small words, “can I just” help you reach your goals?
From Author Martin Meadows in his book “Grit”, he tells us to not worry about finding motivation, instead he says, “find momentum”. When you feel like giving up or you can’t get started ask yourself, “can I just…” and find the smallest step you are willing to take to move toward your goal. “Can I just do the push-ups part of my work out?”
What is the “efficient market theory”?
This theory suggests that if we all have access to the same information we can not “beat” the market. Prices will move according to the collective valuation. Indeed by analyzing the market we lower our chances of success because we will come to the same conclusions as everybody else.
What are the 5 love languages?
- Act of Service
- Quality time
- Words of praise
- Gifts
- Physical Touch
What is the difference between sympathy and empathy?
Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone, empathy is feeling sorry with someone. Empathy requires you to understand and share the feelings of the person your empathizing with and requires more work.
Tell Margaret and “the ball of yarn” story
From the book lead with a story by Paul Smith, The story is told originally by Margaret Parkin (Author of tales for trainers). As a little girl, Margaret wants to knit a sweater. When she asked her mother for some wool she was directed to a bag in the corner filled with old knotted scraps of wool. This is the bag and her mother would keep on scraps after finishing projects over the years. When Margaret open the bag all she found was a mess. “It’s hopeless” she cried to her mother. “All the wool is tangled up together, I can’t possibly knit a sweater with that!”. Her mother responded, “it’s easier than you think. All you do is look for the easiest knot. When you do that the next night will be easier still. Then just keep going one knot at a time until all the wool is unraveled”. Margaret did as her mother instructed and started to undo the first not then the second and the third. With each passing knot and sooner than she had imagined, the ball of all started to loosen in different colors started to emerge. First she started working on the red wool. Then she worked on the yellow; then the green, and gray. Very soon, instead of a huge knot, She had a number of neat balls a different color wool in front of her. As she started to knit, the pattern began to form a big beautiful sunflower in the middle of her sweater. “Who would’ve thought?”, Margaret asked “that such a beautiful sweater was hiding in that bag of knotted up wool?
Moral of the story: just get started - it may be easier than you think.
If relaxing on a beach is not freedom, what is?
Striving for purpose creates freedom. Though it seems intuitive that being able do to what we want, when we want, and not having to do anything is freedom. This “vacation” sort of existance quickly loses its appeal. True freedom comes from purpose. From Beyond the Grind, by Dave Rogenmoser and Chris Hull
What were the main ideas of Steven Johnson’s book “where great ideas come from?”
There are two main ideas from Steven Johnson’s book: 1. Great ideas do not materialize out of thin air, but rather come from exploration of the “adjacent possible”. The true art to innovation therefore is expanding your adjacent possible. The second main idea I took away from this book was that ideas, like plants, grow in the sunlight. Secrecy and protecting rights sequester ideas and prevent new connections and novel innovations from being made. I will always strive to be more collaborative than covert.
What is the “adjacent possible”?
Potential first order ideas just beyond what is known. As you explore the adjacent possible the world continues to grow with new rooms to explore and new doors to open.
In the book, “getting to yes”, by Roger Fisher, it states: “expand the pie before cutting it”. What does this mean?
Inventing new options, expands the pie and is one of the most important aspects in good negotiation.
What are the three big take away points from Roger Fisher’s book, “getting to yes”
- Look behind positions for interests (ask for the why behind the position)
- Invent options (expand the pie) for mutual gain
- Find objective shared criteria from which to make a principled decision
What is your BATNA?
From Roger Fisher’s book, “getting to yes”, BATNA stands for Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement.
