Help people

Looking for a few universal plot patterns reveals things fundamental to how all people think, which are likely to be repeated in the future and relevant to your own situation. This idea also applies to how the economy works.

Economic history can seem complicated because it's part of politics, psychology, sociology, criminology, biology, military, technology, education, finance, etc. But within all that complexity is a lot of similarities.

• People seem to want the same economic things – security, power, admiration, fulfillment.
• They tend to use the same tactics to acquire those things - work, risk, incentives, persuasion, theft, control.
• They tend to fall for the same flaws pursuing those things - overconfidence, pessimism, underestimating how fast things can change, etc.

Although economic history may seem complicated, there are only a small number of broad story plots throughout the world and throughout time.

Probe: give me an example…

Dig: who, what, where, when, why and how on every accomplishment or project

Differentiate: we vs. I, good vs. great, exposure vs. expertise, participant vs. owner/leader, 20 yard line vs. 80 yard line

Situation- What's the background of what you were working on?

Task- What tasks were you given?

Action- What actions did you take?

Results- What results did you measure?

The "Where do you see yourself in 5 years" question is about the interviewer wanting to see if you can draw a straight line from the future back to the present. A two-part answer works well.

• " I want this particular job..." reinforces your desire for the position.
• In part two, explain your future plans "... because it will help ..."

You should answer the question honestly, but your answer should also reflect the research you put into the company.

Find out what training programs are offered through the firm while holding down your full-time job. Mention your goal to grow your skills, and you'll impress your interviewer with your future-focused desires.

When consumers are faced with many alternatives, they often experience choice overload that increases anxiety and hinders decision-making.

Consumers try to reduce this anxiety by selecting only a couple of criteria (say price and quantity) to determine the best value for money.

A decoy steers you in a particular direction while giving you the impression that you are making a rational, informed choice.

Consider the price of drinks at a well-known juice bar: a small (350 ml) size costs $6.10; the medium (450 ml) $7.10; and the large (610 ml) $7.50. The medium is a slightly better value than the small, and the large better still. The medium is designed to be the decoy, steering you to see the biggest drink as the best value for money.

If you buy the biggest, was it because you made a sensible choice, or have you been manipulated to opt for bigger than intended?

Following a genre on Instagram can present a wealth of ideas. The algorithm drives users toward content similar to what they've seen or liked. However, this can lead and encourage users toward extremities. 

For instance, if you are following fitness gurus or sponsored athletes. Then add some photo-editing to alter the body-image you want to project. At the same time, the algorithm continues to feed you with what you like or want until your feed becomes a mosaic of increasingly extreme exercisers.

• Instagram is in the business of data-collection and media selling. It's estimated value is more than $100bn (£77bn).
• Third-party indexing tools glean data from what is posted and sell it in the form of brand analytics, as information for governments, security and surveillance firms, and corporations.
• Images posted to Instagram are used to train its proprietary image-recognition software.
• Instagram follows your movements across the Internet, and you find hints that it is stalking you. 

1. List down the “strengths”. Knowing these will help you to be more confident in an interview or when looking for a job promotion.
2. Know your “weaknesses”.  Identifying weaknesses is the best way to improve them.
3. Find matching “opportunities”. Opportunities come in different shapes and forms. Sometimes opportunities past by you without you even noticing them.
4. Be aware of “threats”. Identify competition, new technologies, personal traits or obstacles.

• What are the professional qualifications/certifications you have?
• Can your expertise in some area make a difference to the organization?
• What projects/campaigns have you completed successfully?
• Do you have powerful industry contacts?
• What other skills make you stand out from the rest?

What do others think as your strengths?