So You Wanna be a Comprehensivist?

ComprehensivistLast time it was all about Specialists, and how that’s probably the best thing to do before one is under the age of 30.

The average person should choose a well-paid profession and specialize.

Now, let’s see how that compares to someone who’s a Comprehensivist.

We will examine some people who left an exceptional mark on mankind, by combining uncommon knowledge. Some of them also got rich.Continue Reading…

Timing: The Mark of a General

The mark of an elite general is that he has an impeccable sense of timing.

=========

As the market is in uproars and the Corona/Covid-19 virus is causing widespread panic, it seems pertinent to address the issue of timing.

Now might be as good a time as any to sell if you’ve had large capital gains over the past couple of years.

They say you should not try to time the market, but all my worst losses have come from not selling fast enough.Continue Reading…

The Key to Success is to Be in the Right Business

the key to success is being in good businessesIn my last article I mentioned 9 Success Theories.

But I sneakily left out what I believe is the single most important factor.

In this follow-up article, I will deal with this 10th theory.

“There’s no substitute for being in good businesses, and there are not many of them.”  ~Tom MurphyContinue Reading…

9 Success Theories

Have you ever wondered what makes a person successful?

So have I.

I have read about this topic quite a lot and found many explanations.

Sure, there are easy answers, but if you’ve read self-improvement books and magazines, you probably know them already.

Then there are more nuanced answers. Depending on what line of work you’re in and what you want to do, those answers may differ.Continue Reading…

Don’t Think Too Highly of Human Nature

human nature

Roman aqueducts

Accelerating change, progress, and innovation is not the status quo.

The Aqueduct and functional sewage systems existed during the Roman Empire (300 BC – 300 AD). And then, when the Roman Empire fell, so did this innovation. The idea of digging tunnels below ground to transport water and waste out of the city was effectively eradicated from popular culture.Continue Reading…

20 Future Skills and My Selection of Expert Advice

Future Skill

[UPDATED: 1/12/2019 – See bottom – 3 more guests]

I’ve been fortunate to meet and talk to many interesting people.

In a recent Q&A, a listener asked me & Mikael what we had learned from our podcasts, and how making them had impacted our lives.

For me, the most important thing has been (and remains) meeting and talking to interesting individuals; learning from masters.

Learning partly from osmosis, partly from research. But mostly from reading between the lines and reflecting on my own.

This article sums up the best advice from Future Skills Podcast yet.Continue Reading…

The 6 Fundamentals of a Robust Commonplace

commonplace

Building a commonplace is one of the most useful things I’ve done in the past 5 years.

It took a while until I had a structure that was easy to use in all areas of my life, but ever since, it’s been very convenient. Because I can use it for all my work projects, studies, writing, and podcasts.

In this article I will show you how I do that.

And, how you can do the same.Continue Reading…

My Top 6 Takeaways from Billionaire Martin Sandquist (Future Skills Interview)

“I’m not really the entrepreneurial type but I always liked the independence of trading and also the fact that you’re always judged by just the market.”

~Martin Sandquist

Martin Sandquist is the founder of Lynx Asset Management. Lynx is one of the most successful hedge funds in Europe. They’re classified as a CTA and have 70 employees.Continue Reading…